Charlemagne: Dark Ages in Europe

Charlemagne: Dark Ages in Europe Rulebook

Table of Contents

2. Components

a. The map

The game map shows Western Europe as it was at the end of the 8th century and the beginning of the 9th. A hex grid has been overprinted on it to regularize the position and movement of the counters. When placed and played, the counters are located within individual hexes.

(1) Regions. The map is divided into political-geographic areas called regions. Regions represent provinces, important tribal areas or independent states. Each region has a corresponding space on the Region Control Table.

The Byzantine region contains several geographic areas, including Venice, Naples, Gaeta, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily and the southern tips of Italy. All of them are considered a single region.
The three small islands off the south of Spain (the Balearics) are part of the Emirate of Córdoba.

(2) Region Control Table. The Region Control Table is used to record and display information about each region. This information includes:

Name: the historical name of the region.
Levy: the number of units that the player who controls the region receives for free each turn.
Religion: this will be Christian, Muslim or Pagan.
Control: a region may be in one of three control states: Empire, Tribal or Neutral.

b. Game tables

These are used to carry out and record specific functions of the game.

Battle Operation Table. Used to resolve combat.
Conversion Table. Used to resolve attempts to change the religion of a region.
Event Table. Used to generate events (including revolts).
Operation Points Marker. The convenient place to keep a record of the operation points spent by a force.
Pillage Table. Used to pillage and devastate hexes.
Revolt Table. Used to resolve attempts at revolt when they are produced by the Event Table.
Stratagem Table. Explains the functions of each type of stratagem marker.
Terrain Effects Table. Shows the different types of terrain and their effects in the game.
Treasure Points Table. Shows the number of treasure points needed to build or maintain units and to carry out other functions of the game.
Turn/Phase Track. Used to determine the current turn and to record which particular phase of a turn the game is in.
Vassalage Table. Used to resolve vassalage operations (which allow a player to gain control of a region without bloodshed).

c. Counters

Examine the counter sheet. There are three types of counters: combat units, stratagems and markers.

(1) Combat units. Combat units (or "units") represent different types of military forces.

Empire: purple.
Tribal: green.

The front side of a combat unit represents its Empire (Frankish) status. Units have their Tribal (anti-Frankish) status printed on the reverse side.

Types of combat units:

Leader (1–24). A single leader plus his bodyguard.
Field army (6–18). A combined-arms force of professional troops.
Warrior host (6–12). A heavily armed force built around its personal loyalty to a leader.
Nomad horde (4–18). A self-sufficient cavalry force.
Militia (2–6). Local self-defence forces.
Fleets (2–24). Concentrations of naval forces.

Each unit carries the following information on it:

Region of origin (leader's name)
Operation points
Combat strength

(2) Stratagems. These are markers used to indicate various political and cultural incidents. Players draw stratagems at random during the course of the game. Possession of stratagems gives players various advantages, as explained in the Stratagem Table.

(3) Game markers. These are used to record various functions of the game or changes in the status of map hexes.

Burg. Indicates a hex containing a newly built burg.
Civilization. Indicates a hex containing a cultural centre.
Control. Indicates, on the Region Control Table, which player controls a particular region.
Operation points. Indicates how many operation points a force has available.
Phase. Indicates the current phase in the sequence of play.
Pillage. Indicates a hex that has been pillaged.
Religious conversion. Indicates a change of religion in a region. Cross = Christianity; Crescent = Islam; Stylized raven = paganism.
Turn. Indicates the current turn.

d. Explanation of game terms

Active. A force or region that is controlled by one of the players (as opposed to being neutral).
Battle. An operation used to destroy enemy units.
Combat strength. A quantification of a force's capacity to enter combat and carry out pillage. It is based on the training, equipment and leadership of the unit.
Control. The status of a region (and its forces), which indicates when a player may use its forces and its treasure. A region may be in one of three control states: Empire, Tribal or Neutral.
Conversion. An operation that allows a player to change the religion of a region.
Enemy. All regions and units controlled by the opposing player.
Force. One or more units that carry out operations together.
Friend. All regions and units controlled by the same player.
Movement. The movement of units across the map.
Neutral. A region that is not controlled by any player.
Non-phasing player. The player who is not the phasing player.
Occupy. To have a friendly unit in a hex.

e. Scale of play

Each game turn represents five years. Each hex represents 50 km from side to side. Each field army, warrior host, nomad horde or militia unit represents 5,000–20,000 warriors or soldiers, plus clergy, supplies, animal herds, camp followers, etc. Each leader represents a single important personality plus an elite bodyguard.

f. Die

The players will need a six-sided die to play. The die is used for several functions of the game.

Die modifier. Certain tables require a die modifier. A positive modifier is a number added to the result obtained. For example, a die modifier of "+1" added to a die result of "3" would give a result of "4". A negative die modifier is subtracted from the result obtained. For example, a die modifier of "-1" would reduce the number obtained by one. If more than one modifier applies to a game function, the cumulative total is applied.
The players will also find it useful to have a calculator at hand.

3. Sequence of Play

General rule. The players place their units and markers according to the scenario instructions. Each game will last a set number of game turns. Within each turn, each power has its own player turn. The player who controls its forces will be able to carry out various operations with its units, in a set sequence of activity, consisting of a set number of phases.

1. Each game turn consists of the following phases:

a. First player's turn.

Event Phase. The player rolls on the Event Table to determine which event will occur in this player turn.
Stratagem Phase. The player draws stratagem markers.
Vassalage Phase. The player carries out vassalage operations to bring enemy or neutral regions to his side.
Treasury Phase. The player collects treasure points. He then uses them to recruit mercenaries, buy additional stratagem markers, build burg and civilization markers, and remove pillage markers.
Levy Phase. The player determines which units he can create through levy and places them on the map.
Operations Phase. The player carries out any operations with his forces. The player determines the number of operation points of each force. A force may spend operation points to move, attack and carry out other functions of the game. After a player has completed all operations of a particular force, he may carry out operations with other forces. The player may spend stratagem markers only to carry out certain military and diplomatic activities. During the Operations Phase, the enemy player may make interceptions.
Supply Phase. The player checks all friendly forces on the map to determine whether they can forage. He pays treasure points to supply units that cannot forage. Units that are not supplied are removed from the map.

b. Second player's turn. The second power carries out the same steps above:

Event Phase.
Stratagem Phase.
Vassalage Phase.
Treasury Phase.
Levy Phase.
Operations Phase.
Supply Phase.

c. End of turn. The players mark the passage of one turn. The game continues until the end of the scenario or until one of the two sides capitulates.

4. Control

General rule. The players control different regions of the map. Control is gained or lost through the initial instructions of the scenario, through revolt events or through vassalage.

1. A region may be in one of these three statuses:

Controlled by the Empire. The region is controlled by the Empire player.
Controlled by the Tribals. The region is controlled by the Tribal player.
Neutral. The region is not controlled by any player.

a. The control status of a region is indicated by placing the control marker in the appropriate space of the Region Control Table.

2. Effects of control. When a player controls a region, the following occurs:

a. Units. The player gains control of the units marked with the name of this region (that is, a player who controls the Saxon region may carry out operations with all the Saxon units).

Empire units are placed face up.
Tribal units are placed on their reverse side.
Neutral units are indicated by rotating them 180°; they may be face up or face down.

b. Levy. The player gains levy units in each friendly levy phase of this region (that is, control of the Saxon region would give the player two extra units each turn).

3. Neutral. Regions that are not controlled by any player are neutral. They enter play when something occurs that forces them to become belligerent.

a. Effects of neutrality.

(1) The units of a neutral region are not controlled by any player; no player may carry out operations with the units of a neutral region. Neutral units have no zones of control.
(2) Neutral regions have no levy units, and do not collect or spend treasure points.
(3) Players may enter and move freely through neutral areas without forcing their belligerence. An active force may not enter a hex that contains a neutral unit.
(4) A player who occupies a burg in a neutral region may collect treasure points without violating its neutrality. A player who occupies a civilization marker in a neutral region receives one additional stratagem marker without violating its neutrality.

4.4 Belligerence

a. Neutral units may enter play only in the following circumstances:

(1) Events. If forced by a revolt event.
(2) Vassalage. If a vassalage attempt against the region succeeds.
(3) Combat. If an active player attacks neutral units, the other player immediately gains control of the region of the same name.
(4) Pillage/Conversion. If an active player carries out raid or conversion operations in a neutral region, the other player immediately gains control of the region.

b. Procedure. At the moment the neutrality of a region is violated, it becomes belligerent. Its control marker is moved to the corresponding space of the Region Control Table of the player who gains its control. When a player gains control of a region, he gains control of all its units.

4.5 Return to neutrality

Regions may return to neutral status. This may be the result of vassalage or of a revolt event.

a. Procedure. When a region returns to neutral status, its control marker is placed in the neutral space. This has the following effects:

(1) All units of this region that are within its region remain in place.
(2) All units of this region that are outside its region are immediately removed from the game.
(3) EXCEPTION to (2): Units occupying burgs outside their region are not eliminated; they remain in those burgs.
(4) If units that have become neutral are stacked with active units because of (1) or (3), the neutral units are eliminated.
(5) If there are active units in a region that has become neutral, they may remain in that region (remember, the mere occupation of a neutral region does not make it belligerent).

b. A neutral region remains neutral until it is forced into belligerence again.

4.6 Defection

A player may gain control of a region belonging to another player directly through vassalage (see the Vassalage Table). In this case, the control marker of the region is moved to the appropriate space. The player gains control of all forces of this region, regardless of their location. If the units of the region are stacked with formerly friendly forces, then these units (those of the newly controlled region) are eliminated.

5. Occupation

General rule. A player occupies a hex physically by having one or more friendly units in it. Control is only a function of occupation. If a player were to abandon the hex completely, he would lose control of it. A power may later regain control by reoccupying the area.

1. Occupying burg hexes gives the player tax income; occupying civilization hexes gives the player extra stratagems. These are received regardless of whether the player controls the region or not.

It is important to understand the distinction between control and occupation. Control means that a player has the loyalty of the people (or of the ruling elite) of a region. Occupation means that the player has units physically inside a hex. A player may, for example, occupy every hex of a region, but unless the control marker is in his space, he does not yet control it.

6. Events

General rule. The event rule includes an extensive network of political, economic and cultural factors that influenced the original situation. During the friendly Event Phase, the player rolls two dice and consults the Event Table.

1. Procedure. Two dice are rolled. One die is treated as the "tens" and the other as the "units" to create a number between 11 and 66. The number obtained is looked up on the table and the result is applied (example: the player rolls "1" and "2", which causes event "12", Historical Optimism, to come into play).

2. Some events affect both players (for example, Plague). Others apply only to the player whose turn it is. Unless otherwise specified, an event may occur more than once per game.

It is highly recommended that players read the Event Table before playing, since some events will have a greater effect on the game in that way.

7. Revolt

Revolt represents regions reasserting their independence or actively becoming hostile to the Frankish Empire.

1. Procedure. When a revolt event occurs, certain regions are assigned. The player rolls one die once on the Revolt Table for each assigned region, applying the indicated modifiers. The player rolls for each region independently of who controls it. The result is applied individually to each region.

2. The result will be No Effect (control does not change), Return to Neutrality, or a change from Neutral Region to Tribal control. In addition, a region may also return to its original religion if it has been converted before (see the Revolt Table).

3. Note that Austrasia is never affected by revolts.

Results of the Reinforcements Table favour the Tribal player. This represents historically centrifugal forces leading the region to fight against Frankish centralized power. In game terms, this is balanced by the greater resources available to the Empire player.

8. Stratagems

General rule. Combatants in the High Middle Ages used, in their actions, a great variety of types of conflict to achieve their objectives, including cultural and religious ones as well as military ones. In the game, these confrontations are represented through stratagem markers.

Stratagem markers are kept in an opaque container called the Stratagem Container. Players draw these markers at random when the game rules indicate.

When a player gains control of stratagem markers, he places them in any appropriate location on the map.

1. The Container. At the beginning of the game, the players place all stratagem markers in an opaque container, referred to in the rules as "the Container." When the rules indicate that stratagem markers are to be drawn, a player draws the indicated number of markers at random. Once the markers have been drawn, the player looks at them. Unless otherwise indicated, players are not obliged to show their stratagem markers to the enemy.

2. Obtaining stratagems. A player gains stratagem markers as follows:

a. Initial placement. The scenario will designate how many stratagem markers each player begins the game with.
b. Stratagem Phase. During the friendly Stratagem Phase, the player draws stratagem markers, following this pattern:
- One automatically.
- One for each hex occupied by his forces that contains a civilization marker.
- If one of his leaders possesses the stratagem "Augustus", he receives one extra stratagem; if the leader Charlemagne possesses this stratagem, the player draws two markers (this is explained on the Stratagem Marker Sheet under the heading Augustus).
c. Purchase. During the friendly Treasury Phase the player may buy additional stratagem markers at the cost designated on the Treasure Points Table (two treasure points each).
d. Battle. Certain combat results will grant stratagem markers (representing glory obtained in battle).

3. A player may accumulate any number of stratagem markers. A player may return stratagem markers to the Container at any time without playing them.

Players will notice that certain events in the game will cause the loss of all stratagem markers, so it is not very worthwhile to keep too many for a long time.

4. Use of stratagem markers. The Stratagem Marker Sheet gives the details for playing all markers.

a. Each stratagem may be used a set number of times in a game turn. This is explained on the Stratagem Sheet. Certain markers may be played during the enemy turn, as indicated on the Stratagem Sheet.
b. Stratagem markers that have been played are returned to the Container (unless otherwise indicated on the Stratagem Sheet).
c. A player may play any number of stratagem markers in a turn. Playing a stratagem is not considered an operation and has no operation-point cost.

5. Loss of stratagem markers. Certain functions of the game cause a player to lose stratagem markers. This includes:

The Historical Crisis Event.
Death of Charlemagne.
Loss of the leader holding the Augustus stratagem marker.

a. Procedure. The player draws the designated number of stratagem markers at random from among those in his possession and returns them to the container. If a player must lose all stratagem markers, then he returns all those he has to the container, but if he had none at that time, there is no additional effect.

9. Vassalage

Players use vassalage to bring neutral or enemy regions under their control. Vassalage takes place during the Vassalage Phase. A player must spend at least one vassalage stratagem to initiate a vassalage attempt. He may spend additional vassalage stratagem markers to increase the chances of success of his vassalage attempt.

Vassalage is not an operation. It requires no expenditure of operation points.

1. Procedure.

(1) The phasing player designates the region in which he attempts vassalage.
(2) The phasing player designates the number of vassalage stratagem markers he will spend on the vassalage attempt (a minimum of one).
(3) The non-phasing player designates the number of vassalage markers he will spend to counter the vassalage attempt.
(4) The number of vassalage markers of the non-phasing player is subtracted from the number of markers of the phasing player. This gives the Vassalage Differential.
(5) The column in the Vassalage Table corresponding to the Vassalage Differential is located.
(6) The modifiers to the Vassalage Differential are determined. These are added to or subtracted from the Vassalage Differential number (not from the die roll). This gives the column that must be used.
(7) A die is rolled and the result is applied immediately.

2. Vassalage stratagem markers are returned to the Container after being used.

3. A player may make any number of vassalage attempts in a turn, provided he has vassalage markers available. A player is not obliged to have units in a region in order to attempt vassalage (although occupying burgs in a region provides a modifier to the Vassalage Differential — see the table).

4. The non-phasing player may "defend" neutral regions against enemy vassalage attempts. To do this, he spends vassalage markers, which reduce the Vassalage Differential.

5. Certain stratagems (Crown of Pavia, Donation of Constantine, Frankish General Assembly, Ring of the Avars) count as two vassalage markers when vassalage is carried out (normally when particular regions are designated/defended; see the Stratagem Marker Sheet).

6. The Tribal player may never make vassalage attempts against Austrasia.

Designer's note: Vassalage is not an operation, since it represents diplomatic activities carried out by heads of state and of the same consequence as military operations.

10. Taxes and Treasure Points

Taxes are the method by which a player may obtain treasure points. Treasure points are used to create units and to obtain/place markers.

Players should record their treasure points on paper.

1. Collecting treasure points (taxes).

a. Each burg on the map has a value of one treasure point. This includes both those printed on the map and the markers. To collect treasure points from a burg, the player must have at least one friendly unit in the hex.
b. Pillaged burgs do not provide treasure points.
c. The player who controls the following regions will automatically receive extra treasure points in each friendly Treasury Phase:
- Byzantium: 5.
- Caliphate: 3.
c. A player may accumulate unspent treasure points from one turn to the next.

2. Spending treasure points. A player may spend treasure points during the friendly Treasury Phase. Players spend treasure points for the following (see also the Treasure Points Spending Table):

a. Building mercenary units. Certain units may be created by spending treasure points (see the rule on levies and mercenaries).
b. Building burg and civilization markers. A player may build burg or civilization markers by spending the number of treasure points indicated. The player must have at least one friendly unit in the hex in which the marker is placed. Only one burg marker and one civilization marker may be placed in each hex (one of each).
c. Buying stratagem markers. For every two treasure points that a player spends, he may draw one stratagem marker from the Container.
d. Removing pillage markers. If the player has a unit in a pillaged hex, he may remove the pillage marker by spending the number of treasure points indicated.
e. Supply. During the Supply Phase a player may keep units in play above the foraging limit of a hex by paying the supply cost of the unit type. The Treasure Table gives the costs.
f. Trade. Players may freely trade treasure points with each other.

11. Levies and Mercenaries

General rule. Players receive additional units each turn through levy and the recruitment of mercenaries.

Levies represent units that are received automatically, at no treasure-point cost.
Mercenaries represent units that must be paid for (recruited) with treasure points.

1. Levies. Each region controlled by a player receives levy units in each friendly Levy Phase. These units are received at no treasure-point cost.

a. Procedure. In each friendly Levy Phase, the player may place levy units in all the regions he controls. Units created by levy must be placed in the same region named on the unit. The number of levy units that a region may bring onto the map is indicated on the Region Control Table under the "Levy" column.

b. Only the following unit types may be created by levy:

Warrior hosts
Nomad hordes
Militia
Fleets (only Denmark and the Nordic peoples. Other regions may create fleets only by recruiting them with treasure points)

c. Units created by levy are placed in any hex of the region. No more than one levy unit may be placed per hex per Levy Phase (there may be other friendly units in the hex).

(1) Restrictions: A levy unit may not be placed in a hex that contains an enemy or neutral unit, in an enemy zone of control, or on a pillage marker. A player may place levy units only in the region of the same nationality (for example, Saxon units must be placed in Saxony).
(2) Note that levy units do not have to be placed in a hex that contains a friendly unit or a burg. They may be placed in any hex of the region, within the restrictions given above. If there are no available hexes, the player cannot receive levy units.

d. Neutral units may never be created by levy.

2. Mercenaries. A player may create additional units beyond the levy units in a turn, by recruiting mercenaries. The recruitment of mercenaries takes place in the friendly Treasury Phase.

a. Procedure. The player pays the appropriate cost in treasure points for the units he wishes to recruit. He then places the units in any occupied friendly burg of the same region as the unit's name.

b. Restrictions. A player may buy mercenary units only in a burg of the same region as the units themselves (for example, Bavarian mercenaries could be placed only in Salzburg or Regensburg). Note that this means a player cannot buy mercenaries in a region that contains no burgs (unless he has built a burg in that region). Only one mercenary unit may be placed per hex per Treasury Phase (there may be other friendly units in the hex).

Remember that, since enemy zones of control do not extend into an occupied friendly burg, the player could place them in occupied friendly burgs adjacent to enemy units.

3. Peripheral areas. A player may place levy/mercenary units in peripheral areas. The units must be of the same nationality as the area (for example, Byzantine units may only be placed in the Byzantine Peripheral Area). If an area has a port symbol, then the player may place fleets in it. A player may place up to 10 levy/mercenary units in a Peripheral Area each turn.

4. Limits. The number of units in the counter sheet constitutes an absolute limit. Players may not recruit/create by levy more units than are available for a particular region.

a. Units that have been eliminated for any reason may be reintroduced into the game through levy or the recruitment of mercenaries.
b. A player may place levy units in the same hex in which he placed a mercenary unit in the same turn.

5. Construction of fleets.

a. Levy fleets are placed in any coastal hex, port hex or Peripheral Area with a port symbol. This must be in the same region as the name of the counter.
b. Recruited fleets may be placed in any burg hex with a port symbol or Peripheral Area with a port symbol. This must be in the same region as the name of the counter.

6. Leaders. Leaders are received through stratagem markers. See the rules on leaders.

It is important to understand the distinction between mercenaries and levies. Levies represent forces that a player receives automatically for free (they represent troops who owe loyalty to a particular leader); mercenaries are additional units that may be bought by spending treasure points (they represent paid professionals).

12. Forces

General rule. A force is a group of units stacked together that carry out operations. Forces may carry out operations together (for example, movement, combat, etc.).

1. Stacking. A player may have a maximum of 10 units in a single hex.

a. Leaders do not count for stacking.
b. Friendly, neutral and enemy units may not be stacked together.
c. The Empire player may stack units from different regions in the same hex.
d. The Tribal player may never stack units from different regions in the same hex at the same time.
e. The stacking limit may not be exceeded at any time during the game turn. Units may not be placed, moved or retreated into a hex where they would exceed the stacking limit. If the stacking limit is exceeded, the player must eliminate the excess units.
Designer's note: The Empire player may stack units from different regions in the same hex because of the great unity of the Frankish state.

2. Operations. A player may have more than one force in a hex.

a. A force may not pick up additional friendly units in the course of an operation. A force may leave units behind, but the abandoned units may not carry out any further operations in that turn.
b. All units of a force move, fight, pillage and convert together. When attacking, all units of a friendly force must take part in the attack. When defending, all units of a friendly force must take part in the defence together.

13. Operations

General rule. During each player's turn, that player carries out operations with his forces. Operations allow forces to move, attack, convert a region to their religion, and pillage. A player may carry out operations with some, all or none of his forces during his turn. Players carry out operations with one force at a time.

1. Procedure. The player designates the force that carries out operations. He determines the number of operation points it will receive for the Operations Phase. He then carries out operations with this force, subtracting operation points. When the player runs out of operation points or decides not to carry out further operations with a force, he then designates another friendly force and carries out operations with it. The player continues this procedure until he has used all forces or decides not to carry out further operations.

2. Determining operation points. Each force that carries out operations must determine the number of operation points it will have for that Operations Phase.

a. The following elements are added together to determine the number of operation points each force receives:
- The operation-point value of the unit in the force with the lowest value.
- A die roll. If the player has a friendly leader in the force, he doubles the number obtained (he triples it if Charlemagne is part of the force). Otherwise, the value obtained on the roll is used.
- Example: A force contains a leader (operation points = 24), a militia unit (operation points = 6) and a warrior host unit (operation points = 12). The player rolls a die and gets a 3. The presence of a leader doubles it to 6. This is added to the operation-point value of the militia unit, giving a final score of 12.
b. The number of operation points a force has available is recorded on the Operation Points Marker and is adjusted as the force spends them.

3. Each operation costs a set number of operation points. The player designates the operation to be carried out and then spends the appropriate number of points. When a force reaches zero operation points, it may not carry out further operations this turn.

4. A force must have enough operation points available to carry out an operation. If it does not, the force may not carry out that operation.

5. A player is not obliged to spend all of a force's operation points. Unused operation points may not be saved from one turn to the next or transferred from one force to another.

6. Operations include the following actions (each explained in its own section of the rules):

Movement
Combat
Pillage
Conversion

14. Zones of Control

Game units have zones of control. Zones of control (ZOC) represent the area over which a unit can exert influence by reacting. The ZOC are formed by the six hexes surrounding a unit.

1. Extent of zones of control.

a. All units with a combat factor of 1 or more have a ZOC.
b. The ZOC of a land unit do not extend into all-sea hexes or across all-sea hex sides.
c. The ZOC of naval units do not extend into all-land hexes or across all-land hex sides.

2. ZOC extend into hexes that contain enemy units. The presence of enemy units does not cancel them.

a. Exception: Zones of control never extend into burgs occupied by enemy or neutral units. Active units inside burgs have a ZOC that extends outside the burg.

3. Neutrals. Neutral units have no ZOC. At the moment a region becomes belligerent, all its units exert their own ZOC.

4. Effects on movement. A force must stop its movement when it enters an enemy ZOC. It may continue moving only if it eliminates/removes all enemy units exerting a ZOC over the hex the force occupies (note that this may occur within the same operations segment. Therefore, a force may move, destroy an enemy force, enter a new enemy ZOC, eliminate it, continue moving, etc., as long as the force has enough operation points to spend).

a. A force may never move directly from one ZOC to another.
b. A force that begins its operations in an enemy ZOC may leave it, provided it does not enter another adjacent ZOC.

5. Effects on combat.

a. A unit is not obliged to enter combat simply because it is in an enemy ZOC.
b. A force may not retreat into an enemy ZOC. If a force has no choice but to retreat into an enemy ZOC, it is eliminated.

6. Pillage and conversion. A force may not carry out pillage or conversions if it is located in an enemy ZOC.

7. Other. ZOC do not affect the other functions of the game.

Designer's note: The severe restrictions that ZOC impose on operations are due to the multi-year nature of the game turns. Within this period of time, a defending force would be able to counter enemy military operations and defend the civilian population from depredation.

15. Movement

General rule. Movement is an operation. A force moves from one hex to another, paying the relevant operation points.

1. Procedure. A force moves from one hex to an adjacent one. Each hex entered costs a number of operation points designated on the Terrain Effects Table.

2. Special terrain.

a. Rivers. Crossing river hex sides has an extra operation-point cost. The operation-point cost is in addition to any other cost of the hex being entered.
b. Passes. Units move directly along passes, paying one operation point for entering rugged territory (instead of the normal cost for this type of terrain).

3. Prohibited terrain.

a. Units may never enter hexes that contain enemy or neutral units.
b. Land units may not enter all-sea hexes, nor cross all-sea hex sides, unless they move by naval transport.
c. Naval units may not enter all-land hexes, nor cross all-land hex sides. Naval units may enter coastal hexes.
d. Units may not move directly from one enemy ZOC to another (see the zones of control rule).
e. Units may enter hexes that contain markers (for example, burgs).

4. A force may not pick up additional units while marching. It may leave units behind as it moves. Abandoned units may not carry out any further operations in this turn.

5. Neutrals. A force may enter a neutral region without violating its neutrality.

6. Zones of control. Units must stop after entering an enemy ZOC. The ZOC rule gives all the details on its effects on movement.

7. Naval movement. The rules for the movement of fleet units and the naval transport of land units are covered by the naval operations rule.

16. Battle

General rule. Battle is an operation; it is used to destroy enemy units. Battle takes place during the Operations Phase. It occurs between adjacent enemy units at the discretion of the player whose turn it is. The phasing player is the "attacker". The other player is the "defender". Players should remember that battle takes place during the Operations Phase — there is no separate combat phase.

1. Battle procedure.

a. For each battle, players must rigidly follow this sequence:
- (1) The attacker declares which attacking force is fighting which defending force. He spends the number of operation points required.
- (2) All units of both the attacking and the defending side are revealed.
- (3) The defender has the option to retreat or to remain in its position.
- (4) The combat ratio is determined. The effects of leaders, terrain and stratagem markers are included here.
- (5) A die is rolled and the number obtained is cross-referenced with the column corresponding to the combat ratio. This gives the result of the combat. This result is applied immediately.

2. Attack.

a. Attacking units may attack only in their own Operations Phase.
b. Attacking units must be adjacent to the units they attack.
c. The attack is entirely voluntary.
d. The attacker may attack only with the units of the particular force that is carrying out operations at that moment; it may not include other friendly units that may be in the same hex but are not part of the same force. All units of a force must take part in combat (although the attacker may "leave behind" units of the same attacking force before the battle; of course, once you have done this, these units may not take part in the battle or in later operations during this phase).
e. A force may carry out more than one battle per Operations Phase, as long as it has enough operation points to spend. It is entirely possible for a single force to move, attack, move, carry out other operations, etc., any number of times as long as it has enough operation points.
f. An attacking force may attack only a single adjacent enemy hex. It may not attack more than one enemy-occupied hex at a time.
g. No more than one force may be involved in a battle. If the player has more than one force adjacent to a single enemy hex, only one force may attack at a time.
h. Units may not attack hexes that they normally cannot enter (for example, land units may not attack across all-sea hex sides).

3. Defence. All defending units in a hex must be attacked as a combined defending force. The defender may never withdraw any of its units from the battle (exception: see retreat, below). A given hex may be attacked more than once per battle segment.

4. Revelation of units. At the moment an attack is declared, the attacker and the defender must show the units that make up their respective forces. The attacker may not cancel the combat, even if it realizes it has a poor combat ratio.

5. Retreat. During the designated part of the battle sequence, the defender has the option to retreat or to remain in place. If the defender announces that it remains in its position, the battle begins with the determination of the combat ratio. If the defender chooses to retreat, then it may immediately move its force, within the following limitations:

a. Prerequisite. To retreat, the operation-point value of all units of the defending force must be greater than that of the attacking unit with the highest operations value (the printed values are used).
b. Procedure. The defending player immediately moves its force one or two hexes. This costs no operation points. The retreat must be to hexes into which the force could normally enter during movement. Retreat avoids the battle; however, the attacker still spends the operation points produced by this failed combat.
c. Retreat of fleet units is carried out in the same way. Land units that are embarked on fleets retreat together with the fleets.
d. After completing the retreat, the attacking player may continue carrying out operations with its force by spending more operation points. The phasing force may move adjacent to the force that has retreated and attack it again (and the enemy force may again retreat).
e. Retreat costs no operation points for the non-phasing player. The retreating force may carry out operations normally in its next Operations Phase.
f. Restrictions. A force may not retreat into a hex that contains any of the following:
- An enemy or neutral force.
- An enemy ZOC.
- Across a river or into a rugged hex (except across a pass hex).
- Terrain into which units in retreat are otherwise prohibited.

6. Determination of the combat ratio.

a. Combat ratios are determined as follows:

(1) The combat strengths of all attackers are totalled. The effects of leaders and military stratagem markers are included.
(2) The combat strengths of all defending units are totalled. The effects of leaders, terrain and military stratagem markers are included.
(3) The attacker's total combat strength is divided by the defender's total combat strength.
- (a) If the attacker's strength is greater than the defender's, fractions are discarded and this is the ratio used to determine which combat ratio column will be used.
  - For example, if the attacker has 14 combat-strength points and the defender has 5, the combat ratio will be 14 divided by 5, which gives 2.8/1. The fraction 0.8 is discarded and a final ratio of 2/1 is obtained.
- (b) If the defender's combat strength is greater than the attacker's, the result is rounded up.
  - For example, if the defender has 10 combat-strength points and the attacker has 6, the combat ratio will be 1/1.67, which is rounded to 1/2.

b. Ratios below 1/3 are treated as 1/3. Ratios above 4/1 are treated as 4/1.

c. The 1.5/1 column is used when the attacker has at least 50% more strength than the defender, but less than double (for example, the attacker has 7 strength points and the defender 4).

d. Multipliers. Both the attacker and the defender may multiply the strength of their forces according to the following parameters:

(1) Leaders. If the force includes a friendly leader, then it doubles its strength. A force may be doubled only once by a leader (that is, if there is more than one leader in a hex, there are no additional effects).
- Charlemagne. Charlemagne triples the strength of a force, instead of doubling it.
(2) Terrain. The defender multiplies the strength of its force by the terrain of the hex. If it defends in a burg, rugged terrain, a pass or a marsh, the defending force's strength is doubled.
- Note that rivers do not double the defender's strength, unlike in other wargames.
(3) Military advances. Each player may play one military-advance stratagem marker per battle (the attacker declares first, then the defender). A military advance doubles the strength of a force.
(4) A player may multiply the strength of a single force once for each leader, terrain and military-advance stratagem. If it uses one of these elements, the strength is doubled; if it uses two of them, it is tripled; if it uses all three, it is quadrupled.
- A force may never be more than quadrupled in a single battle (even if Charlemagne takes part in it). If Charlemagne is involved in a battle with defensive terrain and/or military advances, the force will be quadrupled.

7. Application of combat results. Combat results are applied immediately. Combat results are applied in the order given in each particular result.

8. Retreat after combat. Certain combat results cause one side to retreat. This is a special form of movement that takes place without spending operation points. The designated player moves its force the number of hexes indicated. The Battle Table gives the specifications for the retreat.

a. Burgs. A unit that defends or attacks in a burg may, at the choice of the owning player, ignore the retreat result. A force that retreats into the first of two hexes and that hex is a fortress may stop the retreat in the fortress hex.
b. An attacking force that retreats may continue carrying out operations at the end of the retreat.

9. Advance after combat. Unlike in other wargames, there is no "advance after combat" as such in Charlemagne. The attacker may continue moving its force after the battle simply by spending operation points.

17. Pillage Operations

General rule. Players may pillage a hex to destroy burgs and civilization markers and to reduce its forage value to 0. The pillage marker is placed in the hex to indicate that the hex has been pillaged.

1. Procedure. The player must have a force in a hex to pillage it. The combat-strength points of the force are totalled and the appropriate column is used.

a. Terrain, leaders and military-advance stratagems do not multiply the strength for pillage.

2. Restrictions. A force may not carry out pillage if it is in:

An enemy zone of control.
A hex that already has a pillage marker.
A peripheral area.

3. Effects of pillage markers. See the tables.

4. Duration of pillage. A player may remove a pillage marker at the end of any friendly Treasury Phase (after all treasure points have been collected). It must have at least one friendly unit in the hex. The player spends the number of treasure points indicated on the Treasure Points Table. The pillage marker is removed.

a. Removing a pillage marker restores any burg or port printed on the map in the hex to its normal function and also restores its forage value. It does not restore destroyed burg or civilization markers.

18. Conversion Operations

Conversion is an operation. Players use conversion operations to change the religion of a region. A force may attempt to convert the region in which it is located to another religion. A religious-conversion marker of the appropriate religion is placed in the region's space on the Region Control Table to indicate the new religion.

1. Procedure.

(1) The phasing player designates which force will carry out the conversion operation and which religion it is attempting to convert the region to. The force must then spend the required number of operation points.
(2) The phasing player designates the number of missionary stratagem markers he will spend on the conversion attempt (a minimum of one).
(3) The non-phasing player designates the number of missionary markers he will spend to counter the conversion attempt.
(4) The number of missionary markers of the non-phasing player is subtracted from the number of the phasing player. This gives the conversion differential.
(5) The column of the Conversion Table corresponding to the conversion differential is located.
(6) The modifiers to the conversion differential are determined. These are added to or subtracted from the conversion-differential number (not from the die). This gives the column to be used.
(7) A die is rolled and the result is applied immediately.

2. Missionary stratagem markers are spent (returned to the Container) after being used.

3. A player may carry out any number of conversion attempts in a turn while he has missionary markers available. The player must have at least one unit in a region to attempt a conversion.

4. The non-phasing player may "defend" neutral regions against enemy conversion attempts. He does this by spending missionary markers, which reduce the conversion differential.

5. Missionary stratagems.

a. A player must spend at least one missionary stratagem to carry out a conversion.
b. Missionary stratagem markers are added (if played by the phasing player) or subtracted (if played by the non-phasing player) from the column used. The total is also modified according to the factors indicated on the table.
c. Note that the number of combat factors of the converting force has no impact on the column used to resolve the attempt. A player simply must have at least one friendly combat factor in the region to carry out the conversion.

6. Restrictions.

a. A force may not carry out a conversion if it is in an enemy zone of control.
b. The Empire player may convert a region only to Christianity.
c. The Tribal player may convert a region only to the religion of the force carrying out the conversion attempt. If a leader were to carry out a conversion attempt, then the Tribal player may select any religion.

7. Countering conversion. If the non-phasing player has a force in the region, then it may play missionary markers to reduce the conversion total. For each missionary marker played by the defender, the conversion differential is reduced by one point.

Note that the non-phasing force need not be in the zone of control of the converting force — it may be in any zone of the region.

19. Naval Operations

General rule. Players may carry out naval operations with their fleets. Land units may move across sea hexes by means of naval transport. Fleets are treated like other combat units, with the following specifications.

1. Fleets may only be placed in ports, coastal hexes or all-sea hexes. They may never enter all-land hexes or cross all-land hex sides.

2. Fleet operations. Fleets carry out operations in the same way as land units. When determining the operation-point number of a fleet, the operation value of the transported units is ignored; the value of the fleet is used.

3. Fleets in coastal or port hexes block enemy movement like normal units. Enemy land units in a port or a coastal hex block movement into the hex of fleet units.

a. The zones of control of fleets do not block the movement of land units; the ZOC of land units do not block the movement of fleets.

4. Naval transport. Land units may be transported by fleets. Both the fleets and the land force must begin in the same port, coastal hex or peripheral area. The fleet picks up the land units and then moves. This is indicated by placing the land units under the fleet units.

a. Capacity. Each fleet may transport up to three land units. Leaders do not count for the purposes of a fleet's capacity: a fleet may transport an unlimited number of leaders.
b. Operation-point cost. A force using naval transport uses the operation-point value of the transport fleet to determine its operation-point value. There is no operation-point cost for embarking/disembarking units from a fleet.
- (1) A force that begins its naval movement in a friendly port pays ONE operation point per sea hex entered (ports include peripheral areas with a port symbol).
- (2) A force that begins its naval movement in a coastal hex without a port pays TWO operation points per naval area entered.
- (3) There are some burgs located in coastal hexes that do not have port symbols. These burgs are not considered ports unless they have a port symbol. For example, Rome is not a port, while Naples is.
- (4) Embarked land units count against the forage value and the stacking limits.
c. Disembarkation. At any moment of a naval operation, the force using naval transport may disembark (leave the fleet) if it is in a coastal or port hex or in a peripheral area with a port symbol. The land units are placed on the fleet units to indicate this. Disembarked units may not carry out further operations in this phase. The fleets may continue carrying out operations. A force may remain embarked on a fleet at the end of its operation.

5. Naval combat.

a. Fleets may attack adjacent enemy units, both in all-sea hexes and in coastal or port hexes. Combat is carried out exactly as land combat.
b. Fleets may carry out pillage and conversion operations in port and coastal hexes.
c. Fleets may attack enemy land units located in port or coastal hexes. They may attack across all-sea hex sides or across contiguous coastal hex sides. In addition, fleets in ports or coastal hexes may be attacked by enemy land units. Fleets in all-sea hexes may not be attacked by enemy land units in coastal or port hexes.
d. Embarked land units may fight (as part of the fleet's force). This may be either in attack or in defence. Land units may fight against enemy land units and against enemy fleets. They do not have to disembark in order to fight.
e. Land units on fleets have no zone of control.

6. Supply. Fleets must be supplied like land units. They count against the forage value of a hex. Land units being transported by fleets must also be supplied.

7. Leaders. Leaders apply their modifiers normally to fleets.

8. Peripheral areas. Fleets may enter a friendly peripheral area if it has a port symbol. Land units may use naval transport to enter/leave peripheral areas. Fleets (and the units embarked on them) may enter peripheral areas only if the peripheral-area rule allows it.

Designer's note: Fleets tended to stay close to land, and many combats were a kind of close-quarters fighting and landing parties.

20. Supply / Foraging

General rule. During the friendly Supply Phase, the player must have all of his units foraged or pay the corresponding supply costs for them. A unit must forage or be supplied, regardless of whether it was created by levy or as a mercenary.

1. Foraging. Every hex on the map can support a set number of units through foraging (see the Terrain Effects Table). Units above this number must be supplied or are disbanded.

2. Supply. All units have a specific supply cost in treasure points (see the tables). Paying the supply cost is the player's own choice. But if a player does not pay the supply cost of a unit, the player must disband that unit.

3. Disbanding. If a player lacks treasure points to supply a unit (or does not wish to supply it), he must remove it from the game. He simply takes it off the map.

4. Pillaged hexes have their forage value reduced to zero.

5. Leaders do not need to be supplied and are not affected by foraging.

6. Fleets must be supplied and count against the forage value of a hex.

7. Neutral units do not need to be supplied and are not affected by foraging.

21. Leaders

General rule. Leaders are stratagem markers. Unlike other stratagem markers, leaders are treated as units once in play.

1. Procedure. If a player draws a leader stratagem marker, he immediately places it on the map over any friendly units.

If the Empire player draws it, he places it face up.
If the Tribal player draws it, he places it on its reverse side.

2. Leaders are treated exactly like any other combat unit, with the following additional special capabilities:

a. A leader doubles the operation points of a dice roll for a force (for example, if the player obtains a 2, the final result will become 4 additional operation points).
b. A leader doubles the combat strength of all units of the same force for a battle. This includes its own force and that of other leaders.

3. Elimination of leaders. Leaders may be eliminated by any game function that would eliminate other units. When a leader is eliminated, it is returned to the Container. The leader may be drawn again to be used once more.

4. Charlemagne. The functions of the leader Charlemagne are slightly different:

a. The leader Charlemagne begins the game on the Empire side. He is always on the Empire side; he has no Tribal side.
b. Charlemagne triples the operation points of the dice roll (for example, if the player rolls a 2 the final result would be 6 additional operation points).
c. Charlemagne triples the combat strength for a battle (up to a maximum of quadrupling if other factors such as terrain or military-advance stratagem markers are included).
d. If the Augustus stratagem marker is placed on Charlemagne, the Empire player receives two additional stratagem markers per turn, instead of the normal one per marker (see the Stratagem Markers Table).
e. If any game function would eliminate Charlemagne, the Empire player rolls a die. On a roll of 1–3, Charlemagne is not affected and is placed with the nearest friendly force. On a roll of 4–6, Charlemagne dies and is permanently removed from the game.
- (1) At the moment Charlemagne is eliminated, the Empire player must immediately return all stratagem markers that he possesses (except leaders) to the Container. He may draw new stratagem markers normally later on.

5. Foraging/supply. Leaders do not count for foraging. They never need to be supplied, nor do they count against the forage value of other units in the hex.

6. Leaders do not belong to a particular religion. They are never neutral and cannot "defect" as a result of vassalage.

Leaders do not have historical names. Except for Charlemagne, their side is distinguished by colour.

22. Peripheral Areas

General rule. There are four peripheral areas (Caliphate, Byzantium, Slavs and Norse) that represent areas off the map.

1. Each peripheral area is represented by a box on the map.

a. Caliphate. Whenever a player controls the Caliphate region, he controls its box on the map and the Caliphate peripheral area.
b. Byzantium. Whenever a player controls the Byzantine region, he controls its box on the map and the Byzantine peripheral area.
c. There are no Norse or Slavic areas on the map.

2. Units may enter/leave peripheral areas from certain sides of the map.

Caliphate: western side of the map (sea and land hexes).
Byzantium: eastern side of the map south of the Danube (sea and land hexes).
Norse: northern side of the map east of Brittany (sea hexes only).
Slavs: eastern side of the map north of the Danube (land hexes only).
a. Entering a peripheral area costs 5 operation points. Entering the map from the peripheral areas costs the normal operation-point cost of the hex.
b. Units may enter/leave peripheral areas by naval movement through the sea hexes that border the peripheral area.
- Peripheral areas are considered to contain ports if they have a port symbol.

3. Restrictions.

a. Only Byzantine units may enter the Byzantine area.
b. Only Caliphate units may enter the Caliphate area.
c. Only Norse units may enter the Norse area.
d. Only Slavic units may enter the Slavic area.

4. Levies/Mercenaries. A player may place levy or mercenary units in his areas off the map. They must be of the same nationality as the peripheral area.

5. Stacking. A player may stack an unlimited number of units in a peripheral area.

6. Foraging. Areas off the map have a forage value of 10.

7. Conversion. If a player carries out a successful conversion operation against the map portion (hex) of a region, then the peripheral portion of the region is also converted.

8. Vassalage. Players may carry out vassalage operations against peripheral areas. Vassalage operations carried out against the Caliphate and Byzantium apply both to the hexes on the map and to the peripheral regions.

23. Burg Markers

General rule. Burg markers represent settlements of colonists and the construction of fortresses.

1. Procedure. Burgs are created in the friendly Treasury Phase. A player must have at least one unit in a hex if he wishes to create a burg. He spends five treasure points and places a burg marker in the hex.

2. There may be a maximum of one burg per hex. A burg marker may not be placed in the same hex as another burg. A burg may not be placed in a peripheral area.

3. Effects of burg markers. A burg marker functions as a burg hex printed on the map for all purposes of the game (for example, combat, tax collection, etc.).

a. A burg has no nationality per se. If the enemy player gained control of the hex, then it would obtain the benefits of the burg.

4. Destruction of burgs. Once placed on the map, burg markers may be removed only by a successful pillage operation on the hex.

5. Players may always make more markers than those provided in the counter sheet.

6. Burg markers placed on coastal hexes are also considered ports.

24. Civilization Markers

Civilization markers represent universities, centres of religion, the establishment of courts, etc. Players may place civilization markers on the map under certain circumstances.

1. Procedure. Civilization markers are created in the friendly Treasury Phase. A player must have at least one unit in a hex if he wishes to create a civilization marker. He spends 5 treasure points and places a civilization marker in the hex.

2. There may be a maximum of one civilization marker per hex. A civilization marker may not be placed on top of an existing civilization marker.

a. A civilization marker may not be placed in a peripheral area.
b. A player may place a civilization marker in the same hex as a burg.

3. Effects of civilization markers. A player draws one extra stratagem marker for each civilization marker he occupies in each friendly Stratagem Phase.

4. A civilization marker has no nationality per se. If the enemy player gained control of the hex, he would obtain the benefits of the civilization marker.

5. Destruction of civilization markers. Once placed on the map, a civilization marker may be removed only after a successful pillage operation on the hex.

6. Players may always create more civilization markers than those provided in the counter sheet.

25. Intelligence / Fog of War

General rule. Players may freely examine enemy and neutral units at any time in the game. Players may examine enemy stratagem markers and treasure points only when certain conditions apply:

1. A player may examine his opponent's stratagem markers and treasure points when he plays an espionage stratagem.

2. A player may voluntarily reveal the composition of his stratagem markers and treasure at any time.

Designer's note: Players are free to examine units anywhere on the map because the time scale of the game would allow extensive reconnaissance activity.

26. Negotiations Between Players

At any time during the game, players may negotiate with each other, reaching any agreement they decide upon within the following restrictions:

1. Players may negotiate any of the following:

Returning to neutrality a region they control.
Trading treasure points and stratagem markers.
Agreeing to move units out of burgs/regions during the current game turn.
Other agreements that the players find acceptable, provided they do not violate the rules of the game.

2. Violation of agreements. Agreements should be kept in writing. If a written agreement is broken, then the player who has violated it rolls a die and must lose that number of stratagem markers, chosen at random. If he would not have a sufficient number of stratagem markers, then the other player draws, at random, a number of stratagem markers from the Container equal to the difference.

27. Victory Conditions

General rule. Victory is determined at the end of the game. The Empire player totals the number of victory points he has achieved. This number is used to determine the final victory. Only the Empire player earns victory points — the Tribal player wins if he prevents the Empire from building a state at the European level.

1. Victory points.

a. The Empire player determines his victory points by totalling the following elements:
- Levy value of each region he controls (see the Region Control Table): +1 levy point*
  - * Example: Control of Neustria would give two victory points. (The source example reads "eustria"; the initial letter is evidently a dropped glyph for "Neustria", the region named in the scenario lists. Read as Neustria.)
- Each non-pillaged burg occupied by an Empire force: +1
- Each civilization marker occupied by an Empire force: +1
- Each pagan or Muslim region that has been converted to Christianity: +1
- Each Christian region that has been converted to Islam or to paganism: -1
- Elimination of Charlemagne: -3
b. A hex containing both a burg marker and a civilization marker counts as 2 victory points.

2. Victory levels.

a. Once the victory points are totalled, the players determine who has won according to the following scale:
- 100+: Total Imperial victory (the greatest)
- 80–99: Regional Imperial victory
- 60–79: Marginal Imperial victory
- 40–59: Marginal Tribal victory
- 20–39: Regional Tribal victory
- 0–19: Total Tribal victory

Optional Rules

28. Personal Combat

Players may use the personal combat rule to add some medieval atmosphere to the game.

General rule. Leader units may fight each other through personal combat.

1. Procedure. Personal combat takes place after completing step 3 of combat (determination of retreat) but before step 4 (determination of the combat ratio). For personal combat to take place, both sides must have at least one leader involved in the combat. Either player may declare personal combat; the other may not refuse it. Each player then designates a leader of his force to be his "champion". Each player rolls a die. The player who achieves the higher roll wins and the other leader is eliminated. In case of a tie, both leaders die from the wounds received and are eliminated.

Charlemagne. If a player's champion is Charlemagne, then 1 is added to his roll.

29. The Scara

The Scara is a field army unit that the Empire player may purchase after the game has begun.

1. The Scara is recruited as if it were a mercenary unit. It may be placed in any fortress occupied by at least one Frankish leader.

2. The Scara may never be recruited by levy.

3. The unit has only an Empire side. It may not be converted or controlled by the Tribal player.

Designer's note: The Scara was an elite guard army maintained by the Frankish kings.

30. Death of a Leader

This is an additional stratagem marker. Players add a blank counter to the Container. Whenever this counter is drawn, the player must eliminate one of his own leaders (he may choose one, returning its marker to the container).

Exception: Charlemagne can never be affected by this marker. If the player has no leaders in play, it is treated as no effect.

Charlemagne Scenario

1. Length of scenario: 9 game turns (771–775).

Transcriber's note: the printed date range "771–775" covers a single five-year span, while the scenario lists nine game turns (each turn representing five years). The dates are transcribed as printed; the source does not clarify this, and it has not been corrected here.

2. Stratagem Container: All stratagem markers and leaders (except Charlemagne) are placed in an opaque container.

3. Empire (places third):

a. Initial control: Austrasia, Neustria, Burgundy, Gascony, Aquitaine, Septimania, Provence, Thuringia and Germany.
b. Treasure: Begins with 10 treasure points.
c. Stratagem markers: The Empire player takes 6 stratagem markers from the Container.
d. Units: (W = warrior hosts; M = militia)

Region	Units
Austrasia	3W, 4M
Neustria	2W, 5M
Burgundy	2W, 3M
Gascony	1W, 2M
Aquitaine	2W, 3M
Septimania	1W, 1M
Provence	1W, 1M
Thuringia	1W, 1M
Germany	1W, 3M

e. Charlemagne. The leader Charlemagne is placed at Aachen (Aquisgrán).

4. Neutral (places second; neutral units are placed on their Tribal side):

a. Neutral regions: All regions controlled by neither the Tribal player nor the Empire player.
b. Units:

Region	Units
Emirate of Córdoba	2N, 4M, 1F
Asturias	1W, 1M
Navarre	1W, 1M
Brittany	1W, 1M
Frisia	1W, 1M
Bavaria	1W, 2M
Denmark	2W, 3M, 1F
Wends	2W, 2M
Sorbs	1W, 1M
Bohemia	1W, 1M
Avars	2N, 1M
Ostmark	1W, 1M

5. Tribal (places first):

a. Initial control: Saxony and Lombardy.
b. Treasure: Begins with 0 treasure points.
c. Stratagem markers: The player draws three stratagem markers from the Container.
d. Units:
- Saxony: 2W, 2M
- Lombardy: 2W, 4M

6. Civilization markers: A civilization marker is placed in each of these hexes: Aachen, Rome, Venice, Valencia and London.

7. Notes:

a. Units:
- A = Field army
- F = Fleet
- M = Militia
- N = Nomad horde
- W = Warrior hosts
b. Placement: Units are placed anywhere in the region bearing their name. Players must initially place at least one unit in each burg. Units may not be initially placed in a way that exceeds the foraging limits of a hex.

Transcriber's note: the printed index (section list and page numbers) is navigation only and is not reproduced; the section headings above follow the printed numbering 1–30 and the scenario.