These are my
notes on the Polemos General de Division Napoleonic rules.
I have posted them up here before the imminent downgrading of Yahoo groups, where they were previously stored. It contains all of Chris Grice's
comments and replies to queries about the rules system. Of course, any errors or misunderstandings
within these notes are mine, not his. I
am not part of the Polemos rule-writing team or a play-tester or anything like
that, so these notes are in no way official but perhaps they may
help some players. There is an easy-going
nature to the rules that make it like a traditional set of war games rules,
rather than the more legalistic types.
There is
actually not that many grey areas in the rules.
The great majority of the notes here consist of Chris making explicit
things that can be inferred from the rules.
I have tried to
mark clearly where there have been rule changes or Chris has suggested or
accepted optional rules or changes. I have marked
as contradictions statements that appeared contradictory to me. It is also possible that
Chris, when answering a totally different point, accidentally summarized a rule
in such a way that might make there appear to be a contradiction.
I have put any
comments I have about certain rules, or how I deal with an apparent
contradiction or exploit, in square brackets.
The Polemos
Philosophy
"I'm a
great believer in 'local amendments' to rules, as I think we all have a
slightly different 'take' on the period and every player needs to be
comfortable that game outcomes fit his perception of the period. I would just
be a bit careful that adding extra rules adds value rather than just extra
lines of ifs and buts."
On Army Lists:
"For what it's worth, I really don't like the points value system used in
a lot of rules. The army generators are intended to steer players away from
'equal points value' battles into something both more challenging and more in
keeping with the period. I don't expect everyone to agree with everything in
the generators - there would be no fun in debate if they did. (What would we
talk about in the pub?)"
The morale
rules are harsh on purpose.
"I am a
great believer in the 'local amendment', so I don't mind if anyone wishes to
continue to play (an alternative) way."
Unit commanders
decide which formations their units are in.
You are the CinC, don't worry about it!
General de
Division
p.ii
Introduction
The crossover
point between GdD and MdE is designed to be battles of between 30-35,000 men
per side.
Suggested Table
Sizes: GdD - 20-25 bases 6'x4'; 40+ bases 9'x5'
p.4 Basing
Any base sizing
of 2:1 length-depth will work.
It doesn't
matter if command bases are a bit larger or smaller than 1BDx1BD.
p.4-5 Troop
Types
Cavalry is
irregular OR light, not both.
Cavalry can
have the same quality ratings as infantry.
The separate
types of cavalry (heavy, dragoon etc) can be in groups together.
Field artillery
refers to all foot artillery.
OPTION: You
can, if you want/must, re-designate a horse artillery unit as field artillery
for that particular game. You cannot
change between the field and horse artillery roles in the same game.
p.8 Army
organisation
'Force' is a
catchall term to avoid having to say 'unit, brigade, division or corps' every
time: in effect, any size of formation, in base-to-base contact, under one
officer. In certain circumstances, a
gaming group may deiced that units which have become detached a short distance
from a force [by enemy action, say, or pursuing a broken enemy] can remain part
of that force. This is why the British
artillery battery A in the worked combat example (seep.23-24) is treated as part
of the same force even though it is not in base-to-base contact with the other
units. In the event of any controversy,
or if this lack of a precise rule is anathema for your gaming group, don’t
allow exceptions to the base-to-base contact rule [My own interpretation is that groups can never be broken by involuntary action, but are always broken if the bases are voluntarily moved apart by the player].
p.9 Ranks and
Grades of Officers
There are none
for the CinC: it is assumed that you, the player, are the CinC.
p.10 Turn
Sequence
An alternative
description of the turn sequence:
GdD Turn
Summary
Tempo player
bombardment.
Tempo player
moves C-in-c and generals, then allocates TPs to subordinates.
Attack phase:
First: Any of
the Tempo player's units who are 1BW from enemy but who are not going to
attempt a charge may fire.
Second: Units
who are attempting to charge now test to do so. If their opponents are allowed
to fire, this takes place, then the outcome of the attack is resolved.
The tempo
player's other units (not involved in attacks) now move.
The non-tempo
player now repeats the above.
NOTE: it is
easier to carry out each attack from start to finish one at a time, rather than
declare all charges, then all responses, then all firing, and so on.”
Outcomes from
the 'outcome of attacks' tables are resolved immediately in the attack
phase. Other 'outcomes' -pursuit, morale
etc are done at the end of the turn.
p.10 Tempo
Bidding
Single brigades
and units answering directly to the CinC do generate tempo points and count as
a separate formation for army morale purposes.
p.11
Bombardment
No negative
modifiers for counter-battery fire - there was a lot to hit: limbers,
ammunition wagons, etc.
The possible
negative effects of bombardment represent the fatigue, conservation of
ammunition and demoralization of the bombarding gunners.
Artillery can
either bombard or support in one turn, not both. It cannot bombard and then move either.
Horse artillery
cannot bombard.
Artillery can
only bombard in a straight line. There
is no arc of fire.
The negative
modifier for rough ground reflects the extra fatigue it causes and the lower
rate of fire.
If firing three
bases on one target you roll once and +1 for each additional base (i.e. +2)
Infantry units
that fall back as a result of bombardment may fire in subsequent phases and they can also be rallied that turn.
You cannot
bombard cavalry in melee.
The "each
further base in line of sight and in base contact behind target (up to 3) means
that if you are bombarding a "column" of 3 infantry units one behind
the other you get +2 so long as they are in a straight line from where the
bombarding artillery is.
p.11 Allocating
Tempo Points
Generals move
to units and can then move with them.
There are no
command radii except those given in the rules.
It is assumed that commanders will be with their troops, but which
division or brigade they are with doesn't matter.
You can't save
tempo points in GdD.
Only independent
brigade commanders multiply tempo points into order points. Brigade commanders within divisions do not
multiply tempo points or order points again after the divisional commander has
done so.
Units/Groups
need to keep on receiving orders to keep on moving.
Units/Groups
need specific orders to attack/charge [i.e. you can't just ‘move’ into combat -
except cavalry into the second round of a melee]
Artillery can
be included in the same group as infantry or cavalry (e.g a force of 2 cavalry
bases and a horse artillery base is one group, not two).
p.12 Issuing
Orders
A group is, in
effect, the command radius of the officer in charge i.e. he needs to put more
command resources into controlling a larger number of units.
You cannot
spend extra TPs to move more than once.
This includes retiring.
Formations and
groups that are moving together (i.e. for the same order) move simultaneously
en masse [but attacks are resolved sequentially].
You must stick
to your order of battle. You can split up an existing brigade, but the unit
that has split off can only rejoin it's former comrades, they can't form a
brand new group with units from different formations.
On page 12, in
the illustration at the foot of the right hand column, the top right group of 6
stands is two groups of three, even though they are all touching.
Units in a
group don't have to conform to each other, just touch somewhere.
On groups
:"It is an arbitrary limit, based on trial and error, and basically it
does encourage the use of smaller, more nimble brigades over large unwieldy
ones.
The difficulty
would be in passing orders from the commander to a greater number of units. We
COULD, for instance, say it takes the same number of command points to move a
group of, say, six units, but takes twice as long to carry out the manoeuvre.
Standardising groups at three is easier and quicker to administer and doesn't
need any tedious record keeping or calculations."
p.13 Move
distances
Artillery
unlimbers for free in the same turn that it is stationary.
Redeploying
artillery can limber, move and unlimber all in the same turn.
When using
limber team models, when unlimbering, the gun goes to the front of where the
limber team was. Any infantry behind the
limber can now move up to behind the gun and the limber model is placed behind
the infantry.
Artillery
cannot move unlimbered [As an option, I would suggest allowing guns under 12lb
to move 1BD unlimbered]
Artillery may
limber or unlimber in any direction.
Pivoting
unlimbered artillery counts as a normal move.
Artillery can
only move through woods and urban areas on roads.
Horse artillery
cannot limber, move and support an attack.
Horse artillery
can move and support an attack.
Units can move
in any way in a redeployment move (it is assumed that the units break ranks and
then reform). Unlimbered artillery can be included in a re-deployment.
There is no
limit it the size or composition of a redeploying force so long as all units
are part of the same command.
Units can
advance in a re-deployment as long as no unit moves closer than the unit
already closest to the enemy is.
If exploits
become common in your games, have one unit in the force remain stationary and
redeploy the others round it, subject to the usual rules.
A force of any
size may redeploy. Check the definition
of ‘force’ above for an explanation of this.
A force cannot
move off from or be left behind by a bigger force without redeploying first [the original rule was the opposite - i.e. you
could - and Chris has left it up to the players to choose. Personally I allow it in GdD at the
moment]. This also applies to joining
forces back together to move as one again.
OPTION: Allow
1BD of sideways movement for the cost of a normal move and to allow a single
base to about turn as a normal move.
Other sideways movement is a redeployment move.
Artillery has
to remain stationary to limber or unlimber. Artillery unlimbers for free when
stationary.
Artillery
limbers as a move or redeployment. Horse
artillery limbers for free if charged.
Units of a
moving group must maintain the same position in relation to each other.
A unit/group
with 1BW movement, crossing an obstacle that takes 1 BW, just moves from one
side of the obstacle to the other.
A unit/group
cannot advance closer than 1BW towards the enemy - but if a unit does end up
closer than 1BW (as a result of outcome moves) the unit can still move [i.e. it
isn't fixed in position] but must still test to attack to get closer.
p.14 Terrain
Rough ground is
uneven, scrubby or boggy.
p.15 Firing
Artillery can
only bombard or support or fire in self-defence. It cannot 'fire' in the attack phase.
Artillery units
that support offensive long-range fire in the tempo turn cannot then provide
support if that unit is then charged in the non-tempo turn.
The firing
player does not suffer from ill effects for not winning a firefight.
During an
infantry attack, neither the attacker nor counter-charging defending infantry
may fire.
The defenders
can count their 'first fire' if defending against an attack, not just when
carrying out a 'firing' attack in the tempo phase.
Attacking units
can either fire or go in with the bayonet (i.e. attack) in one turn. Not both. Non-attack firing is resolved
before attacks.
There are no
angle restrictions for units firing in support at long or close range. A unit cannot give supporting fire at
point-blank range.
Supporting fire
counts as firing, but does not get a first-firing bonus.
Supporting
units in a position to do either can fire as an individual long-range fire or
as supporting fire to an attacking unit.
If a unit
carries out a long-range firing 'attack' in the tempo phase, it can also fire
if attacked in the non-tempo attack phase.
A defending
unit forced to fall back in the tempo player's phase cannot then shoot back in
the non-tempo player's phase. It can if the attacking unit is forced to fall
back. [I assume Chris meant that if the
Attacker had any kind of negative outcome]
Artillery do
get to fire using this table if being attacked and they do not break during the
test to attack.
If the fire
breaks the target of shooting, this takes precedence over the outcome results.
Short range and
close range are the same [I think all references to short range were omitted in second edition].
A firing attack
costs no order points.
First time
firing applies only once in a game.
If the target
scores higher than the firer, there is no effect.
p.16 Launching
attacks
A unit that could
attack more than one target must declare which unit is being attacked.
There is no
'minimum overlap' for target units.
Attacking units
do not need to 'align' with the units being attacked.
When artillery
is being attacked, use the standard firing table without range modifiers.
If a unit fails
to attack, you cannot subsequently move in the movement phase.
If the last 2BW
of an attack cannot be carried out in a straight line, the attacker must wait
until the next turn [I think that the 2BW in a straight line means that attackers cannot interpenetrate friendly troops in an attack closer than 2BW to the target].
A unit that can
no longer attack, because as a result of previous attacks during that phase its
target is now out of range, cannot attack or fire at all. The order points are lost.
Attacks can be
resolved in any order. Subsequent
attacks in the same phase do happen subsequently [i.e. they are not considered
to be simultaneous].
A unit forced
to retire in the tempo-player phase cannot then charge in the subsequent
non-tempo phase.
A unit can't
move to within 1BW of an enemy unit unless launching an attack on it or on
another unit.
It is okay to
resolve all firing and attacks in one part of the table before going on to
another.
A group
attacking only requires one attack order, even if it would lead to up to 3 separate
combats taking place.
p.16-17 Testing
to attack
Defenders can
opt to fire at long-range, there just isn't a modifier for it [Chris has
approved my alternative method, if the players agree: the defending player chooses
which type of fire the infantry will carry out after the die roll is
made].
You test to
attack, carry out any firing (if that happens) and then see what the result is
on the outcome table.
The outcome is
resolved from whatever point the firing took place at (or from the attacker's
initial position if he refused to attack).
Units that
successfully test to charge must then carry out that attack.
If another base
is contacted as a result of the outcomes, take another test to attack.
A supporting
defender adjacent to a defending unit that breaks has to fall back with it [I
think Chris meant retire here given statements elsewhere].
An infantry
unit that attacks is deemed to have used up its first fire. [Chris is okay with the opposite
interpretation].
An attacker
that falls back during an attack falls back from the point where firing took
place if it happened, i.e. from 1BW if long-range fire, from 1Bd if from
close-range fire or from adjacent if from point-blank fire.
During
attacks/charges, only the defender gets to fire; but the tempo player may carry
out long-range firing 'attacks' with units that aren't carrying out charges.
Cavalry
sometimes begin charges from less than 1BW distance as a result of pursuit or
breaking situations.
Counter-charging
units can charge with their supports.
The defender
counter charges in the same attack phase.
The defender
decides whether to counter charge or not.
The outcome table tells you what actually happens.
It does not
cost order points to counter-charge.
An evade move
is a normal move directly away from the chargers. Only irregular cavalry and horse artillery
can evade.
p.17 Infantry v
infantry only
For resolving
an infantry counter-charge go straight to the outcome table from the testing to
attack table.
If the defender
falls back in infantry-infantry combat, the attacker halts at the point where
the two bases would have made contact.
A melee never
happens between infantry.
Defending infantry
can fire if attacked on the flank or rear.
They turn to face after the testing to attack phase, but before the
firing is resolved.
p.17 Cavalry v
cavalry only
Defending
cavalry that counter-charge count as charging.
The attacking
cavalry being counter-charged does not have further options as it is already
committed to the attack.
Cavalry that
refuse to charge and rally back 1BW shaken do so from their start point.
It is assumed
that the unit's reputation, experience, etc will help it to maintain its resolve
to get into action and affect their opponent's ability to stand against them.
Once melee is joined, however, these factors become less vital and it's every
man for himself.
The modifiers
in the testing to attack phase are not subsequently used as modifiers during
the melee.
Cavalry melees
can last for a maximum of three phases:
Attacker, Defender then next attacker.
You can move
into contact with a cavalry unit that is in melee. You can move units into a position to give
support in a melee.
Cavalry units
that become spent whilst in melee can finish their melee before they become
spent, but Chris is okay with the alternative to this one.
A unit cannot
charge into a melee.
Infantry cannot
move up to support cavalry in a melee [Chris has never commented about artillery but I think the intention is not].
p.18 Cavalry
attack on infantry
'Firing at
reduced effect' means that the firer is shaken, not that the firer will suffer
a further penalty when firing.
Firing is not
reduced in effectiveness when a unit is firing from square.
There is no
advantage to cavalry to charging infantry in the flank.
Units that
choose to form square when defending against cavalry automatically 'change out'
of this formation when they need to. No
need for a record or to mark it.
Ignore the
'Cavalry charging from 1BW or less' modifier in the Infantry attack on Cavalry
chart. Cavalry attacking SK2 infantry in
the open gain a positive modifier.
Chris is more
than happy for local amendments to reflect the possibility of infantry not
being caught in open order :"I'm also quite happy to agree to differ on
the SK2 v cavalry. The whole intention, as I'm sure you realise, is to ensure
that games don't bog down in endless complications, exceptions and record
keeping. If your group finds the rules easier or better for the addition of
some amendment, please feel free to introduce it - just be wary of adding too
much and slowing down the flow."
p.18 Infantry
attack on cavalry
Infantry
attacks on cavalry are resolved in one action.
p.18 Cavalry or
Infantry attack artillery
An attack by a
single base on two artillery batteries is resolved as a single attack with the
result applying to both batteries.
p.19 Shaken
You can only
get a maximum of two shaken levels in one turn.
A unit can still be instantly broken in certain circumstances.
A unit falling
back always takes a shaken level [up to the maximum of two per turn]. Statements that ‘a unit falls back shaken’
are tautologies.
When a routing
unit passes through friends units that the routing unit passes through during
the first 1BW of movement must fall back
A unit breaks
immediately it reaches 3 shaken levels.
p.19 Fall Back
Infantry do not
follow-up a falling back enemy. Cavalry
do.
A falling back
unit turns to face - conforms - to the unit that attacked it.
p.19 Retire
Retiring units
do not make units they pass through shaken.
[Chris didn't say that this depended on whether the retiring unit itself
was shaken or not].
p.19 Supporting
Artillery can
support as long it as is facing forward [i.e. facing in the direction of the
attacker] except limbered artillery cannot support units being attacked.
Units in rear
corner contact only can still provide support.
Units touching only at the corners can count for support.
Units with a
target of their own (i.e. an enemy unit up to 1BW to the front) cannot give support.
If supporting
units are behind a unit that has to retire or fall back, they fall back
too.
Supporting
units in an attack stick with the attacking unit.
A unit needs to
be facing in the same direction as the unit it is supporting.
You can only
count support once for each troop type.
Supporting
units that would be contacted by an attack still do not share the fate of the
unit they were supporting.
An infantry
unit with bases on either side can only count infantry support once, but both
bases can fire/absorb fire.
When a unit is
forced to retire, fall back or breaks, any supporting unit must retire at least
1BW – subject to any further outcomes if it is behind the supported base [i.e.
a supporting unit to the flank of the supported unit will retire when the unit
it is supporting is forced back. If it
is directly behind the supported unit, it may take shaken levels as well from
the supported unit barrelling back through them – see the rules on falling back
and breaking for details. This sentence
makes the whole thing sound lots more complicated than it actually is!].
Support for an
attack is calculated at the moment that the attack begins, not at the moment of
contact.
p.19 Pursuit
Attackers that
break a unit before contact move to a position 1BW beyond the target's original
position [presumably from where the bases would have touched]
Infantry do not
follow-up an enemy they break by a long-range firing attack.
An attacking
unit does not follow up a unit that falls back and then breaks as a result of getting
entangled with another friendly unit.
Supporting
units do not pursue
Pursuit moves
are only made in the outcome phase
p.20 Rallying
Generals
normally rally their troops for 2 Order Points per shaken level.
The CinC and
generals can rally a shaken level from a single base they are in contact with
for free.
CHANGE: The
CinC or General can rally a second shaken level for 2 tempo points (because the
General or CinC has already short-circuited the command structure) [originally
this was 2 Tempo points for the CinC, 2 order points for the General].
A non-tempo
unit that became shaken in the tempo phase can only rally in the non-tempo turn
if it became shaken neither by movement nor enemy action and is not now in
contact with the enemy.
A unit can
rally while the other units in a group change formation [presumably because changing
formation is done by 'force' not by group.
I have my doubts about this frankly].
The only point
in keeping a broken unit on [the table] is that the pursuers may keep chasing
it. While they continue to pursue, they have to have something to chase. Once the pursuers rally, you may as well take
the broken unit off.
Once pursuers
rally, they won't start pursuing the broken unit again - no need to roll again.
A unit can be
rallied in the non-tempo player's turn from the effects of bombardment in the
tempo player's turn.
A unit cannot
rally in the same turn it fires, moves or comes under fire for any reason
(except bombardment)
[Playtester and
veteran Polemos player Glenn Pearce has previously talked to Chris about
rallying and apparently Chris’ intention was that rallying should only happen
in phases 3 and 7 of the Turn Sequence].
p.20 Risk to
generals
Test just once
per turn in the outcome phase
p.21 Formation
Morale
Spent units are
not 'broken' unless an enemy unit contacts them. This will break them
instantly if it happens.
Once a unit
routs off the table it is gone.
p.25 Army
Generators & Scenarios
There are
deliberately no ratings given for generals in the scenarios. Choose your own or roll for them on an
appropriate Army Generator,
If no ratings
for troops are given, assume 'Trained'
Nothing is set
in stone. Do what you like!
Chris reckons
the French Guards are overrated.
"I do
think veteran light units should be on better factors than Old Guard - on a
unit to unit basis"
There is only
one roll for Sappers done per army, made after the first infantry division is
generated.
An
Anglo-Portuguese player doesn’t roll for size for Portuguese brigades (they are
all the same).
Polemos
Companion
There are some
units missing from the text for the Raszyn scenario (the map is correct).
Przebendowski
has light cavalry bases and a horse artillery battery.
Sokolnicki has
a field artillery battery.
