Raphia (Special Ops) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Sequence of Play
• Units
  • 1.1 Units
  • Unit Key
  • 1.2 Partial Hexes
• Zones of Control
  • 2.0 Zones of Control
• Stacking
  • 3.0 Stacking
• Facing
  • 4.0 Facing
• Movement
  • 5.0 Movement
• Unit Interaction
  • 6.0 Unit Interaction
  • 6.1 Ranged Combat (aka Rock Throwing)
  • 6.2 Melee and Trampling
  • 6.3 Pushing
  • 6.4 Retreats
• Phalanxes
  • 7.0 Phalanxes
• Elephants
  • 8.0 Elephants
• Playing the Game
  • 9.0 Playing the Game
• Combat Chart

1.0 Sequence of Play

Each player turn consists of…

Movement Phase

All phasing player units can move except Locked Phalanxes and Panicked Elephants.

Ranged Combat

Each of the player's Ranged Combat units can "fire" at targets that allow such attack. Roll one die per firing unit and follow the procedure on the Combat Chart. See Ranged Combat below for the effect of Range on a unit's Ranged Combat Strength.

Panicked Elephant Movement and Recovery

For each Panicked Elephant, roll one die to determine the direction of movement. Move the Elephant its full Movement Allowance (MA) in that direction and deal with any unfortunates in its path as per the Combat Chart. At the end of this move, the Elephant recovers to be Controlled (flip the counter back over) if it has not been eliminated.

Phalanx Pushing and Resolution

Phasing player Phalanxes that have enemy Phalanxes adjacent to them must "Push." Once all Pushing has been resolved and Pressure markers applied, roll for each Phalanx in such a marked hex to determine if any step loss occurs. When the stack has been checked completely for loss, remove the Pressure marker.

Cavalry Additional Movement

All Phasing Cavalry units can move again and possibly conduct additional Melee or Trampling attacks.

Units

1.1 Units

Each step represents approximately 1,000 men or 10 Elephants.

1.1a The counter values are:

• Middle of the counter in the yellow circle: Number of steps, if greater than one.
• On the lower left: If three values, the top is the Ranged Combat Strength (in red). The lower pair are Morale (left, in the side's color) and MA (right, in black). If there are two values only, they are the Morale and MA as above. If there is only one value, it is the unit's MA.

1.1b Some units have two steps. These are shown with both sides of the counter printed, the side with the small number 2 in the yellow circle is the full strength side. The other is the same unit after losing one step. Reduced units with more than one step at full strength cannot combine to create fewer, full strength, units (regardless of identical values and so forth).

Unit Key

The key shows the counter art for the Egyptian units and the Seleucid units, labelled Elephants, Phalanx, Cavalry, Formed Infantry, Archers and Line Infantry. Its value labels read Ranged Combat Strength, Morale, MA and Steps.

1.2 Partial Hexes

Hexes that are printed 50% (or more) on the map are playable. Tiny fractional hexes are not.

Zones of Control

2.0 Zones of Control

Zones of Control come in two forms: Locking and Sticky. Both affect the movement of enemy units.

2.0a ZOCs do not affect Retreats in any way.

2.0b All unit types exert a "Sticky" ZOC that affects the movement of enemy units in hexes adjacent to them. Exception: Elephants (in either status) are neither affected by nor provide Sticky ZOCs.

A Sticky ZOC has the following effects against affected unit types:

1. A moving unit must stop movement upon entering one (unless it is to continue to a Melee or Trample attack in the next hex).
2. Units are free to leave such a hex, provided the first hex entered is not Sticky itself (again given the ability to enter a hex to Melee or Trample).

2.0c Phalanxes "Lock" with enemy Phalanxes. A Phalanx is Locked if it is adjacent to an enemy Phalanx. Once Locked, a Phalanx cannot move and must "Push" if any enemy Phalanx is adjacent to it.

Stacking

3.0 Stacking

3.0a Up to 2 units can stack in a single hex.

3.0b Phalanxes cannot stack, even momentarily, with other unit types (but other unit types can move through a Phalanx hex, provided they do not stop there).

3.0c Units can only stack with units of the same type at the end of their moves. There can be no mixed unit type stacks.

3.0d Except where noted above, units are free to move through other friendly units, of differing types, in excess of the stacking limit. They just cannot cease a move or retreat overstacked. Units are allowed to "retreat further" so as to avoid a situation where they will overstack. If there is no way to avoid it, destroy the excess units in such a stack (owning player's choice).

Facing

4.0 Facing

There is no facing in this game.

Movement

5.0 Movement

5.0a There are no terrain costs. Each hex counts one against a unit's MA. There are no EZOC costs, etc. There is no additional cost to enter an enemy hex to conduct a Melee or Trampling attack.

5.0b Units cannot enter enemy occupied hexes except to execute Melee or Trampling. Also, some unit types force enemy units to retreat, these units can announce entry into the enemy hex, force a retreat, and continue to move with remaining MA.

5.0c To move as a stack and execute Melee or Trampling together, units must begin the phase as a stack.

5.0d Phalanxes have a requirement to end their move adjacent to at least one other friendly Phalanx stack. Effectively, this means the smallest legal Phalanx unit is a pair of hexes adjacent to each other with one Phalanx in each. This rule only applies to Phalanxes able to move (i.e. there is no penalty if a Phalanx is forced to be "alone" because of losses while locked).

Unit Interaction

6.0 Unit Interaction

Use the Combat Chart to determine how various unit types interact with enemy units of various types. During the Ranged Combat Phase, units capable of that type of interaction can do so. All other combat is restricted to Melee/Trampling (which occurs when units move) and the Pushing Phalanxes can do (which is restricted to its own phase).

A few unit types automatically force some enemy unit types to retreat. These retreats occur the moment the enemy declares his intention to enter such a unit's hex. Execute the retreat and the moving unit must enter that hex (ignore any ZOC effects on entering that hex and they can continue to move with any remaining Movement Allowance, given other restrictions, such as ZOCs).

6.1 Ranged Combat (aka Rock Throwing)

6.1a Only units with a Ranged Combat Strength can do Ranged Combat, even if they do have such a strength, they can only use it against certain unit types (see the Combat Chart to make this determination).

6.1b Each unit can only make one Ranged Combat attack attempt in a given Ranged Combat Phase.

6.1c Each Ranged Combat is done with one die. The Ranged Combat Strength, if any, is the top (third) number on the counter. Roll must be equal to or greater than the Strength at a given range to inflict a Step Loss on the target hex (owning player's choice of unit).

6.1d Range works as follows: A Strength 6 unit can hit on a roll of a 6 on targets adjacent to it, but cannot attack anything at greater range. A Strength 5 unit can hit on a 5-6 at range 1, and a 6 at range 2. Lastly a 4 can hit at range 1 with a 4-6, a 5-6 at range 2 and a 6 at range 3. See the Effects of Range on Ranged Combat Diagram on the map. If the roll is anything but the value(s) needed to hit, the attack misses and has no effect.

6.1e Any number of units can use Ranged Combat against a given target hex, but all must be identified before rolling any of them. If the target is destroyed before the last roll is made, any remaining rolls are wasted.

6.1f There are no Line of Sight (LOS) issues for Ranged Combat. All hexes in range are allowed, friendly and enemy units do not affect these fires.

6.1g Players are allowed to use Ranged Combat against their own units if so desired. (This can be useful in rare cases when you need to panic your own elephants.)

6.2 Melee and Trampling

Some units are allowed to do Melee or Trampling attacks during their movement based on the Combat Chart.

6.2a Both Melee and Trampling are in hex actions. Place the attacking unit(s) on the bottom of the enemy stack and resolve the Melee or Trampling at that moment.

6.2b In a Melee, if the winning side is simply moving, it must stop where it is. If it is retreating, it continues to retreat.

6.2c In Trampling, the moving unit is handled according to its type as explained on the Combat Chart. If it is Trampling as part of a retreat, continue the retreat.

6.3 Pushing

Phalanxes cannot do Ranged Combat, Melee, or Trampling. They execute "Pushing" in the specific phase allowing such attacks and a abbreviated style of Pushing against other unit types in Movement.

6.3a Phalanx Pushing is done by the Phasing player and resolve all Pressure markers when finished.

6.3b The owning player selects which hexes his Phalanxes push. The player need not identify the target of each stack's push until the moment he is to execute it; he can wait to see the Pressure results of other stacks first.

6.3c All friendly locked Phalanxes must Push and can only Push hexes containing enemy Phalanxes. There is no requirement to hit every enemy Locked Phalanx (players can "concentrate fire" as desired). Roll one die per Pushing Phalanx hex, add the number of Phalanx steps pushing and subtract the number of enemy Phalanx steps in the target hex. Use the resulting value on the Pushing Table to determine any Pressure to apply. Mark the target hex with that Pressure value, if any.

6.3d If more than one Push is made against a given target, add the Pressures together before resolution. Max Pressure is 4, any additional Pressure in excess 4 against a given hex is wasted.

6.3e Once all "Pushing" is done for the phase, the non-Phasing player resolves the effect of Pressure markers on his marked hexes. If a hex is not marked, there is no resolution roll against it. Roll one die for each Phalanx unit in each marked hex. If the die roll is less than the unit's Morale plus the Pressure Value the unit fails the check and must lose one step (a 1 with a 4 Pressure would fail on a roll of 4 or less). If the roll is equal to or greater than this checking value, the unit passes and has no ill effect. Roll once for every Phalanx unit on the map stacked with a Pressure marker. The owning player rolls for his own units. Once all the rolls are made against a given hex, remove that hex's Pressure marker.

6.3f If all the Phalanxes in a given hex are eliminated by the resolution of Pressure markers, at least one of the phasing player's adjacent Phalanxes must enter the empty hex (the player can advance two if he so wishes). The advancing Phalanxes can come from any hex adjacent to the empty hex; there is no requirement to be "the ones" that pushed it.

6.4 Retreats

Retreats must generally be toward the player's "home tent." If retreat extends beyond the map edge through the home tent, eliminate the unit.

6.4a Resolve unit interactions between a retreating stack and units attempting to "block" the retreat as if the retreating stack was moving under its own power. However, if a choice exists between an empty hex and one containing enemy units (or any kind), the player must choose the empty hex. The player is free to choose between hexes occupied by friendly and enemy units as desired.

6.4b Retreats must "start" by entering any one of the three hexes opposite the direction the "attack" came from that initiated the retreat. If these hexes are occupied by enemy units and the retreating unit(s) can Melee, force Retreat or Trample the enemy units, conduct those actions normally with the original retreating unit as the attacker. If that is not possible, destroy the retreating unit.

6.4c Retreats created via Melee or Trampling force the retreating unit to move its full MA toward the Home Tent.

6.4d Retreats created by "Retreat" interactions on the Combat Chart cause retreats of 1 to 3 hexes (owning player's choice). These forced retreats can be created over and over provide the player desires and has the MA to do so.

6.4e If a Retreat comes with a die roll (for a Loss or a Panic), roll one die. If it equals the value(s) shown, kill one step (owning player's choice) or panic the Elephant being rolled for. Restriction: A given target stack can only be subject to one such roll in a given phase, even if the conditions are met multiple times.

6.4f If a retreat is impossible, kill the retreating units. Retreats can go through enemy occupied hexes, given the ability to "attack" those hexes on the Combat Chart, execute the retreat as if the unit was moving normally.

6.4g ZOCs do not affect retreats.

6.4h A player can extend a retreat any number of hexes, if desired, to avoid problems with friendly unit stacking.

Phalanxes

7.0 Phalanxes

Phalanxes cannot move into any hex containing a non-Phalanx friendly unit.

A Phalanx is "Locked" when it is adjacent to an enemy Phalanx. Once Locked, a Phalanx cannot move. A Locked Phalanx must Push. Once there is no enemy Phalanx adjacent to a Phalanx that was Locked, it is automatically UnLocked and can move again.

Elephants

8.0 Elephants

Elephants can be Controlled or Panicked. The side of the counter showing designates the Elephant's status. Controlled Elephants can move through friendly Panicked Elephants with no effect on either. If a Panicked Elephant moves into a hex containing a Controlled Elephant, the Controlled Elephant panics.

The Panicked Elephant Direction Diagram referred to below is not reproduced in this insert.

8.0a Panicked Elephant Movement and Recovery is for elephants of both sides. The Phasing player rolls direction using the Panicked Elephant Direction Diagram for each Panicked Elephant (his own and the enemy's). Do each Panicked Elephant separately. The Phasing player can do the available Panicked Elephants in any desired order. Once a direction is determined, move the Elephant its full MA in that direction, trampling (or otherwise interacting) whatever it crosses along the way. Note that the Elephant will move fully unless it enters a hex containing some other Panicked Elephant or a hex containing a Phalanx. Recovery is automatic once the move is finished.

8.0b Elephants can move because of Panic more than once in a phase. For example, a Panicked Elephant moves and recovers. Then some other Elephant does its panic move and moves through the hex containing the earlier Elephant. That Elephant now Panics, moves and recovers again. With bad luck and a dense formation, this could happen multiple times.

Playing the Game

9.0 Playing the Game

1. Side Selection. Players decide who is to be the Selecuids (purple units) and Egyptians (green units).

2. Determine the First Player. Each player rolls one die. The player with the greater roll goes first and the Phase marker begins in his Movement Phase. Reroll in the event of any ties. The Phase marker moves around the Sequence of Play boxes in a circle until the game ends.

3. Set Up. The first player determined above must set up his units first; the second player sets up after the first player is finished. Players set up on or behind (on the side containing his Home Tent) the row of hexes with the bar of his color in it. Each player is free to set up as desired within that area.

4. Victory. The first player to move a Phalanx into the enemy Home Tent wins. If all Phalanxes are destroyed before either player wins, the result is a draw.

Combat Chart

The Combat Chart is printed on page R4 of the insert. The attacker or mover/retreater is listed down the left side; the target or stationary stack is listed across the top. Unit icons are shown in the original; they are identified here as Phalanx, Formed Infantry, Archers / Line Infantry, Cavalry, Elephant and Panicked Elephant, in the same order as the chart.

Attacker or Mover/Retreater ↓ / Target or Stationary stack →	Phalanx	Formed Infantry	Archers / Line Infantry	Cavalry	Elephant	Panicked Elephant
Phalanx	Push	Retreat, Loss on 6 (see 6.4e)	Retreat	Retreat	Retreat, Panic on 5-6 (see 6.4e)	Retreat
Formed Infantry	Range Combat	Melee	Retreat	Retreat	Range Combat	Not Allowed
Archers / Line Infantry	Range Combat	Range Combat	Range Combat	Range Combat

Retreat. Move the non-Moving stack 1 to 3 hexes away from approaching enemy, it can use any of the three hexes opposite the enemy's hex or enemy's hex of entry.

Melee. Each player rolls one die and adds the worst enemy unit Morale. +1 to your roll if you have more steps than the enemy. The player with the greater modified roll wins. Repeat on a tie. Loser: Lose one step and retreat full MA.

No Effect. Nothing happens.

Panic. Controlled Elephant is Panicked this phase as well. Enjoy!

Phalanx vs. Elephant. Kill one step from the Phalanx and remove the Elephant.

Push. Roll one die, add the Pushing Steps and subtract the target's Steps. Determine Pressure applied below.

Pushing Table: Mod. Die	Pressure
2 or less	None
3-5	1
6-7	2
8+	3

Range Combat. Roll one die per firer per target hex. Hit if roll is ≥ Ranged Combat Strength. A Hit kills one non-Elephant step in that target hex, or Panics all Elephants it.

Remove. Eliminate all involved elephants.

Trample. Each unit in the target hex makes a Morale Check (Pass if die ≥ Morale).

• Pass: The unit must retreat its full MA.
• Fail: The unit loses one step and retreats as above.

If the Trampling is done by:

• a Controlled Elephant, the Elephant Panics and stops moving for the phase.
• a Panicked Elephant, the Elephant continues to move with its remaining MA (and could trample additional hexes).
• Cavalry, the Cavalry stack must stop moving and make a Morale Check (use the best Morale in its stack). No loss on a Pass. Fail: Lose one step from the stack.

ZOCs.

• Locked. Cannot exit adjacent hex once it is entered as long as the enemy unit is in position. Only Phalanx vs. Phalanx have Locking ZOCs.
• Sticky. All units project and are affected by Sticky ZOCs, except Elephants. Must stop on entry, but can exit if the unit begins movement in such a hex and the first hex moved into is not Locking or Sticky, but can do so if the movement is into a hex to Trample or Melee.