Medieval Battle Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Components
• The Gameplay
  • I. The Choice of the Battlefield
  • II. Unit Recruitment
  • III. Unit Deployment on the Battlefield
  • IV. The Battle
    • 1. Movement Points
    • 2. Control Zone
    • 3. The Withdrawal of Units to a "Predetermined" Position
    • 4. The Melee
    • 5. Ranged Attack
    • 6. Merging the Units
    • 7. Regrouping
    • The Wagon Train
  • V. Ending the Battle. Victory Conditions
  • VI. Optional Rules

Game Components

1. Manual
2. Board modules: elongated outside modules marked with symbols AI to AV (on the back BI to BV), 5 pieces; inside modules marked with symbols I (II) and III (IV), 2 pieces; supplementary modules, 4 pieces
3. Knight unit tokens (two-sided) for The Red Army and The Yellow Army. The side with two knights indicates a full unit; the side with one knight means a unit that suffered a loss in a battle. Colored dots on the edge of the tokens indicate the number of movement points that a given unit has. The wagon train has only 1 movement point.
4. Time markers: 5 pieces for each player
5. Flag control markers: 6 two-sided pieces for both players
6. Combat results calculator: 2 pieces
7. Melee and ranged attack cards: 2 sets, 9 pieces each

The Gameplay

I. The Choice of the Battlefield

The standard map: Choose one of the inside modules and then place 3 outside modules around it in such a way that all have the same side (A or B) face up. In the empty spaces of the outside modules place the small supplementary modules with flags pointing to the inside of the map.

• 3 outside modules
• 1 inside module
• 3 supplementary modules

The big map: Replace one of the supplementary modules in the standard map with another inside module. Next to this module place two remaining outside modules. In the empty spaces of the outside modules place the small supplementary modules with flags pointing to the inside of the map.

• 5 outside modules
• 2 inside modules
• 4 supplementary modules

Types of terrain on the board:

• The mountains: highest-lying. They cannot be occupied by cavalry units or the wagon train.
• Rocky hills: a terrain lower than the mountains but above the woods and the plains. Unfavorable to cavalry units involved in melee. Cannot be occupied by the wagon train.
• Woods and plains: both low-lying. The woods are unfavorable to cavalry units involved in melee, but favorable to units under ranged attack.

The cost of entering a hex in movement points:

• The plain: 1
• Other areas: 2

II. Unit Recruitment

Players can first take a closer look at the board and then build their army secretly, making a choice of unit tokens they want to use during the battle. Before choosing the tokens, place the empty game box on the board, blocking out the middle.

To make your army efficient, you need to choose units that will manage best on a given battlefield. Cavalry units will work best on the plains, whereas archers could be of great use in high mountains close to strategic points.

Each player makes the choice of units with 20 Recruitment Points (a standard map) or 30 Recruitment Points (a big map).

Recruitment cost of the different units:

• 3 RP: heavy cavalry
• 2 RP: light cavalry, horse archers, heavy infantry, longbowmen
• 1 RP: light infantry, pikemen, archers

Example: The Red Player chooses for a standard map game:

• 2 units of heavy cavalry: 6 RP
• 1 unit of light cavalry, 1 unit of horse archers, 2 units of heavy infantry, 1 unit of longbowmen: 10 RP
• 1 unit of light infantry, 1 unit of pikemen, 2 units of archers: 4 RP
• Total recruitment: 20 RP

The wagon train is a part of the army. Its recruitment cost is 0. You must take the wagon train.

Limitation: in the army, on the standard map, there can be only one longbowmen unit at maximum.

The other units do not take part in the game.

III. Unit Deployment on the Battlefield

An effective deployment of units on the battlefield before the battle starts is even more important than choosing the correct army composition. At this stage players start to compete to have control over the territory, so a good arrangement at the start enhances the chances to occupy strategic hexes later on. (Strategic hexes are described in the chapter "Ending the Battle. Victory Conditions".)

The units are deployed on the battlefield at a distance not shorter than:

• 3 hexes from the strategic ones marked with flags
• 3 hexes from the opponent's wagon train

Players deploy their units on the battlefield starting with their wagon trains. The wagon train can be placed only on a plain and later on, during the game, it can move only around this territory. Unit deployment is started by the player commanding the Red Army.

Notice that because of the lack of the Yellow wagon train on the battlefield, only the hexes marked with flags limit the wagon train placement choices for the Red Player. The Yellow player needs to take into account the location of the Red player's wagon train.

After placing the wagon trains on the board, players take it in turns to deploy their units (one unit each time), maintaining a distance of 3 hexes from the opponent's wagon train and also from the hexes marked with flags.

Before the start of the battle, players can deploy all their units if they find a suitable place for them, or they can deploy only a part of them, introducing the remaining ones during army regrouping later in the game (see Regrouping).

While deploying the units on the board you need to remember to do it in such a way that there should be 2 knights on the upper side of the token (a full unit) and the edge of the token with the maximum number of colored dots (movement points) should face the player commanding this unit. Such deployment of a unit means that its movement points have not been used yet.

IV. The Battle

During the battle players take it in turns to make a move, remembering that the Yellow player moves first. Possible actions during the battle:

a) Moving one unit on the board within the movement point limitations, as well as the limitations arising from the location of hexes in the opponent's control zone. This may optionally finish with:

• a melee attack on the opponent's unit (i.e. a declaration of intent to enter the hex occupied by the enemy's unit)
• a ranged attack
• merging two units of the same kind that suffered a loss in a combat into one full unit

b) A ranged attack without making a move.

c) The withdrawal of a unit to a "predetermined" position (it is the opponent's chance to move a unit during your melee attack).

d) Regrouping (restores the movement points).

e) Passing (the player takes no action).

1. Movement Points

A unit uses movement points depending on the kind of terrain it enters. A unit taking a movement action can use all or only a part of its movement points, depending on whether it moves 1 or more hexes.

The unit performing a melee attack uses its movement points that correspond to the terrain on which the attacked unit is located. This also applies when, during a melee, the unit under attack defends its position. The unit that defends its position does not use its movement points.

A unit can move across a hex on which another unit of the same player is staying. In such a case both units use 1 movement point extra. (If the unit has no movement points left, you cannot take this action.)

This action cannot be carried out in the control zone of any of the opponent's units.

Ranged attack expends movement points.

Example: A heavy cavalry unit moves across 2 hexes of plains using 1 movement point to enter each hex. It ends its round on a rocky hills hex using the 2 remaining points to enter it.

Example: A unit of longbowmen enters a mountain hex using 2 out of 3 points. In the same round, using the last movement point, the unit can shoot at the opponent's unit that is within range.

The unit withdrawing to a "predetermined" position uses the number of movement points depending on the terrain to which it wants to withdraw.

If a unit has only 1 movement point, and there are the woods (rocks, mountains) behind, it cannot withdraw!

Each time a unit uses its movement points, the token must be turned in such a way that the edge with the number of dots corresponding with the remaining number of movement points is facing towards the player commanding the unit.

2. Control Zone

A control zone means the hexes in the immediate vicinity of the unit that it could occupy.

A mountain hex occupied by the Red Army's longbowmen is beyond the control zone of the Yellow Army's heavy cavalry (cavalry units cannot move in the mountains).

The control zone can spread beyond the board. The terrain off the board is treated like plains.

A unit entering a zone controlled by the opponent's unit can continue moving during the same turn provided it performs a melee attack on this unit (on any of the units if it is staying in the control zone of a few enemy units). A unit that is not attacking needs to stop, even if it still has movement points available and there is an unoccupied hex to move to.

An archery unit can move into an opponent's unit control zone and then make a ranged attack rather than a melee attack. However, if a ranged attack is made, that unit cannot make any further movement, even if it has available points to do so.

If a unit starts its turn already in an opponent's unit control zone, it may move only 1 hex in that turn if it moves inside the enemy's unit control zone, but it will not have to engage in a melee attack before moving. If the unit leaves an opponent's unit control zone after the 1 hex movement, it may move more.

In this example the cavalry unit can make a move provided it moves first. If the longbowmen unit had occupied the mountain hex before, the Yellow Army's heavy infantry unit would have to stop on the first hex of its initially planned route.

3. The Withdrawal of Units to a "Predetermined" Position

A unit under a melee attack (not a ranged attack) may surrender its hex to the attacking unit. After a declaration of an attack (an intention to enter the hex occupied by an attacked unit), the defender may relocate his/her units to a neighboring available hex located beyond the control zone of any units belonging to the attacking player.

Example: Cavalry attacking longbowmen, and the hexes to which the longbowmen could withdraw (using movement points).

It is possible to withdraw a unit off the board (escape from the battlefield) and later come back on it (see Regrouping). Only a unit under attack can move off the board.

After the opponent's withdrawal, the attacker can continue moving by attacking either the unit that has just withdrawn or another one within the control zone.

If a player does not want to, or cannot, withdraw a unit, there is a melee.

4. The Melee

The melee result depends on:

a) the combat potential of the fighting units, and b) advantage factors which may occur during a given fight.

The combat potential of each type of unit is shown on the melee cards. It defines the number of losses of the attacking unit, as well as the losses of the defenders, depending on the weapon type and armor which are at the fighting units' disposal. The combat potential defines a situation in which full units are fighting (2 knights in a unit) and none of the fighting units has an advantage arising from the type of terrain where the melee is taking place.

The total losses should be read from the card. At the top of the column you can see the attacker's losses, while at the bottom there are the defender's losses.

Example (the attacking light cavalry):

• Would lose in a melee with pikemen (1 attacking horseman dies, none of the opponents die).
• Would have an equal fight with the opponent's heavy cavalry, light cavalry or heavy infantry (losses: 1 knight on each side).
• Would defeat light infantry or horse archers (1 of the opponent's knights dies, no losses on the attacker's side).
• Would crush the units of infantry archers (all knights in the opponent's unit die, no losses on the attacker's side).

Advantage factors during a melee:

a) Outnumbering the opponent's unit: in the composition of one unit there are 2 knights whereas in the other one there is only one.

b) Height advantage: before the clash one of the fighting units is staying on a terrain higher than the opponent's unit (it does not matter if the unit that has an advantage is one or two terrain levels higher).

c) Terrain unfavorable to cavalry: the melee takes place on a terrain unfavorable to cavalry units (rocky hills or woods).

The result of the melee is determined by using a combat calculator. In the middle of the calculator board place a melee card appropriate for the attacking unit. The card needs to be placed in such a way that the columns with different numbers of skulls (which mean the number of losses) lie near similar symbols on the calculator board.

Next, check whether there are advantage factors on any side during the melee. If there are, treat each factor separately and move the clash card one column right (if there is an advantage on the attacker's side) or left (if there is an advantage on the defender's side). After considering all advantage factors, read the melee result, which is expressed with the number of skulls on the calculator board (not on the card!) above and below the column of the card where the icon of the attacked unit is.

Example: Light infantry is attacking from the mountains a heavy cavalry unit that is in rocky hills. Both units are full (consist of 2 knights).

The combat potential of the light infantry unit fighting with heavy cavalry is unfavorable. In normal conditions infantry would suffer defeat, losing 1 knight, and inflict no loss.

Taking into consideration the advantages on the infantry side changes the situation. An attack from a higher position results in moving the melee card 1 column right on the calculator board, as well as the fact that the melee takes place on a terrain difficult for cavalry (rocky hills). Thanks to 2 advantage factors for the infantry and moving the card by two columns, the melee ends with the infantry's victory: the infantry does not suffer any loss but inflicts losses on the attacked cavalry (one horseman is killed, and the heavy cavalry token needs to be flipped).

Consider that the cavalry unit was not forced to face the melee. Its movement points could be used to withdraw the unit to a "predetermined" position, leaving the hex of rocky hills to the attacking infantry.

If units suffer a partial loss, they stay on their positions after the melee.

If, because of the result of the melee, the attacked unit is completely defeated, the attacking unit (if it survived the fight) takes the defender's position (hex) on the battlefield. Although the attacking unit has won, it needs to finish its move. The player's turn finishes with a melee.

5. Ranged Attack

Ranged attack cards are a separate set from the melee cards. Archery units can take part in a melee, whose result is determined on the basis of the melee cards, so do not confuse the two sets. The shooting unit does not suffer any losses during the ranged attack.

Ranged attacks can be started by the following units:

• Longbowmen: significant shot power, shot range 2 hexes.
• Shortbow archers and horse archers: insignificant shot power, shot range 1 hex (adjacent hex).

The shot range of longbowmen can be limited by a terrain obstacle that makes the field of view narrow (archers cannot see their opponent hiding behind the mountains or woods if they are not on higher terrain).

Like in a melee, the ranged attack result depends on:

a) the combat potential of the units, and b) advantage factors that may occur during the shooting.

The ranged attack result is determined using the combat calculator and a shooting card appropriate for the given shooting unit, and, similarly to the result of the melee, regarding advantage factors:

a) Outnumbering the opponent's unit: there are 2 knights in the composition of the shooting unit or the unit under the ranged attack, whereas there is only 1 in the other unit.

b) Height advantage: the shooting unit or the unit under the shooting is staying higher than their opponent (it does not matter if the unit that has an advantage is one or two terrain levels higher).

c) Hiding in the woods: the unit under ranged attack is hiding in the woods, a factor favorable to the defender even if it is a cavalry unit. The terrain where the ranged attack unit is staying is not important in this case.

Example: Any full unit consisting of 2 knights and staying higher than shooting archers, or hiding in the woods when the archers are on the same level, suffers no loss.

Ranged attack ends the player's turn.

6. Merging the Units

Two units of the same kind that have suffered a loss in a combat can merge into one full unit. To accomplish this, one of those units makes a move on the board according to the general rules of movement and enters the hex on which the other unit is staying. One of the tokens is removed from the board, while the other one is flipped so that there are 2 symbols of knights on the upper side.

The new unit created this way has at its disposal as many movement points as the unit that had fewer points before merging.

7. Regrouping

After playing the time token, the player can regroup his forces. All units of his army will recover all their movement points up to their maximum value. Tokens of all units should be turned in such a way that the edges with the maximum number of colored dots are facing towards the player commanding the unit.

Regrouping also means that the wagon train token should be flipped to its "Fortified wagon train" side up.

During regrouping, all units which escaped from the battlefield get a chance to return. The moment of the return depends on the distance from the wagon train at the very moment of leaving the battlefield. This distance is measured in a number of outside modules between the module on which the wagon train is placed and the module on which the returning unit was located at the moment of escape.

During each regrouping, the unit staying off the board moves 1 module towards the module on which the player's wagon train is located. If the unit is located on the module next to the one on which the wagon train is placed, then during the next regrouping it can be placed back on the board, on one of the hexes directly next to the wagon train.

Example: Light infantry of the Red Army is attacking the Yellow Army longbowmen, who, according to the Yellow player's choice, are escaping from the battlefield (position a).

During the next regrouping, the longbowmen unit moves towards the board module together with the wagon train, still staying off the board (position b).

The next regrouping allows the Yellow player to put the longbowmen unit back on the board, in the immediate vicinity of the wagon train (position c).

Regrouping also allows placement on the board, in the immediate vicinity of the wagon train, of all the units which were not deployed on the board before the battle. The distance from the hex with a flag does not matter in such a case.

The Wagon Train

At the very beginning of the game the wagon train token should be placed on the battlefield with the "Fortified wagon train" icon facing up.

The fortified wagon train has 1 movement point, which means it can move only over the plains. The wagon train on the move or under attack cannot move further.

The player can make a move with the fortified wagon train the same way as any other unit, and after that the token is flipped to the other side.

The wagon train token should be turned to the flip side also when it has been attacked. Each single attack against the wagon train is successful. The wagon train is destroyed if it has been attacked while on the move or already under attack, i.e. while the token of the wagon train was turned to its "on the move or under attack" side up.

The wagon train has no combat potential, but it has a control zone. That is why it cannot attack enemy units, but it can hinder their retreat or even make it impossible.

The wagon itself cannot escape from the battlefield or withdraw to a "predetermined" position.

V. Ending the Battle. Victory Conditions

During the battle players compete for the control of strategic points located on the board and marked with flags. Central hexes (double flag) have a value of 2 Victory Points (VP), while hexes next to the edges of the board have a value of 1 VP.

• 2 VP: central hexes with a double flag.
• 1 VP: flagged hexes next to the edges of the board.

A strategic point is taken over by a player when, after the round, a unit of his/her army is located on the hex marked with a flag. The unit during the same round can still perform a ranged attack or take part in a melee, but if it is killed during the combat, it cannot take over control of the strategic point.

If a unit is moving across the strategic point, but during the same round it is also continuing the move and leaves the hex marked with a flag, then the strategic point is not taken over.

Equally or even more important than taking over strategic points is defending your own wagon train, because destroying it gives your opponent 3 victory points.

The game is over when:

a) One of the players wins by gathering 5 victory points on the standard map or 6 on the big map (e.g. by destroying the opponent's wagon train and controlling the central hex with a double flag on the standard map).

b) Both players have used all their time tokens and their units have no movement points anymore.

c) Both players have passed the move one after another during their rounds.

In cases b) and c) the winner is the player that, at the moment of ending the game, has gathered more Victory Points. If the number of victory points of the players is equal, the winner is the player who has more valuable units on the board. The value of all units is equal to their cost of recruitment, no matter if the unit has suffered any loss or not.

VI. Optional Rules

Dismounting the unit: Cavalry units can be dismounted during the round of the player commanding them, before or after making a move (a unit cannot make a part of the move as cavalry and a part as infantry). The tokens of heavy cavalry, light cavalry and horse archers should be replaced accordingly by tokens of heavy infantry, light infantry and shortbow archers.

The number of movement points of a dismounted unit is equal to:

• 0: if the cavalry unit had 0 or 1 movement points
• 1: if the cavalry unit had 2 or 3 movement points
• 2: if the cavalry unit had 4 or 5 movement points