Nine Years: The War of the Grand Alliance 1688-1697
Nine Years: The War of the Grand Alliance 1688-1697 Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Game Map
- 3. Counters
- 4. Stacking
- 5. Cards
- 6. Determining Victory
- 7. Powers
- 8. Sequence of Play
- 9. Event Card Phase
- 10. Naval Matters
- 11. Supply
- 12. Reinforcement Phase
- 13. Campaign Phase
- 14. Movement
- 15. Fortified Lines
- 16. Battle
- 17. Siege
- 18. King William's War
- 19. Winter Quarters Phase
- 20. Scenarios
- 21. Extended Example of Play
1. Introduction
1.1 The Game
1.1.1 Nine Years is a two player game depicting the War of the Grand Alliance and can be combined with No Peace Without Spain to also depict the War of the Spanish Succession. Both conflicts put Louis XIV's France (and its allies) against a coalition of European dynasties. The first was a response to the Sun King's attempt to extend his influence across the Rhine, pressuring the Holy Roman Empire to accept his territorial and dynastic claims. The latter was fought primarily to determine the fate of the Spanish throne and its dominions but also represented a continuing struggle between the Habsburg and Bourbon dynasties for the political, religious and economic dominance of Europe.
1.1.2 One player represents the interests of the French "Bourbons", Louis XIV and his Catholic ally, James II of Britain, while the other player represents the interests of the Dutch stadtholder William III (James II's son-in-law) and the Austrian and Spanish Habsburgs.
Each "side" consists of a number of powers representing the military forces of various countries or duchies.
Bourbon Powers (blue counters)
| Power | Color Band | Capital |
|---|---|---|
| France (Fr) | Blue | Paris |
| Jacobite (Ja) | Bright Red | London/Paris and Highlands (2.2) |
| Catalan (Ca) | Dark Yellow | Paris |
Alliance Powers (tan counters)
| Power | Color Band | Capital |
|---|---|---|
| British (Br) | Red | London |
| Dutch Republic (Du) | Orange | Amsterdam |
| Austria (Au) | White | Vienna |
| Empire (Em) | Green | Special (2.4) |
| Subsidy (Su) | Gray | Special (2.4) |
| Spain (Sp)* | Dark Yellow | Madrid |
| Savoy (Sa)** | Dark Red | Turin |
| Bavaria (Ba)*** | Light Blue | Munich |
* In the Campaign Game, Spain may become a Bourbon Power during the Campaign Interphase, based on the VP situation at the end of the NY scenario.
** Savoy is initially a Neutral Power, only joining the Alliance in 1690. During the Winter Quarter's Phase, it can be returned to Neutral status. In the Campaign Game, it may join the Bourbon side during the Campaign Interphase, in which case Event card play may cause it to switch sides once more.
*** In the Campaign Game, Bavaria will become Neutral during the Campaign Interphase and will switch to Bourbon during the 1702 or 1703 turn.
1.1.3 For purposes of these rules, the powers of each side are "friendly" to all other powers of that side, and "enemies" of the powers of the opposing side.
1.2 Scale
Each turn represents one year. Each combat unit, hereafter called a "corps", represents approximately 10,000 men of all arms. Leaders represent the named personality and his staff.
1.3 Components
Nine Years contains:
- One 22" x 34" map
- One rule book
- Two identical player aid cards
- One Multi-turn Event sheet
- One deck of 55 playing cards
- One countersheet with 168 counters at 0.65" square
- Ten 6-sided dice
2. Game Map
The map depicts Western Europe at the end of the 17th century.
2.1 Spaces
2.1.1 General. Each named point on the map is a "space". There are two types of spaces: Unfortified and Fortified (or "Fortress"). Spaces are normally controlled by one side or the other, unless the space is neutral (2.3). Control of a space is important for determining victory (6.0), tracing lines of communication (11.0), movement, interception (14.6), and avoiding battle (14.7). Spaces that are connected by lines are considered "adjacent".
2.1.2 Colors. The border color of a space indicates it is a "home space" for the power associated with that color, and defines which power controls the space at the start of the game (unless modified by scenario set up instruction). In general, a power's reinforcements and newly built corps may only be placed in a home space (Exception: British 12.2.5 and Jacobite 12.2.6).
Note: the Subsidy power's only home space is the Empire/Subsidy Home Space (2.4).
Note: spaces in Scotland and Ireland (Edinburgh, Highlands, Derry, Dublin and Kinsale) and the current location of James II are Jacobite Home Spaces (7.2.7) only after a successful Glorious Revolution (20.2.5 rule2).
2.1.3 Stacking Change Arrows. White arrows have been placed on connections to indicate when the stacking level changes (4.1).
2.1.4 Alliance-only Connections. Several spaces have red connections. These connections may be used by the Alliance (only) for movement, avoiding battle, retreat, and tracing lines of communication (11.0). These connections cost 2 MPs when used for regular movement (14.1.1).
The Bourbon player may intercept an Alliance force entering a space that uses the connection for movement (i.e., using the connection does not change the interception rules).
Historical Note on Trent-Mirandola connection: Venice remained neutral throughout the war and both sides were reluctant to violate its borders. However in a couple of instances the Austrians ignored such concerns and transited Venetian territory in order to bypass Bourbon blocking forces.
2.1.5 Wealthy Spaces. Several spaces, such as Antwerp and Milan, have gold coin symbols. The countermix contains 2 Wealthy markers to put on the Munich and London space (and which can be flipped to indicate control of the spaces instead of placing a control marker). Treat Munich and London as having a printed gold coin symbol and being a wealthy space. Wealthy spaces increase Bourbon resource points (12.3.1) during the NY scenario. During the No Peace Without Spain part of the Campaign game, these "wealthy spaces" only apply to the French Financial Collapse event card. See the card for their effect.
2.2 Capital Spaces
Each power has a capital, denoted by a bold and highlighted name, which is the focal point of its political and military resources. Capitals are the primary supply sources in the game (11.2.1). Note that the Empire/Subsidy home space is the capital for the Subsidy and Empire Alliance powers (2.4). Paris and Highlands are the capital for the Jacobite power only after a successful Glorious Revolution.
2.3 Control of Spaces
2.3.1 General. Most spaces begin the game under the control of one side or the other. A few spaces require further clarification:
- Savoy is a neutral power at the start of the NY scenario, joining the war as per 7.2.
- Parma, Mantua, Mirandola and the Papal States represent independent (i.e. neutral) Italian duchies and church lands. The scenario set-up (20.1) specifies if a space begins the game under the control of a side. Unlike Bavaria and Portugal, however, these spaces may be entered and controlled by either side at any time
- Bavaria and Portugal are neutral powers at the start of the NPWS scenario of the Campaign Game, joining the war as per 7.2.
2.3.2 Fortress Spaces. Control of a fortress changes hands through siege (17.0) or a power's shift of allegiance (7.2). Fortress spaces have an inherent Fortress Strength: 1, 2, or 3. Fortresses with a strength of 2 or 3 have the values printed on the map; all other fortresses have a strength of 1. Fortresses are always considered at full strength unless reduced by an active siege (as indicated by Fortress Strength markers) or by special scenario rules.
2.3.3 Unfortified Spaces. Unlike fortress spaces, unfortified spaces have no defensive strength and control may change during a Campaign action simply by an enemy force expending a movement point in the space (14.4).
2.3.4 Control Markers. Use control markers as needed to indicate ownership. For the duration of the Nine Years scenario, the Wealthy markers on London and Munich can be used to indicate ownership.
2.4 Empire/Subsidy and Austria Home Spaces
The large square Empire/Subsidy and Austria Home Spaces have the following special characteristics:
- Alliance-only: They may never be entered by Bourbon units.
- Capital: The Empire/Subsidy home space is the capital for both the Empire and Subsidy powers, acting as a normal capital in all respects (i.e. for LOC and reinforcement purposes). It is also the only home space for the Subsidy power; any newly arriving Subsidy corps must be placed in the space. The Austria home space is not the capital of Austria, however; Vienna is.
- No stacking limit and full Alliance use: Any Alliance powers may freely enter, exit, or remain in the two home spaces as desired, without regard to stacking. Note that the lines leading into and out of the two home spaces are red; it costs 2 MPs to move along them.
2.5 Sea Zones
2.5.1 General. There are two sea zones on the map: the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Sea zones are used to regulate sea-based lines of communication (11.1) and sea movement (14.5). All ports are adjacent to a single sea zone except Gibraltar, which borders two sea zones (2.6).
2.5.2 Atlantic Sea Zone.
- The Atlantic begins the game uncontrolled. Once a side gains control over the Atlantic, control is retained until otherwise changed (exception: if the Alliance controls London and Beachy Head is not in effect, the Atlantic always changes to Alliance control during the Winter Quarters Phase). See 10.2 for the rules detailing how control of the Atlantic is determined. Control of the Atlantic affects lines of communication and sea movement through that zone.
- In the NPWS scenario, the Alliance always controls the Atlantic sea zone throughout the game; this cannot change. Bourbon units may never move or trace a line of communications through it.
Historical Note for Nine Years: Before the Glorious Revolution, Britain was allied to Bourbon France and their combined fleets were a threat to Allied dominance in the Atlantic, mostly based on the Dutch naval forces.
2.5.3 Mediterranean Sea Zone.
- The Mediterranean begins the game under Bourbon control. Once a side gains control over the Mediterranean, control is retained until otherwise changed. See 10.2 for the rules detailing how control over the Mediterranean is determined. Control of the Mediterranean affects lines of communication and sea movement through that zone.
- In the NPWS scenario, control of the Mediterranean Sea (the "Med") begins with the Bourbon player but changes during the game. See 10.2 for the rules detailing how control of the Med is determined. Control of the Med affects not only lines of communication and sea movement (11.1) through that zone, but also the current victory point level (6.1.1).
Play Note: Although Gibraltar was long recognized as a location of strategic importance, in the early 18th century it was not a major port and thus did not control the entrance to the Mediterranean.
2.6 Ports
2.6.1 General. Spaces whose names are printed in the water are ports. Most ports are adjacent to a single sea zone.
2.6.2 Dual-Zone Port. Gibraltar is adjacent to the Atlantic and Mediterranean zones.
2.6.3 Purpose. A side may use a port for sea moves and tracing LOCs. LOCs can only be traced if a side controls the sea zone adjacent to that Port (exception: Jacobites in Ireland). Sea moves can only be used if a side controls the sea zone adjacent to that port.
Play Note for NPWS: Since Gibraltar is adjacent to both the Atlantic and Mediterranean zones, the Bourbons may trace a sea line of communications or sea move to or from the space only if they control the Mediterranean.
2.7 Army Boxes
Each side has four army boxes (with associated counters) that can be used to help handle large stacks. There are no special rules regarding the army boxes or counters – they are simply used for convenience to help reduce map clutter. Each player has four Army markers to place on the map; the letters on the markers correspond to the letters of the army boxes.
2.8 Game Tracks
The map includes several tracks to hold game information markers.
3. Counters
Terminology: The term "force" is used in these rules to describe a single stack of leaders and/or corps.
3.1 Leaders
There are three types of leaders in the game: named, minor and staff officer. Named leaders may be eliminated as a result of battle or siege; if this occurs the counter is flipped over to its replacement (minor leader) side for the remainder of the game.
Exception: The Marlborough leader belonging to the Jacobite Power does not have a replacement minor leader on his reverse side. On its reserve side is the Marlborough leader belonging to the British Power for use during the NY scenario. If eliminated, neither of these leaders is replaced by a minor leader.
Leaders have two numerical ratings:
- Tactical Rating (TR) contributes dice to battle (16.2) and is also used to modify interception (14.6), avoiding battle (14.7), and bypass fortified lines (15.4) die rolls. Note that named leaders suffer a reduced TR if they are not stacked with a home corps (3.1.1).
- Command Rating (CR) indicates the number of corps that leader may command (activate) during a Campaign action (13.5.1). A leader may also use a Rally action to rally himself and a number of corps equal to one-half (rounded up) of his CR (13.5.4).
Historical Note: During this period of warfare an army's command structure was fairly ad hoc depending on the circumstances (the seniority and nationality of the general officers present, the composition and nationality of the troops, and so on). Each combat unit in the game represents roughly 10,000 infantry, cavalry and artillerymen. Although the concept of a permanent combined-arms organization had not yet been adapted, "corps" was a contemporary term to describe large bodies of troops and is used here to describe the combat units.
3.1.1 Home Corps. Along the bottom of each named leader's counter is a colored "band" indicating that leader's "home power". A named leader suffers a -1 TR penalty if he is not commanding at least one home corps when using his TR rating for any die roll. CR is never affected by the home corps requirement.
Example: Waldeck is part of a defending (i.e. inactive) stack in a battle that contains no Dutch corps. His TR for the battle is +0 instead of +1.
Play Note: The minor leader side for the following leaders: William III, Lorraine, Eugene, Lorges, Luxembourg, Noailles and James II has a home corps band, and these follow the same rules for home corps as named leaders.
3.1.2 Promotion. Max Emanuel, Lorraine, Lorges, Victor Amadeus, Luxembourg and Catinat begin the game on their minor leader sides. These leaders remain on their minor leader side and may not be eliminated in battle until promoted during the Reinforcement phase (see 12.4). After promotion, if eliminated they are flipped back to their minor leader side for the remainder of the game.
3.2 Corps
3.2.1 Each power has a number of corps counters which represents its field forces. Each corps has two sides:
- Full strength – worth 1 die in battle. A hit on a full strength corps causes it to be flipped.
- Reduced – worth ½ die in battle. A hit on a reduced corps causes it to be eliminated and returned to the Force Pool.
IMPORTANT: Unless the rules specifically state otherwise, the term "corps" applies to either a full or reduced-strength counter.
3.2.2 Corps are reduced as a result of combat, overstacking, or card events, and once reduced can only be restored to full strength during the Reinforcement phase (12.3) or during an Action round (13.5). Eliminated corps are placed off-map in a "force pool" (12.3).
3.2.3 Corps cannot be combined or split up.
3.3 Markers
3.3.1 The game uses a variety of markers to keep track of game events and to record progress.
3.3.2 The counter mix should be sufficient, however all game markers may be duplicated if necessary.
4. Stacking
Historical Note: Although each space represents a fairly large area, the logistical requirements of the period placed limits on the practical size of armies based on the land's ability to support such forces (roads, rivers, forage, fodder for horses, etc.).
4.1 Stacking Limits
4.1.1 Stacking Limits. Each space on the map has a stacking limit indicating the total number of corps each side may safely stack in the space (exception Empire/Subsidy and Austrian Home Space 2.4).
| Type | Icon | Stacking Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Fertile | Wheat | 12 |
| Normal | none | 8 |
| Rugged | Mountain | 4 |
Play Note: Reduced corps counts the same as a full-strength corps for stacking purposes, while leaders and other game markers have no effect on stacking.
4.1.2 No Voluntary Overstacking. Stacking is enforced at the conclusion of a move or retreat. Stacking limits may be temporarily exceeded while a force moves through a space (i.e. the moving force and/or any inactive friendly corps in the space exceed the stacking limit), or when moving into a space for the purpose of lifting a siege (17.3.4 and 17.6.1). The only times a force may overstack in a space is following a required retreat (i.e. after battle or Winter Quarters phase withdrawal) or after a successful lifting of a siege. It is not permitted to overstack when intercepting into a space (14.6.2).
4.1.3 Penalties for Overstacked Spaces. There are three penalties associated with overstacked spaces:
- Full Strength Corps Reduction. If the number of full strength corps in an overstacked space exceeds one-half (1/2) the stacking limit, then any full strength corps in excess of this number must be reduced (owning player's choice) at the conclusion of the move or retreat.
- No Restores or Reinforcements Allowed. No reduced corps in an overstacked space may be restored, whether during the Reinforcement phase (12.3.5) or during a Replacement Action (13.5.3). Additionally, no new corps may be placed in an overstacked space as reinforcements.
- Activation Restrictions. Regardless of available leaders, a force in an overstacked space can never conduct a Campaign action, intercept, or avoid battle with more corps than the stacking limit. Note that all corps in an overstacked space will still defend as a combined force if attacked.
Example: Following a retreat there are 3 full strength and 2 reduced strength corps in a rugged space. 1 full strength corps must be reduced, leaving 2 full strength corps (1/2 safe stacking limit) and 3 reduced corps. The 3 reduced corps cannot be restored, and only 4 of the 5 corps can be activated in a single action so long as the space remains overstacked. If attacked, the force will contribute 4 dice towards the battle (3.5 rounded up).
4.2 Controlling Corps and Stacking with Friendly Powers
There are no restrictions against different powers of the same side stacking, moving or fighting together. A leader may command the corps of any friendly power without restriction (but remember the home corps rule 3.1.1).
4.3 Stacking with Enemy Units
There are three situations in which friendly and enemy forces may be in the same space:
- During a Campaign action, a force may move into a space containing enemy forces. In this case, the enemy force must accept battle (16.0) or attempt to avoid battle (14.7). Unless the situation in #3 (below), one side will retreat or be completely eliminated, leaving the other side in sole occupation – but not necessarily in control – of the space.
- During a Campaign action, an inactive force may intercept into a friendly space into which an active force has just entered. In this case, there is a battle (16.0), although see 14.6.6.
- One corps and any number of leaders may occupy a friendly fortress during a siege. This is known as a garrison (17.3) and is the only time that units of both sides can occupy the same space at the end of an Action.
4.4 Fog of War
There is no "fog of war" with regards to counters; you may inspect enemy stacks (including stacks in Army Boxes) at any time. Unplayed cards remain hidden from the other player at all times.
Historical Note: Security in an age with open borders and multinational states was difficult to achieve. Both sides had effective intelligence systems, with commanders often obtaining surprisingly accurate enemy orders of battle.
5. Cards
5.1 General
There are two separate types of cards: Event cards and Action cards.
- Event cards are drawn during the Event Card phase (one by each player) to trigger random events.
- Action cards are dealt to each player at the start of the Campaign phase and are used to conduct actions.
During the Event Phase (8.0 #1), the VP total is increased or decreased based on the position of the King William's War (KWW) marker on the KWW track.
During the Campaign phase (8.0 #3), the VP total is increased immediately when the Alliance player does the following, and decreased immediately when the Bourbon player does the following:
- gains control of a fortress space by siege (17.5.7);
- converts an unfortified space (14.4) that has a VP number printed on the map;
- wins a Famous Victory (16.5.3).
- wins a Naval Battle as the attacker (11)
- experiences a dynastic upset (see below and 16, play note below leader casualty table)
During the Winter Quarters phase (8.0 #5), the VP total is:
- decreased if the Bourbons control London (19.0 C);
SPACES: Unless indicated differently on the map, the VP value of a space is as follows. These values apply only if the space changes hands as a result of Actions (sieges or movement, but see 6.1.2); changes in possession from Event cards never changes the VP track.
| Type of Space | VP Value |
|---|---|
| Unfortified Space | 0 or the # of VP printed beside the space |
| Level 1 Fortress | 1 VP – the # is not printed on the map |
| Level 2 Fortress | 2 VP – the # is printed on the map |
| Level 3 Fortress | 3 VP – the # is printed on the map |
KING WILLIAM'S WAR: After making the KWW die roll during the Event Phase, adjust the VP marker based on the position of the KWW marker on its track. If the relative VP amount remained the same (between the position of the KWW marker before and after the roll), do not adjust VPs. If the relative VP amount changed, adjust the VP marker accordingly.
Example: The KWW marker is at the first -1 VP spot and the Bourbon player wins the KWW roll. He adjusts the KWW marker to the second -1 VP spot. As the relative VP amount remained the same, the VP marker does not move. The next event phase, the Bourbon player wins the KWW roll again. This time, the KWW marker moves to the -2 VP spot and the VP marker moves down 1 VP.
FAMOUS VICTORIES: Alliance Famous Victories increase the VP count by 2, while Bourbon Famous Victories decrease the count by 2.
NAVAL BATTLES: Successful fleet sorties by an Alliance fleet increase the VP count by 1, while successful fleet sorties by a Bourbon fleet decrease the count by 1.
DYNASTIC UPSETS: The following rules are associated with the named leaders James II, Max Emanuel, William III and Victor Amadeus (these leaders are marked with a * or have their name underlined on their marker):
- (a) If eliminated in battle or siege (flipped to minor leader side), the opposing player receives 2 VP
- (b) If their named leader side is underlined (i.e. Max Emanuel, William III and Victor Amadeus) and they are captured in battle or siege, they must be ransomed back (placed on turn track for VP equal to CR value) – they cannot be voluntarily eliminated. If their named leader side is starred (i.e. James II) and they are captured in battle or siege, they cannot be ransomed back and must be eliminated (flipped to minor leader side), triggering the gains from (a)
CONTROL OF LONDON: During the Winter Quarters phase the Alliance player loses 2 VPs if the Bourbon player has control of the London space.
5.2 Set Up
5.2.1 Game Start. At the beginning of the game and during the Campaign Interphase, separate the Event cards and Action cards into separate decks. Shuffle and place each deck near the map. Both players draw from a common event deck and a common Action deck.
5.2.2 1693 Card Adds. Some Event cards are not in play at the start of the game. These are labeled "Add to the deck in 1693" and are added to the deck at the start of the (respective) card phase(s). Place these cards to the side until they are used, and shuffle the event deck when they are added.
6. Determining Victory
6.1 Victory
Victory conditions are checked during the Winter Quarters phase of each Turn (8.0, #5f). A player may win by Automatic Victory or End-Game Victory on Points.
Play Note: In the extremely unlikely event both players achieve their automatic victory conditions in the same turn, the player currently controlling London (Madrid if during the NPWS scenario of the Campaign Game) wins the game.
6.1.1 Victory Points (VPs). The Game Record Track records the current number of Alliance VPs. At the start of the game, the VP marker is placed on the 15 space. The VP marker never goes below 0 or above 35, even if something (such as a siege result) would otherwise demand it.
6.1.2 No VP Adjustment for Certain Changes of Control. There are several game events that cause control of spaces to change without resulting in a VP track adjustment:
- Savoy enters the war - automatic.
- Derry during Glorious Revolution – special scenario rule
- Scotland Rises / Pacified – event card
- Savoy becomes neutral - 7.1.2.
In each of these cases, the VP total is not adjusted. However, if any of these spaces are captured by siege during a campaign round, VPs are adjusted normally.
Example: If the Alliance captures Derry through a regular siege, 1 VP is awarded. But if the Alliance gains control through the Glorious Revolution scenario rule, the VP marker is not adjusted.
6.2 Automatic Victory
Either side may claim an Automatic Major Victory during the Winter Quarters phase by achieving the following conditions:
Alliance Automatic Victory
- Paris is Alliance-controlled with a land-based LOC to Amsterdam or Vienna; or
- The VP level is at 35 or higher or (NPWS scenario) the VP level is at 30 or higher
Bourbon Automatic Victory
- Vienna or Amsterdam is Bourbon-controlled with a land-based LOC to Paris; or
- The VP level is at 0.
6.3 End Game Victory on Points
If neither side achieves an automatic victory before the Winter Quarters phase of the final turn (or if the Bourbon player rolled a 6 or higher on the Peace Negotiations die roll 6.5), players determine which player has achieved a major or minor victory based on the final VP count.
| Final VP | Result |
|---|---|
| 30+ | MAJOR Alliance win |
| 25-29 | minor Alliance win |
| 20-24 | minor Bourbon win |
| 19 or less | MAJOR Bourbon win |
6.4 Peace Die Roll (NY Only)
Additionally, at the beginning of the winter quarters phase of 1696 (and all following turns until 1699), the Bourbon player must make a Peace Die Roll.
- Non-initiative player, then initiative player may forfeit one future Action card draw and/or receive 2 fewer resource points during the next turn
- The Bourbon player rolls 1d6, adding the following DRMs. If the result is 10 or higher, the game ends (see 6.3 for victory determination).
The following modifiers are used:
- -1 for each player who made a forfeit during step 1 (-2 for each player who made both forfeits).
- +1 if at least one fortified Spanish home space outside Spain is Bourbon-controlled
- +1 if at least two fortified Empire home spaces are Bourbon-controlled.
- +1 if at least three fortified Spanish home spaces in Spain are Bourbon-controlled
- +1 if London is Bourbon controlled
- +1 if Dublin is Bourbon controlled
- +1 if Edinburgh is Bourbon controlled
- +1 if the KWW marker is currently in a -1 VP position (+2 if in the -2 VP position instead)
- +1 if Savoy is Neutral.
- +1 for each turn after 1696
7. Powers
7.1 General
7.1.1 Most powers start the game under the control of one side or the other. Several powers have special rules as described below.
7.1.2 A controlled power never "surrenders", even if its capital is captured by the enemy or all of its corps are eliminated. However, a power whose capital is enemy-controlled cannot provide a LOC, meaning the power cannot restore reduced corps or build new corps. In essence, existing forces will continue to fight but the power cannot build or restore corps until the capital has been recovered by its own side.
7.2 Special Rules
7.2.1 Savoy. Savoy begins the game as a neutral power. While neutral, neither side's forces may move into or through a Savoyard space. At the start of the 1690 Event Card phase Savoy joins the Alliance (no VP adjustment – 6.1.2) and operates like any other power.
During the Winter Quarters phase of 1696 or later (or at the moment of capturing the Turin space), any player controlling at least one Savoyard fortress may (in initiative order) decide to turn Savoy neutral
- All fortresses in Savoy become neutral (without VP adjustment – 6.1.2)
- The Savoy corps counters and Victor Amadeus leader are removed from the game.
- Any Bourbon forces in Savoy spaces are moved to the nearest Bourbon-controlled space with a LoC to Paris. If more than one space qualifies, the Bourbon player may choose the destination space(s)
- Any Alliance forces in Savoy spaces are moved to the nearest Alliance-controlled space with a LoC to Vienna. If more than one space qualifies, the Alliance player may choose the destination space(s)
- If executed by the Bourbon player, he gains 1 VP (adjust the VP marker by moving it 1 space towards 0).
7.2.2 Portugal. Portugal is a neutral power for duration of the NY scenario.
7.2.3 Catalan Space. The Catalan Spanish Corps can be built in any Bourbon-controlled space in Spain but only if a LOC exists to Paris.
7.2.4 Empire. The Empire represents the various circles, duchies and principalities of the Holy Roman Empire that joined the fight against the Bourbons early in the war. The Empire/Subsidy Home Space acts as the Empire's capital (2.4).
7.2.5 Subsidy. Numerous states and duchies (Denmark, Prussia, Saxony, Hanover, etc.) contributed large numbers of hired troops to the Alliance armies. The Empire/Subsidy Home Space acts as the Subsidy power's capital and only home space (2.4).
7.2.6 Jacobites. The Jacobite Power represents the Catholic English, Scottish and Irish supporters of James II, the dominant Power in Britain prior to the Glorious Revolution. Jacobite Corps follow the following rules:
- There are 5 Jacobite Corps in the game. Four are available at start and the final one may arrive with Claverhouse through play of the Scotland Rises event card.
- Before the Glorious Revolution special scenario event occurs, the Jacobite power is treated as a regular power with only two Home Spaces: London, which doubles as its capital, and York.
- After the Glorious Revolution, all spaces in Great Britain and Ireland count as Home Spaces for the Jacobite Power, which now has three capitals: London, Paris and Highlands. Jacobite corps can trace a LOC to Paris from spaces in Great Britain and Ireland even if the Atlantic sea zone is not under control of the Bourbon power. Additionally, if James II in a French home space, a single Jacobite corps can be built in that space if it has a LOC to Paris and no other Jacobite corps are in play outside Great Britain and Ireland (see 20.2.5 rule 2b for an exception to this second requirement).
8. Sequence of Play
Nine Years is played in Turns, each of which represents one year. Each Turn is divided into the following phases:
- Event Card Phase (9.0) [initiative player chooses who goes first] a. (NY only) If 1690, Savoy automatically enters the war. b. If 1693 (NY) or 1708 (NPWS), add new cards to the deck and reshuffle. c. (NY) Increase King William's War commitment (once per game per player) d. (NY) Make a King William's War roll e. (NY only) Marlborough Roll. Roll a die if Marlborough in play on his British side. On a 5-6: Remove him from the game. f. Draw Event cards.
- Reinforcement Phase (12.0) [initiative player chooses who goes first] a. Use Resource Points to build and restore Corps, construct Fortified Lines, sent Colonial Support or commission any Fleet currently in play. b. Place reinforcements. c. Promote/Transfer Leaders.
- Campaign Phase (13.0) [variable first player] a. Shuffle Action card deck if necessary and deal Action cards. b. Determine first player. c. Conduct Action Rounds
- Winter Quarters Phase (19.0) [simultaneous]
a. Withdraw to friendly spaces; reduced strength fortresses recover.
b. Remove markers (Continued Siege, Fortress Strength, Famous Victory, Demoralized, and any Fleet).
c. Naval Control
- (NY only) Atlantic control changes (to Alliance control if London is Alliance controlled and Beachy Head not in effect or to Bourbon control if Beachy Head Event card in effect, no change of control otherwise).
- (NY only) -2 VPs if London is Bourbon Controlled. d. Determination of Savoy neutrality (1696 or later). If London is Bourbon controlled but the Atlantic is under Alliance control, execute the Glorious Revolution as per 20.2.5 rule 2b. e. Peace negotiations
- Bourbon Peace Die Roll (1696 until 1699) f. Check for end of game and automatic victory, Advance Turn marker.
9. Event Card Phase
9.1 General
Both players (Initiative player chooses) draw an Event card and resolve the event. Several Event cards are not in play until the 1693 (1708) Event Card phase; they are added to the Event deck at the beginning of that turn (5.2.2).
9.2 Resolving Events
9.2.1 Drawing Event Cards. When an Event card is drawn from the deck, one of the following occurs:
- If the card states, "Hold Until Played" (such text is in red and is immediately above the card description), the player retains it in his hand until he wishes to play it. He may retain it indefinitely.
- All other cards must be played and resolved immediately upon being drawn, regardless of which player drew the card, and no matter which player the Event benefits.
All Event cards are permanently removed from the game after their resolution.
9.2.2 Unplayable Events. Occasionally an Event card may not be playable due to necessary conditions not being met. In these cases the card is still removed from the game. The player who drew the unplayable event does not draw another Event card that turn.
9.2.3 Multi-turn Events. Four cards (Guerre de Course, Battle of Zenta, Beachy Head and Death of Louvois – each with a red border to indicate their permanent status) have lasting effects. Each of these cards has a holding box (with a lighter version of the card printed on it) on the Multi-turn Event sheet to indicate that the event remains in effect.
10. Naval Matters
10.1 Determining Control of Sea Zones in the NY Scenario
The NY scenario begins with the Atlantic being uncontrolled and the Mediterranean under Bourbon control. Once a side gains control over the Atlantic or the Mediterranean, control is retained until otherwise changed.
- Control over the Sea Zone can change in several ways:
- During the Event Phase (Atlantic Sea Zone only, through the Guerre de Course and Beachy Head events)
- During the Campaign Phase (Naval Battles, see 13.5.6)
- During the Winter Phase (Atlantic Sea Zone only, through either Beachy Head event or Alliance control of London)
Indicate control over a sea zone by placing the controlling player's associated fleet on that Sea Zone's Control Box on the map (from the board or Force Pool). Fleets in control boxes cannot be commissioned. If Sea Zone control changes, return any fleet there to the Force Pool (or remove it from the game if its Home Port has ever been besieged) and place the opposing player's associated fleet in that Sea Zone Control Box.
Example: At the start of the NY scenario, the Mediterranean begins Bourbon controlled. As such, the Toulon Fleet is in the "Med Control" box on the map. The Alliance Med fleet is in Barcelona. If, through a Fleet Deployment action or otherwise, the Alliance player gains control over the Mediterranean Sea Zone, the Toulon Fleet would return to the Force Pool and the Med Fleet would be placed in the "Med Control" box.
11. Supply
11.1 Lines of Communication (LOC)
11.1.1 Definition. A space is defined as having a LOC if it can trace an uninterrupted line of connected, friendly-controlled spaces back to a friendly supply source (11.2).
11.1.2 Purpose. LOCs must be checked during the following situations:
- Determining automatic victory (6.2).
- Placing reinforcements and restoring corps (12.0, 13.3.5).
- Building fortified lines (15.0).
- Conducting sieges (17.0).
11.1.3 Tracing LOC by Sea. A LOC may also be traced by sea. The path of spaces must include (or start in) a port and then trace through a friendly controlled sea zone(s) to a friendly port. From that second port, the path is traced normally to the capital. If the path includes a land-based component to reach a port, that port must be friendly-controlled and not under siege.
EXCEPTION: Ireland: After Glorious Revolution, Bourbon player can trace LOC from spaces in Ireland through an uncontrolled or enemy-controlled sea zone to a friendly port & capital.
Play Note: A force besieging an enemy port is supplied if it can trace through a friendly sea zone(s). Also, if the terminating port is the supply source itself (i.e. Amsterdam, Lisbon, or Barcelona) the LOC is still valid even if the port is under siege.
11.1.4 Threatened LOC. A friendly space under siege still qualifies as a valid path for a LOC; however it is considered "threatened" and affects siege resolution as per 17.5.3.
11.1.5 Overstacked Spaces. Although overstacked spaces are subject to certain penalties (4.1.3), they do not block LOCs.
11.2 Supply Sources
11.2.1 Definition. A supply source for a side is the capital of a friendly power that is not under enemy control. Note that for placing reinforcements and restoring reduced corps, the space in question must have a LOC to the capital of the corps being placed or restored.
Play Note: A friendly capital may be used as a supply source for all friendly corps. An enemy-controlled capital may not be used as a supply source by either side.
12. Reinforcement Phase
There are three ways to raise troops during the game: scheduled reinforcements, event-card based reinforcements, and spending Resource Points to build new corps and/or restore reduced corps.
12.1 General
Initiative Player chooses which side performs the following three steps in order first, then the other side performs all three in order:
- Build and restore corps using Resource Points;
- Place reinforcements;
- Promote/transfer leaders.
12.2 Reinforcements
12.2.1 Turn of Arrival. The game setup information (20.2.4) lists the turn of arrival for any leaders or corps arriving as scheduled reinforcements for each side.
12.2.2 Placement of Leaders. Leaders may be placed in any friendly-controlled space regardless of LOC or distance.
12.2.3 Placement of Corps. Corps may only be placed in spaces that meet the following conditions:
- Must be a home space of the corps being placed and have a LOC to its capital; and
- Stacking limits may not be exceeded.
Play Note: After the Glorious Revolution, all spaces in Great Britain and Ireland (and any French home space containing James II) are considered home spaces for Jacobite Power for this purpose, see 7.2.7.
12.2.4 No Eligible Space. If no space meets the criteria then the reinforcements must be delayed until a future turn in which the conditions are met.
12.2.5 British Special Rule. Each turn the Alliance player can place one British scheduled reinforcement or newly built corps (not both) in Amsterdam if the space is friendly-controlled.
12.2.6 Jacobites. After the Glorious Revolution (20.2.5 rule 2) one Jacobite Corps can be built in a French home space containing James II if no other Jacobite Corps is in play outside Great Britain and Ireland (see 20.2.5 rule2b for an exception to this requirement).
12.3 Resource Points
12.3.1 General. Each side uses Resource Points (RPs) to build new corps, restore reduced corps, send colonial support to influence the KWW and build Fortified lines (15.2), as well as commission any available Fleets (12.3.6). The Alliance starts with 6 RPs, the Bourbons with 3; these numbers can change with the play of certain Event cards (as noted on the cards). Markers have been provided to help players keep track of their current RP allotment; these markers are placed on the Game Record Track at the start of the game.
Wealthy Spaces. For the duration of the NY scenario, Bourbon Resource Points are increased by 1 for each Wealthy Space they control. For purpose of this rule and card play, Munich and London are Wealthy Spaces (as indicated by the Wealthy marker placed during setup).
Ireland. For the duration of the NY scenario, the Alliance player receives one additional Resource Point if he controls London and all spaces in Ireland.
IMPORTANT: Unlike reinforcements that are not placed (12.2.4), unused RPs are not carried over to the next turn.
12.3.2 Force Pool. Each side has a Force Pool to hold the corps available to be built. When a corps is eliminated it is placed back in the Force Pool. Some corps begin the game in the Force Pool.
12.3.3 LOC Requirement. A corps may only be built or restored in a space that can trace a LOC (by land and/or sea) to the corps' own capital (Jacobites may be rebuilt across uncontrolled or enemy-controlled sea zones).
12.3.4 Building New Corps. France may build up to 2 new corps each, while all other Powers may build no more than 1 new corps each turn. New corps are selected from the Force Pool and placed on a Home space on the map at full strength for 2 RPs, or reduced strength for 1 RP.
12.3.5 Restoring Reduced Corps. France may restore up to 4 corps each turn (NPWS: reduce this limit to 3), while all other Powers may restore up to 2 corps each turn. A reduced corps may be restored to full strength (i.e. flipped) at the cost of 1 RP. The corps does not have to occupy a home space to be restored.
12.3.6 Fleet Commissioning. Either player has the option to spend RPs to prepare Fleet(s) in their Force pool if their associated Sea Zone is uncontrolled or enemy-controlled.
Play Note: If the Sea Zone is friendly-controlled, the Fleet marker is in that Sea Zone's "Control box" and is unavailable to be built.
There are four fleets in total, two Bourbon (Brest fleet associated with the Atlantic Sea Zone and Toulon Fleet associated with the Mediterranean Sea Zone) and two Alliance (Atlantic fleet associated with the Atlantic Sea Zone and Mediterranean Fleet associated with the Mediterranean Sea Zone).
To commission a Fleet, 1RP can be spend to commission the Fleet as a 1-strength Fleet, or 2 RPs to commission it as a 2-Strength Fleet. A Fleet can only be commissioned if its home port (respectively Brest, Toulon, Amsterdam and Barcelona for the four Fleets listed in the previous paragraph) has a LOC to its powers capital (Paris for the Bourbon Fleets, Madrid for the Alliance Mediterranean fleet, Amsterdam for the Atlantic Fleet). Place the Fleet counter on its appropriate side in its home port space. No matter which strength of Fleet gets commissioned, it is removed during the Winter Quarters phase and must be paid for again if it is to be used in a future turn.
Play Note: If a sea zone is uncontrolled and both players built their fleet, neither player will probably sally forth, as the other player could "steal" the sea away again in a future action round.
IMPORTANT: If a side ever makes a siege roll against a Home Port of an opposing fleet (whether or not the roll has any effect), the matching Fleet marker is immediately and permanently removed from the game.
12.3.7 Building Fortified Lines. See 15.2.
12.3.8 Colonial Support. See 18.
12.4 Promote/Transfer Leaders
During this step a player does the following to his leaders, both those on the map and those due to arrive that turn:
- Flip leaders due to be promoted to their named leader side.
- Move any or all friendly leaders (including leaders scheduled to return this turn) to any friendly-controlled space, regardless of path or LOC to the destination space. It is not mandatory to place leaders with home corps, or any corps for that matter. Leaders may exist on their own in a space. If any Staff Officers are in play, they are removed to the Force Pool (see 16.3.2 on how Staff Officers enter play).
Example: Reinforcement Phase. It is the Reinforcement phase of the 1690 Game-Turn. The Bourbon player examines the Reinforcement Schedule (20.3) to see what he receives this turn. He has the standard 3 Replacement Points (RPs), increased by 2 to 5 as he controls 2 wealthy spaces (Tournai and Namur). First, he places his new corps. 1 French goes to Strasbourg and another to Paris. With two of his RPs, he restores one French corps in Army C and one Jacobite corps in Dublin. With a third RP, he builds a Level-1 Fortified Line in Tournai (he has the required 5 corps there). With a fourth, he takes the Catalan corps from the Force Pool, at reduced strength, and places it in Gerona. With the fifth RP, he places a Bourbon control marker to the left of the King William's War marker as Colonial Support. He now flips the Catinat and Luxembourg counters to their front sides (they are promoted this turn), and he moves each of his leaders to any Bourbon-controlled space he wishes.
13. Campaign Phase
13.1 Dealing Action Cards
At the start of the Campaign phase, if there are not enough Action cards in the deck to deal cards to both players, the deck is reshuffled. Then each player is dealt 5 Action cards, except for
- the 1688 turn in which only 3 action cards are dealt to each player (20.2.5 rule1),
- If a card draw was forfeited for the purpose of King William's War (18.4),
- If a card draw was forfeited to influence the Bourbon Peace die roll (6.5),
- or unless an event reduces the number of Action cards.
Players then conduct alternating action rounds until neither player has any Action cards left. The player conducting a round is called the "active" player; the other is the "inactive" player.
13.2 First Action Round
13.2.1 Initiative and Determining First Player. Forfeiture of cards due to King William's War or the Bourbon Peace die roll as well as (in the Full Game scenario) the French Financial Collapse event card and British Withdrawal from the Alliance (19.0,E) can cause one player to begin the Campaign phase with more Action cards than his opponent. Determination of the first player depends on whether or not the players have the same number of Action cards.
- If both players have the same number of Action cards, then each player selects one Action card from his hand and places it face down on the table. Both cards are then revealed and the owner of the higher value card goes first. In case of a tie, the player with the "Initiative" for that turn determines who goes first. As the Turn track indicates, the Bourbon player has the initiative from 1688 to 1693, the Alliance player has the Initiative in turns 1694 to 1707, while the Bourbon has the Initiative again from 1708 to game end. The player going second immediately returns his revealed card to his hand – he is not obligated to play that card during the first action round. The first player, however, must use the revealed card for the initial round.
- If one player has more Action cards than the other player, then the player with more Action cards automatically goes first.
13.3 Subsequent Rounds
Players alternate playing Action cards and conducting actions until both players are out of cards. A player may not "pass" in a round – he must play a card if he has one, even if no action is taken.
13.4 Actions
13.4.1 Number of Actions. The value of a played Action card indicates the number of "actions" (1 to 3) the player may take during the round. The deck contains 8 cards of value 1, 16 cards of value 2 and 8 cards of value 3.
13.4.2 Performing Actions. Actions do not need to be predesignated and are performed one at a time in any desired order; however each action must be completed (including battle and retreat) before the next one begins. When all of the actions for a round are finished, play switches to the other player.
13.4.3 Who Can Participate. Leaders and corps may not participate in more than one action per round. This means a corps that is restored during a replacement action cannot participate in another action that round (e.g., a siege). If necessary, counters can be rotated after an action as a reminder that they are not eligible to participate in another action in the current round.
13.5 Types of Actions
The different types of actions are as follows:
13.5.1 Campaign Action. A single force containing any number of leaders plus a number of corps no greater than the combined CR of up to TWO of the activating leader(s) may activate to do one (not both) of the following activities:
- Move by land, spending up to 3 MPs, or
- Conduct a siege (17.5).
Example: William III (CR 6), Marlborough (CR 4), and a minor leader (CR 3) are stacked with 12 Alliance corps in Antwerp. The Alliance player initiates a Campaign action to move the army. Even through the combined CR of the three leaders is 13, only two of the leaders may be used for the Campaign action, so only 10 of the 12 corps may be moved.
Play Note: Not all of the leaders and corps in a space are required to activate during a Campaign action: e.g., one action point could activate some corps in a space to conduct a siege, while a second action point in that same round could restore a reduced corps that does not participate in the siege.
13.5.2 Transfer Action. (One per force per round) Two leaders, two corps, or one of each, located in the same or different spaces, may move by land, also to the same or different spaces. Leaders may move 6 MPs while corps may move 4 MPs. Leaders and corps moving as part of a transfer action may never enter a enemy-controlled space (fortified or unfortified) or a space occupied by enemy corps, unless (in either case) the space already contains at least one unbesieged friendly corps (i.e. Transferring forces may never initiate a battle or siege).
13.5.3 Replacement Action (one per round per player). A single reduced corps not under siege may be restored to full strength (and rallied if demoralized) if it has a LOC to its home capital and is not in an overstacked space (4.1.3).
13.5.4 Rally Action (one per round per player). A leader may remove demoralization status from himself and/or a number of friendly corps in his space equal to half (rounded up) of his CR. This counts as an action for the leader and rallied corps but does not affect any other corps in the space. Leaders may rally non-home corps and (unlike a Replacement action) may conduct the action even if the space is overstacked. If the space contains multiple leaders, only one may conduct a Rally action in any given round.
Example: Catinat (CR 5) and Boufflers (CR 4) and their combined army of 8 Bourbon corps have just lost a battle and are demoralized. The Bourbon player announces a Rally action and removes demoralization status from Catinat and 3 corps. The next round, he rallies Boufflers and 2 corps.
13.5.5 Sea Move Action. A single stack containing any number of leaders and up to two (2) corps may move by sea. See 14.5.
13.5.6 Naval Matters. During the action phase, a prepared Fleet can attempt to take control over its linked Sea Zone. When the Fleet is deployed by spending an action point, each player rolls one die. The side controlling the Fleet adds the strength of its fleet. The other side adds 1 if he controls the sea zone, 1 if he controls London and the Sea Zone is the Atlantic and 1 if he controls Gibraltar and the Sea Zone is the Mediterranean. In the NPWS scenario, the Alliance player instead adds 1 if the British Capture Minorca event has been played. The higher roll wins (re-roll ties). If the active player wins, he gains control of the Sea Zone and 1 VP. Regardless of outcome the Fleet is removed from the map and returned to the Force Pool.
Example: Three Actions. The Alliance player plays a 3-Actions card. He has his main army, under William III, besieging Tournai. Tournai is garrisoned by a full strength corps, so its Fortress Strength is 4 (2 for the corps and 2 for the printed Fortress Value). William III and Waldeck command 11 corps, three of which are reduced. The Alliance player spends one Action to roll for the siege at Tournai. He assigns only 4 of William's corps to the siege (he only needs to use 4 to match the Fortress Strength). After the roll, for his second action, he conducts a Replacement Action to restore one of the unused corps in William III's army to full strength. For his third action, he leaves this army and sees that he has three corps plus a minor leader in London. He activates the minor leader and two of the corps for a Sea Move action (two corps being the maximum). He sails this stack to Cadiz and rolls on the Sea Move table. The Atlantic is currently Bourbon-controlled, so he subtracts 2 from his roll for a total of 1. He flips one of the moving corps to its reduced side and then arrives at Cadiz. The Alliance player could have used one of his actions to rally Eugene instead, who is sitting Demoralized (having lost a battle at Trent) in Innsbruck. Had he done so, he would have removed the Demoralized marker from Eugene and 2 corps (i.e., half his Command Rating). But he doesn't expect another battle from the Bourbon leader in Trent, so he decided to use his actions otherwise.
Example: Fleet Deployment: In the initial setup, the Bourbon player has control of the Mediterranean and the Alliance player has a 1-strength Med Fleet prepared in Barcelona. The Alliance player decides to challenge control over the Med. In the third and final action round of the 1688 turn, he plays the Fleet Deployment action – if he did not play it by that point, the Med Fleet would be automatically removed in the upcoming Winter Quarters Phase (19.0 b). The instant he announces the action the players resolve it, each rolling a die. The Alliance player adds 1 to his roll (the strength of the Med Fleet). The Bourbon player adds 1 to his roll for current control over the Sea Zone. If he also controlled Gibraltar, he would have received an additional +1. Both players roll a 3 for a modified roll of 4. The result is a tie, so they re-roll. The second time, the Alliance players rolls a 2 and the Bourbon player rolls a 5. The modified rolls are 3 vs 6 in favor of the Bourbon player, so the Bourbon player wins the naval battle. As the Alliance player initiated the action, there is no change in control over the Sea Zone and no Victory Point change.
14. Movement
14.1 Land Movement
14.1.1 General. Land movement allows forces to move between adjacent spaces, with each connection costing 1 MP to move across – except for the red Alliance-only connections, which cost 2 MPs. Forces may move by land during a Transfer or Campaign action, but only a Campaign action allows a move into enemy-controlled or enemy-occupied spaces.
14.1.2 Leader Requirement to Move Corps. Except when moving as part of a transfer or sea action or when retreating, corps can only move or intercept when commanded and accompanied by a leader.
14.1.3 (VERY IMPORTANT) Picking Up and Dropping Off. Leaders and corps may not be picked up during an action, but may be dropped off at any time during an action.
Play Note: Sometimes, a force denoted by an Army marker will start a round in a space with corps that have not been assigned to that Army. On activating the Army, the player may add the unassigned corps to the Army before moving it. This is allowable because Army markers are simply conveniences.
Movement Example: 14.1 and 14.2: Alliance Army D, in Montpellier, has 3 MPs. It could move to Briançon or Perpignan and stop, or it could move to Toulouse, spend 1 MP to convert it to Alliance control, and proceed to Bayonne or Bordeaux and stop. Alliance Army C, besieging Lyons, may NOT move to Clermont or Briançon, not even to intercept a Bourbon army moving into one of those spaces.
14.2 Enemy-Controlled Spaces
14.2.1 (VERY IMPORTANT) A force may not enter an enemy controlled space (fortified or unfortified) unless it is leaving a friendly-controlled space.
14.2.2 A force must stop moving when entering an enemy-controlled fortified space (losing all remaining MPs), even if the enemy space is under siege by friendly forces. A force that moves into an enemy-controlled unfortified space does not lose its remaining MPs, but per 14.2.1 may not move to an adjacent enemy-controlled space until the unfortified space has been converted to friendly control (14.4). If a battle occurs in that space, see 14.3.2.
Play Note: These restrictions stress the importance of securing lines of communication threatened by enemy-controlled areas.
14.3 Enemy-Occupied Spaces
14.3.1 Inactive Player Reaction. Each time a force enters an enemy-occupied space (or enemy-controlled space), it must pause while the inactive player reacts. There are three possible reactions by the inactive player, and they take place in the following order:
- Intercept with a force in an adjacent space (14.6);
- Avoid battle (14.7); or
- Do nothing (i.e. accept battle) (16.0).
14.3.2 Continuing Movement After Battle. Fighting a battle does not cost MPs and does not necessarily end the action. If the active force has MPs remaining and wins a battle, it may continue moving, convert control of the space (if unfortified) to friendly control, or both, as long as it has the MPs to spend. If the space is an enemy-controlled fortress, the force must end its action and the fortress is now considered under siege. Note that a force may never conduct a siege (i.e. roll) in the same round in which it conducted any other action (including movement).
14.3.3 Losing Battle Ends Action. An active force that loses a battle must retreat. It loses any remaining MPs (16.4).
14.3.4 Enemy Leaders. When a force enters a space containing only an enemy leader, the leader has the option to withdraw inside a fortress (14.7.4) or retreat (16.4). If he can do neither, he is considered captured (16.4.5).
14.4 Converting Unfortified Spaces
A force activated during a Campaign action that has a LOC to a friendly capital may convert an unfortified space it currently occupies to friendly control at the cost of one MP. If the space is enemy occupied after the inactive player's reaction (14.3.1), the active force must defeat the enemy force in battle (causing an enemy retreat), and must have at least 1 MP left, before it may convert the space.
14.5 Sea Movement
14.5.1 Sea Movement. In a Sea Move action, one to two corps and/or any number of leaders may move from a single port to another single port (i.e. the moving units must begin and end the move stacked together in a port). A sea move expends all of the moving units' MPs.
Play Note: During the 1688 and 1689 turns, sea moves involving William III may include up to six corps. Sea moves involving more than 2 Corps cost 2 Action points (see 20.2.5).
14.5.2 Leader Requirement. A sea move into an enemy-controlled port that is not already under siege by friendly forces may only be made by a stack containing at least one leader and one corps.
14.5.3 Sea Move Procedure. Unlike land moves, sea moves require a die roll to be successful and may entail some risk if a corps is part of the move. To make a sea move the active player declares which units are making the sea move and the destination port. He then rolls one die and determines the result. Subtract 1 from this roll for each uncontrolled Sea Zone through which the move is made, by 2 instead if the Sea Zone is enemy-controlled. On a roll of 2–6, the move is completed successfully. On a roll of 1, the player decides whether to cancel the move or apply one hit to one of the moving corps. On a roll of 0 or less, the player decides whether to apply two hits to the moving corps (both to the same corps if only one corps involved in the move) or to cancel the move, still applying one hit to one of the moving corps.
14.5.4 Enemy-Controlled Ports. It is not necessary to control a port in order to begin or end a sea move in the port.
14.5.5 Sea Moves and Interception. Unlike land moves, sea moves may not be intercepted when arriving at the destination port.
14.6 Interception
14.6.1 Who May Intercept. When an active force moves by land into an enemy-controlled space and the space does not already contain at least one corps friendly to the active side, any inactive unbesieged and undemoralized force in an adjacent space containing at least one leader may attempt to intercept the move. A leader by himself may attempt to intercept into a fortress space for the purpose of immediately withdrawing inside the fortress.
To clarify: A force may only intercept an enemy force in a space if i) the space is controlled by the intercepting side, and ii) there is not already a corps friendly to the moving (i.e. active) side in the space.
14.6.2 Interception Restriction. No leaders or corps may take part in an interception attempt if they were part of a force which avoided battle or lost a battle during the current Action (not Round). Note that siege and space conversion actions may not themselves be intercepted, although a force may be intercepted after moving into an unfortified space before it has a chance to convert control. Intercepting forces may not overstack (but see 4.1.2).
14.6.3 Multiple Attempts. If more than one force is eligible to intercept, the inactive player may attempt with each force separately, until an interception attempt succeeds, at which time no other force may make an interception attempt. If all forces fail to intercept and the moving force then enters another enemy-controlled space in the same round, any eligible forces (including those that just failed to intercept) may again attempt to intercept.
14.6.4 Intercepting While Besieging. A force that is besieging an enemy fortress may attempt to intercept an enemy force moving into a qualifying adjacent space. If successful the intercepting force must either abandon the siege or leave at least one corps in the space to maintain the siege.
Play Note: Per 17.1.1 only one corps is needed to place a space under siege; however more besieging corps may be necessary in order to conduct a siege action.
14.6.5 Interception Procedure:
- As soon as an enemy force enters a space subject to interception, the inactive player announces the interception attempt.
- The inactive player designates the force that will attempt to intercept. As with a Campaign action, it may contain any number of leaders and a number of corps equal to the CR of two of the leaders. The player then rolls one die and adds the best leader's TR (note potential Leader TR penalty – 3.1.1). If the result is 6 or more the interception is successful.
14.6.6 Successful Interception. If successful, the intercepting force is placed in the space with the moving force and a battle is immediately fought in which the intercepting (inactive) force is the defender. The active force may not avoid battle. All of the inactive force must fight unless it is a friendly-controlled fortress space, without a garrison, in which case one corps (and/or multiple leaders) may withdraw inside the fortress, becoming the garrison, therefore avoiding battle (14.7.4).
Interception Example: 14.6: Alliance Army A is in Antwerp. If it moves into Liege, where an Alliance force is already in place, Bourbon Army A (in Namur) cannot intercept. If it moves into Tournai, however, Bourbon Army A can intercept.
14.7 Avoiding Battle
14.7.1 General. The inactive player may choose to avoid battle with some or all of his forces when an enemy force enters a space. Avoiding battle results in the inactive force retreating to another space (14.7.3) and/or a single corps withdrawing into a friendly fortress (14.7.4).
14.7.2 Avoid Battle Procedure:
- If the inactive force is in a friendly fortified space the avoid battle attempt automatically succeeds.
- If the inactive force is not in a friendly fortified space, the defending player must roll one die and add the TR of one leader present in the space (note potential Leader TR penalty – 3.1.1). Only one die roll may be made per space (i.e. you may not split up the stack to make multiple attempts). On a 5 or higher, the attempt is successful.
14.7.3 Retreating to Another Space. All leaders plus a number of corps equal to the combined CRs of any two leaders in the space may avoid battle by retreating to another space – any corps unable to move due to CR limits must remain in the space.
- The space being retreated to must be friendly-controlled and not enemy-occupied (e.g., it cannot be a friendly fortress currently under siege).
- Only one space may be selected (i.e. the retreating force may not retreat to multiple spaces).
- All defending corps do not have to retreat; some may stay behind if desired by the controlling player (this may be necessary to avoid stacking violations).
14.7.4 Withdrawing Into a Fortress. If a force is attacked in a friendly-controlled fortress space, then prior to the battle the inactive force may withdraw one corps and/or any number of leaders into the fortress as a garrison (17.3.1). This withdrawal may take place even if the inactive player intercepted into the space; however only a single corps and/or leader(s), including those having just arrived by interception, may withdraw into the fortress – all other corps must fight. Note: unlike a retreat to another space, a corps may withdraw into a fortress even if no leader is present.
Play Note: By allowing one corps already in the space to withdraw into a fortress before a battle is fought, a player may shield a corps from damage in order to bolster the garrison prior to a likely siege.
15. Fortified Lines
Historical Note: Fortified lines played a significant role in the war. More imposing than regular field works and constructed by both military forces and peasant labor, these lines represented major obstacles for advancing armies. However, talented generals could also find ways of bypassing them without a fight by using deceptive and rapid countermarches.
15.1 General
There are two levels of Fortified Lines, which represent major field fortifications. These lines typically relied on other strong points and fortresses for support and thus may only be built in fortress spaces. Level-2 lines represent major works and use of water barriers, and may only be built in fertile spaces (they are in the Spanish Netherlands, Dutch Republic, and northern France). At the start of the game both sides already have some fortified lines in place. Fortified lines provide defensive benefits only to the owning player (i.e., the side whose color is on the marker) and are destroyed when the enemy takes control of the space.
15.2 Building Fortified Lines
15.2.1 Construction. Fortified Lines may be built (or upgraded) in friendly fortified spaces during the Reinforcement phase by spending RPs. Following are the space requirements to build and upgrade lines:
- Must contain at least 5 corps
- Must have a LOC to a friendly capital
- Cannot be a rugged space
- Cannot contain another Fortified line (but Level-1 lines in fertile spaces can be upgraded to Level-2 lines).
Level-1 Lines – may be built in normal or fertile spaces for 1 RP. Additionally, previously constructed Level 1 lines in fertile spaces may be upgraded to Level 2 lines for 1 RP.
Level-2 Lines – may be built in fertile spaces only, as an upgrade to previously constructed Level-1 lines at a cost of 1 RP, or from scratch at a cost of 2 RPs.
15.2.2 Counter Limit. The number of fortified lines that each side may have is not limited to the number of markers provided in the counter mix.
15.3 Effects of Fortified Lines
Fortified lines may be used only as a defensive benefit in battle, and only by the side that built it. They have the following effects:
Level-1 Fortified Line. Gives a –1 die roll modifier to each attacker battle die roll (i.e. the attacker hits on a 6, and demoralized corps may not attack at all).
Level-2 Fortified Line. Gives a –1 die roll modifier to the attacker (i.e. the attacker hits on a 6, and demoralized corps may not attack at all) AND a +1 die roll modifier to each defender battle die roll (i.e. the defender hits on a 4 or higher, demoralized corps on a 5 or 6). Also causes a -1 die roll modifier to bypass attempts.
15.4 Bypassing Fortified Lines
A force attacking a defender in a space with a Fortified Lines marker can attempt to negate the effect of the lines:
- After any enemy interceptions attempts but before any enemy avoid battle attempts, the active player rolls one die. The active player adds the TR of one leader and must subtract the highest TR of any one inactive leader in the space. Also subtract 1 if attempting to bypass a Level-2 line.
- If the net die roll is 5 or more then the force has successfully bypassed the lines. If a battle takes place (depending on defender reaction) the defending force does not receive the benefit of the fortified lines marker. However, the marker is not removed unless the conditions for removal exist (see "Removal of Fortified Lines" below).
- If the bypass attempt fails, the active player must decide whether to continue the attack (and give the defender the benefit of the fortified line), or cancel it. However, if the attacker cancels the attack, the defender can still force the battle to occur and will remain the defender in case of a tie, but he will NOT have the benefit of the lines. If the attacker cancels and the defender does not force battle, the attacker retreats to its original space and thereby ends the action.
Bypassing Fortified Lines Example: 15.4
In the Reinforcement phase of the 1690 turn, Bourbon Army A (consisting of 7 Corps, Boufflers and Noailles, respectively 1-4 and 2-5 leaders), located in Tournai, spends 2 RPs to build a Level-2 Fortified line. This build is valid as Tournai is a fertile space, with 5 corps and a LOC to a friendly capital.
In the third Action round of 1690, Alliance Army A under William III (a 2-6 leader) moves from Antwerp to Tournai to attack. Bourbon Army A is in Tournai with a Level-2 Fortified line. A Bourbon minor leader sits in Bouchain with 1 corps.
When Alliance Army A reaches Tournai, the Bourbon player attempts to intercept with the minor leader and his corps; if he succeeds, the corps will be part of the defense in Tournai. The interception roll is a 5, which is modified by 0 (the minor leader's TR), so it fails. The Alliance player now announces that he will attempt to bypass the Fortified line. He rolls a 5, modified by +2 because of William III's TR and then by -2 because of Noailles' TR and by -1 because of the Level 2 Fortified Line. The modified result is a 4, which is not enough to succeed; the Fortified line has not been bypassed. The Alliance player now has to decide whether to continue with the attack, taking into account the disadvantages of battle against a Fortified line, or cancel the attack and going back to Antwerp (but the Action is still expended). Furthermore, if the Alliance player did decide to cancel the attack, the Bourbon player could force it to take place anyway, but without the benefit of the Fortified line.
Had William III succeeded in bypassing the Fortified Line, the attack would proceed and the Bourbon player would have to decide whether to avoid battle, fight or some combination of the two.
15.5 Removal of Fortified Lines
Fortified lines may be voluntarily removed by the owning player during the Winter Quarters phase. Fortified Lines are automatically destroyed (removed) if the space becomes enemy controlled. Otherwise, a fortified lines marker remains in the space, even if the space becomes vacant.
15.6 Attacking Into a Friendly Line
If a space with a Fortified line is under siege and a force friendly to that space attacks the besieging army, the line is considered not to exist for any purpose for that battle.
16. Battle
Unless an inactive force successfully avoids battle and retreats to another space (14.7) or withdraws inside a fortress (14.7.4), a battle occurs when an active force enters a space containing enemy corps.
16.1 Definition: Attacker/Defender
16.1.1 The active player is the attacker; the inactive player is the defender.
16.1.2 Attacker. The attacker is an active force containing at least one leader and one corps. The maximum size of the attacking force is based on leader CRs and space stacking limits.
16.1.3 Defender. The defender includes ALL inactive corps and leaders in the space, unless any leaders and up to a single corps have withdrawn inside the fortress prior to the battle (as a result of the current Campaign action or previously), in which case the force inside the fortress does not participate and is immune to any battle results.
16.2 Battle Procedure
Battles are resolved using the following sequence:
- Each side totals the number of battle dice to roll:
- One die for each full-strength corps.
- One-half of a die for each reduced-strength corps; round up if odd number of corps (e.g., 3 reduced corps = 2 dice).
- A number of dice equal to the Tactical Rating of up to two friendly leaders (note potential Leader TR penalty – 3.1.1). IMPORTANT: the number of dice provided by Leaders may not exceed the number of dice provided by corps.
- In each case above, count demoralized leader and corps separately since they are rolled separately (see #2 below).
- Both sides then simultaneously roll the appropriate number of dice.
- Leaders/corps that are not demoralized hit on a roll of 5 or 6.
- Demoralized leaders/corps hit on a 6 only.
Example: An Alliance army of 5 full-strength corps and 2 reduced-strength corps, plus 2 full-strength demoralized corps, under the 2-6 leader William III and a 0-3 minor leader, attacks a Bourbon army of 4 full-strength corps and 1 reduced-strength corps under the 1-4 leader Boufflers. The Alliance player has a total of 8 battle dice (5 full plus 2 reduced plus 2TR for William III) that score a hit on a roll of 5 or 6, and 2 battle dice that score a hit on a roll of 6. The Bourbon player has 6 battle dice (4 full plus 1 reduced rounded up plus 1TR for Boufflers), all of which score a hit on a 5 or 6.
16.3 Battle Outcome
16.3.1 Taking Hits. Each hit reduces a full-strength enemy corps or eliminates a reduced-strength corps and are applied in the following descending order of priority for each side:
- A. No corps may be eliminated until all corps are at reduced strength.
- B. The first full strength corps to take a hit must come from the power with the most corps present in the battle (owning player's choice if tied).
- C. The first reduced strength corps to be eliminated must come from the power with the most corps present in the battle (owning player's choice if tied).
VERY IMPORTANT: Regardless of the number of hits rolled, a force can take no more hits than the number of corps it has in the battle (excluding hits taken in retreat – 16.4).
16.3.2 Leader Casualties. After a battle has been resolved, both players roll two dice (adding the results together, with no modifications) for each of their own named leaders that contributed battle dice to that battle. Minor leaders are never subject to leader casualty rolls, nor are named leaders who were held out of the battle.
| Roll | Result |
|---|---|
| 12 | ELIMINATED – The leader counter is flipped to its Minor Leader side for the remainder of the game. |
| 11* | CAPTURED – The owning player (not the capturing player) immediately chooses one of: (a) eliminating the leader (permanently flipping the counter over) or (b) giving the opposing player a number of VPs equal to the leader's TR and placing the leader on the Turn track to re-enter as a reinforcement on the following turn. |
| 10-11** | WOUNDED – The leader counter is placed on the Turn track to re-enter as a reinforcement on the following turn. Replace by your side's Staff Officer (if available in Force Pool). |
* Only the losing side is affected by a CAPTURED result of 11
** Only the winning side is affected by a WOUNDED result of 11
Play Note: The leader's printed TR is always used for the purposes of this rule; 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 do not apply here.
Play Note: Dynastic Upset: Monarchs (named leaders whose name is underlined) who are captured must be ransomed back by paying the VPs. James II (starred leader), if captured, must be eliminated. In either case, eliminating a Monarch (or James II) gives a 2VP penalty to the owning player.
Play Note: ELIMINATED means killed outright, held but not ransomed, or disgraced and removed from the war permanently. CAPTURED means, essentially, holding the leader while the sides negotiate his fate. Giving up VPs simulates the political and/or real capital expended to return the defeated general to command in such cases. WOUNDED means the leader is removed from the current campaign and is convalescing at the home front.
16.3.3 Winner/Loser. If only one side has corps remaining in the space after battle losses have been removed, that side is the winner. Otherwise, the side which rolls (not inflicts) the most hits wins the battle. If tied, the defender wins.
Example: A Bourbon force with 5 full and 3 reduced corps under the 1-TR leader Boufflers (5 + 1.5 rounded to 2 +1TR = 8) fights an Alliance force with 2 full corps, 2-TR leader William III and the 1-TR leader Waldeck (2 + 2TR = 4 dice total – recall that leader dice cannot exceed corps dice). The Bourbons roll 5 hits while the Alliance rolls 3 hits. The Bourbon force takes 3 hits by flipping 3 full corps to reduced strength. The Alliance force only has 2 corps so only takes 2 hits, flipping both corps to reduced strength. Although the Bourbon force applied more hits (3) than the Alliance force (2), the Bourbon force still wins the battle because it rolled more hits than the Alliance force (5 vs. 3). Note that per 16.5.1, this will NOT qualify as a Famous Victory because the Alliance force did not actually take 5 hits. The players now roll 2 dice for each leader. The Bourbon player rolls a 7 for Boufflers and he is fine. The Alliance player rolls a 10 for William III and places William III on the next turn of the turn track, replacing him by the Staff Officer. He also rolls an 11 for Waldeck and must decide whether to eliminate him or give up 1 VP in order to keep him in the game. Note that if he had rolled the opposite, he would have to choose to give up 2 VPs to keep William III in the game, as he is a Monarch.
16.3.4 Demoralization. If the losing side took at least one hit, all leaders and corps in the defeated force are demoralized. There is no further effect on previously demoralized leaders or corps. To indicate demoralization, place a "Demoralized" marker on the Army or on the stack of corps and leaders on the map, and another in the Army holding box for that army (if relevant). As leaders and corps rally (13.5.4), use Demoralized markers as needed to indicate which corps are demoralized and which are not. Demoralized leaders and corps in battle hit on a 6, not a 5 or 6 like other leaders/corps.
Demoralization may be removed as part of a Replacement (13.5.3) or Rally action (13.5.4); otherwise Demoralization markers are automatically removed during the Winter Quarters phase (19.0.,B).
16.4 Retreat
16.4.1 General. All corps and leaders of the losing side must retreat, and all to the same space.
16.4.2 Attacker Retreats.
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A. RETREAT BY SEA: If the battle occurred in a port space (NPWS: and the adjacent sea zone is friendly controlled), up to two (2) corps and any number of leaders may retreat by sea to any other friendly port in the same sea zone that is not enemy-occupied. Such a retreat requires a regular Sea Move die roll (14.5.4); however on a result of 1 or less the owning player must apply the hit(s) to retreating corps (these hits do not contribute towards a defender Famous Victory).
EXCEPTION: The amount of Corps that may retreat by sea is increased to 6 during a 1688/1689 Sea move involving more than 2 Corps.
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B. FRIENDLY ADJACENT SPACE: Any corps or leaders not retreating by sea must retreat to an adjacent friendly-controlled space that is not enemy-occupied, even if this causes an overstack. The attacking force is not required to retreat to the space from which it entered the battle, but it cannot retreat to a space from which all or part of the defending force intercepted the attacker.
An attacking force may not drop off a garrison when leaving a friendly fortress space, including the space it just attacked.
16.4.3 Defender Retreats.
- A. WITHDRAW INTO FORTRESS: Unless a corps previously avoided battle by withdrawing into the fortress, one corps and any number of leaders may retreat into a friendly fortress as a garrison (17.3.1) while the rest of the force retreats from the space. Leaders may always withdraw into a friendly fortress following a battle.
- B. RETREAT BY SEA: If the battle occurred in a port space (NPWS: and the adjacent sea zone is friendly controlled), up to two (2) corps and any number of leaders may retreat by sea to any other friendly port in the same sea zone that is not enemy-occupied. Such a retreat requires a regular Sea Move die roll (14.5.4); however on a result of 1 or less the owning player must apply the hit(s) to retreating corps. These hits do not contribute towards an attacker Famous Victory.
- C. FRIENDLY ADJACENT SPACE: Any corps or leaders not retreating by sea or withdrawing into a fortress must retreat to an adjacent friendly-controlled space that is not enemy occupied, even if this causes an overstack.
- D. THROUGH ENEMY SPACE: If no other option exists, the defending force may retreat through one enemy-occupied and/or enemy-controlled space to reach a friendly-controlled space that is not enemy-occupied, even if this causes an overstack. If more than one space qualifies the retreating player may choose the destination space but must shorten the distance to the nearest friendly supply source. Corps retreating through enemy-controlled fortress spaces and/or enemy occupied spaces are fired on by the enemy as they pass through:
- Normal battle dice from corps and leaders are rolled, plus one die per Fortress Strength; all dice have a +1 DRM.
- Hits are assigned as per battle, and these hits are added to the hits from that battle in determining an attacker Famous Victory.
- Retreating leaders do not undergo a second leader casualty check.
16.4.4 Overstacking. It is legal to overstack as a result of a retreat (land or sea); however there are certain penalties (4.1).
16.4.5 Unable to retreat. Corps unable to retreat are eliminated and placed in the Force Pool, with all hits counting for Famous Victory purposes. Named leaders unable to retreat are captured as per battle (16.3.2) and must be eliminated unless the owning player gives up VPs equal to the named leader's TR. Minor leaders are placed on the Turn track to return as a reinforcement the following turn.
16.5 Famous Victory
16.5.1 A Famous Victory is awarded to the winner of a battle whenever the losing side:
- Suffered at least 5 actual hits in a battle (including retreat losses – 16.4.3D, 16.4.5), or
- Removed at least 2 corps from the map.
Play Note: The first case is based on how many hits were actually suffered, not how many were rolled (i.e. if the losing side only had 4 corps present and per 16.3.1 could only take 4 hits max, then even if 5 hits were rolled it would not count as a Famous Victory). The second case could happen with as few as 2 hits if the losing side had only two reduced corps in the battle and/or in the retreat through an enemy space.
16.5.2 Placement. The winner places a Famous Victory marker in the battle space. Only one Famous Victory marker can be in a space at one time, and the most recent victory takes precedence (i.e. remove older markers).
16.5.3 Effect of Famous Victory. Friendly Famous Victory markers provide a +2 die roll modifier to siege rolls against enemy fortresses in or adjacent to the space containing the marker. A Famous Victory also adds 2 VPs if the Alliance player won the battle, or subtracts 2 VPs if the Bourbon player won (6.1.1).
IMPORTANT: The opposing side's Famous Victory markers have no effect on friendly siege rolls. Furthermore, Famous Victory marker effects are NOT cumulative (e.g. two nearby markers do NOT give you a +4 siege die roll modifier).
16.5.4 Removal of Famous Victory Markers. All Famous Victory markers are removed during the Winter Quarters phase.
17. Siege
17.1 General
17.1.1 When a force containing at least one corps ends an action in an enemy fortified space, the fortress (and its garrison, if any – 17.3) is considered to be under siege. Place the garrison under the besieging force to indicate the fortress is under siege – no marker is needed. Note only one corps needs to be present for the fortress to be considered "under siege" regardless of the Fortress Defense Value (17.4).
17.1.2 Unlike battles, which are resolved in a single action, a siege may require multiple actions to complete. If a siege has not been successfully completed by the end of a turn, the siege has failed and the besieging force must withdraw from the space.
IMPORTANT: Only one siege roll may be made against a fortress per round (17.5.4).
17.2 Fortress Strength (FS)
17.2.1 Fortress Strength. All fortresses have an inherent Fortress Strength (FS). Fortresses with an FS of 2 or 3 have the numbers printed on the fortress symbol on the map; all other fortresses have an FS of 1. The FS is an abstract representation of the fortress's defensive capabilities.
17.2.2 Reducing and Replenishing Fortress Strength. Fortress strength can only be reduced or eliminated by siege (17.5.6). When a fortress is taken by siege, its strength is immediately replenished to its full printed value, regardless of the LOC situation. A fortress with reduced strength regains all its strength if the siege is lifted (17.6). In both cases, signify the return to full strength by removing any FS markers associated with that space from the map.
17.3 Garrisons
17.3.1 Garrison Creation. As part of an avoid battle attempt or retreat the inactive player may announce that one corps and any number of leaders are withdrawing into the fortress as a "garrison". If the action ends with the active (enemy) force still in the space the garrison corps is placed under the enemy force to indicate it is inside the fortress.
17.3.2 Garrison Strength (GS): Each garrison step provides a Garrison Strength (GS) of 1 – therefore, the GS is 2 for a full corps and 1 for a reduced corps. During a siege, this number is added to the FS (17.2) of the fortress to produce the Fortress Defense Value (FDV). See 17.4. Demoralization does not affect GS.
17.3.3 Garrisons No Longer Under Siege. If a besieging force withdraws from a space containing a garrison, any Continued Siege marker is removed and the garrison can operate normally.
17.3.4 Garrisons and Stacking. Once created, a garrison does not count against a space's stacking limit. Thus a force at the maximum stacking limit may move into a friendly besieged fortress space containing a garrison in order to break the siege. In this case the relieving force is not considered overstacked. However, if the relief effort succeeds (i.e., the besieging force withdraws to avoid battle, or is defeated in battle and retreats), the garrison is immediately incorporated into the relieving force which may cause an overstack situation (4.1).
17.3.5 No Sorties. As long as a siege is in place, a garrison cannot conduct any action nor attack the besieging force, even if a relieving force attacks the besieging force.
17.3.6 Leaders Inside Fortresses. Any number of leaders may withdraw inside a friendly fortress even if no garrison corps is present. Leaders may provide a defensive siege modifier (17.5.3). All leaders inside a captured fortress are themselves captured (17.5.9).
17.4 Fortress Defense Value (FDV)
The Fortress Defense Value (FDV) of a fortress space is the sum of its current Fortress Strength (17.2) and Garrison Strength (14.7.4, 17.3.2) values. A fortress without a garrison has an FDV equal to its current FS. Therefore the FDV of a besieged fortress will always be 1–5.
Example: a 3-FS fortress with a full (i.e., 2-GS) garrison corps has an FDV of 5. Similarly, a 1-FS fortress with a reduced (i.e., 1-GS) garrison corps has an FDV of 2. An ungarrisoned 2-FS fortress has an FDV of 2.
17.5 Resolving Sieges
17.5.1 Siege Requirements. To conduct a siege, the active player must use a Campaign action to activate at least one leader and a number of corps equal to the FDV of the fortress. Not all the leaders and corps in the space need be activated, only enough to ensure sufficient corps to conduct the siege.
EXCEPTION: Leaders may activate a number of corps equal to their CR + TR for purpose of conducting sieges.
Play Note: This means that if the FDV is 4 or 5, a leader may not be able to activate enough corps to conduct the siege action by himself (because of a low combination of Tactical Rating and Command Rating), even if enough friendly corps are present in the space.
17.5.2 Resolving Sieges. The besieging player rolls one die and compares the result to the Siege Table (printed on the game charts, not in the rulebook text). The result will indicate the number of FDV (defender) losses and besieger losses.
17.5.3 Siege Die Roll Modifiers. The following die-roll modifiers (DRMs) apply to siege rolls:
- Besieger has no LOC – If the besieging force does not have a LOC it suffers a –2 DRM.
- Besieger has threatened LOC only – If the besieging force can only trace a LOC through a threatened space (11.1.4) it suffers a –1 DRM.
- Besieging a port that has a Sea LOC – If the space can trace a sea LOC (i.e. the sea zone is controlled by the defending player) the besieger suffers a –1 DRM.
- Bourbons Besieging Innsbruck or Trent – The Bourbon player suffers a –1 DRM when conducting a siege against these spaces.
- Leader inside fortress – If there is at least one leader with a TR of 1 or more inside a fortress, a –1 siege DRM is applied. No matter how many leaders are in the fortress, the maximum DRM for this purpose is –1.
- Continued Siege – Unless the first siege roll results in the capture of the fortress, a "Continued Siege +1" marker is placed on top of the besieging force to indicate that the next siege roll will receive a +1 DRM. If the second siege roll does not result in the capture of the fortress, the marker is flipped over to its "Continued Siege +2" side to indicate that all future siege rolls will receive a +2 DRM. Continued Siege markers are removed immediately when a siege ends.
- Leader with TR of 2 or 3 Activated for Siege – If a force activated for a siege includes at least one leader with a TR of +2 or +3, and the besieging force has activated with at least one of that leader's home corps, the besieging player gets a +1 DRM.
- Famous Victory Marker – Famous Victory markers provide a +2 DRM to siege rolls against enemy fortresses in or adjacent to the space containing the marker. Only one Famous Victory can modify a given siege roll. Enemy Famous Victory markers have no effect on friendly siege rolls.
17.5.4 One Siege Per Round. A fortress may only be subjected to one siege die roll per round. This means the besieging player may not use separate activations to make multiple siege rolls in the same round even if there are enough leaders and corps in the besieging force to do so.
17.5.5 Attacker Losses. The Siege Table indicates the number of hits which must be taken among activated corps with the same priority as battle hits (16.3.1). Non-activated corps are not affected.
17.5.6 Defender Losses. The fortress takes strength losses first, until it is reduced to zero (use markers as needed). Then the garrison corps (if any) takes hits: a hit against a full-strength corps reduces it to a reduced corps, while a hit against a reduced corps instead causes the fortress to fall and the corps to be given Honors of War. A garrison corps is never eliminated as a result of a siege roll (see Honors of War – 17.5.8).
17.5.7 Capturing Fortresses. When the FDV has been reduced to zero, the fortress is taken, the VP marker is adjusted in favor of the besieging player (6.1.1), and the garrison corps (if any) is granted Honors of War. Use control markers as needed to indicate changes in control. The FS is immediately replenished to full value (17.2.2); remove FS markers and Continued Siege markers from the space.
Capturing Fortresses Example: 17.5.7
It is the beginning of the 1695 turn, and the Alliance has captured Strasbourg. The Bourbon player desperately wants to recapture it, because Strasbourg is a gateway to the French interior. On Action round 2 of the turn, he activates Lorges, Vauban and 5 corps (one reduced) and moves from Metz to Strasbourg, offering battle to the Empire leader, who has with him an Alliance minor leader an Empire corps and 2 Austrian corps. Outgunned by 7 battle dice to 4, the Alliance player avoids battle, with the minor leader taking the 2 Austrian corps to Landau while the Empire leader and corps hunker down inside Strasbourg. Vauban must stop, and Strasbourg is under siege.
On Action round 2, the Bourbon player uses a Campaign action to activate Vauban and 4 corps for the Siege (remember that for the purpose of siege actions, a leader is allowed to activate corps equal to the sum of their CR and TR). The Fortress Defense Value is 4 (2 for Strasbourg's FS plus 2 for the full-strength garrison corps), so 4 corps is all Vauban needs (after the siege roll, he plans to use a Replacement action to flip the reduced corps to full strength, which is legal as it didn't participate in the siege action). On the siege, he rolls a 5; the roll is modified by +1 as Vauban has 2 TR or better, but also by -1 because a leader with TR 1 or better is inside the fortress. The modified roll is thus 4, with a 1/1 result. One of Vauban's corps loses a step, and Strasbourg's Fortress Strength is reduced to 1. A "Continued Siege +1" marker is placed beside Strasbourgh (+1 side up) as is a "Fortress Strength 1" marker. The Fortress Defense Value is now 3 (FS of 1 plus GS of 2).
On Action round 3, the Bourbon player activates Vauban and rolls for siege once more. The roll is again a 4, modified by +1 (Vauban's TR is 2), +1 (Continued Siege) and -1 (Empire leader) for a modified roll of 5 resulting in another 1/1. Vauban takes a step loss, the "Fortress Strength 1" marker is flipped to its "Fortress Strength 0" side, and the "Continued Siege +1" marker is flipped to "Continued Siege +2". The FDV now stands at 2.
On Action round 5, the Bourbon player prays for a good roll; he needs to inflict 2 losses on the defense for the fortress to fall prior to Winter Quarters phase. He rolls a 5, modified by +1 (Vauban), +2 (Continued Siege), and -1 (Empire leader). The modified roll is 7, a 1/3 result, and Strasbourg falls. The Empire corps is flipped to its reduced side and retreated to Landau (after receiving honors of war) and the Alliance control, Continued Siege and Fortress Strength markers are removed. The VP marker is moved 2 spaces towards zero. The Alliance player decides that he needs the Empire leader in the game, so surrenders a Victory Point and places the counter on the 1696 space on the Turn track. The VP marker is moved another space towards zero. Note that, if the leader had been an underlined leader, he would have had to ransom it back and that if the leader had been James II, he would not have had the choice to ransom it back (both refer to Dynastic Upsets rule, see 6.1.1).
Had the Bourbon player rolled a 3 or less on the final siege roll, which would have meant a modified roll of 5 or less, he would not have inflicted enough losses to capture the fortress. With no Action rounds remaining, the siege would have been lifted, all markers removed and Vauban, Lorges and their corps moved back to a Bourbon-controlled space adjacent to Strasbourg. He would have had to wait until 1696 to try again.
17.5.8 Honors of War. If a fortress has a garrison, then the fortress is taken when the siege die roll results in a hit that would normally eliminate the garrison. However, the garrison corps is not actually eliminated – instead, it is immediately placed by the defender at reduced strength in the nearest friendly unbesieged space within stacking limits (regardless of LOC or path; owning player chooses if more than one space eligible). Sometimes, however, a siege will begin with a reduced-strength corps as the garrison. In such cases, reducing the Fortress Strength to zero does not by itself capture the fortress; instead, a hit must be inflicted on the garrison, which will then be granted honors of war and retreat instead of taking a step loss.
Design Note: The vast majority of sieges were resolved by the defender being offered honorable terms of surrender, allowing them to evacuate in exchange for capitulation of the fortress.
Play Note: If the fortress is a port adjacent to a friendly sea zone, the garrison may be transferred by sea to an eligible port space within that sea zone at the owning player's option.
17.5.9 Leaders in Captured Fortresses. Named leaders in captured fortresses are captured as per battle (16.3.2) and are immediately eliminated unless the owning player gives up VPs equal to the named leader's TR; move the VP marker in the direction that benefits the non-owning player. Captured minor leaders, and named leaders for whom the VP cost has been paid, are placed on the turn track to return as a reinforcement the following turn. Note: Monarchs (both underlined and starred) rules apply here.
17.6 Lifting a Siege
A siege remains in effect as long as there is at least one besieging corps in the space. If the besieging force leaves the space for any reason (i.e. retreats after battle or as required during winter quarters) the siege is lifted. Any Continued Siege and Fortress Strength markers are immediately removed. If the besieging force retreats out of a space as a result of an active army attacking that force, it is possible for the active player to be overstacked (depending on whether or not an active corps is inside the fortress). See 4.1.2.
18. King William's War
18.1 King William's War
The Nine Year's War was one of the first global wars. The struggle between Canada and the British Colonies was called by the locals "King William's War".
During this part of the event card phase, the following actions are performed:
18.1.1 Increase King William's War Commitment. In order of initiative, each player may decide to forfeit a single action card draw for this turn's campaign phase to flip the KING WILLIAM'S WAR counter to his side. This can only be done once per game per player and never twice in one turn (i.e. if neither player has yet executed this option and a player decides to flip the marker to his side, his opponent cannot undo this immediately but would have to wait a turn). As noted in the scenario setup, the KWW counter starts on the 0 space, with its Bourbon side up.
18.1.2 King William's War Roll. During each event phase (skipping the first turn as normal), each player rolls a die. Current controller of the Atlantic adds 1 to his total. Ties are won by the side currently dominant in the Colonies (the last player to flip the KWW counter to his side, Bourbon player if neither player did this already). If Alliance wins the die roll, move the KING WILLIAM'S WAR counter 1 space to the right (more positive numbers; adjust VPs if necessary). If Bourbon player wins the die roll, move the KING WILLIAM'S WAR counter 1 space left (more negative numbers; adjusting VPs if necessary).
18.1.3 Colonial Support. During each reinforcement phase, each player can spend one Resource Point to place a control marker of his side on the KWW track (Bourbon player places the marker to the right of the KWW marker current position, Alliance player to the left). When moving the KWW marker while resolving a KWW roll, ignore any spaces occupied by a control marker, then remove all control markers from the KWW track.
Example: During the 1690 KWW phase, the KWW marker ended up in the center of the track. During the 1690 Reinforcement phase, the Bourbon player pays one Resource Point to send colonial support. He places a Bourbon Control marker on the KWW track on the rightmost -1 VP space. During the 1691 KWW phase, if the Bourbon player wins the KWW roll, the KWW marker will move to the leftmost -1 VP spot, skipping over the rightmost -1 VP spot. If the Alliance player wins the KWW roll, the marker will move to the leftmost +1 VP spot. In either case, the Bourbon control marker will be removed from the track after the die roll resolution.
Design Note: these control markers represent European support for the colonies in North America. Sending such troops could be a boon in exploiting success; however the chance of disaster is always present.
19. Winter Quarters Phase
During the Winter Quarters phase the players simultaneously perform the following steps.
A. Withdraw to Friendly Spaces
All forces in enemy-controlled spaces must retreat. Retreats are conducted per 16.4 and may result in overstacking. Corps that cannot retreat are eliminated and returned to the force pool, while leaders are put on the Turn track as a reinforcement for next turn.
Per 16.4, a force withdrawing during winter quarters may retreat by sea if eligible.
Play Note Regarding Timing of Withdrawals: A force may not withdraw into a friendly-controlled fortress space being vacated by the enemy unless there is no other eligible destination. However, if it is the only destination, the moves are considered simultaneous, and the move is allowed.
B. Remove Markers
Remove all of the following marker types from the map: Famous Victory, Continued Siege, Reduced Fortress Strength, Demoralized, and Fleet markers unless in a Sea Zone control box. Players may also voluntarily remove one or more of their Fortified Lines during this step.
C. Naval Control
- (NY only) Atlantic control changes
- a) to Alliance control if London is Alliance controlled and Beachy Head not in effect
- b) to Bourbon control if Beachy Head Event card in effect
- c) no change of control otherwise
- (NY only) -2 VPs if London is Bourbon Controlled.
D. Savoy Neutrality & Glorious Revolution
- Declaration of Savoy neutrality (1696 or later).
- If London is Bourbon controlled and the Atlantic is under Alliance control, execute the Glorious Revolution as per 20.2.5 rule2b.
E. Bourbon Peace Die Roll (see 6.5)
F. Check for End of Game and Automatic Victory, advance Turn Marker
Determine if the game ends due to last turn or Automatic Victory:
- Automatic Victory: The game ends immediately if the conditions are met (6.2).
- Last Turn: If this is the last turn of the scenario the game ends and victory is determined. Note that in the Full Game scenario the games ends immediately following British withdrawal unless it would result in a minor victory and the losing player wishes to continue for one more turn (19.0, E).
If the game has not ended, move the Turn marker to the next year on the Turn track and proceed to the next turn.
20. Scenarios
20.1 Scenario Options
Possession of the Nine Years game allows you to play the basic scenario, running from 1688 to (at most) 1699 (see 20.2).
If you also possess No Peace Without Spain, you can play the Grand Campaign game (see 20.3).
20.2 Nine Years
Notes on set up: When ".5" is indicated for the number of corps in a space, this means a reduced strength corps (e.g. 1.5 Subsidy = one full strength and one reduced strength Subsidy corps).
20.2.1 Alliance Setup
| Space | Units |
|---|---|
| Amsterdam | William III, Minor Leader, Level 2 Fortified Line, 3 Dutch, 1 Subsidy, Atlantic Fleet (Strength 2) |
| Cologne | Minor Leader, 1 Dutch, 1 Empire, 1 Subsidy |
| Ostend | 0.5 Spanish |
| Tournai | 0.5 Spanish |
| Antwerp | Level 1 Fortified Line |
| Munich | Max Emanuel (on minor leader side), 1 Bavarian |
| Madrid | Villahermosa, 1.5 Spanish |
| Barcelona | 0.5 Spanish, Mediterranean Fleet (Strength 1) |
| Philipsburg | 0.5 Empire, Level 1 Fortified line |
| Empire Home Space | 2 Empire, 1.5 Subsidy, Lorraine (on minor leader side) |
| Vienna | 0.5 Austrian |
20.2.2 Bourbon Setup
| Space | Units |
|---|---|
| Paris | 1 French |
| Brest | Brest Fleet (Strength 1) |
| Landau | Bourbon Control Marker |
| Strasbourg | Vauban, Lorges (minor leader side), 4.5 French |
| Lille | Boufflers, Luxembourg (minor leader side), 5.5 French, Level 1 Fortified Line |
| Bouchain | Minor Leader, 3 French, Level 1 Fortified Line |
| Perpignan | Noailles, 2 French |
| Briançon | Catinat (minor leader side), 2 French |
| Mantua | Bourbon Control Marker |
| Mirandola | Bourbon Control Marker |
| Verrua | Bourbon Control Marker |
20.2.3 Marker Setup
| Location | Marker |
|---|---|
| 15 space on Game Record Track | VP |
| 0 VP space on King William's War track, Bourbon Side up | King William's War |
| MED Control Box | Toulon Fleet |
| ATL Control Box | empty |
| 6 space on Game Record Track | Alliance Resource Points |
| 4 space on Game Record Track | Bourbon Resource Points |
| 1688 space on Turn Track | Turn |
20.2.4 Scheduled Reinforcements
| Turn | Appearing During Reinforcement Phase (Alliance) | Appearing During Reinforcement Phase (Bourbon) |
|---|---|---|
| 1689 | 1 Dutch, 1 Subsidy, 2 Austrian (1 to Force Pool), 1 Bavarian, Eugene, promote Max Emanuel | 2 French, promote Lorges |
| 1690 | 2 Subsidy, 2 Savoy (Savoy joins Alliance), 1 Austrian, Victor Amadeus, promote Lorraine | 2 French, promote Luxembourg and Catinat |
| 1691 | Add 1 British if London Alliance controlled | 1 French |
| 1692 | 1 British if London Alliance controlled, Minor Leader |
20.2.5 Special Scenario Rules
- Sudden opening of Hostilities. The 1688 Turn begins with the Campaign phase (skip the Event Card and Reinforcement phases). Only three (3) Action cards are dealt during this turn.
- Glorious Revolution and London
- (a) During the 1688 and 1689 turns only, sea movement may involve up to 6 corps (instead of up to 2) from a single port if William III is involved in the move, such a sea move costing TWO action points. If at the end of such a sea move (and any resulting battles) William III is in London, execute the following "Glorious Revolution" effects:
- London and Derry are immediately Alliance controlled (with no change in VP).
- Place an Alliance British corps in London with Marlborough (now flipped to British side even if he was wounded or captured)
- place Prince Waldeck in Amsterdam
- add 2 British corps to the Force Pool.
- Any surviving Jacobite forces can retreat to York or by sea to Dunkirk or Dublin.
- (b) During any Winter Quarter's Phase after 1688 in which London is Bourbon controlled and the Atlantic is under Alliance control, execute the Glorious Revolution as follows:
- London is automatically Alliance controlled
- place an Alliance British Corps in London with Marlborough (now flipped to British side)
- add 2 British Corps to the Force Pool.
- Prince Waldeck is removed from the game.
- Any force in London is moved to Dunkirk or any space in Ireland. From now any number of Jacobite Corps can stack with James II and uses Paris as Capital while stacked with James II. This supersedes rule 7.2.7.
- (a) During the 1688 and 1689 turns only, sea movement may involve up to 6 corps (instead of up to 2) from a single port if William III is involved in the move, such a sea move costing TWO action points. If at the end of such a sea move (and any resulting battles) William III is in London, execute the following "Glorious Revolution" effects:
- Mainz: If Philipsburg becomes Bourbon controlled during the 1688 or 1689 turns, the Mainz space automatically converts to Bourbon control (but without a VP change), moving all Alliance forces there to the Empire/Subsidy home space. This action cannot be intercepted.
20.3 Grand Campaign Game
The Grand Campaign Game links the scenario of Nine Years with the scenario of No Peace Without Spain for one all-encompassing, two-decades spanning game.
To play the Grand Campaign, use the setup of the NY scenario (20.2) and play that scenario until a winner is determined. Before beginning the NY scenario, determine which scenario options (Tournament, Historical British Withdrawal or Full Game) you will use for NPWS (see the NPWS rulebook).
If either player attained an Automatic Victory by controlling Vienna/Amsterdam/Paris or if at the time of victory the Bourbon player controls London, the grand campaign game ends and the winner of the NY scenario is also the winner of the Campaign Game.
Otherwise, once the winner is determined, take the following actions:
-
Create the NPWS event deck as per the NPWS rules. Any "held" cards from the NY scenario remain part of the player's hand. Remove all other cards from the NY scenario from the game (including those remaining in the deck). Flip the "Multi-turn Event" sheet.
-
Remove all Wealthy markers; reset the Alliance and Bourbon resource points to the NPWS starting positions (6 and 4 respectively)
-
Place the VP marker on 10, then the Bourbon player gains 1 VP if he won a major victory in NY and the Alliance player gains 1 VP if he just won a major victory. Current control of the Atlantic is also worth 1 VP for the Bourbon player, as is control of the Mediterranean for the Alliance player.
-
If Savoy is currently neutral, it joins the Bourbon player (place the Savoy Corps with the 1702 Reinforcements). Otherwise, it remains Alliance controlled, its Corps remain in play at their current location(s) and future play of the Savoy Switches Sides will give the Alliance 2VP instead of its normal effects.
-
The Spanish power joins the side who won the NY scenario.
- If Bourbon, setup the Spanish Loyalty Marker as normal and remove the Catalan Corps (and Power) from the game. All Spanish home spaces become Bourbon-controlled. Exchange all Alliance Corps of the Spain power by Bourbon Corps of the Spain power, then move all Alliance Corps on a Bourbon-controlled space to the nearest alliance-controlled space(s). If more than one space qualifies, the Alliance player may choose the destination space(s), but forces must move the least distance possible.
- If Alliance, remove the Habsburg Corps and Power from the game and ignore the Habsburg Uprising and Spanish Loyalty rules for remainder of the game; increase the Alliance Resource Points and decrease the Bourbon Resource Points by 1 each.
-
Remove the King William's War marker; ignore further King William's War roll requirements.
-
Remove all Jacobite Corps outside of Ireland.
Ignore special rule 3 and 4 of the NPWS scenario. Except for rules & components mentioned above, use the NPWS rules instead of the NY rules for this part of the Campaign Game.
20.4 Optional Rules for NY and NPWS
20.4.1 Historic Economy. (NPWS only) While the Bank of England is not in effect, the Alliance player may receive -1 VP during the event phase to play it immediately from the event deck instead of drawing his allotted card. While the French Financial Collapse is not yet in effect and it is 1708 or later, the Alliance player may use the same procedure to play that card from the event deck.
20.4.2 Battle rerolls. After all dice are rolled, compare the Tactical Rating of the Overall Commander on each side (this is the leader with the highest Command Rating involved in the battle, owning player choosing in the case of ties. If no leader participating, treat as 0). The difference in Tactical Ratings is the amount of dice that can be re-rolled by the player controlling the Overall Commander with the higher Tactical Rating. Re-roll the entire allotted amount of dice at the same time.
20.4.3 Wounded Leader. (NPWS only) Use wounded leader rules as mentioned in 16.3.2 of this rulebook.
20.4.4 Special Historical Leader Abilities. Each of these special abilities only refers to the Named leader side of the counter:
Nine Years leaders
| Leader Name | Ability |
|---|---|
| Alliance | |
| Eugene | TR 3 during battles involving no other friendly Named Leaders. |
| Lorraine | If he successfully besieges Metz or Strasbourg, receive +1 VP. |
| Max Emanuel | None. |
| Victor-Amadeus | None. |
| Villahermosa | None. |
| Waldeck | If the only named leader in a force that is attempting to avoid battle, must make a successful roll even if space is friendly-controlled and fortified. |
| William III | Unless besieged, adds 1 to the stacking limit of the area he occupies. |
| Marlborough (British) | May use his CR only to control British units. |
| Bourbon |
No Peace Without Spain leaders
| Leader Name | Ability |
|---|---|
| Alliance | |
| Baden | TR 2 for the purposes of siege combat. |
| Eugene | TR 3 during battles involving no other friendly named leaders. If using optional rule 20.4.2, may reroll one additional die if Marlborough is also in this battle. |
| Galway | Unless besieged, adds 1 to the stacking limit of the area he occupies. |
| Marlborough | After an force attacked by Marlborough successfully avoids battle (even from a friendly-controlled fortified space), roll a die. On a 1, the avoid battle fails. |
| Overkirk | TR 2 during battles involving at least one other friendly named leader. |
| Starhemberg | If using optional rule 20.4.2, TR 2 for purpose of this re-roll rule. |
| Bourbon | |
| Berwick | At the end of the event phase, roll a D6. On a 5-6, replace by the Staff Officer and move Berwick to next turn's space on the reinforcement track. |
20.4.5 Optional Card Draw. Each play draws two events. They play or hold one and discard the other. When the deck is exhausted, add the Midwar (1693/1708) cards and reshuffle. Once Britain withdraws in the NPWS scenario, the card draws return to the original rules.
20.4.6 Attrition. During the reinforcement Phase, each army takes 1 hit for every 4 full strength corps (or the equivalent of 4 full strength corps in steps) they have in a non-home space.
20.4.7 Double Action Decks. If you possess both the Nine Years and the No Peace Without Spain games, each player receives its own Action card deck. Each player draws only from this deck, reshuffling once there are no longer enough cards for a full action round draw.
Design Note: this ensures each player will draw the same amount of '1' and '3' cards, albeit in different turns, flattening out some of the Action Card draw luck factor.
21. Extended Example of Play
Following a largely historical course, this example of play depicts the opening 1688 turn to demonstrate many of the game's mechanics. Players who wish to follow the example in detail should set up the game per the instructions in 20.2.
At the start of the 1688 turn, the Event Card and Reinforcement phases are skipped and players begin the Campaign phase by drawing 3 (not the normal 5) Action cards each:
- The Alliance player draws the following cards: 3, 2, 2
- The Bourbon player draw the following cards: 3, 2, 1
Design Note: there are more 2's than 1's or 3's, so this is a fairly typical draw.
Per the special rules for the 1688 turn, there are only 3 Action rounds this turn. During first player determination, both players revealed their "3" action card, and the Bourbon player (having the initiative for the 1688 turn) decided to go first.
Bourbon Round 1
With his first action, he declares the force in Strasbourg will conduct a campaign action. The entire force moves to Landau and then spends one more MP to move to Philipsburg. The reduced-Strength Corps in Philipsburg avoids battle and withdraws into the garrison. The action ends with the Bourbon force stacked on top of the Empire Corps to indicate the Empire corps is a garrison in the besieged fortress.
The Bourbon player's second action is to deploy the Brest fleet. Both players roll 1d6, the Bourbon player adding 1 (the strength of the Brest fleet in the scenario deployment rules), the Alliance player adding 0 (he neither controls the sea zone nor London). The Bourbon player rolls a 4, the Alliance player rolls a 6. As the defender won, there is no change in Sea Zone Control (the Atlantic remains uncontrolled) and no change in VPs. However, the Brest Fleet is still returned to the Force Pool and is unavailable for the remainder of the turn.
Play Note: taking control of the Atlantic now might cause problems for the Alliance upcoming attempt at invading Britain.
With his third and final action of the round, the Bourbon player performs a replacement action on the reduced-Strength Jacobite Corps in London. The reduced Jacobite corps is flipped to full strength.
Alliance Round 1
Not having become first player, the Alliance player is not required to play his 3-action card now. However, he still decides to play this card.
With his first action, he deploys the Alliance Atlantic fleet. Both players roll 2d6, the Alliance player adding 2 for the strength of his fleet, the Bourbon player adding 1 (for control of London). The Bourbon player rolls 1 and the Alliance player rolls a 3, gaining him 1 VP (VP moves to 16) and changing the control of the Atlantic Sea Zone to Alliance.
With his second and third action, he takes a special Sea Move action (allowed through special scenario rule 20.2.5 rule 2). William III, the Minor Leader, 3 Dutch and 1 Subsidy corps move from Amsterdam to London. As this is a Sea Move, a sea movement roll must be made. The Alliance player rolls a 4. As the sea move is made only through controlled Sea Zones, there is no modifier and the sea move is successful without losses.
The Bourbon player, calculating the odds – six dice for the Alliance player, four dice for him, decides to make an Avoid Battle attempt. As London is an unfortified space, he has to make a roll. He rolls a 2 and adds 3 (Marlborough's TR) for a total of 5 – Success! The London force avoids battle to Dublin (making a sea move roll modified by -1 for alliance Atlantic control, for no effect).
After making any 1688 or 1689 Sea move with William III, his occupation of London must be checked. As he is currently in London, the Glorious Revolution comes into effect. The London and Derry space are switched to Alliance control with no change in VP, a British Corps is placed in London together with Marlborough (who is removed from the Dublin stack and flipped to his British side), the Waldeck leader is placed in Amsterdam and two British corps are added to the Force pool. Due to the loss of the Wealthy Space, the Bourbon resource point marker drops to 3.
Bourbon Round 2
The Bourbon player checks his hand. He has a 2 and a 1 action card left. He decides to play the 1-action now, leaving him some options for the next turn. With this action, he performs a Siege action at Philipsburg. He rolls a 4, modified to 5 due to the presence of Vauban, a 2-TR leader. This results in a '1/1' siege result. Both the besieging player and the besieged player have to take one hit. The Bourbon player flips a full-strength French Corps at Philipsburg to reduced-strength, then places a Fortress Strength 0 marker and a Continued Siege +1 marker near Philipsburg.
Alliance Round 2
Alliance player has only 2-action cards remaining, and decides to take Edinburgh before the Scotland Rises Event card is drawn. He uses his first action to move William III, Marlborough and 4 of the five corps in London to York. Once there, he spends another MP to place a control marker in York. Finally the last MP is spend to move the force to Edinburgh.
Play Note: the Alliance player only had a 33% chance of taking Edinburgh in one siege action, having to roll a modified 6+ on the siege table to accrue the 3+ siege points needed to take Edinburgh.
To end the worrying siege at Philipsburg, he subsequently activates the minor Empire leader in the Empire/Subsidy zone. Together with the four corps in the zone, he moves them (for 2 MP) to Mainz and from there to Philipsburg. The Bourbon player, not wanting to abandon his siege of Philipsburg, decides to fight. There is a Fortified Line in Philipsburg, but as it is an Allied line and the defender is the Bourbon player, it has no effect on this battle. The Alliance player rolls 5 dice (3 full-strength corps, 1 reduced-strength corps plus the minor Empire leader's TR of 1), scoring 3 hits. The Bourbon player rolls 6 dice (3 full-strength corps, 2 reduced-strength corps plus Vauban's TR of 2) and also scores 3 hits. A tie goes to the defender, so the Bourbon force wins the battle (16.3.3). The Bourbon player flips three French corps to their reduced sides. The Alliance player flips both Empire and the one full-strength Subsidy corps to their reduced sides, places a Demoralized marker (16.3.4) atop the stack and retreats back to Mainz. Finally, the bourbon player rolls for named leader casualties – Vauban survives without incident. All other leaders involved in the battle were on their minor leader side and do not have to roll for casualties.
Bourbon Round 3
Bourbon player has a 2-action card left. With his first action, he performs another Siege action at Philipsburg. He rolls a 3, modified by +1 for Vauban and +1 for the Continued Siege for another '1/1' siege result. Both sides need to take a hit. As the Bourbon besieging Force has only reduced-strength Corps remaining, one of these is selected and returned to the Force pool. The defending garrison had only one hit left (the reduced-strength Empire garrison) and as such the fortress is taken. The Honors of War rules come into play and instead of being eliminated as the last hit, the garrison corps is allowed to withdraw to the nearest friendly space. In this case the Alliance player chooses Mainz and the corps is added to the Demoralized stack there (itself not being demoralized). The Fortress Strength and Continued Siege markers are removed, a Bourbon control marker is put in the Philipsburg space, the fortified line there is removed and the VP marker is moved from 16 to 15. Finally, the scenario special rule 3 gives the Bourbon player control over Mainz if ungarrisoned when Philipsburg is taken. However, as Mainz is Alliance-occupied, this does not happen.
With his second action, the Bourbon player performs a Replacement action and flips one of the reduced-strength corps at Philipsburg to full strength.
Play Note: As corps can only participate in one action per round, it was not possible to first replace a corps to full-strength and then perform the siege action at Philipsburg using this full-strength corps.
Alliance Round 3
With his final 2-card, the Alliance player decides to first siege Edinburgh. He rolls a '4' which is modified by +1 for Marlborough's TR of 3 to a '1/1' siege result. The Alliance player takes a hit on a Dutch corps, placed a Fortress strength 1 marker and a Continued Siege +1 marker. With his second action, he takes a replacement action on one of the Subsidy Corps in Mainz, rallying it in the process.
Winter Quarters Phase
The Winter Quarters phase has several steps that must be completed in order. First, any forces in enemy-controlled spaces must withdraw to friendly spaces. In our current example, the Allied force in Edinburgh must withdraw and moves to York. This immediately ends the siege and the "Continued Siege +1" marker is removed.
Second, all game information markers are removed, including all Fortress Strength markers, Demoralized markers, Famous Victory markers, and any prepared Fleet markers remaining on the board. In our case, this means the Fortress Strength 1 marker at Edinburgh is removed and the Demoralization from Mainz is also removed.
Third, the Alliance player loses -2 VPs if London is Bourbon Controlled. However, this is not the case. Beachy Head is not in effect and the Atlantic and London are both in Alliance control, so no change of Atlantic sea zone control occurs.
Fourthly and Fifthly, neither savoy Neutrality not automatic Glorious Revolution or Bourbon Peace Die Rolls are applicable.
Finally, player check to see if the game has ended due to turns or automatic victory conditions. If not, the turn marker is advanced to the 1689 turn on the Turn track and the game proceeds to a new turn.