Scotland Rising: Bannockburn 1314 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Map Board
  • Terrain
  • Terrain Effects
  • Unit Hex Limits
• 3. Game Units
  • Infantry Units
  • Archer Units
  • Cavalry Units
• 4. Setup
  • Optional Freeform Setup
• 5. Game Turn Sequence
• 6. Action Point (AP) Determination Phase
  • Actions Allowed
• 7. Movement
• 8. Combat
  • Schiltron
  • Longbow Line of Sight
  • Charge
  • Disordered Effects
  • Rally
• 9. Leaders
  • Leader Casualties in Combat
• 10. Scots Charge Rule
• 11. Victory Conditions
• Gameplay Examples
  • Movement
  • Combat
• Optional Rules
  • Battle Events Table
• Solitaire Play

1. Introduction

The Battle of Bannockburn was fought on June 24th, 1314 during the first war of Scottish Independence. The outnumbered Scottish army was led by Robert the Bruce, the English army by Edward II. The result of the battle was a decisive Scottish victory, but the results could have been very different…

2. Map Board

The map board represents the battlefield of the Bannockburn area. A hex grid on the map board regulates movement and combat.

Terrain

Terrain in the game is shown by the various terrain features on the map board. LOS = Longbow Line of Sight.

Terrain	Move Cost	Combat	LOS Block
Clear	1	Charge Allowed	No
Woods	2	-1 die; No Charge Allowed	Yes
Potholes	2	No Charge Across	No
Burn	Stop on Entry	No Attack From Burn or Charge Allowed	No
Bridge	1	No Charge Allowed	No
Swamp	2	No Charge Allowed	No
Village

Terrain Effects

Movement: Terrain costs apply to units as they enter each hex. The cost to enter each hex is deducted from the activated unit's movement allowance.

Combat: Terrain effects are based on the terrain the defending unit occupies.

Example: A Knight unit attacking an enemy unit in a forest hex rolls 2 dice. Normally the knight would roll 3 dice, but the forest causes the attacking unit to subtract 1 die from his attack.

Longbow Line of Sight: Forest hexes and Bannockburn village are the only terrain that block line of sight for longbow units. Units do not block line of sight.

Unit Hex Limits

No more than 1 game unit per hex with the exception of a leader which may stack with any friendly unit. Units may not enter a hex that is occupied by an enemy unit.

3. Game Units

The counters in the game represent the pike infantry, longbow, crossbow, knights, hobelars, and leaders of the Scottish and English armies at the battle.

Each unit has an icon to identify the unit type. Each combat unit is full strength or reduced. The unit's full strength side is the darker colored and unit values are listed below the unit icon. When a hit occurs on a full strength unit, flip it to its reduced lighter side, and on the next hit the unit is removed from the board. If no values are on the reduced side, the unit is eliminated with one hit.

The units have their leader's name on them followed by three numbers. The first number is the number of dice the unit rolls when attacking. The second number is the unit's target hit number, and that number or higher must be rolled when attacking it to score a hit. The last number is the unit's movement rate. The movement rate remains constant throughout the game for each specific unit type.

Unit counter key (printed on the rulebook page): Unit Leader's Name · Dice Rolled When Attacking · Target Hit Number · Movement Rate. Example counter: R. Bruce 3•5•2.

Infantry Units

Pike: Normal movement rate is up to 2 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Pike units roll 2 dice when attacking. Attacking units hit pike units on a die roll of 5 or 6. Pike units may form schiltron.

Ax: Normal movement rate is up to 2 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Ax units roll 3 dice when attacking. Ax units may charge for 2 AP. Attacking units hit ax units on a die roll of 5 or 6.

Archer Units

Longbow: Normal movement rate is up to 2 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Longbow units roll 2 dice when attacking and may attack units up to 2 hexes away. Attacking units hit longbow units on a die roll of 4, 5, and 6.

Crossbow: Normal movement rate is up to 2 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Crossbow units roll 3 dice when attacking. Attacking units hit crossbow units on a die roll of 4, 5, and 6. When hit, crossbow units are eliminated.

Cavalry Units

Knights: Normal movement rate is up to 3 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Knight units roll 3 dice when attacking. Knight units may charge for 2 AP. Attacking units hit knight units on a die roll of 6. If a knight is on its reduced side and is hit, roll 1 die for each hit. If the roll is 4 – 6 the knight unit is eliminated. If the roll is 1 – 3, the hit is ignored.

Hobelars: Normal movement rate is up to 4 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Hobelar units roll 2 dice when attacking. Attacking units hit hobelar units on a die roll of 5 and 6.

Leaders: Normal movement rate is up to 3 hexes per turn for 1 AP. Leader units roll 2 dice when attacking. Leader units may charge for 2 AP. Attacking units hit leaders on a die roll of 6. If a leader is hit, roll 1 die for each hit. If the roll is 4 – 6 the leader unit is eliminated. If the roll is 1 – 3, the hit is ignored. Leaders may attempt to rally a reduced unit for 1 AP.

4. Setup

Players choose which side they wish to play. The setup for the game units is printed on the map board. The Scottish units are in blue letters and the English units are in red letters. Unit names are ignored for setup purposes except in the case of leaders. Place one unit of the correct type, at full strength, in each lettered hex. The corresponding unit and letters are as follows:

• Pike = P
• Ax = A
• Longbow = L
• Crossbow = C
• Knight = K
• Hobelar = H
• Leader = Leader Name

The Scottish player may start the game with their pike units in or out of schiltron.

Optional Freeform Setup

The Scottish player sets up all units first, on or North of the hex row highlighted in blue on the side of the board. Then, the English player sets up all units on or South of the hex row highlighted in red on the side of the board.

5. Game Turn Sequence

1. The Scot player conducts his AP Determination Phase.
2. Remove disordered markers from the previous turn.
3. The Scots player performs actions. In any order he may move, attack, charge, and rally.
4. The English player conducts his AP Determination Phase.
5. Remove disordered markers from the previous turn.
6. The English player performs actions. In any order he may move, attack, charge, and rally.
7. End turn – move turn marker ahead one space on the turn record chart and go to step 1.

The active player determines the order of actions for their units during their turn. Players may move, attack, charge, form schiltron, move out of schiltron or rally in any order they choose within the limitations of their action points and unit capabilities.

Example: During a player's turn, with 4 AP remaining, he could attack with unit A, move with unit B, and charge with unit C, in that order or any other order he chooses.

6. Action Point (AP) Determination Phase

The Scottish player receives 6 command AP each turn. The English player receives 4 command AP on turns 1 and 2; 5 command AP on turns 3 through 5; and 6 command AP for the rest of the game. The player whose turn it is rolls a die. Rolls of 1 and 2 provide 1 random AP, rolls of 3 or 4 add 2 random AP and rolls of 5 or 6 provide 3 random AP. Add the results of the random action roll result to the player's command action points. This determines how many total AP points he has to spend in a turn.

Use the AP Marker on the GAME TRACK (located on the back of the box) to keep track of AP expended during a turn. As units perform actions, move the AP marker down the appropriate number of spaces for each action performed. When the marker reaches "0" the current player's turn is over. A player is not required to use all of their actions, but actions may not be saved for future turns.

Example: The Scots player receives 6 command action points each turn. At the start of his first turn he rolls the random action die. The result is a 5. This gives him an additional 3 random action points added to his 6 command action points for a total of 9AP for that turn.

• AP points are spent to activate units to perform actions. AP spent allows each side to move, perform combat or, in the case of leaders, rally units.
• Each unit, as it is picked to perform actions must complete its action before the next unit starts to perform an action.
• Once a unit has been activated and completed its allowed action, it cannot be activated again until the next turn.

Actions Allowed

Move: For 1 AP a unit may move up to its full movement point allowance, following all terrain rules.

Attack: For 1 AP a unit may attack an adjacent enemy unit. Longbow units may attack enemy units up to 2 hexes away following line of sight rules.

Charge: For 2 AP, ax, knight and leader units may move up to their full movement allowance and attack an enemy unit.

Schiltron: For 0 AP a pike unit may form into or come out of schiltron. A unit forming into or coming out of schiltron may perform no other action that turn. This may only be done during that player's turn.

Rally: For 1 AP a leader that starts a turn stacked with a reduced unit may attempt to rally that unit to full strength.

7. Movement

All units have a movement allowance based on unit type. Movement is conducted one hex at a time and is from hex to adjacent hex. No unit may ever move more hexes than its normal movement rate. Units are not required to use all of their movement allowance when activated. Units pay the movement point cost of the hex they are entering based on the terrain in that hex.

Players may not violate the one unit per hex rule with any movement; this would include moving through units or swapping positions with units.

8. Combat

Units are not required to attack. Units that start a turn adjacent may have combat for 1 AP. Longbow units may attack units up to 2 hexes away for 1 AP. Ax, knights and leaders may charge for 2 AP.

After spending the AP for the attack or charge players determine the target numbers based on the defending unit type. They then roll the proper number of dice based on the attacking unit, modifying the number of dice rolled by the defender's terrain. Players score a hit for each die rolled that is equal to or greater than the defending unit's "target numbers". If a hit or hits are scored, the defending unit is reduced by flipping the unit to its reduced side. If the unit is already reduced, or more than one hit is scored, then the unit is eliminated, unless it is a knight or leader, in which case you must roll a die to see if it is eliminated. Eliminated units are removed from the map board and may not be rallied.

Example: A knight is adjacent to a full strength pike unit. The knight player is the active player and has 4 AP. The player declares an attack from the knight to the pike unit which expends 1 AP. The pike units target number is 5 and 6. The knight rolls 3 dice. The results are a 1, 2, and 5. The pike unit would be flipped to his reduced side for the hit scored for the 5 result.

If a leader is stacked with a unit, the unit always takes the hit, unless the unit is eliminated and there are hits still remaining to be allocated, at which point the leader would take the hit. Any remaining hits would be lost.

Schiltron

Only pike units may form schiltron. Schiltron may only be formed in clear terrain. Pike units in schiltron may only move 1 hex per turn. Pike units in schiltron subtract 1 die when attacking other units. Pike in schiltron may not be charged. All units attacking pike in schiltron subtract 1 die.

Longbow Line of Sight

Longbow units must have a clear line of sight to be able to attack units 2 hexes away. Clear line of sight is defined as straight line through the center of the hex from the attacking unit to the target unit, free of blocking terrain. Blocking terrain is forest and Bannockburn Village. Units do not block line of sight. Longbow units in adjacent hexes to defending units may always attack as terrain does not affect line of sight for units this close. If blocking terrain is located in a hex between the two units then line of sight is blocked. If line of sight falls along a hex side then line of sight is blocked if both hexes adjacent to the hex side have blocking terrain. If only one hex side has blocking terrain then the line of sight is clear and the longbow unit may fire.

Charge

Leaders, knights and ax units may charge. It costs 2 AP to charge. A charge allows leader, ax and knight units to move their full movement allowance to end the move adjacent to an enemy unit and attack, following all movement, terrain and combat rules. The charging unit cannot start the turn adjacent to any enemy units. They may only charge defending units located in clear terrain. The charging unit cannot enter a hex with potholes during the charge move. Units in schiltron may not be charged. During the charge the attacking unit is disordered if its attack die rolls result in two or more 1's being rolled, and a disordered marker is placed on the unit.

Disordered Effects

Units that have a disordered marker on them are -1 to their target hit numbers if attacked while disordered. The disordered marker is removed from the unit at the beginning of its next turn.

For example: A knight with a disordered marker on it has a target hit number of 5 and 6 instead of just 6.

Rally

Leaders may rally reduced units. To rally, a unit must begin its turn in the same hex with the leader. The unit and leader may not perform any other action during the turn. It cost one AP to attempt to rally. After spending the AP the player rolls 1 die. On a roll of 1 – 3, the reduced unit is flipped to its full strength side. On a roll of 4 – 6 the unit fails to rally. Following the attempt, neither the leader, nor the unit may perform any other action that turn. Eliminated units may not be rallied. Units adjacent to enemy units may not be rallied.

9. Leaders

Leaders move and fight like knight units. Leaders are removed from the game after one hit. Leaders may stack with any friendly unit.

Transcriber note: the printed text here ("removed from the game after one hit") is not reconciled in the rulebook with the leader combat rule in section 3 (a hit on a leader rolls one die, and it is eliminated only on a 4–6). Transcribed as printed.

Leader Casualties in Combat

If Robert the Bruce or King Edward II is eliminated, the leader's player must reduce his command action points available by 1 for future AP determination phases.

10. Scots Charge Rule

During any one turn of the game the Scots player may announce a Scots Charge turn. On the turn the Scots player announces this, each unit may move and attack for 1 AP, up to his turns AP limit. This may only be done once per game and is announced by the Scots player prior to rolling his random AP.

11. Victory Conditions

Victory Points are awarded for eliminating enemy units:

• Robert the Bruce or King Edward II = 6 VP
• Knight or other leader = 3 VP
• Pike, ax, or hobelar = 2 VP
• Longbow, crossbow = 1 VP

The English player receives 1 VP for each unit exited off of the map board edge with the red arrow in it.

The player with the most VP at the end of 15 turns wins the game. The Scots player begins the game with 5 VP to reflect them laying siege to Stirling Castle (off board) and the English need to relieve the castle from the siege by exiting units through the hex with the red arrow.

As players earn VP, track them with their VP markers on the Game Track on the back of the box. Also, track turns with the Turn Marker on the Game Track found on the back of the box.

Gameplay Examples

Movement

Unit movement rates in clear terrain. It costs 1 MP to move each hex. (The printed page shows example moves for pike, knight, leader, longbow, and schiltron units across open clear terrain.)

Combat

Charge: The English player has 5 AP to spend. The English player has Knight A, 2 hexes from a Scottish pike unit that is not in schiltron. Knight A is not adjacent to any Scottish unit, and is therefore allowed to conduct a charge. The English player spends 2 AP to conduct the charge, reducing his AP total to 3.

Attack: The English player moves the knight adjacent to the Scottish pike unit and attacks, rolling 3 dice and hitting the pike unit on any rolls of 5 or 6. The result of the roll is a 4, 5, and 5. The pike unit is flipped for the first hit and eliminated on the second hit.

Ax attacking pike and leader stacked together: A Scottish Ax unit is adjacent to an English reduced pike unit that is stacked with an English leader. The Ax unit rolls 3 dice. The result of the roll is a 3, 5, and 6. The first hit of 5 would be applied to the reduced pike unit, eliminating it. The 6 can still be applied to the leader. Because it is a leader you roll again to see if the hit is applied. The English player rolls and the result is a 4, meaning the hit is applied and the leader is eliminated. (A result of 1-3 means no hit, 4-6 the hit is applied.)

Longbow attacking Scottish pike in schiltron, followed by English pike attack: The English player has 5 AP. He has a full strength pike unit adjacent to a Scottish pike unit in schiltron. Immediately behind the English pike unit is an English longbow unit. The English player spends 1 AP to attack with the longbow unit at his 2 hex range. The longbow unit can fire over his pike unit as units do not block line of sight. Normally the longbow would roll 2 dice when attacking, but because the Scottish pike unit is in schiltron he rolls 1 die on the attack. Pike units are hit on rolls of 5 and 6. The longbow unit rolls a 5 and the Scottish pike unit is reduced (but remains in schiltron).

With 4 AP remaining the English player spends another AP to attack the now reduced Scottish pike unit with the adjacent English pike unit. Normally the English pike would roll 2 dice when attacking but because the Scottish pike unit is still in schiltron he only rolls 1 die. The result of the roll is a 2, the English player misses and the Scottish pike lives to fight on!

During the Scottish player turn he has received 7 AP and decides to attack the English pike unit with the reduced Scottish pike unit in schiltron. He expends the 1 AP for the attack. Normally he would roll 2 dice, but because he is in schiltron he only rolls 1 die. Pike are hit on rolls of 5 and 6. The Scottish player rolls his 1 die and rolls a 6, a hit! The English player must reduce his pike unit and flips it to its reduced side.

Optional Rules

1. Longbow against schiltron: Do not subtract a die for Longbow units attacking a unit in schiltron.
2. Battle Events Table: If playing a two player game any time a 1 is rolled on the random action die roll for the active player, he rolls 2 dice and consults the table below and applies the result for this turn. If playing solitaire any time a 1 or a 2 is rolled on the random action die roll of the active player, he rolls 2 dice and consults the table below and applies the result for the turn.

Battle Events Table

Die Roll	Event
2	Rally two units, no roll or leader presence necessary.
3	Allow up to 3 pike units to move 1 hex and attack for 1 AP per unit.
4	All longbow units add 1 hex to their range when firing (LOS rules still apply).
5	All pike/ax and longbow/crossbow add 1 to their movement rate this turn.
6	Add 1 to the movement rate for any knight/leader/hobelar units.
7	Pike units not in schiltron add 1 die to their attacks for this turn.
8	All pike/ax and longbow/crossbow add 1 to their movement rate this turn.
9	Add 1 die to any charging units.
10	Add 1 die to all longbow attacks this turn.
11	Add 1 to the movement rate for any knight/leader/hobelar units.

Solitaire Play

Scotland Rising sets up well for solitaire play. Play each side to the best of your ability. It is recommended that you use the Battle Events Table when playing solitaire to add randomness and chaos your game play. With the random action die roll and the event table it makes game play less predictable.