The Grunwald Swords Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
• 2.0 Components
  • 2.1 Mapsheet
  • 2.2 Unit Counters
  • 2.3 Command Markers
  • 2.4 Initiative Marker
  • 2.5 Suppression Markers
  • 2.6 UTMM & CRT
• 3.0 Sequence of Play
• 4.0 Command Phase
  • 4.1 Wings
  • 4.2 Wing Integrity
    • Advanced Wing Integrity
  • 4.3 Bonus Command
  • 4.4 Limitations
• 5.0 Move Phase
  • 5.1 Stacking Limit
  • 5.2 Zones of Control
  • 5.3 Map Edge
  • 5.4 Reinforcements
  • 5.5 Shield Wall & Suppression
  • 5.6 Second Move Phase
• 6.0 Withdraw Phase
• 7.0 Combat Phase
  • 7.1 Procedure
  • 7.2 Declaration
  • 7.3 CC Determination
  • 7.4 DRM Determination
  • 7.5 Attack Roll and Results
  • 7.6 Retreats
  • 7.7 Second or Pitched Combat Phase
  • 7.8 Advancing After Combat
• 8.0 Shield Wall Phase
• 9.0 Fire Phase
  • 9.1 Declaration
  • 9.2 Fire Roll and Results
  • 9.3 Suppression
• 10.0 Horse Phase
• 11.0 Initiative Phase
• 12.0 Terrain Features
  • 12.1 High Ground
  • 12.2 Rivers
  • 12.3 Trenches
• 13.0 Victory Check
  • 13.1 Earning VP
  • 13.2 Rules Revision
• Shields & Swords & Charts
  • Unit Type Modifier Matrix (DRM)
  • Combat Class Modifiers
  • Combat Die Roll Modifiers
  • Fire Roll Modifiers
  • Combat Results Table

1.0 Introduction

Shields & Swords II is a low-complexity, quick-playing, coarse-grain look at medieval linear warfare that strives to be mussless and fussless. Command Markers dictate which actions are performed by which Units in a given turn; troop discipline and leadership quality is abstracted via the mix of Command Markers each player has available, and the number that can be played for a given Wing. Other than that, it generally utilizes concepts common to other historical wargames.

Please note that scale, both in terms of distance-per-hex and men-per-counter, varies wildly from one battle to the next. Troop estimates from the period are dodgy at best, and primary sources can differ wildly on who was there, where "there" was, and even who won. (For example, Saucourt-en-Vimeu is a decisive Frankish victory in every account except the Annals of St. Bertin, which records it as being a humiliating defeat.) The aim of the series is not to capture the minutia of what happened, but to create a plausible and playable version of the events that captures the broad strokes. The Units for opposing sides are merely representative of possible troop numbers in relation to one another.

2.0 Components

Each battle is played with a mapsheet, a set of counters, and these rules. Each battle will also have its own special rules. Combat is resolved using an eight-sided die.

2.1 Mapsheet

A hex-grid is superimposed over each mapsheet to regulate movement, combat, and terrain.

2.2 Unit Counters

Each Player will control certain Units per the Battle Rules. Units are represented by double-sided counters which impart certain pieces of information about their capabilities.

• Background color: Indicates the Wing to which the Unit belongs.
• Combat Class: Ranging from "AA" (very good) to "D" (very bad).
• Fire Factor: Numerical rating representing the ability to fire.
• Crown Symbol: Indicates the Unit is led by or contains a powerful noble or leader whose capture and ransom (or execution) is desirable for the opposing army.
• Unit Type: Indicated both by a letter-code and the illustration.
  • Veteran (V): Well-disciplined, well-armed, well-experienced.
  • Levy (L): Badly-disciplined, badly-armed, inexperienced.
  • Infantry (I): Well-drilled if lightly-armored soldiers.
  • Heavy Horse (HH): Heavily-armored shock troops.
  • Light Horse (LH): Lightly-armored skirmishers.

When these rules refer to a Horse Unit without specifying Heavy or Light, we're talking about both types.

Units typically begin the game on their Fresh side. When they suffer a Step Loss, the counter is flipped to its reduced side, indicated by the stripe. Reduced Units that suffer a Step Loss are Eliminated.

Once the game has begun, neither player may examine the reverse sides of Unit counters, and must flip them blindly when losses are resolved.

2.3 Command Markers

Each player has a set of Command Markers specified by the battle rules. These determine which Phases can be assigned to a Wing(s) during their Player Turn. Commands are double-sided, and thus limit the combination of phases that are available. For example, in many games the reverse of the Combat Command Marker is the Withdraw Command Marker, which prevents a Wing from performing Withdraw and Combat in the same turn.

The Command Markers are: Move, Combat, Shield Wall, Withdraw, Horse, Fire and Bonus.

2.4 Initiative Marker

The Initiative Marker may be used by the player who possesses it to take a second full turn in a row; when they do so, their opponent takes possession of the marker. The battle rules will indicate which player starts with Initiative.

2.5 Suppression Markers

Suppression Markers are placed during the Fire Phase and provide a bonus to enemies that target that Unit in Combat. Suppressed Units can only move one hex.

2.6 UTMM & CRT

Combat is resolved using the Unit Type Modifier Matrix (UTMM) and the Combat Results Table (CRT).

3.0 Sequence of Play

A match is played in a series of alternating Player Turns until one of the battle's ending conditions are met. Each Player Turn comprises the following phases, performed in the following order:

• COMMAND PHASE (4.0): The Player assigns Commands to their Wings.
• ACTION PHASES: The Player carries out the Commands they assigned, in the following order:
  • Fire Phase (9.0)
  • Horse Phase (10.0)
  • Withdraw Phase (6.0)
  • Shield Wall Phase (8.0)
  • Move Phase (5.0)
  • Second Move Phase (5.7)
  • Combat Phase (7.0)
  • Second/Pitched Combat Phase (7.7)
• VICTORY CHECK (13.0): The opposing player checks for Victory.
• INITIATIVE PHASE (11.0): If the Player holds the Initiative Marker, they may Declare Initiative during this Phase. If they do not Declare Initiative, or do not hold the marker, play passes to their opponent.

4.0 Command Phase

The battle rules will specify which Commands a Player has access to, how many Wings may receive Commands in a turn (usually one), and how many Commands they may play for their Wing(s) (usually two). The chosen Commands are placed in front of the player with their relevant sides up, and these will determine which Action Phases - in the order given in 3.0 - are performed by the activated Wing(s) on that Player Turn. These markers remain in place until their next Command Phase, at which point they are taken back into their possession; Commands are never lost or expended unless specified in the battle rules.

4.1 Wings

Each Wing that a player controls is considered a distinct entity for the purposes of issuing Commands; phases chosen for one Wing are not performed for another. If the battle rules allow multiple Wings to be activated, each Wing must receive its own Commands. If multiple Wings receive Commands for the same action, then each Wing resolves the chosen action in the same phase. (Again, in 90% of battles you only assign Commands to one Wing, so this isn't a rule you're going to use often.)

4.2 Wing Integrity

At the beginning of each Phase in a player's turn, the acting player must ascertain that their Levy and Infantry Units (for all Wings) satisfy one of the following two conditions:

• They are within six hexes of at least one Veteran or Horse Unit belonging to their Wing, or
• They are within four hexes of at least two Levy or Infantry Units belonging to their Wing.

Levy and Infantry Units that do not satisfy these conditions are Eliminated; these Eliminations do count toward Victory Conditions.

This rule is often overlooked but is very critical.

Advanced Wing Integrity

This rule results in a faster and more dynamic game than the rule above. Simply put: to satisfy Wing Integrity, Levy and Infantry Units must be within two hexes of two other Units belonging to their Wing, or failing that, adjacent to a Veteran or Horse Unit belonging to their Wing. As above, failure to satisfy the condition results in Elimination. This rule is optional when playing The Grunwald Swords, Battles on the Ice, and The Great Heathen Army, and should not be used at all in House of Normandy or the "Cynwit" scenario of Great Heathen Army. In games published after Great Heathen Army, this rule supplants the original Wing Integrity rule completely and should always be used unless scenario special rules indicate that Wing Integrity is to be ignored.

4.3 Bonus Command

A player may use their Bonus Command Marker as one of the Commands they are allowed to play on their turn. This marker works in conjunction with one other played Command to modify that command as follows:

• Bonus + Fire: Firing Units add one to their roll.
• Bonus + Horse: Heavy Horse increase their CC by two and Light Horse by one when Charging.
• Bonus + Withdraw: Units may Withdraw two hexes instead of one.
• Bonus + Shield Wall: Units in EZOC may Withdraw one hex when forming Shield Wall.
• Bonus + Move: The Wing performs a second Move Phase after the first.
• Bonus + Combat: The Wing either performs a second Combat Phase after the first, or performs a single Pitched Combat Phase.

4.4 Limitations

Even in battles where a player has more than one Command marker for the same phase, they may never assign the same phase twice to a single Wing.

5.0 Move Phase

A Wing assigned a Move Command performs one Move Phase; a Wing assigned Bonus + Move performs two Move Phases (distinct and separate) one after the other. During a single Move Phase, any, all, or none of the Wing's Units may move up to three hexes, provided their movement is not restricted by enemies, terrain (12.0), Shield Wall, or Suppression.

5.1 Stacking Limit

Only one Unit may occupy a given hex. A Unit may move through a hex occupied by a friendly Unit, but may not end its movement within that hex. A Unit may never move through or enter a hex occupied by an enemy Unit.

5.2 Zones of Control

Each Unit exerts a Zone of Control (ZOC) into the six hexes surrounding it. When a Unit enters an Enemy Zone of Control (EZOC) they must end their Movement for the current Move Phase. Units that begin the Move Phase in EZOC may not move. Units may not move through a friendly Unit's hex if that hex is in EZOC.

5.3 Map Edge

Unless specified in the battle rules, Units may not leave the map for any reason during any phase. If a Unit is required to retreat off the map as a result of Combat, they suffer a Step Loss instead.

5.4 Reinforcements

Some battles allow for reinforcements. The first hex entered counts as one of the three hexes that Unit may move in a Phase.

5.5 Shield Wall & Suppression

Units in Shield Wall may not move during the Move Phase. Suppressed Units may only move one hex.

5.6 Second Move Phase

The first Move Phase must be completely resolved for all relevant Wings before a second Move Phase is performed.

6.0 Withdraw Phase

A Wing assigned a Withdraw Command performs one Withdraw Phase, in which any, all, or none of that Wing's Units which begin the Phase in EZOC may move one hex (two if Bonus + Withdraw), provided they move away from EZOC, never enter EZOC, and end the Phase completely free of EZOC.

7.0 Combat Phase

A Wing assigned a Combat Command performs one Combat Phase; a Wing assigned Bonus + Combat either performs two Combat Phases (separate and distinct) one after the other, or performs a single Pitched Combat Phase.

During the Combat Phase, Units may make Attacks on adjacent enemy Units according to the procedure outlined below. Combat is never mandatory.

7.1 Procedure

Each Attack in a single Combat Phase is declared and resolved separately; the player is not required to declare all Attacks for a Phase ahead of time. Each Attack is resolved by performing the following steps in order:

7.2 Declaration

Each Attack has a single target (an enemy Unit) and one or more adjacent Attackers. During a single Combat Phase, each Unit may participate in one, and only one, Attack: each friendly Unit may serve as Attacker only once, and each enemy Unit may be the target only once.

Multiple friendly Units that belong to the same active Wing may together Attack the targeted enemy Unit:

• The Attacking Unit with the best unmodified CC is the Primary Unit.
• All other Attacking Units are Participating Units.
• Horse Units may participate in attacks made by one another, but may not participate in attacks made by non-Horse Units, and vice-versa.
• If multiple Units have the same best unmodified CC, the active player chooses which is Primary.
• When multiple Wings are activated together (in battles that allow for this), they may only participate in Attacks made by their own Wing.

7.3 CC Determination

The Primary Unit's base Combat Class is increased (B becomes A) according to the following:

• +1 if target is Suppressed
• +1 if Pitched Combat Phase
• +1 if attacking Downhill (12.1)

The Primary Unit's base Combat Class is decreased (A becomes B) according to the following:

• -1 if target is in Shield Wall
• -1 if Attacker is in Shield Wall

These modifiers are cumulative. Determine the net modification before applying it (a B-class Unit with a +2 and a -1 becomes an A-class Unit). A Unit's CC cannot be improved beyond AA, nor degraded below F.

7.4 DRM Determination

Now it is time to determine the Die Roll Modifier (DRM) that will be applied to the attack roll:

• Cross-reference the Unit Type of the Primary Unit with that of the target on the Unit Type Modifier Matrix; this will yield a modifier ranging from +2 (bad) to -1 (good).
• -1 for each Participating Unit of the same base CC as the Primary Unit.
• -1 for every two Participating Units of a lower CC (round up).

These modifiers are cumulative. Some games will have additional DRMs.

Example: Myrtle has two A-class Veterans and one B-class Levy attacking an enemy Levy. One of the A-class Units is her Primary Unit. She consults the Unit Type Modifier Matrix and gets a favorable -1. Her second A-class Unit gives her another -1. She has one Unit with a lower CC, the B-class Unit; she gets another -1 as it's for every two Units, rounding up. This results in a coveted net DRM of -3.

7.5 Attack Roll and Results

The Player rolls one die, applies the DRM, and cross-references the result with the modified CC of the Primary Unit on the Combat Results Table; the indicated result is then applied. Results that indicate a "D" apply to the defending target Unit; results that indicate an "A" apply to Attacking Units:

• DE/AE: The Unit is Eliminated; remove it from play. In the case of AE, the owning player chooses one of the Attacking Units to be Eliminated.
• DL/AL: The Unit loses one Step. Fresh Units are flipped to their reduced side, while reduced Units are Eliminated as above. In the case of AL, the owning player chooses one of the Attacking Units to lose a Step.
• DR/AR: The Unit Retreats (7.6). In the case of AR, all Attacking Units must Retreat.
• EX: The target loses one Step, and one Attacking Unit (owning player's choice) loses one Step.
• NE: No Effect.

Some of these results may be modified depending on the circumstances and the type of Units in play.

• If an NE or DR result has an asterisk (*) and the target of the attack is in Shield Wall, the Attacker may, at their option, treat this as an EX result instead (each side resolves a step-loss).
• If a Heavy Horse Unit is Primary Attacker, and the result is EX, the attacker may, at their option, treat this as a DR result instead (causing the target unit to retreat). Note that all the rules governing Retreats in 7.6 apply, including Step-Losses when unable to Retreat. Flanking is your friend.
• If a Light Horse Unit is Primary Attacker, and the result is EX, the attacker may, at their option, treat this as an AR result instead (causing all attacking units to retreat).
• If a Light Horse Unit is Defending, and the result is EX, the defender may, at their option, treat this as a DR result instead (causing the target unit to retreat).

7.6 Retreats

A defending Unit forced to Retreat must move their Unit one (and only one) hex away from all Attacking Units, and away from all EZOC; Attacking Units forced to Retreat must each move one (and only one) hex away from the defending Unit, and away from all EZOC. Units may not move through or "push" friendly Units.

If unable to satisfy all conditions of the Retreat, the Unit does not move and instead loses a Step. However: Units in Shield Wall ignore all Retreats without penalty.

7.7 Second or Pitched Combat Phase

Playing Bonus + Combat Commands allows a Wing to either perform two Combat Phases in tandem, or one Pitched Combat Phase.

A second Phase is only performed after the first Combat Phase has been completely resolved.

Per rule 7.3, a Pitched Combat Phase increases the base CC of Primary Units by one level. It is otherwise exactly like a normal Combat Phase.

Once-in-a-blue-moon edge case: If a battle allows multiple Wings to be activated in the same turn, and one or more of those Wings are assigned Bonus + Combat, and one Wing chooses to perform a Pitched Combat and the other doesn't, or two Phases while the other doesn't, or any other combination where the timing of the thing might be important, then the first Combat Phase is performed for all relevant Wings, then the second Combat Phase, then the Pitched Combat Phase. This will probably never come up in actual play.

7.8 Advancing After Combat

When an enemy Unit is Eliminated or Retreats during an Attack, one of the Attacking Units may move into the vacated hex, regardless of EZOCs (except as noted below). Defenders that have repelled or Eliminated their Attacker(s) do not Advance. Units in Shield Wall may not Advance, and Units may not Advance uphill if there is EZOC exerted on the hex (12.1). Charging Heavy Horse Units are required to Advance if possible, but for all other Units this is voluntary.

8.0 Shield Wall Phase

A Wing assigned a Shield Wall Command performs one Shield Wall Phase. Until the beginning of that player's next turn, all non-Horse Units without a Fire Factor belonging to that Wing are in Shield Wall:

• They fight at -1 CC (7.3).
• Enemy Units attacking them fight at -1 CC (7.3).
• They ignore all Retreats (7.6).
• They may never advance (7.8).
• Enemy Fire subtracts one from their Fire Roll (9.2).
• They may not Move during a Move Phase (5.6).

During the Shield Wall Phase, the Wing's Units eligible for Shield Wall may move one hex provided they do not begin the Phase in EZOC (however, Bonus + Shield Wall allows them to Withdraw one hex from EZOC instead; some Units may move if eligible and some may Withdraw).

Note again that Horse Units and Units with a Fire Factor cannot go into Shield Wall; as a mnemonic, the Units which can go into Shield Wall have shields on their counter illustrations.

"Shield Wall" as a game concept does not in every battle necessarily represent the tactic that was largely restricted to the early medieval period, but rather the general idea of a strong defensive posture.

9.0 Fire Phase

A Wing assigned a Fire Command performs one Fire Phase. Any, all, or none of the Wing's Units that possess a Fire Factor may conduct one instance of Fire Combat against an enemy Unit. Each Fire is declared and resolved separately, performing the following steps in order:

9.1 Declaration

Each Firing Unit may fire only once in a Fire Phase; however, the same enemy Unit may be targeted by multiple firing Units in the same Phase. Only Units that are not adjacent to enemy Units may Fire, and they may only Fire on an enemy Unit that is up to four hexes distant (count the target hex, but not the Firing Unit's hex). Add two hexes to this distance if the Firing Unit occupies High Ground (12.1) and the target does not. (Light Horse Units in possession of a Fire Rating are not eligible for this range bonus.) In specific battles, certain types of Terrain may block Line of Sight and prevent Fire.

9.2 Fire Roll and Results

The active Player rolls one die for the Firing Unit, applying the following modifiers:

• -1 if target is in Shield Wall
• +1 if Firing non-Horse Unit occupies High Ground and target does not
• +1 if target is a Horse Unit
• +1 if Bonus Counter used with Fire Phase

These modifiers are cumulative. If the result meets or exceeds the Fire Factor of the Firing Unit, the target becomes Suppressed: place a Suppression marker on the target. Fire has no effect on Units that are already Suppressed.

9.3 Suppression

When Suppressed Units are Attacked in Combat, the Primary Unit's CC is increased by 1 (7.3). Units that are Suppressed may only move one hex per Phase, and cannot Attack. All Suppression Markers are removed from all of a Player's Units at the end of their Player Turn.

10.0 Horse Phase

A Wing assigned a Horse Command performs one Horse Phase. Any, all, or none of the Wing's Horse Units may move three hexes. Units that begin in EZOC may move, but must stop if they enter EZOC. Exception: Heavy Horse EZOC prevents movement for all adjacent enemy Horse Units in the Horse Phase.

After resolving the Horse Phase move, any activated Horse Units that are now in EZOC (including those friendly Horse that did not move) may Attack enemy Units. This is called a Charge; it is resolved as a normal Attack.

If Bonus + Horse is used, Charging Heavy Horse get +2 CC, and Charging Light Horse +1 CC.

Note that the Horse Phase is distinct from the Move and Combat Phases, and does not preclude the Horse Units from taking part in those Phases.

11.0 Initiative Phase

The player who possesses the Initiative Marker has Initiative. During their Initiative Phase, they may Declare Initiative. The Initiative Marker is passed to their opponent, then the declaring player takes a second full Player Turn.

Holding Initiative, and using or not using it, often has special effects as indicated in the battle rules.

12.0 Terrain Features

Terrain features and effects vary depending on the battle. The most common features and their standard effects are as follows.

12.1 High Ground

High Ground represents elevated terrain features. Moving or attacking from a lower level to a higher one is called uphill, and the reverse, downhill. Units attacking uphill may not advance into a vacated hex unless in doing so they enter no EZOC. Units attacking downhill get +1 CC in the Combat Phase; Firing Units get +2 hexes to their range and +1 to the die roll.

12.2 Rivers

Rivers are impassable except at a bridge or ford (unless noted). Units do not project ZOC across the impassable hexsides and cannot attack across them.

12.3 Trenches

Trenches are a hexside feature; Units attacking across them do so at -2 CC.

13.0 Victory Check

Game End and Victory Conditions will vary from battle to battle. Generally speaking, however, in most games a player achieves their Victory Condition (winning the game) by having reached or exceeded a certain number of Victory Points (VP) when making a Victory Check. Unless indicated otherwise, the player checks for Victory on their opponent's turn, after all Action Phases but before the Initiative Phase.

13.1 Earning VP

Victory Points are usually earned for Eliminated enemy Units, with different point values awarded per specific battle or game rules. Units with a Crown symbol on the reverse are always worth 2 more VP than other Units of that type. For example, if a Horse Unit is worth 3 VP per the battle rules, a Horse Unit with a Crown is worth 5 VP.

13.2 Rules Revision

Some battle rules will say to check for victory "at the end of your opponent's turn, before the Initiative Phase" or along similar lines. This means precisely the same thing as checking during the Victory Check as specified in this book's Sequence of Play; those games were published before these standard rules were revised in August 2019.

Shields & Swords & Charts

Unit Type Modifier Matrix (DRM)

Attacking Unit ↓ / Defending Unit →	V	L	I	HH	LH
V	+1	-1	-1	+1	+0
L	+1	+1	+1	+2	+1
I	+1	+0	+1	+1	+0
HH	+0	-1	+0	+0	-1
LH

Combat Class Modifiers

Up one level:

• Pitched Battle
• Suppressed Target
• Attacking Downhill
• Bonus + Horse for Light Horse

Down one level:

• Defender in Shield Wall
• Attacker in Shield Wall

Up two levels:

• Bonus + Horse for Heavy Horse

Combat Die Roll Modifiers

• Per UTMM
• -1 for support of same CC
• -1 for every two supports of lower CC (round up)

Fire Roll Modifiers

• -1 if target in Shield Wall
• +1 versus Horse
• +1 if High Ground
• +1 Bonus + Fire

Combat Results Table

CC	-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8+
AA	DE	DE	DE	DL	DL	DL	DR	DR	NE	NE	NE
A	DE	DE	DL	DL	DL	DR	DR

DE/AE: Defender/Attacker Eliminated. DL/AL: Defender/Attacker Step-Loss. DR/AR: Defender/Attacker Retreat. EX: Exchange. NE: No Effect. (DR* and NE* may be treated as EX if Defender in Shield Wall.)