Century Free Wargame Rules

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Century Scales and Basing Figures are individually based. Movement trays are useful. One figure represents a soldier. Cavalry should have a slightly wider base width than heavy infantry. Suggested base sizes are 20*20 mm for infantry and 25*40 mm for cavalry. Army Organisation and Deployment 1) Basic troop types are heavy infantry, skirmishers, heavy cavalry, light cavalry, chariots, artillery and elephants. Heavy infantry may be swordsmen or spearmen. 2) All troops are in units. A unit should be historically plausible, e.g. all the same nationality and basic troop type. (If there may have been historical precedent, a unit can contain both swordsmen and spearmen.) A unit may operate with it's troops dispersed. 3) Core Units are 30 to 80 infantry, 15 to 40 cavalry or chariots, 3 to 8 elephants at deployment. 4) Support Units are smaller than core units. Artillery units are one artillery piece and it's crew. 5) For each core unit there may be up to 2 support units. 6) The total number of support troops is limited to a maximum of one half of core troops. For this calculation each chariot or cavalry figure counts as 2 infantry figures, each elephant as 10. Artillery pieces count as one figure in addition to their crew. Sequence of Play Game Set Up (scenery, troops and group morale) Each Turn (alternate bounds for each side in turn) Movement (own bound) Fire Missile Weapons (own bound only) Hand to Hand Combat Unit Morale Resolution (enemy bound only) Game Set-up Choose forces, then set out scenery and set objectives at umpire discretion or mutual consent. Normally equal numbers of core units fight in open battle, but beseigers have 3 times as many core units as defenders. Set each unit's morale to 2, then apply the following rules: 1) If defending fortifications multiply the number of your core units by 3 for morale calculation. Then raise morale by 1. 2) Each core unit your opponent has more than you reduces morale by one. 3) Veteran, professional or expert troops increase morale by one. (Spartan or Romans after about 105 BC are possible examples.) Each side throws a dice. Core units are deployed first (high scorer then low scorer). Support units are deployed (high deploys theirs first), then the high scorer takes first bound. R. W. Lee, 10 August 2003 1

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Wargaming in ancient Rome and Greece

Transcript of Century Free Wargame Rules

CenturyScales and BasingFigures are individually based. Movement trays are useful.

One figure represents a soldier. Cavalry should have a slightly wider base width than heavy infantry.Suggested base sizes are 20*20 mm for infantry and 25*40 mm for cavalry.

Army Organisation and Deployment

1) Basic troop types are heavy infantry, skirmishers, heavy cavalry, light cavalry, chariots,artillery and elephants. Heavy infantry may be swordsmen or spearmen.

2) All troops are in units. A unit should be historically plausible, e.g. all the same nationality andbasic troop type. (If there may have been historical precedent, a unit can contain bothswordsmen and spearmen.) A unit may operate with it's troops dispersed.

3) Core Units are 30 to 80 infantry, 15 to 40 cavalry or chariots, 3 to 8 elephants at deployment.

4) Support Units are smaller than core units. Artillery units are one artillery piece and it's crew.

5) For each core unit there may be up to 2 support units.

6) The total number of support troops is limited to a maximum of one half of core troops. Forthis calculation each chariot or cavalry figure counts as 2 infantry figures, each elephant as 10.Artillery pieces count as one figure in addition to their crew.

Sequence of PlayGame Set Up (scenery, troops and group morale)Each Turn (alternate bounds for each side in turn)

Movement (own bound)Fire Missile Weapons (own bound only)Hand to Hand CombatUnit Morale Resolution (enemy bound only)

Game Set-upChoose forces, then set out scenery and set objectives at umpire discretion or mutual consent.Normally equal numbers of core units fight in open battle, but beseigers have 3 times as many coreunits as defenders. Set each unit's morale to 2, then apply the following rules:

1) If defending fortifications multiply the number of your core units by 3 for morale calculation.Then raise morale by 1.

2) Each core unit your opponent has more than you reduces morale by one.

3) Veteran, professional or expert troops increase morale by one. (Spartan or Romans after about105 BC are possible examples.)

Each side throws a dice. Core units are deployed first (high scorer then low scorer). Support units aredeployed (high deploys theirs first), then the high scorer takes first bound.

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Movement (shown in inches)Movement for each figure must conform to the table. The whole move is at the slowest pace, so, forinstance, if part of a move is through difficult going the whole move is at the difficult going rate.

"Rough Going" includes road fords and rough pasture. "Difficult Going" includes fordable rivers awayfrom road fords, marsh, bog, dense undergrowth, steep slopes and crossing fortifications.

131312Light Cavalry e.g. Numidians

13128Heavy Cavalry, Chariots

0396Elephants

1233Artillery (must be carried by 2 crew)

2354Infantry with armour, may have medium shield

3465Infantry, medium shield, unarmoured or chest protector

4586Infantry, unarmoured or chest protector, small or no shield

DifficultRoughChargeGood GoingTroop Type

x Charge to combat - must be in good going and end in combat. If a formation charges all figuresin good going may move at charge rate if some connect with the enemy. Figures already in orsupporting close combat cannot charge.

x Moving to combat is to either the nearest or the nearest un-engaged enemy. Bodies may notmove obliquely into combat. (If not charging they may wheel, or move men from the back rank.)

Missile Fire

x Range (inches): artillery 60, bow or sling 16, javelin 8, pila 6. Javelin and pila range increasesby 2 inches for infantry that has moved forward 4 inches or more this bound.

x Effect: 5 or more kills, 4 makes elephant berserk (see additional rules)

x Target: nearest enemy in clear line of sight within 45 degrees of front edge, not in combatwithin 1 base of combat.

x Artillery hitting formation - If a target in a formation is killed, throw again for the next manalong the path of the missile. Repeat until a gap or a target survives.

x Swordsmen may carry pila or javelins and throw from the front rank, or when not in formation.

x Shooting at Chariots - Horse is target. If killed throw d6. If even the crew dismount unharmed.

Missile troops not in, breaking off from, or supporting combat may fire once in each of their ownbounds. Each shot is taken separately. Throw a single D6 and add or subtract the factors below:

-1Target in partial cover eg. fortifications, shot by artillery

-2Target in partial cover eg. fortifications and shot by slings, arrows or javelins

-1Target has body armour e.g. mail or composite cuirass (not chest protector), not shot by artillery

-2Target is an elephant and is not shot by artillery

-1Target has shield and not shot by artillery

-1Archer, Slinger or Thrower moved this bound (artillery can not fire if moved this bound)

+2Target shot from rear but not by artillery

+1Target shot from flank but not by artillery

+1Mounted target (but not animals with no riders or elephants) when not shot by artillery

+1Pila or artillery (in addition to any short range bonus due)

+2Short Range (8 inches or closer, not artillery)

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Close CombatFor both figures throw a d6, add the troop type combat factor. Add or subtract any additional factorsincluding formation bonus or rear support if applicable. Compare the scores. Check effects table. Fora kill or push back, if the looser had rear support check the morale of their rear most support.

x Formation Bonus - Core units only. Must be part of a formation of at least 2/3 of the remainingtroops of the unit, facing the same direction in good going. Any other troops, for instanceseparated by casualties or turned to fight a flank attack, are not eligible.

x Rear Support - (May apply even if formation bonus does not.) Supporting troops must bedirectly behind, facing the same way. Any infantry may support any infantry, any cavalrycavalry. Maximum number of suporting ranks is fighter's formation bonus, minus one.

x Push Back - can push back friends in rear support only. (If there are too many ranks - no pushback.) Cavalry always follows up, infantry may do so. Elephants can not be pushed back.

x Brawls - pair off figures one to one as far as possible, if not two to one etc. Main attacker is thetoughest, secondary attackers just act as factors. Only the main attacker can be killed (unlessfighting an elephant), secondary attackers can be pushed back if there is room.

x Elephants - may kill up to 2 in one fight. Follows up to fight next rank in same bound up to endof it's move distance.

201Elephant (combat factor 1 against own mahout)

41Light Cavalry, mahout against own Elephant

43Heavy Cavalry

36Spearman

44Swordsman

11Skirmisher

Combat FactorFormation BonusTroop Type

-1Unengaged enemy visible to rear, within 3 feet and 45 degrees of straight back

-1No helmet

-2Fighting more than one opponent (each additional enemy)

+2Leader Figure (max of 1 per core unit) and chariot warriors

+1Uphill (may be in addition to fortifications)

+2Defending Fortifications

+1Rear support (per rank, up to maximum safe depth)

+1In a core unit formation which moved into combat this bound

FactorOther factors

No effect1 or 0

Push back, (survive if cannot be pushed back) then rear support morale check2

Push back (if can not be pushed back die) then apply rear morale support check3

Elephant goes berserk (see additional rules below), otherwise push back (if can not be pushedback die) then apply rear morale support check

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Kill, then apply rear support checks morale5 or more

Effect of Combat upon LoserDifference

x Rear Support Morale - Back man of file throws d6, adds own combat factor and group morale.Add 2 if leader and subtract 1 if no helmet. If it is less that 8 he becomes a casualty.

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Unit Morale Resolution

-3In seiges enemies (at least 5) within fortification or breach made

+1Enemy core unit routs or leaves the field

-1A friendly core unit routs or leaves the field

-2Have significant (at least 20% each of own strenght) enemy to rear as well as front

-2Leader figure killed

-1Each 10% of original strength of unit killed or fled

Effect on MoraleEvent

ww Unit Morale Resolution - test at end of each enemy bound if morale zero or less

Test the bands with worst morale first. If any rout, take the effects into account for the further tests. Iftwo or more bands have equally bad morale their player chooses which is tested first.

x Throw a d6 and halve the result, rounding down. If the sum of it and the moral would be zero orless the band rout, all figures becoming casualties. Otherwise they fight on for the next round,their morale unchanged. (This means that they will need morale tests in future bounds.)

Additional Rules

x Berserk Elephants - Dice for direction, then move at charge distance in that direction for 3 ownbounds, fighting any friends or foes it meets. It dodges immovable obsticles but not trees ormen. (Trees automatically get knocked over.) The mahout can try and kill it after any othercombats that round. The mahout has a combat factor of 4, the elephant 1 against it's ownmahout.

x Two Inch High Walls - are difficult going. Mounted can not scale them (but see dismountingbelow). If unopposed and helped by friends at back infantry may count as rough going.

x Dismounting - May exchange mounted figures for infantry during movement phase. (This takesthe whole movement turn.) If chariots are used, keep chariot but add infantry for dismountedfighting crew. Chariots can not fight until their fighters get back on. If the driver dismounts thechariot can not move until he gets back on.

x Attacking the Gate - Throw 2 dice. Add number of the attackers, plus rear support up tomaximum safe depth. Subtract any defenders immediately behind the gate and any rear supportto maximum safe depth. A score of 12 or more breaks through, causing the defenders to recoilone full move.

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