Philadelphia 1777 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Game Board
• Game Units
  • Unit Types
• Game Setup
• Sequence of Play for Each Turn
  • Sequence of Play
• Action Points (AP)
• Movement
  • Movement Across Rivers
• Battles
  • Location Over Run
  • Skirmishes
  • Large Battles
  • Deploying Units on the Battle Board
  • Battle Rounds
  • Battle Movement on the Battle Board
  • Battle Fire on the Battle Board
  • American Militia Flee Battle Results
  • Attacking Across Rivers
  • Attacking Fortified Locations
  • Battle Withdrawal
  • Battle Retreat
• Withdraw/Retreat Rules
• Supply
  • Supply Reductions
• Optional Rules
• Victory Conditions

Game Board

The game board shows the mid-Atlantic states of Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey in 1777. Key locations, forts, roads, and rivers are shown. Locations are named points on the board that represent cities, towns, and forts that were prevalent during this part of the revolutionary war. Game movement is conducted by moving your units from a location to another location by connecting road lines.

There are two locations on the board, Ft. Mifflin and Ft. Mercer, that are fortified locations represented by fortification icons. Forts have special rules applied to attacking units and defending units in battle. Rivers represented on the board have certain move restrictions applied to the units crossing them. Units that are attacking across a river have a movement limit restriction and a modified die roll in battle. All other terrain on board is for aesthetic purposes and do not affect game play.

Game Units

The American units are blue blocks with blue outlined labels. The British units are red blocks with red outlined labels. There are extra blue and red blocks to be used as game markers for AP, turn, spares, etc.

Each unit is represented by a colored block with the appropriate label applied. To apply the labels, peel them from the label sheet and position in the center of the appropriate colored block for that label. Once positioned press the label down firmly. Only one label should be applied to each block. Apply the British red outlined labels to red blocks. Apply the American blue outlined labels to the blue blocks.

The blocks in the game represent the soldiers during this era. Most of the units in the game are various forms of infantry as they were the predominant force used in this era. One player controls the American units and the other player controls the British units.

The units are stood upright with the label side facing its owning player. Players should not see the label of their opponent’s units until a battle is fought.

Each unit has a number rating on each side of the label on the block that represent its strength points (SP). All units start the game with the highest SP at the top of the block. This number indicates the number of dice rolled in battle. As units take “hits” in battle they reduce SP by rotating the block counterclockwise to its next lower strength. The unit is eliminated from game play after it reaches 1 SP and suffers another hit.

The unit name is for historical purposes only and are of the various brigades and commanders during the campaign.

Unit Types

(The rulebook illustrates each type with a labelled block showing the Unit Name and Strength Point.)

Regular Infantry: Three or four SP. Movement rate is one location per turn when moving individually. In battle they hit on die rolls of six. British (red labels) and Hessian Infantry (green labels) also cause American militia to flee on die rolls of “1” during battle.

American Militia Infantry: They are 2 SP. These are only in the American force. Movement rate is two locations per turn when moving individually. In battle they hit on die rolls of six. British and Hessian units also cause American militia to flee on die rolls of “1” during battle.

Artillery: Three SP. Movement rate is 1 location per turn when moving individually. In battle they hit on die rolls of five and six.

Leaders: One SP. Movement rate is 1–2 locations per turn. Movement rate is the number to the right of the star and the group limit rating is to the left of the star. Each leader has a group limit rating that allows him to move that number of units with him using his movement rate. When moving groups, each leader can move the entire group his movement rate. In battle leaders hit on die rolls of six.

The Hessian leader, Knyphausen, can only use his group movement with Hessian infantry units. British leaders can move both British and Hessian units with their group move.

Game Markers: There are extra blocks for tracking turns and actions available on the game tracks on the game board.

Game Setup

Each player starts with all of his game units at full SP.

The British player places his units in Head of Elk. Any overflow of units can be placed along the edge of the game board by Head of Elk or use the leader holding boxes.

The American Leaders are placed as follows: Washington at Pawlett, PA; Stirling at Concord, PA; Greene at Wilmington, DE; Sullivan at Philadelphia, PA.

American regular infantry and artillery are placed in any location with a leader at the player’s discretion or use the leader holding boxes.

American militia infantry are placed in the following locations:

• Place in any location in Pennsylvania, no more than 1 unit per location.
• Place in any location in New Jersey, no more than 1 unit per location.
• Place in any location in Delaware, no more than 1 unit per location.
• Place in any location in Delaware or Pennsylvania, no more than 1 unit per location.

Sequence of Play for Each Turn

There are 20 turns in the game. The American and British players receive two Action Points (AP) per game turn plus add zero, one, two, or three random AP for his turn total.

To start each turn, both players roll one die to determine how many random AP he adds to his base 2 AP for the turn.

The player with the highest total AP for the turn is the player that decides who moves first that turn. If it is a tie, the American player decides who moves first.

Sequence of Play

1. Determine the total Action Points (AP) available for each player and who moves first for the turn.
2. Weather Check: Player one rolls 1 die and on a roll of 1–5 the weather is clear, a roll of 6 the weather is rain. Rain reduces all unit movement (individual or group) to only 1 location for each player for the entire turn.
3. Player one is active and moves his units expending AP for each move.
4. After completing movement, player one conducts battles as the attacker, player two is the defender. The active player then checks for any out of supply units. If any of his units are out of supply, take supply reductions.
5. Player two is active and moves his units expending AP for each move.
6. After completing movement, player two conducts battles as the attacker, player one is the defender. Then checks for any out of supply units. If any of his units are out of supply, take supply reductions.
7. Check for victory: Both players check victory conditions for the game to determine if either player has won. If either player has met the conditions for victory, or it is the last turn, the game is over.
8. End turn: move turn marker ahead one space on the turn track and go to step 1 to start the next turn.

The sequence of play lists the order that particular actions occur during a game turn. Unless otherwise stated the sequence is to be played in the exact order listed. Note that each unit can only be moved once per turn on the game board, but battles can have more than one round of battle moves and battle fire on the battle board. This depends on the willingness of each player to continue (see battle rules).

Action Points (AP)

Action points (AP) are the amount of movement actions allowed for each army in a given turn (retreating in a turn does not cost an AP).

It costs one AP to move an individual unit and it costs one AP to move a leader that has multiple unit(s) with him. Each army starts with a base 2 AP every game turn. AP can never go below 2 for either army.

At the beginning of each turn EACH player rolls a dice to determine additional AP applied to their base AP for that particular turn. If the number rolled is 1 he receives zero extra random AP, a roll of 2 and 3 he adds one AP, if the roll is 4 or 5 he adds two AP and if he rolls a 6 he receives three AP.

The player with the highest total AP for the turn is the player that decides who moves first that turn. If it is a tie, the American player decides who moves first.

A player can elect to use none, some, or all of his AP for his given turn, but cannot accumulate AP for future turns.

Movement

Movement occurs after a player determines his AP for a turn and he is the active player for the turn. Then he initiates movement for his units by using his AP to move leaders and the group of units with them, or move individual units.

An unlimited number of units may use roads for movement except when crossing a river to attack a location. When attacking across a river, the attacking force can only move a maximum of 10 units plus leaders on the same road.

It costs 1 AP to move EACH individual unit without a leader present. When moving as an individual unit the unit may move to its full movement rate.

It costs 1 AP to move a GROUP of individual units in a location with a leader. When moving with a leader as a group the individual units in the group move at the leader’s movement rate. Units moving with a leader must start with the leader in the same location, but all units that start with a leader do not have to move with the leader. A unit must start and finish its move with the leader to be part of leader movement. Further a leader cannot move more units than his group limit rating.

Leaders with a movement rate of two may drop off and pick up units at the first location as long as he does not exceed his group limit rating while moving. Remember, leaders and units can only move ONCE per turn.

If a unit(s) starts at a location with a leader and both the leader and the unit(s) move. But the unit(s) moves to a location other than where the leader has moved, it cost each individual unit an AP to move. Units do not get the leader movement rate by only starting in a location with a leader and moving to different locations than the leader.

A unit cannot be moved twice by two different leaders in one turn.

All units have a movement allowance based on unit type. Movement is from location to adjacent location connected by roads. Locations may not be skipped while moving. Unit movement allowance not used is lost; they may not be accumulated or transferred to other units. No unit may ever move more locations than its normal movement rate unless moving as a group with a leader at the leader’s movement rate. Units may not move more than once in a turn.

Any number of units may be placed at one location. Any number of activated units may move from connected location to connected locations, unless attacking across a river. Movement limits are determined by the number of AP available, unit movement limits, and the number of units that a leader can move with him.

Units must stop and initiate a battle when attempting to move to a location where units of the opposing player are located.

Movement Across Rivers

Any number of units can freely move to adjacent locations connected by roads that cross rivers during movement.

For example, for 3 AP Howe with nine units, Cornwallis with six units, and Knyphausen with seven units can all move across the Brandywine river from Kennetsquare to Trimbele’s Ford if undefended.

Units must stop their movement after crossing a river to an undefended location, no matter how many units or how much movement is remaining for a unit or group. Continuing with the example, all units mentioned would stop in Trimbele’s Ford, thus ending their turn, including Cornwallis even though he has 1 remaining group movement.

When attacking across a river to a defended location, the attacking forces can only move a maximum of 10 units plus leaders per road used across the river.

If Trimbele’s Ford was defended, only the leaders and 10 units would be able to cross the river in this turn using the road from Kennetsquare. Since Cornwallis can move 2 locations, he could take six units and move from Kennetsquare to New Garden. Then Cornwallis, using different roads from the other leaders, can also attack Trimble’s Ford using the road from New Garden to Trimble’s Ford along with the attack from Kennetsquare.

Battles

Battles are initiated when the active player (the attacker) moves into locations occupied by the opposing player’s units (the defender). Battles are mandatory when this occurs. If more than one location is having a battle, the attacker determines the order in which the battles are fought. Each battle is resolved separately before any other battles are started.

Battles involve unit deployment on the Battle Board and are conducted in a series of battle rounds that continue until the units of one side are eliminated, retreat, or are forced to retreat when a battle position is vacated during battle fire.

Location Over Run

If three or more units attack a non-fort location that is defended by less than three units the defenders are over run. Each defending unit must reduce one SP and must retreat. The attacking units can continue moving (and attacking) if they have movement available.

If three or more units attack a fort location defended by less than 3 units the defenders cannot be over run. Follow the skirmish rules below.

Skirmishes

In battles started where less than three units are in a location by the attacker, the left and right battlefield positions are ignored. The battle is fought as a skirmish which is fought with ALL units of each side placed in the center battlefield position. The battle is fought as normal without a reserve. However, in non-fort locations, if American militia flee they do move to their reserve as normal and cannot return to the center battlefield if the battle continues. But no other units can move to reserve.

Large Battles

In battles started where three units or more are in a location by BOTH sides, use the battle board. The battle board has three battlefield positions for each side in which units set up for battles. Each side has the following battlefield positions; Left, Center, and Right. Behind and connected to the three battlefield positions is the Reserve. The attacking player’s columns are divided by a river. Attacking units attacking across a river or attacking a fort, they are placed behind the river and reduce the number of dice rolled by 1 for each attacking unit during the FIRST battle round.

Battle example (pictured, placed after this rule): It is the British battle turn and he performs the following; He fires at the American right battlefield position with his artillery unit in his left battlefield position. Rolling 3 dice he causes a hit with the 5 and a militia flee with the 1. The American player applies the hit to the militia and then has the militia unit flee. Next the British player moves Grant from his reserve to the center. Then he fires his infantry unit in his right at the American left by rolling 2 dice (the current SP of his infantry unit) and scores a hit with the 6. Grant cannot fire because he moved. Last the British player rolls 4 die and fires with the Donop unit in the center. The 1’s rolled cause militia flee results Both American militia units in the center must flee. This causes a forced retreat and all American units must retreat and the British infantry units will get a battle fire at the retreating units.

Deploying Units on the Battle Board

The defending player sets up first followed by the attacking player. Units are deployed upright, so that the opposing players cannot see their SP. Each player must place at least one unit in each of the three battlefield positions. Once the three battlefield positions are occupied by at least one unit, the remaining units may be deployed as desired in the three battlefield positions and Reserve. Any number of units can occupy the battlefield positions and Reserve as long as the three battlefield positions are occupied by at least one unit. Commanders may occupy any battle position.

After both players have deployed their units on the battle board, they reveal their units in the battlefield positions by laying them face up, their current SP at the top of the unit facing their opponent. Units deployed in the Reserve position are not revealed.

Battle Rounds

After the initial battle board deployment, a series of battle rounds are conducted until a player decides to do a voluntary retreat, a player is forced to retreat, or all of one player’s units are eliminated. In each battle round the defending player moves or fires each of his units on the battle board. Any hits on the opposing player units are applied immediately. Then the attacking player moves or fires each of his units on the battle board and any hits on the opposing player units are applied immediately. At any time one of the player’s battlefield positions is vacated due to battle fire, a forced retreat happens immediately. Beginning with the second battle round players can decide if they want to do a voluntary retreat instead of continuing battle.

Battle Movement on the Battle Board

Units may move OR fire once during each battle round on the battle board. If moving, the movement is from the position currently occupied to Reserve or from Reserve to a battlefield position (Left, Center, or Right Columns). Units that move in a battle round may not fire in that battle round. A player may do battle movement with his units in any order he desires.

The active player may only move his units from reserve to HIS battlefield positions or from his battlefield positions to HIS reserve. He may not move into an opponent’s battlefield positions and Reserve.

Battle Fire on the Battle Board

Units that did not move in a battle round may fire if in a battlefield position. Fire is from a battlefield position against an opposite battlefield position. Units in the Right battlefield position fire on the opposing Left battlefield position, units in the Center fire on the opposing Center, and units in the Left fire on the opposing Right. Units in reserve may not fire.

Units conduct battle fire by rolling a number of dice equal to their current SP. They roll the proper number of dice for the unit firing adjusted for attacks against forts or across rivers. Players score a hit against his opponent’s units in the opposing battlefield position for each die rolled that is equal to or greater than the “hit number” of his firing unit.

For example: A 4 SP unit rolls 4 dice and a 3 SP unit would roll 3 dice, etc. If attacking a fort location or across a river, the unit would roll one less die in the first battle round. Hits are then allocated based on the type of unit (infantry or artillery) firing, against the numbers rolled. Artillery scores hits on die rolls of 5 or 6. Infantry score hits on die rolls of 6. Commanders hit on 6. Units may fire in any order the firing player chooses.

Losses are applied immediately. Allocation of losses are decided by the owning player receiving the losses.

Reductions in SP are shown by rotating the block once for each hit inflicted from its current SP to the new, reduced SP. Units reduced below 1 SP are eliminated and removed from the game board.

American Militia Flee Battle Results

Any time a British or Hessian firing unit rolls a 1 on his die roll, one American militia unit must flee to reserve if one is present in the battlefield position fired at by the British or Hessian firing unit. Militia flee results are applied AFTER any losses caused by the firing unit in the battle round. The militia unit remains in reserve and cannot move back into any of his battlefield positions during the battle.

For example: The British have one infantry unit at 4 SP and one artillery unit at 3 SP firing from their right battlefield position at the American left battlefield position. The Americans have two militia units at 2 SP and one infantry unit at 4 SP in their left battlefield position. The British infantry unit rolls 4 dice, rolling 1, 3, 4, 6. The six scores a hit. The one causes a flee result for one militia unit. The American player applies the hit to the militia unit and then has that unit flee into reserve. The British artillery unit rolls 3 dice, rolling 1, 3, 4. The one forces a flee result for one militia unit. The American player moves the remaining militia unit into reserve.

Attacking Across Rivers

When attacking units must cross a river to a location defended by the opposing players units, the attacker must reduce the number of dice rolled by 1 for each attacking unit during the FIRST battle round.

For example, one 4 SP infantry unit and one 3 SP artillery unit are attacking across a river. During battle fire each unit would reduce the number of dice rolled by 1. The infantry unit would roll 3 dice (4-1= 3), and the artillery unit would roll 2 dice (3-1 = 2). If in the same attack, some units attack across a river and other units are attacking without crossing the river, those not crossing the river would not reduce dice but those crossing the river would reduce dice.

Attacking Fortified Locations

The fortified locations provide a defense bonus to defending units by reducing the number of dice rolled by attacking infantry units during the first battle round. This applies to land attacks, attacks across rivers, and any combinations. This means that all of the attacking infantry type units reduce their die rolls by 1 die for the first round of battle. Artillery units do not reduce their attacking die rolls when attacking forts. Also, in all battle rounds all American militia flee results are ignored for American militia defending fortified locations. Attacks across a river against a fort, subtract only one die in the first round. Modifiers are not cumulative.

Battle Withdrawal

After the first round of battle is completed players may withdraw from battle starting with the second battle round. The defender makes this decision first, followed by the attacker. All withdraw/retreat rules apply. If a player decides to withdraw, all of their units are immediately removed from the battle board before conducting any battle moves or battle fire. The units of the player withdrawing are subject to one withdrawal battle fire round in which all the infantry units of the opposing player in battlefield positions (not those in reserve) each roll ONE DIE. Any sixes rolled score hits and are applied immediately to the withdrawing units, including those in reserve. The withdrawing player decides which units to apply any hits. The withdrawing units do not return battle fire and must follow withdraw/retreat rules.

Battle Retreat

A forced retreat occurs when one of a player’s battlefield positions (left, center or right) becomes unoccupied as a result of battle fire or movement other than a withdrawal. The player must immediately retreat ALL (units in the other battlefield positions and reserve) units at the point this occurs. All withdraw/retreat rules apply. The units of the player forced to retreat are subject to one retreat battle fire round in which all the infantry units of the opposing player in battlefield positions (not those in reserve) each get one battle fire at current SP (modified for any reductions due to fortifications or water crossings) at the retreating units. Any hits are applied immediately to the retreating units, including those in reserve. The retreating player decides which units to apply any hits. The retreating units do not return battle fire.

For example, the American left battlefield position becomes unoccupied during the battle round due to his militia fleeing to reserve and units being eliminated by battle fire. The American player removes all units from the battle board and conducts a retreat with them. The British player is allowed one round of retreat battle fire on all of the retreating American units by the British infantry units in battlefield positions.

Withdraw/Retreat Rules

If the defender is withdrawing/retreating, he must withdraw/retreat all units to a connected location from the battle location that has no opponent’s units located there and his opponent did not move from to attack the battle location. If the attacker withdraws/retreats he must withdraw/retreat all units to a connected location that he moved at least one unit from to conduct the attack.

If these conditions cannot be met then all units must continue to battle or, in the case of a retreat, are eliminated.

All units must withdraw/retreat to the same location. There is no splitting of forces. Units withdraw/retreat one location when withdrawing/retreating.

Supply

At the end of their turn, players check for supply. The line of supply is defined by tracing the route through an uninterrupted road network to designated supply locations. An uninterrupted line of supply is a continuous path from the unit to the designated supply location that does not have any locations occupied by the enemy force that would block the path.

The American player traces supply through an uninterrupted road network to any one of the following towns: Skippack, Worcester, White Marsh, or Salem. The Americans are out of supply anytime they cannot trace an uninterrupted line of supply to any of these locations.

For example, American units in Philadelphia would have their supply path blocked if British units occupied White Marsh, Darby, and Fort Mifflin. However, if Darby was unoccupied by the British, the American units could trace supply to Worcester, Skippack, or Salem.

British units must trace supply through an uninterrupted road network to any British controlled port. A controlled port is any port location that they were the last unit to move through. That port stays in British control until an American force moves through or occupies it. At the start of the game, the only British controlled port is Head of Elk, all other ports are initially American controlled. When the British gain control of a port, a red block is placed in the location to signify their control, it is removed when and American unit passes through or occupies that port location.

If the British occupied Philadelphia and the American units occupied White Marsh, Darby, and Fort Mifflin their supply would also be blocked. However, if Fort Mifflin was unoccupied and had a red occupied marker, the British would be in supply.

Supply Reductions

At the end of a player’s turn, all units out of supply take supply reduction. For each unit out of supply a 1 step supply reduction is taken off each unit out of supply, up to a maximum of 10 total SP supply reductions per turn for the entire army, regardless of how many units in locations that are out of supply. The supply reductions are taken at the end of a player’s portion of the turn. If units are out of supply in multiple locations, the owning player decides which units reduce until the maximum is met.

For example, the Americans have three units out of supply in Philadelphia and two units out of supply in Germantown at the end of their turn. Each unit would reduce 1 SP for a total SP reduction of 5 for the American player.

For example, the British have twelve units out of supply in Philadelphia. A total supply reduction of 10 SP would be distributed to ten of the twelve units at the player’s discretion, 1 SP per unit.

Optional Rules

On Board Leader Holding Boxes: Both the British and American player can opt to use the holding boxes on the game board to place any units moving with the respective leaders for group leader moves. During game play the leader’s block moves along the roads representing the entire force in the holding box. This also adds to the fog of war.

Victory Conditions

Victory conditions are checked at the end of a turn cycle.

The British player wins if he occupies Philadelphia with British or Hessian units that are in supply at the end of two consecutive American turns.

The British player wins an automatic victory if the Washington leader is eliminated.

The British player also wins the game if the American total SP falls below 20.

The American player wins if the game ends (turn 20) and the British have not met their victory conditions.

The American player also wins the game if the British total SP falls below 25.

If both players simultaneous drop below their required SP at the end of turn, the British player wins.