Dark Ages: Tactical Warfare, 500-1300 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• The Mapboard
• The Units
  • Fire Unit
  • Definition of Terms
• Summary of Units
  • Unit Class System
  • Summary of Units Chart
• Game Procedure
  • Overall Sequence-of-Play
  • FIRST PLAYER-TURN
  • SECOND PLAYER-TURN
  • COMPLETION OF THE GAME TURN
• Movement
  • General Movement Rules
  • Stacking (more than one unit per hex)
  • Facing
• Combat
  • Combat Procedure
  • Cavalry
  • Cross River Attack
  • Demoralization and Panic
  • Command Units
  • Victory conditions
• OPTIONAL RULES
  • Ferocity
  • Roman (Byzantine) Vitality
  • Viking Fleets
  • Dismounted Cavalry
• Charts
  • Terrain Effects Chart
  • Combat Unit Capability Chart
  • Combat Results Table
  • Scenario Chart
  • Point Scale
• Errata

The Mapboard

The playing area represents a typical piece of European and Near Eastern terrain, about three by four kilometers.s. Each hexagon is about 100 meters. Each full Game-Turn equals 10-20 minutes of elapsed time. The different terrain features affect movement and combat as outlined in the Terrain Effects Chart (TEC) and the Combat Unit Capability Chart (CUC) and as noted in the Movement and Combat sections of these rules.

The Units

Examine the square unit counters printed on the two-colored sheet enclosed with your copy of DARK AGES.

Each combat unit represents from 400 - 1000 bodies, depending upon the exact period. The numbers on each unit give you the relative strength and movement capabilities of the various types of weapons as represented by the symbols on the pieces.

Counter diagram key (clockwise from top left): Melee Attack Strength; Melee Defense Strength/Frontal; Movement (point) Allowance; Facing Symbol; Stacking Points; Melee Defense Strength/Flank; Class Number; Unit Type; Leader Number; Combat Bonus.

Fire Unit

Fire units show a Fire Combat Strength and a Range Allowance on their counters, as shown in the Fire Unit diagram.

Definition of Terms

The numbers which appear on the units are always printed in the same order on all the unit counters. On different units these values will change to reflect the particular capabilities of a particular type of unit. The arrangement of the numbers, however, never changes. The sample unit shown in the diagram identifies these numbers. The following are the basic definitions of what these numbers and symbols represent:

Movement Allowance (MA): This number represents the MAXIMUM number of hexagons which a unit may be moved in a single Player-Turn. Basically a unit expends one Movement Point for each hexagon it moves into. This basic "movement-cost" is subject to modification due to terrain and/or the position of Enemy and Friendly units.

Melee Attack Strength (MAS): This number represents the basic Offensive strength of a unit.

Melee Defense Strength/Frontal (MDS/F): This number represents the basic Defensive strength of a unit being attacked on its Front.

Fire Combat Strength (FCS): This number represents the basic Offensive strength of a unit when firing its "range-weapons" (i.e. missile-firing weapons such as bows). Note that only a few units have this capability and that consequently this number will appear on only those units that do.

Facing Symbol: This symbol indicates in which direction (conforming to the hexagonal-grid) a unit is facing.

Range Allowance (RA): this number represents the number of hexes over which a unit's Fire Combat Strength may be applied, subject to the Terrain Effects Chart and any blocking units. (See Range Diagram.)

Unit Type: This pictorial symbol identifies what sort of unit a given counter represents (e.g. Roman Swordsmen unit). See Unit Summary Chart.

Stacking Points: this number indicates the number of Stacking Points a unit occupies in a hex. (See Stacking.)

Class Number: the Roman numeral identifying the unit's Class. (See Unit Class System.)

Summary of Units

Unit Class System

For purposes of accuracy and simplicity of play, roughly equivalent weapon style units are grouped together. The basis for this grouping is similarity of performance against other weapon systems (see Combat Unit Capability Chart), and effect of terrain (see Terrain Effects Chart), as well as mutual support in tactics, etc.

Class I represents spear and similar weapons. The only unit in this class is the Militia Spearmen (a/k/a "Fyrd") which is actually a composite of the various militias and the European peasants armed with farm implements and rough weapons.

Class II is composed of cutting-edge weapons with short reach. Swordsmen range from the remnants of the legion in the Byzantine armies to the long swordsmen of the newly civilized tribes. Axemen were some of the less civilized tribes contributions, such as the Vikings and Franks.

Class III are cavalry units mainly dependent on some type of shock action, most frequently lance and sword, although the later scenarios depict knights who had a great variety of weapons. The major difference between Medium and Heavy Cavalry was the extent of armor and the degree of training.

Class IV is reserved for mounted units mainly relying on missile fire. The Byzantine Cataphracts (seen previously in Centurion) were armed with virtually every weapon a horse could carry, and were highly trained for all mounted roles. Horse Archers were drawn mainly from people practically born on horseback, such as the Arabs, Mongols, etc. Basically, they would skirmish an enemy to death or soften him up for a heavier blow.

Class V units are those relying mainly upon missile fire. Bowmen were ordinary men, mostly woodsmen, equipped with a bow and their natural abilities. Crossbowmen first appeared in quantity in the 12th century, and were the wonder weapon of Western Europe until the arrival of the musket; their weapons were somewhat complex and cumbersome, so they were generally found in trained mercenary bands. Oriental Bowmen outshone them all because of their rigorous training and highest quality weapons.

Summary of Units Chart

Unit type	Victory Points
Class I: MS - Militia Spearmen	1
Class II: AX - Axemen	3
Class II: SD - Swordsmen	4
Class III: MC - Medium Cavalry	4
Class III: HC - Heavy Cavalry	6
Class III: CM - Command unit	10
Class IV: HA - Horse Archer	2
Class IV: BC - Byzantine Cataphract	7
Class V: OB - Oriental Bowmen	2
Class V: BO - Bowmen	3
Class V: CB - Crossbowmen	2
Other: VF - Viking Fleet

Game Procedure

Overall Sequence-of-Play

The game is played in consecutive turns, with each player moving and attacking in turn. The action in a given turn takes place as outlined below. Each complete "Game-Turn" consists of two "Player-Turns". Each Player-Turn consists of five distinct "Phases":

FIRST PLAYER-TURN

(1) Movement Phase: The First Player moves his units as desired, consistent with the rules of Movement.

(2) Attack Allocation Phase: The First Player announces which of his units are attacking which of the Second Player's units and the manner in which the attacks will be made (i.e. missile or melee).

(3) Defensive Fire Phase: The Second Player allocates and executes all Defensive Fire attacks he wishes to make, consistent with the rules of Defensive Fire. Losses due to Defensive Fire are extracted from the First Player's units.

(4) Offensive Fire Phase: First Player executes Offensive Fire attacks and losses are extracted from Second Player's units.

(5) Melee Attack Phase: The First Player executes all Melee Attacks allocated in Phase Two. Attacks which have been rendered non-viable due to losses or other effects incurred in Phase Three, are not made and any surviving units allocated for such attacks may not be re-allocated to attack in other attacks. (Note: a "non-viable" attack is one which has fallen below the minimum attacking odds of "1 to 2" as shown on the Combat Results Table.)

SECOND PLAYER-TURN

The Second Player executes Phases One through Five, using his own units. Naturally, in the Defensive Phase of the Second Player-Turn it is the First Player's units which are fired.

COMPLETION OF THE GAME TURN

Once the Second Player has completed Phase Five of his Player-Turn, indicate the passage of one complete GAME-TURN on the Turn-Record.

Movement

Each unit's Movement Allowance (MA) represents the maximum number of hexagons that unit may travel in one turn. Generally speaking, units may be moved any number of hexes per turn, within this limit, in any direction or combination of directions. Players may choose to move all, some, or none of their units in any given turn, subject to MA, Combat Terrain restrictions, and Command unit and Movement Rules. Unlike many grid-map wargames, units have no Zones of Control extending into adjacent hexes (Exception: Cross River Attack Rule, fire units). Units control only the hexes which they occupy.

General Movement Rules

A) Movement is not allowed through or onto enemy units.

B) Units may pass through friendly units subject to stacking limitations.

C) Each unit is moved separately, to the full extent desired, within the limits placed on it by its Movement Allowance and other inhibiting factors.

D) Cavalry units may never "charge" through friendly units.

E) Units are always "faced" in a definite direction, with their facing symbol conforming to the shape of the hexagonal grid.

F) Units may move only once each turn. There is NO "movement after combat" (Exceptions: Withdrawal; Manipular Legion Rule).

Errata note: the printed errata sheet directs players to ignore references to Withdrawal and the Manipular Legion rule, which were transposed from another SPI game (Phalanx).

G) The hex a unit is moving INTO is the hex it is moving ON. Therefore, a unit must have sufficient Movement Points to expend before it can enter a given hex (Minor Exception: Movement into Road Hexes from NON-road hexes is at the rate dictated by the other terrain in the road hex).

H) When moving from road hexes to non-road hexes, any fractional Movement Points resulting from uneven road movement are lost.

I) Movement points are NOT transferable from one unit to another. Units forced off the board may never return and are considered as lost (Exception: Tactical Concession). Movement Points may not be accumulated from one Game-Turn to another.

Stacking (more than one unit per hex)

Each unit has a number printed on it representing Stacking Points, or the ability of units to stack in a hex. At no time may there be more than twelve Stacking Points in a hex.

A) No unit may stop in a hex with other Friendly units if this would result in more than twelve Stacking Points being present in the hex; to determine the Stacking Points in a hex, simply add the Stacking Points of ALL units in the hex.

B) Stacking rules apply during the Movement Phase, i.e., no unit may move through a stack of units if the total Stacking Points of the stack and the moving unit exceeded twelve Stacking Points.

C) Command units have no Stacking Points, are not affected by missile fire while stacked with other units.

D) Units in a stack must be individually "faced," though not necessarily in the same direction or in different directions. All may have a common facing, though all need not.

E) Different types of units may stack together.

F) "Information" counters are not counted for stacking.

Facing

All combat units have a "face": that is, they have a particular side of their counter which is their "front," as indicated by the facing symbol on each counter. This reflects the battle formation orientation of the particular group of men that the counter represents (see Facing Diagram). Each counter "faces front" through three sides of the hex (Exception: Manipular Legion Rule). The other three sides represent its flanks and rear (hereafter referred to as "Flanks.") A unit may only attack enemy units in hexes which it fronts upon. Also, a unit may only use its full defensive capability when it receives an enemy attack on its front. Enemy flank attacks, or flank/front attacks, effectively reduce the defensive capability of a unit. Obviously, then, it is extremely important for players to pay close attention to the orientation of their units on the board.

A) Units are faced in a particular direction during the Movement Phase of the turn, before any combat.

B) Units must be faced so that their facing symbol conforms to the side of the hex.

C) Units found to be ambiguously faced after the Movement Phase of the turn may be adjusted by the opposing Player, who may not rotate them more than 60 degrees: Enforcement Of This Rule Is Urged.

D) Units stacked together need not face together.

E) Units expending their total Movement Allowance in movement cannot change facing by more than 60 degrees from direction of march upon arrival in their final hex.

F) Turning more than 60 degrees while standing still uses one Movement Point, regardless of terrain (Exception: Withdrawal).

G) When moving through a given hex, units which change their facing MORE than 60 degrees in that given hexagon, do so at a cost of one additional Movement Factor. Units may change their facing by 60 degrees in each hex they move into or through without suffering this penalty.

H) Units face in the direction they wish to move: they may move only to their front (Exception: Withdrawal).

Combat

Basically there are two types of combat:

(a) Melee (hand-to-hand ground combat), and (b) Missile (fire taking place over distances determined by the range of the weapons involved).

In both types of combat, a unit may only attack to its frontal three hexes. In melee, this would mean that the Enemy unit must be adjacent to the front of the attacking units. In missile, the target hex must be included in the 120 degree field of fire indicated by a unit's front (see Range Diagram). In both types of combat, the combat odds are determined by comparing the Attacker's Melee Attack Strength (or Fire Combat Strength) with the Defender's Melee Defense Strength (or the defending hex's Fire Defense Strength) simplifying the combat odds to conform to the Combat Results Table.

Class I, Class II, Class III, and Command units may only engage in ground combat, and have no missile weapons.

Class IV units have the option to melee or fire offensively in the same Combat Phase; units with a Melee Attack Strength of "0" may not melee.

Command Units alone may melee offensively solely against Dispersed units and enemy Command Units. There are certain other possibilities, as outlined in the Command Unit Rules.

All missile troops may fire their weapons Defensively when they are attacked, after which they may receive the attack, defending with their Melee Defense Strength. The defensive missile fire may only be directed against hexes from which enemy units are attacking the unit in question, and only if these are to the "Front." Missile units have a limited "Zone of Control" in that no enemy unit may move adjacent to their Front without attacking something, otherwise, they are liable to defensive fire. Units entering a hex adjacent to an opposing Missile unit's front, must stop and move no further.

A) Units may melee offensively only against enemy units in one of the three hexes adjacent to their frontal hexes (Exception: Manipular Legion Rule). Not every unit in a stack must attack, but those which do not do so are still subject to the effects of defensive fire.

B) Missile units may only fire at enemy units within range in their field of fire.

C) Units are used as integral wholes; one unit may not divide its Fire Combat Strength (FCS) or Melee Attack Strength (MAS) amongst different hexes.

D) Missile units increase their range by one hex on hilltops, and may then fire over intervening units and obstacles. (See Terrain Effects Chart and Range Diagram.)

E) Defensive fire is not mandatory and takes place before any offensive action. The attacker states which of his units are attacking and which defending unit(s) are involved (and, in the case of Class IV and V,) whether the attack is Missile or Melee. Defensive Missile Fire takes its toll before any Offensive Melee combat is resolved. Attacks which, due to defensive fire, no longer have the minimum required 1-2 odds, have no effect. Attacking units dispersed by the Defensive Fire cannot participate in the scheduled attack.

F) Offensive Fire takes place before Melee Combat and losses are extracted before ground combat is resolved.

G) Melee troops stacked together and participating in the same attack must all be of the same Class (i.e., troops attacking through the same hex side must all be of the same Class; e.g., all Swordsmen in hex "Y" but a unit in hex "X," but a Cataphract unit stacked with the Swordsmen may not participate, though it could attack another enemy unit through a different hex side). This "homogeneity" rule does not apply to missile troops in the attack nor to any combination of troops in defense. Stacked units attacking from the same hex may individually attack defenders in different hexes but the entire stack suffers the effects of any Defensive Fire.

H) Missile Fire units on different hexes, attacking the same hex, must total their Fire Combat Strengths into one Combat Strength. Each defending hex must be treated as a separate battle, rolling the die for each attack.

I) Fire Defense. Units defend against Missile fire (either Offensive fire or Defensive fire) according to the protection afforded them by the particular type of terrain in which they are situated, i.e., the defensive value of units undergoing Missile fire is a characteristic of the terrain, not of the unit or stack of units.

Each type of terrain has a certain, set protection value assigned to it with regard to Missile fire. This value is termed the Fire Protection Strength of the hex.

Woods hexes have a Fire Protection Strength of "4"; Swamp hexes have a Fire Protection Strength of "3"; and all other types of terrain (Clear, Streams, Slopes and Bridges) have a Fire Protection Strength of "2." These Strengths remain constant regardless of the number of units stacked in a given hex and regardless of how much fire has been directed against them.

J) Defending units on the same hex are totalled into one combined defense strength, regardless of type. If, however, defenders are stacked such that they face in different directions, and are attacked from more than one hex in such a way that some defending units would be attacked in the flank, but other defending units can meet those units on their front, the attacks are treated separately, allocating the appropriate defending units so that all attacks are defended against frontally. If it is impossible to frontally defend against all attacks, at least one unit must defend with their flank. In all cases, all units on an attacked hex must defend.

K) Units engaged in a Melee Attack which does not result in the elimination or dispersal of one or the other unit, remain in Contact: and neither side may break off the action (i.e., leave the hex they were in at the establishment of Contact) until a decision is reached in some subsequent Game-Turn, no matter how distant. Additional troops may join in an attack by units already in Contact. Place an appropriate marker on units in Contact.

L) No unit may participate in more than one attack per Player-Turn. Not every unit must attack, nor must all adjacent hexes or units be attacked. Attacking is purely voluntary. (Minor Exception: see limited "Zone of Control" of missile fire units.)

M) Remember, a unit may attack only to its frontal three hexes, so watch your facing.

N) See the Terrain Effects Chart and Combat Unit Capability Chart for Combat Strength variables.

Missile units may not fire through Enemy or Friendly units, or through villages or forest hexes, to reach a given target, unless they fire from slope or hilltop hexes.

Fire units may not fire from swamp or river hexes. Their Fire Combat Strength is halved when attacking uphill, and one hex is added to their range when firing downhill.

Roads

Movement from one road hex to another is at the rate of one-half Movement Point per hex. Units travelling on roads, and attacked in terrain they would normally be prohibited in, are unaffected (for combat) by roads. Entry into road hexes from non-road hexes is at the cost of other terrain in hex.

Combat Procedure

Attack Allocation: The Attacker announces exactly which of his units will attack which of the Defender's units (and whether the attacks are Missile or Melee or both). When allocating units in Melee attacks, remember that only units of the same class may attack through the same hex-side.

Defensive Fire: The Defender allocates and executes Defensive Missile Fire. Units firing defensively may only direct their fire into a hex which is to their front and from which they are receiving an attack. The Fire Combat Strength of all the Missile units firing into a given hex are totalled into one combined Strength and compared to the Fire Protection Strength of the target hex. This comparison is stated as a ratio (Fire Combat Strength to Fire Protection Strength) and rounded-off to conform to the ratios found on the Combat Results Table (ratios are always rounded off downwards: e.g. "3-to-2" rounds off to "1-to-1"). The Defender rolls the die once for each Defensive firing, reading the result-line indicated by the die-number, cross-indexing it with the appropriate ratio column on the table. The result is applied immediately, before going on to resolve any other Defensive fire. The effects of Defensive fire affect all of the units in the target hex, even those of the Attacker's units which were not actively participating in an attack upon the fire units.

Offensive Fire: The Attacker executes his Offensive fire attacks (in any sequence he wishes). Fire units on different hexes which are firing at the same target hex, total their Fire Combat Strengths into one combined Strength and treat such firing as one attack: determining the odds and resolving the attack as outlined in the Defensive Fire description above. Fire units which have been Demoralized by Defensive fire may not execute their allocated fire attack.

Melee Attack: In any given Melee attack, total the Melee Defense Strengths of all the defending units in a hex. Total the Melee Attack Strengths of the attacking units in a given hex and compare it to the Defender's Melee Defense Strength in a rounded-off ratio form. Each hex of attacking units which are attacking the same Defender, must determine their attacking ratio separately and resolve their attacks separately. Units on different hexes in a given hex, may not combine their strengths into a single attack. Units in a given Melee Attack Phase must be of the same class in order to attack the same Defender with their combined strength. A given hex of defending units may only be attacked once per Melee Attack Phase per hex side, i.e., a given unit or stack of units could be conceivably be attacked as many as six times in a given Melee Attack Phase if it were completely surrounded by attacking units. No unit may make more than one Melee Attack in a given Melee Attack Phase.

When determining odds, first consider the effects of terrain (as per the Terrain Effects Chart), then using the terrain-modified Strength values, apply the modifications (if any) required by the Combat Unit Capability Chart. If the Defender is Demoralized or Panicked, halve his modified Strength. Compute the odds using the totally adjusted Strengths of the units involved, with any addition due to Command units, keeping in mind that the Strengths of the Defender may fall below "1" by modification from the foregoing effects.

The effects of Melee Attacks are applied immediately, as the die is rolled. Attacking units which are allocated to attack a defending unit which has been eliminated by preceding Fire or Melee attacks (in that same Player-Turn) may not be re-allocated to other attacks.

Cavalry

For Class III units to employ their full Melee Attack Strength, they must "charge" (move in a roughly straight line: see diagram) through the number of hexes equivalent to their Melee Attack Strength. This means that Heavy Cavalry must charge four hexes, and Medium Cavalry through three hexes. For each hex that the charge is less than required, reduce the Melee Attack Strength by that amount; however, Heavy Cavalry may never be reduced below two, or Medium Cavalry below one in Melee Attack Strength. No cavalry need charge to use its Fire Combat Strength.

Cross River Attack

Units situated so that one of the hexes to the front of its facing symbol is a river hex exert a control over all hexes to the front of the facing symbol which are river hexes or adjacent to river hexes. Enemy units must stop upon entering such hexes, and cannot move directly from one such hex to another.

Demoralization and Panic

Demoralization and Panic take place in two different ways:

1. as a result of the Combat Results Table (Demoralization);
2. by cumulative losses of units achieving (as expressed in points) the panic levels as given on the scenario chart (Panic).

Demoralization and Panic result in the loss of one-half of the unit's Movement Allowance and Melee strengths (fractions lost, though a unit may not be reduced below "1") and their being unable to attack. In Demoralization, the unit is returned to an undemoralized state after spending one Friendly Movement Phase and one Friendly Combat Phase demoralized. This means that, in the case of a Friendly unit being demoralized by Enemy defensive missile fire in one Player-Turn, the same unit would not be able to move in the next Friendly Player-Turn, but would be able to attack at full strength.

Panic results in the forced moving of all units as quickly as possible towards the nearest edge of the map; units leaving the board may not return and are counted as Points lost. The following units are never panicked:

a) units stacked with or adjacent to a leader counter;

b) units more than ten hexes away from the nearest Enemy unit;

When units are panicked, they remain so until they are "rallied." A unit is rallied by moving an unpanicked unit adjacent to it, and then rolling a die result of one, two or three. Rallying may also take place by moving a leader adjacent and rolling any number on the die but a six. When a unit (or units) is demoralized or panicked in either case, place an appropriate marker on the unit, and remove it when the unit returns to a normal state, either through lapse of time or rallying.

Command Units

Commanders affect movement and combat of other units, by their force of personality, and tactical and organizational ability. Units are under command influence if they are stacked with or adjacent to a command unit.

Cases:

A) No unit may move during a Player-Turn, unless that unit began its Movement Phase stacked with or adjacent to a Friendly Command unit. This does not overrule the inability of units to move while demoralized, or when pinned in prior combat.

B) No unit may initiate combat unless it is stacked with or adjacent to a Command unit at the beginning of the Combat Phase, or unless it is continuing an attack started by the presence of a command unit (Contact). This does not affect the ability of a unit to defend itself, whether by melee or missile.

C) Command units are divided into three types: No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3. Each of these types influences combat in a different manner by influencing the die roll. Each leader adds a certain amount to the die rolls for Friendly attacks, and reduces Enemy die rolls for attacks against Friendly units, if the Friendly units are under command influence. Obviously, the Enemy units may be under command influence also, in which case the smaller influence should be used to reduce the larger.

This may also offset other influences on the die. These changes in the die roll are as follows:

No. 1 leader – 2 No. 2 leader – 1 No. 3 leader – 0

D) In no case may the influence on the die roll make it exceed "6", or drop below "1".

Victory conditions

The games are won on the basis of Victory Points, which stem from destruction of Enemy units. (See also Panic for use of these points.) To determine the amount of points that any unit is worth simply total the Attack Strength, Melee Defense Strength-Front, and Fire Combat Strength, and divide this total by two. The single exception to this rule is the Commander units, each worth ten Victory Points (see also Darius rule). Double the Victory Points of all Cavalry units (i.e., the total of their strengths is not divided by two).

Each Player has a level of victory which he must achieve to claim a true "victory," as dictated by each scenario; these levels are determined by a ratio of opposing Player's losses, the Player who has gained the most Victory Points being stated first. The levels are such:

Marginal Victory: More than 1 to 1, but less than 2 to 1 ratio. Victor may not have losses of his own exceeding 40% of his force. This percentage is calculated in terms of Victory Point values.

Tactical Victory: At least 2 to 1, but less than 3 to 1. Victor may not have losses of his own exceeding 30% of his own force.

Decisive Victory: 3 to 1 or greater. Victor may not have losses of his own forces exceeding 25%.

If the Victor's losses exceed the maximum allowable percentage of his force in a given Victory level, that victory is then reduced to the next lowest level.

OPTIONAL RULES

These rules are available to add a little realistic spice to the scenarios; they should be used as directed, with the exception of the Cavalry Dismount rule which may be used as desired. None of the rules need be used, and the scenarios are perfectly valid without these additions.

Ferocity

Ferocity is beneficial to the side using it; it affects only melee attack and defense, not missile.

A) During the first Game-Turn that the Player with Ferocity launches any melee attacks, increase all odds on his attacks by one, i.e., a 2-1 combat would become a 3-1 attack.

B) In all subsequent melee attacks, the die roll for attacks of the "ferocious" Player has "one" added to it, i.e., a die roll of "5" would become a "6".

C) In all Melee attacks launched against the ferocious Player, the die roll has "one" subtracted from it. In this case and the previous one, the die roll may never fall below "1", or exceed "6".

Roman (Byzantine) Vitality

Periodically the Byzantines achieved a state of warriorship unexcelled in this era.

A) In all melee attacks by the Byzantine Player, add "one" to the die roll (which effect may not make the result exceed "six.")

B) In all melee attacks by the opposing Player, subtract "one" from the die roll before resolving combat; this effect may not make the die result be less than "one."

Viking Fleets

The Vikings were a sea-going people, and most of their raids were amphibious: striking from the sea, looting, and setting out to sea again.

A) Viking fleet counters may carry the normal stacking limit: three units, not counting Command units. The fleet counter of course has no effect on stacking. When carrying units, place them under the fleet. No more than one fleet per hex is allowed.

B) Viking fleets are not combat units, and may never attack; they do however have a Melee Defense Strength (no flank or front), and a Movement Allowance. Units in a Viking fleet do not add their Defense Strength, and if the fleet is attacked, the carried units suffer the fate of the fleet.

C) Viking ships may sail through any completely sea hex side; it may only moor and land troops in hexes that are partially land.

D) Viking ships may perform a variety of functions, each of which carry a movement cost with it. They are: Sailing: one Movement Point per hex-side crossed; Mooring: stationary function; costs eight Movement Points to moor. Unmooring: stationary function; costs five Movement Points to unmoor.

E) Troops may only be disembarked from moored fleets; they may disembark on the same Player-Turn that the fleet moored, but it costs two additional Movement Points for a land unit to disembark. Thus the first hex moved into would cost three Movement Points if it were "clear."

F) Viking fleets may only be attacked when in a moored position; if troops were landed from a fleet, the Player must have specifically indicated that the ships were unmoored, or else they are considered to still be moored. If the combat result is a "dispersal," the fleet is considered captured, and the Player receives twice the normal Victory Points; if the result is a destruction, the fleet is destroyed. A fleet may not be moved after capture, and if recaptured or destroyed the first-capturing-Player loses the double Victory Points (or has it reduced to only single if destroyed).

G) In scenarios using the Viking fleet rule, rivers may only be crossed at fords and bridges; all other total river hexes are forbidden to land units.

Dismounted Cavalry

Cavalry units may "dismount" to fight as various types of infantry.

Cavalry units dismounting are replaced with other counters, at a certain movement cost (to the superceding unit) as follows:

original	replacement	movement point cost
HC	SD,+0-0-9	2
MC	SD,+0-0-11	2
HA	OB,+0-0-11	3
BC*	OB or SD,+0-0-9	2

*BC's may break down into either SD or OB.

All dismounted units should be kept track of. These units may remount (at the same movement cost); if these units are destroyed, then the Victory Point effect is the same as if the original cavalry unit was destroyed. Whether mounting or dismounting, the cavalry portion of the unit may not move in that Player-Turn. Units may mount or dismount as often as desired.

To remount, the riderless horse unit and the original dismounted unit must be in the same hex. If the riderless horse unit is destroyed, the difference (if any) between the original cavalry unit and the dismounted unit in Victory Points is effected.

Units may not mount or dismount when adjacent to Enemy units.

Charts

Terrain Effects Chart

Abbreviations: N - No Effect; D - Doubled; H - Halved; P - Prohibited, units only permitted in terrain on roads. Defense Strength and Attack Strength are shown by class of units (I, II, III, IV, V).

Terrain	Defense I	II	III	IV	V	Attack I	II	III	IV	V	Fire Protection Strength	Movement Cost (points)	Notes
Clear	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	2	1
Keep	N	D

*Missile units may not fire when in swamps or forests.

Combat Unit Capability Chart

Effect on the unit's Defense Strength when attacked (applies only to melee combat). All other units use their basic Defense Strength.

Defender \ Attacker	Class I	Class II	Class III	Class IV
Class II	Normal	Normal	Halved	Halved
Class I	Normal	Halved	Doubled	Normal

If any part of the Defender is affected, apply the effect only to that Defender before totalling the Strengths. Defending units are always affected, whether they are solely of the mentioned type, or are mixed with other units. Example: an SD and MS unit stack together, and are attacked by an MC unit: the SD would defend with a Strength of two (four halved) and the MS unit with six (three doubled), for a total of eight.

Combat Results Table

Die Roll	1-2	1-1	2-1	3-1	4-1	5-1	6-1	7-1	8-1	9-1	10-1
1	D	D	DD	DD	1E	2E	DE	DE	DE	DE	DE
2	–	D	D	D	DD	DD	1E

Attacks at less than 1-2 odds are not permitted. Attacks at greater than 10-1 odds automatically destroy all defending units.

• = no effect; units remain in Contact, and neither Attacker or Defender may move until another result occurs to the other side, although not necessarily inflicted by the same units.
• D = Demoralized: all defending units have a demoralized counter placed on them. Demoralized effects are outlined in Demoralization and Panic. A "D" result does not affect already demoralized units.
• DD = same effect as "D," except already demoralized units are destroyed and removed from map.
• 1E, 2E = one or two defending units, at the choice of the Attacker, are destroyed.
• DE = all defending units are eliminated.

Scenario Chart

Correction (from the errata): in several scenarios the "PV" and "PL" levels should be changed as listed in the errata section below.

Each scenario lists the opposing forces (abbreviated: "10 OB" means ten Oriental Bowmen), the Victory Point value (PV), the Panic Level (PL) and the victory type (Vic: Tac, Mar or Dec). "No.1", "No.2", "No.3" after a Command unit identifies its type. Scenarios marked "Use Roman Vitality," "Use Ferocity," or "Deploy ..." carry those special rules.

TOURS (732)

• Franks: 10MS/5AX/CM: 1 No.2, 2 No.3. PV:65/PL:26, Vic: Tac.
• Arabs: 20HA/5OB/CM: 3 No.3. PV:85/PL:26, Vic: Tac.

CONSTANTINOPLE (860)

• Byzantines: 10SD/10BC/5HA/10 OB/CM: 1 No.3. PV:140/PL:56, Vic: Tac. Use Roman Vitality.
• Varangians: 20MS/10AX/10SD/7BO/CM: 1 No.3. PV:121/PL:48, Vic: Tac.

HAMBURG (889)

• Germans: 24MS/4MC/CM: 4 No.3. PV:80/PL:24, Vic: Dec. Deploy equally in centers of four quadrants of map.
• Viking: 3AX/7SD/3BO/5VF/CM: 1 No.3. PV:96/PL:48, Vic: Mar. Enter on fleets from sea edge of board; use Ferocity, and Viking Fleet rules.

BALATHUSTA (1014)

• Bulgars: 10MS/20HA/10BO/CM:3 No.3. PV:110/PL:33, Vic: Tac.
• Byzantines: 10SD/10BC/5HA/5OB/CM:1 No. 1, 2 No.3. PV:150/PL:60, Vic: Tac. Use Roman Vitality.

CANNAE (1017)

• Byzantines: 10SD/10BC/10HA/10 OB/CM:3 No.3. PV:180/PL:72, Vic: Tac.
• Lombards: 20MS/10SD/10HC/10MC/5BO/CM:3 No.3. PV:205/PL:62, Vic: Dec.

CIVITATE (1053)

• Normans: 10MS/5SD/10MC/3BO/CM:3 No.2. PV:109/PL:33, Vic: Tac.
• Papal States: 20MS/5SD/5MC/CM:3 No.3. PV:90/PL:27, Vic: Dec.

CERAMI (1063)

• Arabs: 10MS/20HA/5OB/CM:3 No.3. PV:90/PL:27, Vic: Tac.
• Normans: 10MS/10MC/5BO/CM:1 No.2, 1 No.3. PV:85/PL:34, Vic: Tac.

STAMFORD BRIDGE (1066)

• Anglo-Saxons: 15MS/6AX/6SD/5MC/6BO/CM:1 No.2, 1 No.3. PV:125/PL:38, Vic: Tac.
• Vikings: 10AX/10SD/10BO/CM:1 No.2, 2 No.3. PV:130/PL:52, Vic: Mar. Use Ferocity.

HASTINGS (1066)

• Anglo-Saxons: 20MS/10AX/10SD/10BO/CM:1 No.2, 1 No.3. PV:150/PL:45, Vic: Mar. Deploy on any hilltop.
• Normans: 25MS/5SD/10MC/10BO/CM:1 No.2, 2 No.3. PV:145/PL:44, Vic: Dec.

MANZIKERT (1071)

• Seljuq Turks: 10SD/15HA/5BC/10 OB/CM:2 No.3. PV:155/PL:78, Vic: Tac.
• Byzantines: 10SD/10BC/5HA/10 OB/CM:3 No.3. PV:170/PL:34, Vic: Tac.

DURAZZO (1082)

• Normans: 5MS/5SD/15HC/3CB/CM: 2 No.2, 1 No.3. PV:151/PL:45, Vic: Tac.
• Byzantines: 5SD/5AX/10BC/5HA/5OB/CM:1 No.2, 2 No.3. PV:155/PL:62, Vic: Tac.

DORYLAEUM (1097)

• Crusaders: 10MS/5SD/20HC/8CB/CM:3 No.3. PV:196/PL:98, Vic: Mar. Crusaders deploy one-half of Point Value 15 hexes from edge of map; remainder of force enters at beginning of Game-Turn 5 on nearest road to original deployment.
• Seljuq Turks: 5SD/10BC/25HA/5OB/CM:1 No.2, 2 No.3. PV:180/PL:72, Vic: Tac.

ASCALON (1099)

• Arabs: 30HA/5OB/CM:3 No.3. PV:100/PL:30, Vic: Tac.
• Crusaders: 5MS/5HC/5CB/CM:3 No.3. PV:75/PL:30, Vic: Mar. Use Ferocity.

HATTIN (1187)

• Crusaders: 10MS/3HC/5HA/10CB/CM:2 No.3, 1 No.1. PV:88/PL:35, Vic: Mar. Deploy on any hilltop.
• Moslems: 5BC/20HA/CM:3 No.3. PV:105/PL:32, Vic: Tac.

LIEGNITZ (1241)

• Germans: 25MS/10HC/15CB/CM:3 No.3. PV:145/PL:44, Vic: Dec.
• Mongols: 10MC/10HC/20HA/CM:1 No.1, 2 No.3. PV:170/PL:68, Vic: Tac. Use Ferocity.

Point Scale

Use appropriate markers to record Points Lost and to indicate Panic Threshold and the Game-Turn being played.

Errata

As a result of post-publication playtesting, the following errata has been assembled to clarify and correct various errors or ambiguities in the original game components. This errata follows the sequence of the Dark Ages Rules folder.

Game Inventory (Omission): A complete game of Dark Ages should include the following components: one mapsheet, one rules folder, one sheet (Scenario Chart, Terrain Effects Chart, Combat Unit Capability Chart, Victory Points Scale, Summary of Units Chart and Combat Results Table), two sets of die-cut counters, one die.

The Units (Correction): Two differently colored sets of die-cut counters (one green and one tan) should be provided.

General Movement Rules (C) (Clarification): Each unit must be moved to the full extent desired before the movement of any other unit is begun.

(F) (Clarification): No Enemy Movement is permitted during the Movement Phase of the Friendly Player-Turn. Note: The Exceptions listed in this case (Withdrawal and the Manipular Legion Rule) are erroneously mentioned in several instances in the Dark Ages rules. These rules were accidentally transposed from another SPI game (Phalanx). Players should ignore all references to Withdrawal and Manipular Roman Legion rules.

(I) (Superfluity): The exception listed in this case (Tactical Concession) is not applicable to the Dark Ages game. Players should ignore any reference to this rule.

(J) (Omission): No combat (Enemy or Friendly) is permitted during a Friendly Movement Phase.

(K) (Omission): As units move into any one of the three hexes adjacent to the front of an Enemy missile unit (Class IV or Class V units only) they must immediately cease movement and may move no farther in that Movement Phase. In any following Friendly Phase they may leave that hex, but must again cease movement immediately if they enter another hex adjacent to the front an Enemy missile unit. They may move directly from one such hex to another.

Stacking (C) (Omission): Viking Fleet units have no inherent stacking points; however, no more than one Viking Fleet unit can be placed in a single hex. Viking Fleet units may pass through a hex containing another Viking Fleet unit but, may not end any Movement Phase in a hex with another Viking Fleet unit. Each Viking Fleet unit has the capacity to transport a maximum of three Friendly Combat units (not including Command units) regardless of the individual Stacking Point values of the transported units.

Facing General Rule (Clarification): All combat units (including Command units) are subject to all Facing rules. Viking Fleet units are exempt from all Facing rules. A unit uses its Melee Defense Strength Flank when it is attacked in Melee combat from any hex not adjacent to its front.

(I) (Omission): Units may only change their facing orientation during a Friendly Movement Phase. Any facing change requiring an expenditure of Movement Points is subject to the movement restrictions outlined in the Command unit rules. Units in "Contact" with Enemy units may change their facing (during the Friendly Movement Phase) up to 60 degrees while remaining in the same hex.

Combat General Rule (Clarification): All reference to "dispersed" units should be read as "demoralized." Units with a Melee Attack Strength of "0" may never initiate a Melee combat but such units defend against Melee attacks with their appropriate Melee Defense Strength. Missile units may only employ defensive fire against Enemy units which have been allocated to attack the missile unit(s) itself. Defensive fire is always voluntary.

(D) (Clarification): Missile units may only fire over a unit which is on lower terrain than the missile unit. A missile unit in a hilltop hex when firing downhill (into a slope or level terrain hex) has its range allowance increased by one. In addition, a missile unit on a hilltop hex may fire over any type of hex located on level terrain, and may fire over any unit in a slope or level terrain hex. Missile units on hilltop hexes may never fire over wooded slope hexes. A hilltop hex is defined as any non-slope hex from which a line of hexes being traced from the hex in question to any edge of the mapsheet must unavoidably pass through at least one slope hex. A slope hex is defined as a hex containing the combination "slash and dots" contour markings (the dots representing the base of the slope).

(K) (Clarification): Units which engage in a Melee combat in which no participating unit is either eliminated or demoralized remain in "Contact." Such units are not required to attack any Enemy unit, but are forbidden from leaving the hex in which the "contact" was established until one of the units involved is either eliminated or demoralized in a subsequent combat. Note: Units in contact may change facing by one hexside during each Friendly Movement Phase.

(L) (Correction): No unit may participate in more than one melee and one melee attack per Player-Turn (only Class IV units have the option to both melee and fire offensively in a single Player-Turn).

Cavalry General Rule (Correction): Medium cavalry must take a minimum straight charge of two hexes (not three as stated). Cavalry units may not change their facing in the last hex entered during a charge. Cavalry units may not be held in contact with solely non-cavalry Enemy units. The normal contact rule applies to opposing cavalry units which engage in a Melee combat in which no unit is either eliminated or demoralized. Cavalry units may "back up" to gain charging room; however, the cavalry unit is required to pay all the facing movement costs such maneuvering implies. Cavalry units may also have their Combat Strength reduced due to terrain effects and/or Combat Unit Capability. Such reductions may cause the Melee Attack Strength of Heavy Cavalry to fall below two, and the MAS of Medium Cavalry to fall below one. Byzantine Cataphracts must charge a minimum of three hexes in order to employ their full Melee Attack Strength. The MAS of a Byzantine Cataphract unit may never fall below two for making too short a charge.

Demoralization and Panic General Rules (Change): A unit becomes demoralized as a result of a combat in which a demoralization combat result is achieved. Panic occurs when the cumulative losses an army suffers during a game reach the Panic Level given for that army by the Scenario Chart for the scenario in play.

All Combat and Command units may become demoralized as a result of receiving a demoralized combat result. Demoralized units are distinguished by placing a demoralization marker on top of the unit or stack of units. A demoralized unit has its Movement Allowance and its Melee Defense Strengths halved (losing any fractions). In addition, a demoralized unit may never initiate an attack (whether Melee or Fire, including Defensive Fire) while it is in a demoralized state. A demoralized Command unit may not apply its Combat Bonus during the time it is demoralized, but the Command unit retains its normal control over the movement of other Friendly units. Units which normally possess some control over hexes adjacent to their front (Missile units; also see Cross River Attack) forfeit that control while they are demoralized.

The effects of demoralization last until the end of the same Phase (in which the unit was demoralized) in the following Game-Turn. Thus, a unit which is demoralized by Defensive Fire during the Friendly Player-Turn remains demoralized until the end of the Defensive Fire Phase of the next Friendly Player-Turn.

Panic When the cumulative losses an army suffers during a game reach that army's Panic Level (indicated on the Scenario Chart), all units of that army immediately panic except the following units:

1. Command units;
2. All combat units stacked with or adjacent to a Command unit.
3. Any unit which is more than ten hexes distant from the nearest Enemy unit.

The effects of panic occur immediately whenever an army's Panic Level is reached. Immediately invert all panicked units and place a demoralization marker on them (by inverting the units, Players will be able to distinguish Panicked units from units which are only temporarily demoralized).

Panic may occur only once per army per game. In addition, once an army panics, the opposing army can panic if their cumulative losses also reach their indicated Panic Level.

Panicked units are considered demoralized in that their Movement Allowance and Defense Strength are halved and they may not initiate any type of attack. Panicked units, however, retain their full Movement Allowance. During each Friendly Movement Phase all panicked units must be moved their full Movement Allowance towards the mapsheet edge they were nearest to at the instant they panicked. In moving toward the nearest mapsheet edge panicked units must attempt to move through as few hexes adjacent to Enemy units as possible. The panicked units must pay all normal terrain and facing movement costs, but they may be moved independently of the Command unit movement restrictions. The panicked units are moved by the owning Player at the beginning of each Friendly Movement Phase before any other Friendly units are moved. They must continue to be moved toward the nearest mapsheet hex until they either leave the map (expending one Movement Point to move off the hex grid), are eliminated by Enemy attacks, or are rallied by other non-panicked Friendly units. A non-panicked Friendly Command or combat unit may attempt to rally as many panicked units as it is adjacent to at the end of a Friendly Movement Phase by means of a separate die roll for each unit it attempts to rally. A command unit rallies a panicked unit with a die roll of any number except six. A non-command unit rallies an adjacent panicked unit by rolling either a one, two, or three. The rally die-rolls are performed at the end of the Friendly Movement Phase after all Friendly units have completed their Movement. Rallied units may not rally other panicked units until the Friendly Player-Turn following the turn in which they were rallied. Note: remember, panicked units are considered demoralized in all ways except that they retain their full Movement Allowance. Panicked units may not initiate any attacks nor may they use Defensive Fire. Neither Panic nor Demoralization, however, ever has any effect on units defending against Enemy missile fire attacks since the Fire Protection Strength is assigned according to the terrain of the target hex rather than according to the strength of the defending units. In Melee combat, both panicked and demoralized units have their appropriate Defense Strength(s) halved (even if this reduces their strength to less than "1"). Panicked and/or demoralized units which receive a "DD" combat result are eliminated.

Command Units (A) (Correction): In this case the word "pinned" should be considered to be synonymous with the word "Contact" as explained in Combat (K). Also, demoralized units may move up to half their normal Movement Allowance and this movement is subject to the Command unit movement restriction, i.e., the moving unit must have begun the Friendly Movement Phase stacked with, or adjacent to, a Friendly Command unit.

(B) (Clarification): In order to initiate any type of attack (Missile or Melee) the attacking unit must be stacked with or adjacent to a Friendly Command unit (not demoralized) during the Attack Allocation Phase of the Friendly Player-Turn. Exceptions to this rule are as follows: Units in Contact with Enemy units may attack adjacent Enemy units regardless of the proximity of a Friendly Command unit. Units defending against Enemy attacks (including the use of Defensive Fire) may do so regardless of the proximity of Friendly Command units.

(C) (Correction): The influence of Command units which causes additions or subtractions to combat die rolls is applicable only in Melee combat. Command units never influence the die roll for any type of missile combat. Important Note: In Melee attacks made by units adjacent to a Friendly Command unit, subtract the appropriate number from the die roll. Conversely, the appropriate number is added to a die roll made by Enemy units attacking units which are stacked with, or adjacent to a Friendly Command unit. Command units lose their ability to influence combat in this manner while they are demoralized. Command units never panic.

Victory Conditions General Rule (Superfluity): Players should ignore the reference to the "Darius rule." This rule is not applicable to the Dark Ages game. Player should ignore the procedure given for computing Victory Points and use instead the Summary of Units Chart which assigns the correct number of Victory Points for each unity type. Command units are worth ten Victory Points apiece.

Ferocity (B) (Correction): In all subsequent Melee attacks, "one" is subtracted from the die roll in all attacks made by the "ferocious" Player, i.e., a die roll of "5" would become a "4".

(C) (Correction): In all Melee attacks launched against the "ferocious" Player, "one" is added to the die roll, i.e., a die roll of "5" becomes a "6".

Roman (Byzantine) Vitality (A) (Correction): In all melee attacks by the Byzantine Player, subtract "one" from the die roll.

(B) (Correction): In all melee attacks by the opposing Player, add "one" to the die roll.

Viking Fleets (A) (Correction): Viking Fleet counters have special stacking limitations. A fleet counter may carry a maximum of three combat units (in addition any number of Command units). Viking Fleet counters may never end a Movement Phase in the same hex as another fleet counter.

(C) (Omission): Viking Fleet counters are exempt from all facing rules.

(E) (Omission): Troops may only be disembarked from moored fleets during a Friendly Movement Phase.

Dismounted Cavalry General Rule (Clarification): Cavalry units may only remount or dismount during a Friendly Movement Phase. If the dismounted unit (only) is eliminated, the Victory Points for that unit only are scored. If the riderless mount unit (only) is eliminated, the Victory Points for the original cavalry unit minus the Victory Points for the dismounted unit are scored. If both the dismounted unit and the riderless mount unit are eliminated, the Victory Points for the original cavalry unit are scored.

Terrain Effects Chart Clarification: The Dark Ages Terrain Effects Chart requires substantial clarification. Many of the problems concerning terrain effects stem from the art work for the Dark Ages mapsheet which has waterways flowing through the hexes rather than along the hexsides. The latter has become the standard practice with SPI mapsheets since the publication of Dark Ages. In a future printing of Dark Ages, we hope to revise the mapsheet to conform to the newer, more playable, system. In the meantime, the following errata should be noted on the game's Terrain Effects Chart.

The Defense Strength section of the Terrain Effects Chart specifies the effect of terrain on a unit's Melee Defense Strength(s). Similarly, the Attack Strength section details the effects of terrain on the Melee and Fire Combat Strength(s) of attacking units. The Defense Strength of a unit defending on higher terrain than it is being attacked from, and/or, the Attack Strength of a unit attacking a unit on lower terrain is computed on the Downhill terrain effects column. The Defense Strength of a unit defending on lower terrain than it is being attacked, and/or, the Attack Strength of a unit attacking a unit on higher terrain is computed on the Uphill terrain effects column. When a unit on a slope hex is attacking an Enemy unit on an adjacent slope hex, both the Attack and Defense Strengths should be computed on the Uphill terrain effects column. The greatest Fire Protection Strength that a hex can have (other than the Keep hex) is "4" i.e., the FPS of a wooded stream hex is "4" not "6." The Movement Point cost to enter a hex containing two differing terrain types (i.e., a wooded slope hex) is computed solely on the Movement Point entry cost of the more difficult terrain type. Thus, it costs four Movement Points to enter a wooded stream hex.

Under the "Notes" heading on the Terrain Effects Chart Players should add the following: Cost to enter a road hex through a road hexside is 1/2 of a Movement Point. Cost to enter a road hex when not moving through a road hexside is computed according to the entry cost dictated by the other terrain in the road hex.

The Terrain Effects Chart failed to differentiate between river and stream hexes. A stream hex is defined as a hex in which there is land to either side of the blue (water) marking. It costs all units two Movement Points to enter a stream hex. Streams may be crossed at any point at a cost of two additional Movement Points in addition to the normal entry cost of the next hex moved into. There is no additional Movement Point cost to cross a stream through a bridge or ford hex. A river hex is defined as any hex which is completely covered by the blue (water) marking (or any hex containing no land whatsoever). Units (except Viking Fleet units) may never enter a river hex unless it is also a bridge hex. Movement across river hexes is permissible only through bridge hexes. It costs all units one half of a Movement Point to enter a bridge hex if entered from a road hex (if entered from a non-road hex it costs one Movement Point to enter a bridge hex). Any non-stream hex containing both land and water is considered a land hex. The Movement Point cost to enter such a hex is dictated by the terrain in the hex. A non-stream clear terrain hex containing both land and water may be entered at a cost of one Movement Point; however, to move from one such hex to another hex across a hexside covered by water costs two additional Movement Points (in addition to the normal cost for the next hex entered). Units in adjacent hexes may melee through a water hexside in which case both the Attack and Defense Strengths are computed as if the units were occupying stream hexes. A ford hex is treated as clear terrain for Movement purposes, but it is treated as a stream hex for all combat purposes. The Cross River Attack rule is applicable to either stream or river hexes adjacent to a unit's "front."

For swamp hexes, Players should ignore the reference to "LC" units in the "Notes" section of the Terrain Effects Chart. There are no Light Cavalry units in the Dark Ages game. Also in the "Notes" section, the asterisk at the end of the stream hex notes refers to swamp and woods hexes rather than stream hexes and is explained in the lower right hand corner of the Terrain Effects Chart.

Units permitted to enter certain types of terrain only on road hexes always have their Melee Defense Strength(s) halved when attacked while on such a road hex. Units are only prohibited from attacking when in hexes which cause a terrain effect of "P" to appear in the Attack Strength section of the Terrain Effects Chart under their unit class. Units may otherwise attack, even in terrain in which they are restricted to road hexes. In such cases the road has no effect; the Attack Strength is computed according to the other terrain in the hex. Melee attacks may be made against adjacent hexes into which the attacking unit is prohibited from entering. Class V units should have a "P" designation for their Attack Strength when occupying a woods or swamp hex. Class V units in a woods/road hex, or a swamp/road hex have their Attack Strength halved.

How to Set-Up the Game and How to Use the Scenarios (Clarification): In each scenario, the first Player listed deploys first. In all scenarios, the second Player listed always moves first. The unit counter sheets are identical so the first Player may select either color for his army.

As a reminder, the current Game-Turn is kept track of by advancing the Game-Turn marker on the Victory Points Scale (along the perimeter of the separate Dark Ages Charts Sheet).

Combat Unit Capability Chart (Explanation) (Correction): The Combat Unit Capability Chart specifies the effect on a unit's Defense Strength (for Melee Combat only) when attacked by a given unit class. In the example given (an SD unit and an MS unit being attacked on their front by an MC unit) the MS unit would defend with a Melee Defense Strength of "2" (one doubled), not with a Strength of "6." Important Note: In adjusting Combat Strengths for Terrain effects, and the effects of Demoralization or Panic, each unit's Combat Strength is individually adjusted. Whenever any Combat Strength is halved, any remaining fraction is lost. Defending units may have their Combat Strength(s) reduced to less than "1." Combat odds are computed on the basis of the totally adjusted Strength, i.e., an Attack Strength of "4" vs. a Defense Strength of "½" is treated as an eight to one attack.

Explanation of Combat Results (Clarification): Command units are eliminated in a "1E" or "2E" combat result only if sufficient combat units are not available to meet the required loss. Command units, when stacked with other units, may never be affected by Enemy missile fire.

Scenario Chart (Correction): In several scenarios the "PV" and "PL" levels should be changed as follows: Tours — Franks – PV 55; PL 22. Arabs – PV 80; PL 24. Constantinople — Byzantines – PV 150; PL 60. Balathusta — Byzantines – PV 160; PL 64. Stanford Bridge — Anglo-Saxons – PV 115; PL 34. Manzikert — Seljug Turks – PV 145; PL 72.

Note: In the Dorylaeum Scenario, the Crusaders must deploy one half of their Point Value within 15 hexes of the East edge of the mapsheet (consider the edge with the "Simulations Publications Inc." on it to be the East edge). The remainder of the Crusader's forces enter on the road leading from the East map edge on Game-Turn #5.