War of the Triple Alliance: Paraguay – 1865-1870 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.2 Scale
  • 1.3 Terminology
  • 1.4 D-10
• 2.0 Components
  • 2.1
  • 2.2
  • 2.3 Seating
  • 2.4 Counters
  • 2.5 Sample Combat Unit
  • 2.6 Nationality & Sides
  • 2.7 Historical Identifications
  • 2.8
  • 2.9 Unit Types
  • 2.10
  • 2.11
  • 2.12 Other Counters
• 3.0 Set Up & Hex Control
  • 3.1
  • 3.2 Allied Reinforcements
  • 3.3 Allied On-Map Starting Forces
  • 3.4 Paraguayan Set Up
  • 3.5 Substitute Units & Holding Boxes
  • 3.6 Hex Control
• 4.0 How to Win
  • 4.1
  • 4.2 Sudden Death Paraguayan Victory
  • 4.3 Victory & Defeat via Victory Points (VP)
  • 4.4 Allied Victory Point Awards & Debits
• 5.0 Turn Sequence
  • 5.1
  • 5.2
  • 5.3 Game Turn I Special Rules
  • 5.4 Ending a Game
• 6.0 Stacking & Fog of War
  • 6.1
  • 6.2 When Stacking Matters
  • 6.3 Free-Stacking Units
  • 6.4 Fog of War
• 7.0 Attrition & Supply
  • 7.1
  • 7.2 Attrition Procedure
  • 7.3 Attrition Die Roll Modifiers (DRM)
  • 7.4 Supply Units & Attrition
  • 7.5 Tracing Supply Lines
  • 7.6 Late-Year Game Turns
  • 7.7 Terrain & Attrition
  • 7.8 Paraguayan Fortresses & Attrition
  • 7.9 Allied Depot Towns
  • 7.10
  • 7.11 Supply & Combat
  • 7.12 Allied Ultimate Supply Source Hexes
• 8.0 Off-Map Events
  • 8.1
  • 8.2 Matto Grosso Invasion
  • 8.3 Mendoza Rebellion
• 9.0 Allied Reinforcements
  • 9.1
  • 9.2 Reinforcement Entry Procedures
• 10.0 Replacements
  • 10.1
  • 10.2 Replacement Strictures
  • 10.3 Replacement Rates
  • 10.4 Replacement Costs
  • 10.5 Replacing Supply Units
  • 10.6 Allied Replacement Entry
  • 10.7 Paraguayan Replacement Entry
• 11.0 Ground Unit Movement
  • 11.1
  • 11.2 Limits
  • 11.3 Minimum Movement Ability
  • 11.4 Enemy Units
  • 11.5 Stack & Substitute Unit Movement
  • 11.6 Splitting Stacks
  • 11.7 Different MF in Stacks
  • 11.8 Terrain & Movement
  • 11.9 Natural Terrain & Hydrography
  • 11.10
  • 11.11
  • 11.12
• 12.0 Riverine Movement
  • 12.1
  • 12.2 Riverine Movement & Combat Limits
  • 12.3 Riverine Movement Costs
  • 12.4 Riverine Transport of Ground Units
  • 12.5 Transported Ground Units
  • 12.6 Paraguayan Armed Raft Riverine Units
  • 12.7 Running the Guns
• 13.0 Combat
  • 13.1
  • 13.2 Three Combat Phases
  • 13.3 Multiple Defenders in One Hex
  • 13.4 Multi-Hex Attacks
  • 13.5 Indivisibility of Units
  • 13.6 Attack Sequencing
  • 13.7 Stacks Attacking
  • 13.8 No Withdrawal Before Combat
  • 13.9 Combat Procedures
  • 13.10 Poor Odds Attacks
  • 13.11 Combat Die Roll Modifiers (DRM)
  • 13.12 Odds Limits & Extreme Odds DRM

1.0 Introduction

1.2 Scale

Each hexagon on the map represents approximately 15.5 miles (25 kilometers) from side to opposite side. The ground units of maneuver for both sides are primarily battalions, along with some nominal "brigades" and "divisions," which are actually all really battalion-equivalents themselves. Each riverine unit represents one naval combat vessel or several armed rafts or transport ships. Game Turn 1 represents three months, while each one after that represents half a year.

1.3 Terminology

If a rule is said to apply to "all Allied units" or "all units of the Allied side," etc., it means all Argentine, Brazilian and Uruguayan units are equally affected by it.

1.4 D-10

Note that all rules in this game use a 10-sided die. For those who don't have any 10-sided dice, a set of appropriately numbered chits has been provided within the counter-mix. Also note that, on both the chits and on normally denominated 10-sided dice, the numbers presented are "0" (zero) through "9." So, no mater if rolling a die or pulling a chit, always treat a "0" (zero) as a "0". The possible outcomes thereby run from "0" (low) to "9" (high). Players should underline the "6" and "9" numeric counters in order to make their rapid differentiation easier.

2.0 Components

2.1

The components to a complete game of TAW include these rules, the mapsheet and 280 die-cut counters (which are also referred to as "units" and "unit counters"). Players may wish to provide themselves with a 10-sided die to resolve combat and other probabilistic game events (see 1.4 above).

2.2

The Game Map illustrates the militarily significant terrain found in the "tri-border area" of South America when viewed at these time and space scales. A hexagonal ("hex") grid is printed over the map to regulate the placement and movement of units across it, much as in Chess and Checkers. A unit is considered to be in only one hex at any one time.

Each hex contains natural or manmade terrain and water features that can affect the movement of units and combat between units. The various terrains and water features on the map have had their exact real-world configurations altered slightly in order to make them coincide with the hex-grid, but the relationships among the terrain and water bodies from hex to hex are accurate to the degree necessary to present players with the same space/time dilemmas faced by their historic counterparts in the real war.

Also note every hex on the map has a unique four-digit identification number printed within it. They're provided to help find exact locations more quickly and to allow for the recording of unit positions if a match has to be taken down before it can be completed. For example, the town of Itapua is in hex 2534; while the town of Corrientes is in hex 1335.

2.3 Seating

The Paraguayan player should sit along the map's north edge, facing south, with the Allied player sitting and facing opposite him on the south.

2.4 Counters

There are 273 unit-counters in the game, most of which represent combat formations. Others are provided as informational markers and memory aids. There are also two additional errata and variant counters included for use in other, previously published, games.

After reading these rules at least once, carefully punch out the counters. Trimming off the "dog ears" from their corners with a fingernail clipper will facilitate easier handling and stacking during play and also enhances their appearance.

2.5 Sample Combat Unit

Each combat unit-counter displays several pieces of information: nationality (and therefore the "side" each unit is on), specific historic identification, unit type and size, attack and defense strengths and movement allowance.

2.6 Nationality & Sides

Each unit's nationality, and therefore the side for which it fights, is shown by its background color.

• Paraguayan Units
  • Ground Units: scarlet
  • Riverine Units: light-red
• Allied Units
  • Argentine Units
    • Regular Ground Units: dark-blue
    • National Guard Ground Units: sky-blue
    • Riverine Units: medium-blue
  • Brazilian Units
    • Regular Ground Units: dark-green
    • National Guard Ground Units: light-green
    • Riverine Units: medium-green
  • Uruguayan Units
    • All Units: gray

2.7 Historical Identifications

All units are given their specific identifications by numbers or abbreviations of their historic designations or names to the right of their unit-type boxes. The abbreviations are as follows.

Paraguayan Ground Units

• A: Angostura Fortress & Garrison
• 40A: 40th "Asuncion" Battalion
• AC: Aca Caraya ("Monkey Heads")
• AV: Aca Vera ("Shining Heads")
• C: Curupayty Fortress & Garrison
• Con: Congreve Rocket Artillery Regiment
• H: Humaita Fortress & Garrison
• Ipr: Itapiru Fortress & Garrison
• Ipu: Itapua Fortress & Garrison
• S: Sapper

Paraguayan Riverine Units

• I: Iguarey Riverine Steamer
• Ip: Ipora Riverine Steamer
• J: Jejui Riverine Steamer
• M: Marquis de Olinda Riverine Steamer
• P: Paraguari Riverine Steamer
• T: Riverine Transport Vessels
• Te: Tecuari Riverine Steamer

Argentine Ground Units

• B: Buenos Aires Province
• CA: Confederacion Argentina
• CP: Corrientes Province
• EP: Entrerrios Province
• GN: Guardia Nacional
• LM: Legion Militar
• LV: Legion Voluntaria
• PL: Legion Paraguaya
• SM: San Martin

Argentine Riverine Units

• GN: Riverine warship Guardia Nacional
• P: Riverine warship Pampero
• T: Riverine Transport Vessels

Brazilian Ground Units

• Bh: Bahia Province
• BZ: Bahiano Zouaves
• C: Cacadores
• F: Fusileiros
• GN: Guardia Nacional
• Go: Goias Province
• MG: Matto Grosso Province
• Mi: Minas Gerais Province
• Pa: Paraiba Province
• Pe: Pernambuco Province
• Pi: Piaui Province
• PZ: Pernambuco Zouaves
• RG: Rio Grande de Norte Province
• Se: Sergipe Province
• SP: Sao Paulo Province

Brazilian Riverine Units

• A: Riverine Warship Amazonas
• Ar: Riverine Gunboat Araguari
• B: Riverine Gunboat Beberibe
• Be: Riverine warship Belmonte
• Br: Riverine Ironclad Brazil
• Bs: Riverine Ironclad Barroso
• Cb: Riverine Ironclad Cabral
• Ce: Riverine Monitor Ceara
• H: Riverine Corvette Herval
• I: Riverine Gunboat Ivai
• Ig: Riverine Warship Iguacu
• J: Riverine Warship Jequitinhonha
• LB: Riverine Turreted Warship Lima Barros
• M: Riverine Gunboat Mearim
• MB: Riverine Corvette Mariz e Barros
• N: Riverine Warship Niteroi
• P: Riverine warship Parnahyba
• Pr: Riverine Monitor Para
• R: Riverine Warship Racife
• RG: Riverine Monitor Rio Grande
• Rj: Riverine Ironclad Rio de Janeiro
• S: Riverine Turreted Warship Silvado
• Ta: Riverine Ironclad Tamandare
• Tc: Riverine Warship Tacuari
• VdO: Riverine Armored Corvette Vidal de Oliveira
• Yg: Riverine Gunboat Yguatemi
• Yp: Riverine Gunboat Ypiranga

Uruguayan Ground Units

(There are no Uruguayan Riverine Units.)

• 24A: 24th April
• CS: Castro
• FL: Florida
• GV: Garibaldi Volunteers
• IA: Independencia
• Li: Libertad

2.8

Ground unit organizational sizes are shown by the following symbols: XX (division); X (brigade); III (regiment); II (battalion). Note that, in actuality, every ground unit in the game, no matter what organizational size-symbol is shown for it (a function of national and service-branch nomenclature) is, by commonly accepted standards, either a battalion or approximate battalion-equivalent.

2.9 Unit Types

All units in the game belong to two basic mobility categories: ground or riverine. That distinction is important for replacement, movement and combat considerations; see sections 9.0 through 13.0 for details.

Ground Unit Types: Infantry, Engineer, Cavalry, Field Artillery, Siege Artillery, Rocket Artillery, Supply, Fortress

Riverine Unit Types: Warship, Transport, Armed Raft

2.10

Attack Factors & Defense Factors, together called "combat factors," are the measures of a unit's ability to conduct offensive and defensive combat operations. Their uses are explained in section 13.0.

2.11

Movement Factor is a measure of a unit's ability to move across the hex grid printed over the map. Units pay varied movement costs to enter different hexes, depending on the terrain in each hex and any water along their sides. See sections 11.0 and 12.0 for details.

Old Hands Note. Every unit in the game, both ground and riverine, has one strength step. One unit always equals one step; one step always equals one unit.

2.12 Other Counters

The uses of the following counters are explained at appropriate points throughout the rest of the rules.

• "Game Turn" Marker (see section 5.0)
• Substitute Counter (see 3.5)
• "No Depot" Marker (see 7.9)

3.0 Set Up & Hex Control

3.1

Players should first decide which side each will control. After that they should take their own side's units and sort them onto and around the map according to the instructions given below. The Allied player should always begin and complete his side's set up before the Paraguayan player begins the other side's set up.

3.2 Allied Reinforcements

Units of the Allied side that enter play after the game has begun, rather than starting play already set up on the map, are called "reinforcements." Allied reinforcements can be distinguished from that side's starting units by the fact they (the reinforcements) have only a Roman numeral printed on their reverse sides, which refer to their game turns of entry into play.

Exception: Uruguayan units have the Roman numeral II and the four-digit Arabic number "2044" printed on their reverse sides. Those units are all still reinforcements; for details, see 9.2.

First during his set up, the Allied player should declare if he will launch a Matto Grosso invasion. See 8.2 for details on that. That issue resolved, he should then place all Allied reinforcement units directly into the correspondingly numbered boxes on the Turn Record Track printed on the mapsheet.

3.3 Allied On-Map Starting Forces

Place the four Argentine GN cavalry divisions with "1335-7" printed on their reverse sides in any hex(es) in Argentina within seven hexes of 1335 (which is the "depot town" of Corrientes). When counting hex ranges, don't count 1335 itself; start counting one-hex-away from it. So, for example, one, some, or all of the "1335-7" cavalry units could set up as far away from Corrientes as 1541, 1328, 2037, etc.

Use the same hex-counting principle when setting up all similarly enumerated units; also play close attention, though, to any accompanying national-territory limits.

Place the seven Brazilian ground units printed "2440-3 Brazil" on their reverse sides either directly in that hex or in any hexes in Brazilian territory within three hexes of it.

Place the total of 13 Brazilian and Argentine ground and riverine units labeled "1237 & South" on their reverse sides either directly in that hex or in any Parana River hexes south of there, down to and including 1042.

Place the four Brazilian GN cavalry divisions labeled "Any Brazil" in any hex(es) within the main portion of Brazilian territory shown on the map. They may not be set up in any of the small Brazilian territorial enclaves on the map's east and northeast edges; they may start only within the large swath of that nation's territory that lies south of Uruguay River.

Place off to the side, but within easy reach, the two Brazilian supply units labeled "Available" on their reverse sides. See 7.4, 8.2 and 10.5 for details of their entry into play.

To complete the Allied set up, place all nine of the white-on-green substitute units into the correspondingly numbered boxes within the Allied Substitute Units Holding Boxes printed on the mapsheet. See 3.5 below for details on the use of those holding boxes.

Within the strictures given above, Allied units from different set up groups may end up sharing hexes with each other.

3.4 Paraguayan Set Up

First the Paraguayan player should take his five fortress units and place each one directly into the hex printed on each one's reverse side. For example, the "H" (Humaita) fortress unit always starts directly in hex 1432; the "C" (Curupayty) fortress unit always starts directly in hex 1433, etc.

That done, he should then take the 11 Paraguayan riverine units, all of them labeled "1432" on their reverse sides, and place them directly into that hex. Third, he should set aside, within easy reach, the two Paraguayan supply units labeled "Available" on their reverse sides. See 10.5 for details of their entry and reentry into play. All other Paraguayan units are then set up by that player, within normal stacking limits (see section 6.0), in any hexes of Paraguay, including the fortress hexes.

3.5 Substitute Units & Holding Boxes

As you'll read when you get to section 6.0, the stacking limit in the game is generous. In order to keep unwieldy high stacks from collapsing all over the place each time the map surface is disturbed, players may choose to use (or not) the holding boxes and correspondingly numbered substitute units.

The general rule is, you may move units into or out of your side's holding boxes at any time during the game turn. To do so, simply pick up the units from a hex on the map to be put into a holding box, then take that correspondingly numbered substitute unit and put it into the just-vacated hex on the map.

The movement rate of a substitute unit is that of the slowest actual unit within it. When moving a substitute unit, you may drop off units at any time along the substitute's movement path. Similarly, within the overall slowest-movement-factor restriction given above, you may also pick up individual units or groups of units encountered along the movement path of a substitute unit; simply move such pick ups from the map to the box.

Note that all normal stacking limits apply to the units being held in the holding boxes. The substitute unit-counter itself, though, doesn't count for stacking; it's simply a marker. There should also never be a situation in which there's one or a stack of real units on the map along with a substitute unit, while still other units are in that substitute's box.

Players are not allowed to pick through their opponent's holding boxes; however, neither player is allowed to cover, or otherwise obscure, his opponent's view of any holding box. That is, since there are no "dummy" units in the game, players are allowed to gain a general appreciation of the size of the force being held in each box of the opposition, but they may not look through the boxes to gain details beyond that. Within each stack(s) in a holding box, the slowest unit should always be the top unit.

Players are allowed to make normal use of substitute units and their holding boxes during set up. Note, though, Paraguayan fortress units may never be put into any holding box; they are always kept on the map in their original hexes of placement until such time as they are eliminated in combat.

3.6 Hex Control

At the start of the game, the Paraguayan side "controls" ("owns") all the hexes in Paraguay; the Allied side controls all other hexes on the map. The control status of hex switches each time a unit from the other side enters it, which may occur and reoccur any number of times per game. Control status is important for awarding victory points and thereby determining the winner of the game (see next section). If a hex becomes empty of all units, it remains controlled by the last side to have had units in it until such time as a unit from the other side does enter it.

4.0 How to Win

4.1

The forces arrayed historically against Paraguay were so overwhelming we can conclude that the nation never had a real chance of defeating the Alliance. Accordingly, victory in the game is based on each player's overall performance when measured relative to those of his historic counterparts in the actual war. In other words, the Allied player is striving to bring on the defeat of Paraguay sooner than it occurred historically, while his opponent is at the same time trying to delay that decision beyond that date.

It should also be noted that, historically, the entire war lasted about a year beyond the termination date given for this simulation, which is early 1869. That last stage, however, was more of an occupation, and a futile insurrection waged against it, than it was an actual war. Accordingly, the end of what would today be called "conventional combat operations" has been taken as the game's end and is used as the point of victory reckoning.

4.2 Sudden Death Paraguayan Victory

Play stops, and the Paraguayan player is declared the winner, if at any instant he simultaneously controls all five of the following hexes: Asuncion (1826), Corrientes (1335), Goya (1241), Mercedes (1541) and Uruguayana (2044). Note he starts the game already controlling Asuncion. On the map all of those hexes are marked with a skull-and-crossbones icon to aid in their speedy identification.

4.3 Victory & Defeat via Victory Points (VP)

Failing the occurrence of a Paraguayan sudden death victory as described above in 4.2 (a rare thing), victory and defeat will be determined on the basis of the number of victory points accumulated by the Allied player at the end of Game Turn IX. Note that only the Allied player wins and losses VP; there is no separate Paraguayan VP total.

At the end of Game Turn IX, if the Allied player has zero or one victory point, that game is a Paraguayan victory. At the end of Game Turn IX, if the Allied player has two victory points, that game is a draw. At the end of Game Turn IX, if the Allied player has three or more victory points, that game is an Allied victory.

Note the Allied VP total prior to the end of Game Turn IX has no bearing on play, unless it becomes so extreme as to make one of the players believe his situation is hopeless and thereby moves him to capitulate.

4.4 Allied Victory Point Awards & Debits

The Allied player is awarded a total of one VP (+1) for eliminating all five Paraguayan fortress units. This VP is awarded to the Allied player the instant the last fortress is eliminated. Once earned by that player, this VP can never be forfeit, since fortresses can't be rebuilt within the timeframe of the game.

The Allied player is awarded one VP (+1) for controlling Asuncion (1826) at the end of Game Turn IX.

The Allied player is awarded one VP (+1) for controlling Curupaity (2622) at the end of Game Turn IX. Note this is not Curupayty fortress in hex 1433; this is the town of Curupaity in hex 2622.

The Allied player is awarded one VP (+1) for controlling Concepcion (1918) at the end of Game Turn IX.

The Allied player is awarded one VP (+1) if the Paraguayan player fails to defeat the Matto Grosso invasion during Game Turn V. This VP is awarded to the Allied player at the end of Game Turn V if the invasion has not been defeated. Once he has this VP, it can't be forfeit for any reason. See 8.2 for more details.

The Allied player is debited one VP (-1) for failing to suppress the Mendoza rebellion, should that rebellion occur. See 8.3 for more details.

Note that logistical and attritional considerations never have any (direct) effect on the awarding of any of the VP described in this entire rules section.

Design Note. Historically the game ended in what we're defining as a draw, with the Allied player getting one VP for Asuncion and another for having cleared all the fortresses. The Allies almost got a third VP, but their assault on the town of Curupaity was defeated due to the fact attrition had debilitated their assault force before it could complete that operation.

5.0 Turn Sequence

5.1

Each game turn of TAW is divided into two player turns of sequenced steps called "phases." Every action taken by a player must be carried out in the appropriate phase as described below. Once a player has finished a particular phase he may not go back to perform some forgotten action or redo a poorly executed one unless his opponent graciously permits it.

5.2

The Turn Sequence Outline is given below. Note the Paraguayan Player Turn is the first player turn during each game turn.

• I. Off-Map Event & Mutual Attrition Phase
• II. Paraguayan Player Turn
  • A. Paraguayan Reinforcement, Replacement & Movement Phase
  • B. Paraguayan First Combat Phase (all attacks +1 DRM)
  • C. Paraguayan Second Combat Phase
  • D. Paraguayan Third Combat Phase (all attacks -1 DRM)
• III. Allied Player Turn
  • A. Allied Reinforcement, Replacement & Movement Phase
  • B. Allied First Combat Phase (all attacks +1 DRM)
  • C. Allied Second Combat Phase
  • D. Allied Third Combat Phase (all attacks -1 DRM)

5.3 Game Turn I Special Rules

Due to the fact Game Turn I represents only three months, rather than the regular six, the movement factors of all units on both sides are halved during that turn's movement phases. Round up any remainders when halving. And, yes, there are still three combat phases per player turn during Game Turn 1.

The attrition portion of the Off-Map Event & Mutual Attrition Phase is skipped on Game Turn 1.

Neither side receives any replacement points during Game Turn 1.

5.4 Ending a Game

Barring a sudden death Paraguayan victory (see 4.2), or the early capitulation of one of the players, the game ends and the winner is determined at the end of Game Turn IX (early 1869).

6.0 Stacking & Fog of War

6.1

Stacking is the word used to describe the piling of more than one friendly unit into a single hex at the same time. The general rule is each side may stack up to 26 units per hex. Note that combat strength, specific unit types, and general mobility category (ground or riverine) have no bearing on defining a "unit" for stacking purposes. Each unit in the game is considered one unit for stacking purposes. Stacking values also remain constant for all units no matter if their size-symbol is bracketed or not bracketed. Also note that, within the strictures given in section 12.0, riverine and ground units may stack together.

6.2 When Stacking Matters

The stacking rules for both sides are in effect only at the end of each movement phase, not during them. That means there is no limit on the number of units that may enter and pass through a given hex over the course of a movement phase, as long as the stacking limit is met in every hex at the end of every movement phase. Note, though, the stacking limit is also in effect for the units of both sides throughout every combat phase of a game turn. Similarly, stacking rules must also be observed when placing arriving reinforcement and/or replacement units into specific hexes on the map.

If any hex containing stacked units of either side is found to be "over stacked" (exceed the stacking limit given above) at any of the times described in the paragraph above, the opposing player is immediately allowed to remove to the dead pile his choice of the minimum number of involved enemy units necessary to bring the violating stacks back into limits.

The idea in the paragraph above is stacking violations should be noted and stopped before they're allowed to take place. If, however, a stacking violation is not seen until a movement phase ends, or is discovered at some other during combat resolution, etc., the transgressing player then suffers the penalty of unit elimination rather than just chastisement.

6.3 Free-Stacking Units

None of the counters pictured in rule 2.12 have any stacking value of their own. They may be added to any stack in accordance with the particular rules given for their uses.

6.4 Fog of War

The general rule here is you may not examine any enemy stack, meaning there's no looking beneath an enemy stack's top unit, both on the map and in the holding boxes, until such time as you commit yourself to launch an attack against it. Further, once that attack commitment has been declared, it can't be rescinded because of what was found once an examination of the enemy force under attack has been made. In this regard, also see rule 3.5.

7.0 Attrition & Supply

7.1

Starting with Game Turn II's Off-Map Event & Mutual Attrition Phase, both players should cooperate in examining the map and holding boxes and making an attrition die roll check for every hex and box that contains one or more units of either side. Always make any necessary checks for the Matto Grosso invasion and the Mendoza Rebellion prior to starting that turn's attrition check (see 8.2 and 8.3).

Of all the units in play on the map, only Paraguayan fortress units, but not any other units that also happen to be in their hex, are exempt from suffering attrition, though the fortress units themselves should be counted when determining how many units are in a given hex for attrition purposes (see 7.2 below). Reinforcement units don't suffer attrition until such time as they do enter play on the map; see section 9.0.

It doesn't matter if all of one side's units are checked before the checks of the other side's units are begun. It also doesn't matter if one player rolls all the checks for both sides' units while the other does the hex-designating and unit-counting, etc.

7.2 Attrition Procedure

To check a given hex for attrition, first count the number of units in it, then find the corresponding column heading on the Attrition Table printed on the mapsheet. Then determine a single cumulative die roll modifier, which may be zero, positive or negative, from among the one or more of the total of eight possible attrition modifiers. Roll the die, and find the numeric result by cross-indexing that (possibly) modified roll under the proper column. For example, if 17 units were in a hex, no die roll modifiers were involved, and the roll was a five, the numeric attrition result thereby obtained would be "7", which means the owning player would immediately have to remove any seven of those units (almost entirely his choice; see below) from that hex and place them into his dead pile. As with stacking rules, one unit is always one unit for attrition purposes, no matter its type, combat strengths, nationality, etc.

In general, in any given hex that is to suffer attrition, the units to be removed are up to the owning player; however, the exception is: no riverine unit may be given up to satisfy attrition losses until all ground units in that same hex have first been eliminated for that purpose. Further, if all the units in a hex that's being check for attrition are riverine units, that check gets a +3 die roll modifier (in addition to any and all other applicable die roll modifiers). Note that modifier is new and isn't shown among the data printed beneath the chart on the mapsheet.

7.3 Attrition Die Roll Modifiers (DRM)

All the attrition DRM that apply in a given hex are cumulative in their effect. For example, if it's a late-year game turn, and the hex in question is a marsh hex that's within the Chaco (see 7.10 below), that would be a total of -7 (minus seven) negative DRM. If, however, there was a supply unit among the units in the hex undergoing the check, and the owning player wanted to do so, he could announce he's "burning supply," which would give him a +3 (plus three) DRM, at the cost of immediately removing that supply unit (see 7.4 below). All that would total into a final DRM of -4 (minus four) for that roll. Note that rolls modified to a result less than zero are considered to be zero, while rolls modified to a result greater than 14 are considered to be 14.

7.4 Supply Units & Attrition

Prior to the die being rolled for an attrition check, if you have a supply unit in the hex being checked, you may declare you're "burning" (consuming) it in order to improve your logistical situation there. No matter how many supply units you happen to have in a hex undergoing an attrition check, no more than one DRM may be earned per check per hex by burning supply.

Note that supply units are counted when determining the number of units in a hex for attrition purposes, and the burning of a supply unit doesn't work to lower that initial unit count. Also note a supply unit alone in a hex is still subject to an attrition check. Simply having one or more supply units on hand, however, doesn't require you to burn one; the decision is always voluntary by the owning player.

Whenever a supply unit is consumed for attrition or combat support (see 7.11 below), or is simply eliminated while defending in combat, temporarily set it off to the side. Such units are always eligible for reentry into play, any number of times, using normal replacement procedures (see 10.5).

7.5 Tracing Supply Lines

A unit or stack on or immediately adjacent to a contiguous path of road, railroad, or navigable river hexes, and that can trace that path uninterrupted by the presence of any enemy units from its location back to an ultimate supply source hex of its side, is said to "have a supply line" at that moment. A unit or stack unable to trace a complete supply line to an ultimate supply source hex at the time of its attrition check thereby suffers a -3 (minus three) DRM to its die roll. (Having a supply line doesn't gain you a +3.)

Note there is no distinction among the three kinds of hexes that can make up a supply path: road, railroad and navigable river hexes may exist in any number, in any number of groups, proportions, etc., over the course of one or more supply lines. For example, an Allied unit in hex 1830 could trace its supply line one hex to get on the road at 1730, then trace along the path of that road down to 1432, where the path could jump onto the river and go from there south to the ultimate Allied supply source in hex 1042.

Also note, however, as another example, that a unit of either side in, say, hex 2030 could never trace a complete supply line from there. That's because a tracing unit must actually be located in, or immediately adjacent to, a road, railroad or navigable river hex in order to be able to trace a line. Further, once a supply line has moved onto road, railroad or navigable river hexes, it must be traced the remainder of the way to an ultimate supply source hex while remaining on one or another of those types of hexes.

7.6 Late-Year Game Turns

Winter occurs during all late-year game turns (even-numbered on the Turn Record Track). All attrition checks for both sides made during those turns will suffer (at least) that -1 DRM.

7.7 Terrain & Attrition

Rough, forest and marsh hexes each have their own negative effect on attrition (-1, -2 and -3, respectively). Note, though, no more than one type of those terrains ever occurs in any one hex; so there will never be any more than one DRM from this group applied to the check of any one hex.

7.8 Paraguayan Fortresses & Attrition

Whenever attrition is checked against any hex containing a Paraguayan fortress unit (1432, 1433, 1434, 1827 and 2534) and against any hex(es) immediately adjacent to those hexes, a positive DRM of +3 (plus three) is applied to that result. That DRM comes from the fortress unit, not the location hex in general; so, once a given fortress unit is eliminated, its DRM is thereby also permanently forfeit.

Note that fortress units alone in a hex are never subject to attrition, nor may they ever be given up to satisfy attrition loss requirements when other units are in their hex. Do, however, count fortress units when determining the number of units in a hex prior to making each attrition check in that hex.

This DRM is never available to Allied units.

7.9 Allied Depot Towns

The Allied player starts each game in control of two "depot towns": Corrientes, in 1335; and Mercedes, in 1541. Each of those hexes instantly and permanently loses its depot town status if the Paraguayan player gains control of it (figured separately). While they are still depot towns, though, whenever an attrition check is made in and/or immediately adjacent to those hexes for Allied units, a positive DRM of +3 (plus three) is applied. "No Depot" markers are provided in the counter-mix to mark the two hexes, should one or both of them come under Paraguayan control, see 2.12.

Depot towns that haven't yet been taken under Paraguayan control need not trace any kind of supply line to an Allied ultimate supply source hex in order to be able to generate their DRM. That's why they're called "depot towns," because of the immense stash of supplies already located within them at the start of the war.

This DRM is never available to Paraguayan units.

7.10

The Chaco is a region of particularly primitive communications and harsh climate. On the map, the Chaco consists of all the hexes north of the Pilcomayo (minor) River and west of the minor river portion of the Paraguay River. For example, 1021, 1622, 1825 and 1919 are all Chaco hexes. All attrition checks made for units of either side in Chaco clear terrain hexes suffer a -3 (minus three) DRM. And, of course, that would be a -6 (minus six) if the hex in question were also a marsh hex.

7.11 Supply & Combat

Whenever a battle is being resolved during a combat phase (see section 13.0), as the first step of each one's resolution, check to see if both sides can trace a supply line at that instant (as described above in 7.5). If the defending hex can't trace a complete supply line, a +3 DRM is applied to that battle's die roll result (along with any others applicable). If one or more hexes of the attackers in that battle can't trace a complete supply line, a -3 (minus three) DRM applies to that battle (along with any others applicable). Note that both those DRM may apply in the same battle and thereby be mutually canceling.

Either or both players may create a favorable combat DRM (+3 or -3) for themselves if they have a supply unit on hand for a battle and decide to consume it. No matter how many supply units a player may have on the scene of a battle, though, he can't get more than one such DRM per battle. In cases in which attacking units are coming in from more than one hex, one consumed supply unit is considered to spread its DRM over the entire attacking force. In all combat situations, the attacker must always announce first if he will consume ("burn") a supply unit to support his combat effort, followed by the defender.

7.12 Allied Ultimate Supply Source Hexes

There are three Allied ultimate supply source hexes on the map: 1042, 1943 and 3244. All three nationalities among the Allies may, on a case by case as-needed basis, trace to any one of those hexes without suffering any special penalty. An Allied ultimate supply source hex loses its supply providing capacity while occupied by enemy units. That supply capacity returns, however, as soon as an enemy occupied ultimate supply source hex is again emptied of Paraguayan units. That may occur any number of times per game for each such hex. Allied units may never trace supply to Paraguayan ultimate supply source hexes, though they might trace their supply lines normally into and through such hexes on their way to reach an Allied supply source hex.

7.13 Paraguayan Ultimate Supply Source Hexes

There are three Paraguayan ultimate supply source hexes on the map: 1432, 1826 and 2026. A Paraguayan ultimate supply source hex instantly and permanently loses its supply providing capacity the first instant it comes under Allied control, even if all Allied units later leave the hex in question. Paraguayan units may never trace supply to Allied ultimate supply source hexes, though they might trace their supply lines normally into and through such hexes on their way to reach a Paraguayan supply source hex.

7.14 Special Guardian Nacional Attrition

In addition to being subject to all the rules given above, all GN ground units of all nationalities are subject to this special attrition rule. That is, whenever a GN unit is moved, it must have a special attrition check made for it at the end of that move. If it moved alone or as part of a force consisting only of other GN ground units, a moved GN unit is eliminated on a result of zero, one, two or three. If it moved as part of a force that also contained one or more non-GN ground and/or riverine units, the elimination result is thereby reduced to only zero, one or two.

GN units that start play already on the map must make such special attrition checks starting with the Allied movement phase of Game Turn I. All GN units entering as reinforcements after the start of play are given a one-turn grace period. That is, no such special attrition checks are made against GN ground units during their game turn of entry into play. After that, however, a check must be made for each such unit each time it moves. Always roll for units one at a time; never make just one roll for an entire stack.

Note the Argentine riverine unit named "Guardia Nacional" isn't subject to this rule; it's GN only in name, not in its organizational affiliation.

7.15 Freedom of Maneuver

Both players are, within the strictures of the overall rules, entirely free to maneuver their forces as they see fit, taking into account (or not), to whatever degree they desire, the logistical and attritional factors described above. That is, you do not have to maneuver your forces so as to try to keep them supplied, etc.

8.0 Off-Map Events

8.1

There are two events that take place (or may take place) off the map: 1) the possible launching of a Brazilian expeditionary force through the Matto Grosso region, aimed at invading Paraguay through its northeast; and 2) a possible rebellion in Mendoza province in Argentina. Both those events are resolved according to the rules given in this section.

8.2 Matto Grosso Invasion

At the start of his set up, the Allied player must announce to his opponent whether he will launch the Matto Grosso invasion. He is under no obligation to do so or not do so, but the decision once made either way can't be changed.

If he will invade via the Matto Grosso (a large wilderness off the northeast corner of the map), the Allied player should immediately select any one of the "Available" Brazilian supply units (see paragraph six of rule 3.3) along with any two Brazilian infantry units chosen from among those in the group with a Roman numeral "I" printed on their reverse sides. That done, those three units should be set aside until the start of Game Turn V (early 1867).

That having been done, during the Off-Map Event & Mutual Attrition Phase of Game Turn V, the Paraguayan player must announce to his opponent whether he will meet and defeat the Matto Grosso invasion. If he declines to meet and defeat it, during his player turn later that same game turn, the Allied player must then enter the previously set aside three units, all in any one empty hex on the map edge between 2819 through 3226, inclusive. From there, those units may immediately begin operating in the normal manner.

If the Matto Grosso invasion has been launched, and the Paraguayan player decides to meet and defeat it (the invasion's defeat is always automatic if the Paraguayan player will simply agree to meet it), he (the Paraguayan player) should immediately select any one his infantry units and any one of his cavalry units from anywhere inside Paraguayan territory. The only restriction beyond that is no Allied unit(s) may be in any hexes immediately adjacent to the selected Paraguayan units at the time of selection. The selected Paraguayan units are then removed from the map, but are available for return as normal reinforcements during Game Turn VI using normal entry rules. That is, those units are re-entered onto the map via any locales through which normal Paraguayan replacement entry could take place at that time. Their reentry does NOT, however, cost the Paraguayan player any replacement points. See section 10.0 for further details.

That done, the invasion has thereby been automatically defeated. In that case, all three of the invading Brazilian units are put into the Allied dead pile without ever having gotten onto the actual map, and from where they may be reentered (or not) into play according to the normal replacement rules (see section 9.0).

If the Matto Grosso invasion was launched and, come the start of Game Turn V, the Paraguayan player won't or can't meet and defeat it, the Allied player should place his three units, as described above in the third paragraph of this rule, and then also award himself a VP as described in paragraph five of rule 4.4. That VP, once awarded to the Allied player, can't be lost by him for the remainder of the game, no matter the actual fate of the Matto Grosso invaders after their entry into play.

Design Note. The rule above will, no doubt, seem rather bald to many of you. Historically, though, the Brazilians attempted the invasion, and gave their units a big parade send-off when they marched out of Rio De Janeiro. That meant everyone in Paraguay soon knew they were coming, and faithful Paraguayan Indian scouts kept their high command appraised of the would-be invaders' progress. In the event, attrition and a small but determined riposte by the Paraguayans was all that was needed to put an end to the whole operation as soon as the expeditionary force entered Paraguayan territory. Also, if you haven't yet played the game, you don't yet understand how important that one unavailable off-map Brazilian supply unit might be during Game Turns I through V nor, alternatively, how hard it might be to find two freely deployable Paraguayan units when the invaders show up.

8.3 Mendoza Rebellion

During the Off-Map Event & Mutual Attrition Phase of Game Turn II (see 5.2), and at that same time at start of every later game turn until such time as it occurs, the Allied player should roll a die. On a result of zero, one or two, the Mendoza rebellion has broken out within a province of Argentina not shown on the map. Each such rebellion is, at most, a one-time occurrence in each game. That is, if it's not rolled into occurring, it doesn't automatically occur during the last game turn.

If the rebellion occurs, the Allied player must immediately announce if he'll defeat it. If not, he immediately debits himself one VP, which may drive his total into the negative. An undefeated rebellion can't be defeated later; it must either be defeated during the turn it occurs or not at all. No more than one VP is ever lost to a rebellion, though, no matter how many game turns it might remain in existence after its outbreak.

To defeat a rebellion, the Allied player must pick six non-GN Argentine infantry units and four non-GN Argentine cavalry and/or artillery units from hexes anywhere on the map, and which aren't at that instant immediately adjacent to any Paraguayan units, and simply remove them from the map. He may also decide to pick some or all of the needed units from among the reinforcements he's otherwise receiving that same game turn. In either case, all dispatched units return as reinforcements during the next game turn after the rolled occurence of the rebellion. Note no force-mix other than the six-and-four infantry-and-cavalry/artillery is allowed to be sent.

Design Note. Historically the rebellion occurred and was defeated in a timely way by loyal Argentine forces.

9.0 Allied Reinforcements

9.1

Reinforcements are new Allied units that enter the game after play has begun. Reinforcements can be identified by the fact they have a Roman numeral, corresponding to a game turn number, printed on their reverse sides. That number corresponds to the earliest possible game turn during which a reinforcement unit may enter play. Reinforcement units should be sorted onto the Turn Record Track, with their reverse sides showing, during preparation for play (see 3.2). Note there are no Paraguayan reinforcements in the game.

Reinforcements enter play with their full movement and combat capabilities immediately available for normal use beginning that same game turn. Normal stacking restrictions must be observed when entering reinforcements.

9.2 Reinforcement Entry Procedures

The Allied player may delay his side's reinforcement arrivals, decided by him on a unit by unit and turn by turn basis, until turns later than called for by the historic entry dates shown on the reverse sides of those counters. To do so he simply holds them off-map until an Allied Reinforcement, Replacement & Movement Phase begins when he does decide to enter them. No reinforcement entry may ever be accelerated to a date earlier than shown the backs of the counters.

Within certain strictures, Allied reinforcements enter the map via any of the three board-edge ultimate supply hexes described in 7.12, decided by that player on a unit by unit and turn by turn basis, at the very start of his Reinforcement, Replacement & Movement Phases. Of course, riverine units may only enter play via hex 1042. Further, Uruguayan units may only play via 2044. Within those strictures, Allied units of different nationalities may enter play via the same hex(es) during the same turn.

No reinforcements may enter play via hexes occupied by one or more Paraguayan units, though such hexes would become useable again for entry once they were freed of enemy occupation.

It doesn't cost Allied reinforcements any of their movement allowance in order to be initially placed within an entry hex. They begin counting movement costs normally as they leave those hexes.

10.0 Replacements

10.1

Both players receive "replacement steps" over the course of the game starting with Game Turn II. Those steps are used, on a one for one or two for one exchange basis, to return to play from the dead pile units that were eliminated after having already been in play.

10.2 Replacement Strictures

Replacement steps may not be accumulated, or in any way saved, from turn to turn. Any steps not used during their turn of availability are forfeit.

Allied replacement steps are given on the basis of nationality and may be used only in that way. That is, Argentine replacement steps may be used only to replace units of that country, and Brazilian replacement steps may be used only to replace units of that country. There are no Uruguayan replacements available during play.

Within those strictures, the units that may not be replaced are: Paraguayan fortress units, along with Guardia Nacional (GN) and riverine units of all nationalities. All other units may potentially be replaced any number of times over the course of a game, no matter the circumstances of their elimination(s).

Replacements of both sides always enter play with their full movement and combat capabilities immediately available for normal use beginning that same game turn.

10.3 Replacement Rates

Starting with Game Turn II, the Paraguayans receive two replacement steps each game turn. The Paraguayan replacement rate permanently falls to one step per turn if either Asuncion (1826) or Cerro Leon (2026) once become Allied controlled. That rate then falls to zero if both those place have become (or were once) Allied controlled. Also starting Game Turn II, the Argentines receive two replacement steps and the Brazilians four steps.

10.4 Replacement Costs

Field, siege, and rocket artillery units, along with supply units and engineer units, each cost two steps to replace. Infantry, including Paraguayan "Sappers," and cavalry units each cost one step to replace.

10.5 Replacing Supply Units

Both sides begin the game with two supply units that aren't included in their initial force-mix and that are printed with the word "Available" on their reverse sides. Those units are eligible to become part of the replacement process, just as if they'd already been in play on the map and then eliminated, starting with Game Turn II. Once in play, those supply units are in not distinguishable in their use from the other such units included in both sides' force mixes. All supply units may go through the replacement process any number of times during a game.

10.6 Allied Replacement Entry

Allied replacement units are reentered into play just as if they were reinforcements doing so for the first time. Use all the procedures and strictures given for that in section 9.0.

10.7 Paraguayan Replacement Entry

Paraguayan replacements may potentially be entered onto the map via Asuncion (1826), Cerro Leon (2026), or Humaita (1432), decided on a unit by unit and turn by turn basis by that player.

In the cases of Asuncion and Cerro Leon, the only restriction is a chosen hex (judged individually) may never yet have been under Allied control. That same stricture applies to Humaita, with the added proviso that, at the time of placement, there must be a complete supply path (see 7.5) between there and either Asuncion and/or Humaita, and the town chosen to trace to may not yet have been under Allied control. In any case, stacking rules must be observed when placing replacements on the map.

It doesn't cost Paraguayan replacements any of their movement allowance in order to be initially placed in an entry hex. They begin counting movement costs normally as they leave those hexes.

11.0 Ground Unit Movement

11.1

Every ground unit in the game has a "movement factor" printed in its lower-right corner. That factor is the number of "movement points" (also called "movement factors," and "MF," and "MP") available to the unit to use to move across the hex grid during its own side's movement phase in each player turn. Units move from hex to adjacent hex (no "skipping" of hexes is allowed), paying varied costs to do so depending on the terrain in the hex and any water along the hexsides being entered and crossed. The movement of each player's ground units takes place only during his own player turn's movement phase; no enemy movement takes place during your own player turn.

11.2 Limits

MP may not be accumulated from turn to turn or phase to phase, nor may they be loaned or given from one unit to another. A player may potentially move all, some or none of his units in each of his movement phases throughout the game. Units that move are not required to expend all their MP before stopping. The movement of each unit, stack, or substitute counter must be completed before that of another is begun. A player may only change the position of an already moved unit, stack, or substitute counter if his opponent agrees to allow it.

11.3 Minimum Movement Ability

Every unit with a printed movement factor of one ("1") or more is generally guaranteed the ability to move at least one hex during a friendly movement phase by expending all its MF to do so. But this guarantee doesn't allow units to enter hexes or cross hexsides that are otherwise impassable to them. Units with printed movement factors of zero ("0") are never moved once placed onto the map except to go into the dead pile.

11.4 Enemy Units

Your units may never enter hexes containing enemy units of any kind.

11.5 Stack & Substitute Unit Movement

Units are not required to move together simply because they started a movement phase in the same hex; such units might be moved together, individually, or in smaller sub-stacks. Also see 3.5 for more details on this in relation to substitute units.

11.6 Splitting Stacks

When moving a stack or substitute unit, you may halt it temporarily to allow a unit or sub-stack to split off and move away on a separate course. The units left behind in the original (or "parent") stack may then resume its own movement, even splitting off other units if desired. But once you begin moving an entirely different parent stack, or an individual unit that began in a different hex than the currently moving parent stack, you may no longer resume the movement of the earlier stack without your opponent's permission. Also see 3.5 for more details on this in relation to substitute units.

11.7 Different MF in Stacks

If units with different movement factors are traveling together in a stack or substitute unit, that force must use the movement factor of the slowest unit within it. Of course, as the slower units exhaust their MF, you may drop them off and continue with the faster ones. Also see 3.5 for more details on this in relation to substitute units.

11.8 Terrain & Movement

All terrain features on the map are classified into two broad categories: natural and manmade. Both of those categories are further divided into different types (see below). There is never more than one type of natural terrain in any one hex, but one or more types of manmade terrain may exist in one hex along with the natural stuff.

11.9 Natural Terrain & Hydrography

There are six types of natural terrain and hydrographic features on the map: clear, rough, marsh, forest and navigable river hexes, along with minor-river hexsides. The effects those various features have on the movement of units are described below and are also summarized on the Terrain Movement Costs Table printed on the mapsheet for quick reference during play. (On the table, "swamp" equals marsh.)

11.10

Clear terrain is the "base" terrain of the game; it's devoid of any natural features that would enhance defense or slow movement at this level of operations. Each clear hex costs all ground units one MP to enter.

11.11

Forest hexes represent areas where the primary ground cover is trees. Each forest hex costs ground units two MP to enter.

11.12

Rough hexes are areas dominated by broken or hilly terrain. All ground units pay two MP to enter each rough hex.

11.13

Swamp (marsh) hexes cost all ground units two MP per hex entered.

11.14

Navigable River hexes cost each ground unit two MP to enter unless they're being transported by riverine units; see 12.4.

11.15

Minor River Hexsides cost each ground unit an extra (+1) MP to cross during early-year turns and two extra (+2) to cross during late-year turns. "Extra" means in addition to whatever movement cost is involved for the hex being moved into. Note that riverine units will never themselves cross full minor-river hexsides, nor can they assist ground units to do so.

11.16 Manmade Terrain & Movement

Manmade terrain exists in three types: towns, roads and railroads. Towns have no effects by themselves on movement. That is, when entering a hex containing a town, the movement cost for entering is determined by the terrain in it and any hydrographic features along its hexsides.

11.17 Roads

Units of the either side moving directly from one road hex to another such hex, via hexsides traversed by the road, may do so at the cost of one MP per hex, no matter the other terrain in the involved hexes (including navigable river hexes). Road movement also works to negate the extra cost involved in crossing minor river hexsides.

11.18 Railroad

There is only a single five-hex-long railroad on the map, which runs entirely in Paraguayan territory between 1826 and 2027. The Allies always treat the railroad just as if it were a road, and one normally interconnected with the actual road with which it shares some hexes.

The railroad-as-road rule is also generally true for Paraguayan units; however, during turns prior to the first entry by any Allied unit into any one or more the railroad hexes, the railroad allows cost-free movement along its length to Paraguayan units. That is, Paraguayan units pay no MP to move from any one railroad hex to any other railroad hex. Further, that free movement may take place during any portion of a Paraguayan unit(s) movement, either before, in between or after normal movement.

Prior to first Allied entry into any one railroad hex, the free railroad movement is allowed to any number of Paraguayan units during each friendly movement phase. Once Allied entry has occurred, however, the entire railroad is treated as just so much regular road space for units of both sides for the remainder of the game.

Design Note. It's not that the Paraguayans have that much hauling capacity; it's that the railroad bed is the best engineered and maintained roadway in the country. Also recall each turn is half a year long.

11.19 Cumulative Costs

The total movement cost for entering any hex is always the sum of all the applicable terrain and water costs involved. For example, a unit crossing a minor river hexside into a rough hex during an early-year turn would pay a total of three MP to do so. That is, two MP to enter the rough hex and an "extra" MP to cross the minor river hexside.

11.20 Off Map Movement

No unit once in play on the map may be voluntarily moved off it except as described in sections 7.0, 8.0 and 13.0.

11.21

International Border Hexsides have no direct effect on movement or combat in the game.

12.0 Riverine Movement

12.1

Except as added, deleted, or otherwise amended in this section, all the rules above also apply to riverine units.

12.2 Riverine Movement & Combat Limits

Riverine units may move and attack only from navigable river hex to navigable river hex, and only across hexsides traversed by the navigable river symbol. For example, no riverine unit could ever move directly from 1433 to 1533, or vise versa, since the river doesn't flow directly across the hexside otherwise shared by those two hexes. Within that stricture, minor river hexsides have no effect on riverine unit movement.

12.3 Riverine Movement Costs

In general, riverine units of both sides pay one MP to enter each navigable river hex, no matter its location on the map. More specifically, though, Allied riverine units must pay two MP for each navigable river hex they enter inside Paraguay.

12.4 Riverine Transport of Ground Units

Each riverine transport unit in the game may simultaneously transport one or two ground units of any kind(s) in each friendly movement phase. Further, within a transport unit's overall movement factor, relay transports are permitted. That is, for example, a transport might pick up one or two ground units, move to a desired drop-off hex, disembark those ground units, then return to the original (or new) pick-up hex, take on board one or two other ground units, transport them, etc., and continue doing so until it had used up its entire movement factor for that phase.

It costs ground units being transported three MP from their own movement allowances to embark upon and moved by riverine units. There is no embarkation cost levied against transporting riverine units. Likewise, there is no disembarkation cost levied against either transporting riverine or transported ground units. Further, all ground units are considered to be automatically disembarked at the end of every movement phase if they have not disembarked prior to that. Disembarkation takes place in the river hex; the ground units don't slide off to the side of the river.

Stacking rules remain unaltered by the transport process; count the riverine and ground units as individual units.

Non-transport riverine units other than Paraguayan armed rafts (see 12.6 below), also have a ground unit transport capacity. That is, each such unit may transport one infantry unit at any one time. All the other restrictions described above, including relay transport, etc., are also applied here.

12.5 Transported Ground Units

Ground units transported by riverine units may combine their own normal movement with that transport, all within the same phase, in any combination(s) desired, as long as the overall movement factors of such transported units aren't exceeded. For example, a ground unit with an MF of nine could move from its starting location, let's say a hex adjacent to a navigable river hex (two MP), and there pay the three MP embarkation cost to get aboard a transport, for a total of five MP expended. The riverine transport unit might then move along the river's path within the limits of its own MF, etc., then disembark the ground unit. At that point, the newly disembarked ground unit still has four MP left to it that phase, and it could use those MP to continue moving normally again or even to board another, still unused, transport already within its disembarkation hex, etc.

When using various combinations of sequenced ground-and-riverine-transport movement, players should give the broadest interpretation possible, within the overall limits of the transporting riverine and transported ground units, to the stricture set out in rule 11.6.

12.6 Paraguayan Armed Raft Riverine Units

Among the Paraguayan riverine units there are three armed rafts (2-1-0s). Those units operate as normal riverine units except: 1) they may not transport ground units; and 2) they themselves may not move and/or attack unless they are being towed.

Any other type of Paraguayan riverine unit may tow one raft unit per friendly movement phase. The procedures are the same as for transporting ground units except there is no embarkation cost. The transporting unit and the raft must simply move together over the course of the tow for the movement or attack to take place.

12.7 Running the Guns

This is a feature of riverine units' entry into combat against Paraguayan fortresses; see 13.18 for details.

13.0 Combat

13.1

Combat takes place between adjacent opposing units during the combat phases in every player turn. Attacking is always voluntary; the mere fact of enemy units' adjacency doesn't necessitate your units attack them. Both players are always free to attack or not, as each chooses, during each of his own player turns' combat phases throughout the game. The player whose player turn it is, is considered the "attacker," and the other player is considered the "defender," no matter the general situation.

13.2 Three Combat Phases

Unlike most wargames, each player turn in every game turn of TAW has three immediately sequential combat phases. All the attacks of a given combat phase must be resolved before those of the next combat phase are begun. Each of your units may potentially attack in one, two or all three of the combat phases of your player turns, and every adjacent enemy unit may potentially be attacked in every one of your combat phases; however, no friendly unit may attack more than once per combat phase and no enemy unit may be attacked more than once per combat phase.

13.3 Multiple Defenders in One Hex

If there are two or more enemy units in a hex being attacked by your units, you may only attack that force as if it were one large, combined defending unit.

13.4 Multi-Hex Attacks

An enemy occupied hex may be attacked in one battle by as many of your units as you can bring to bear from one, some, or all of the surrounding hexes, but no more than one hex may ever be the object of any one attack. For example, a unit in, say, 1328 may not attack into both 1428 and 1429 during the same combat phase.

13.5 Indivisibility of Units

No single attacking unit may have its attack factor divided and applied to more than one battle. Likewise, no defending unit may have part of its defense factor attacked by one or a few attackers while another part is attacked by others.

13.6 Attack Sequencing

There is no artificial limit on the number of attacks each player may resolve during each of his combat phases. The attacker need not declare all his attacks beforehand, and he may resolve them in any order he wishes, as long as the resolution of one combat is completed before that of the next is begun.

13.7 Stacks Attacking

It's not necessary for all the units you have stacked in a given hex or holding box to participate in the same attack. Some of the units in a stack or holding box might attack into one defender hex while others attacked into some others or simply didn't attack at all. Also see rule 6.4.

13.8 No Withdrawal Before Combat

No defending unit or stack may ever refuse combat.

13.9 Combat Procedures

Normally the attacking player should strive to have several times more attack factors involved in a battle than the defender has defense factors. Such battles are called "high odds" attacks. To resolve such fights, the attacking player begins by calculating his "odds." Do that by adding together the attack factors of all the attacking units involved in the battle; then add up the defense factors of the enemy units defending in the battle. Divide the defender-total into the attacker-total and round down any remainder. For example, if 26 attack factors attack 7 defense factors, the situation yields an odds ratio of 3:1 ("three to one"). That is, 27÷7=3.71, which rounds down to 3. To turn that "3" into a ratio, you must set a "1" next to it on the right. Thus "3" becomes "3:1," which corresponds to a column-heading on the Combat Results Table printed on the mapsheet.

13.10 Poor Odds Attacks

Battles in which the attacking force has fewer combat factors than the defender are called "poor odds attacks." Procedures in such situations are modified from what's described above in that here you divide the defender's total by the attacker's, round up all remainders, and set the "1" on the left side of that result. For example, if a force with 5 attack factors is attacking a force with 11 defense factors, it's a poor odds attack. In that case, divide 11 by 5 (11÷5=2.2), and round up (2.2 becomes 3); then set a "1" on the left of that "3," yielding odds of 1:3 ("one to three").

13.11 Combat Die Roll Modifiers (DRM)

The odds obtained in the calculations described above may have their exact results modified due to the terrain in the defender's hex and around its perimeter, as well as numerous other factors described below. All applicable combat die roll modifiers are cumulative in their effect. That is, in every battle all applicable die roll modifiers are determined and their effect taken into account before the final DRM is determined and the die is rolled to get a combat result.

Old Hands Note. There are no "odds shifters" in this game; everything is done as a DRM within the initially determined combat odds ratio.

13.12 Odds Limits & Extreme Odds DRM

Note the column headings on the CRT range from 1:3 to 6:1. Odds greater than 6:1 are resolved using that odds column. For every odds ratio above 6:1, a +1 DRM is applied. So, for example, an otherwise unmodified attack at odds of 9:1 would be resolved on the 6:1 column with a +3 DRM. Odds less than 1:3 receive automatic "attacker eliminated" results; simply remove all involved attacking units to the dead pile; no die roll is involved.

13.13 Clear Terrain

Units defending in clear hexes devoid of other terrain features derive no benefit to their defense because of terrain.

13.14 Rough, Forest or Marsh

Units defending in rough, forest or marsh hexes receive a -1 DRM for doing so.

13.15 Combat Phase DRM

All attacks made by your units during your first combat phase in each game turn receive a +1 DRM. All attacks made by your units during your third combat phase in each game turn suffer a -1 DRM. (There's no special phase DRM during second combat phases.)

13.16 Fortress DRM

Whenever the Allied player launches an attack against a hex containing a Paraguayan fortress unit, no matter if other Paraguayan units are also present, that attack will suffer a DRM of -4, -3 or –2, depending on which particular fortress is under attack. Humaita (hex 1432) generates a –4 DRM; Angostura (hex 1827) generates a -3, and each of the others a –2.

13.17 Engineers & Siege Artillery vs. Fortresses

If an Allied attack against a fortress contains one or more siege artillery units, that attack thereby gains a +1 DRM. No more than a single +1 DRM may be obtained for siege artillery no matter how many such units are actually contributing their attack factors to that effort. Similarly, if an Allied attack against a fortress contains one or more engineer units, that attack thereby gains a +1 DRM. No more than a single +1 DRM may be obtained for engineers no matter how many such units may actually be contributing their attack factors to that effort. Figure these two DRM separately; that is, the participation of siege artillery in a fortress attack doesn't work to negate the DRM for participating engineers and vice versa.

13.18 Running The Guns

Whenever the Allied player launches an attack against a hex containing a Paraguayan fortress and his attacking force contains one or more riverine units, and no matter if that fortress unit is defending alone or in conjunction with other Paraguayan units, he should first roll a die and consult the Run The Guns Table printed on the mapsheet. The battle odds are calculated only after any ship losses called for by the run-the-guns die roll have been taken. The Allied player has complete freedom to extract the called for losses from among his involved vessels; however, no ground units may ever be voluntarily given up as a substitute for ships, and no carry over takes place if more ship losses are called for than there are actual hulls present in that battle.

Design Note. The fortresses' guns were elevated above the river and were pre-sighted along the waterways' approaches.

13.19 Joint Allied Attacks & Defenses

If a Paraguayan attack is made against an Allied occupied hex that contains units from any two of the Allied nations, that attack thereby receives a +1 DRM. If such a hex contains one or more Allied units from all three of those nations, that Paraguayan attack thereby receives a +2 DRM. Conversely, if an Allied attack contains units from any two the Allied nations, and no matter if coming in from the same or different hexes, that attack thereby suffers a -1 DRM. Likewise, if an Allied attack contains units from all three of the Allied nations, and, again, no matter if coming in from the same or different hexes, that attack thereby suffers a -2 DRM.

13.20 Guardia Nacional (GN) in Combat

If an Allied force contains only GN ground units, that force suffers a -1 DRM whenever it attacks and +1 DRM whenever it defends. On the attack, this DRM should be judged on an attack-by-attack, but not necessarily a hex-by-hex, basis. That is, in multi-hex attacks there might be only Allied GN attack factors within one or some of that attacking force's hexes and, as long as one or more non-GN attack factors were being contributed from just one hex of that attack, this -1 DRM would be avoided. Since all defenses are single-hex affairs, the +1 DRM for Paraguayan attacks can't be avoided in that way.

13.21 Minor River Hexsides in Combat

If either side launches an attack in which all the participating units are coming through minor river hexsides, that attack thereby suffers a -1 DRM. If, however, one or more attacking units are attacking through a hexside that doesn't have a minor river flowing along it, this DRM is thereby avoided.

13.22 Navigable River Hexes in Combat

All defenders in unfortified navigable river hexes thereby receive a -1 DRM to their defense. Note, though, if the Allied player launches an attack into a navigable river hex that contains a Paraguayan fortress unit among its defenders, this DRM is ignored as it is actually already considered part of that fortress's defensive DRM; see 13.16 above.

13.23 Congreve Rockets Attacking

If the Paraguayan Congreve rocket artillery unit takes part in an attack into a hex that contains only clear terrain, a town or a navigable river, that attack thereby receives a +1 DRM.

13.24 Supply Units Consumed for Combat Support

If an attacking force contains a supply unit, and the attacking player announces he will "burn" it to support his attack, that attack thereby receives a +3 DRM and the consumed supply unit is removed from the map. (It's eligible for later replacement; see 10.5.) The converse is also true on the defense: a consumed defending supply unit will generate a -3 DRM.

The attacking player must always make his supply declaration (or not) as the first step in every attack's resolution, followed immediately by that of the defender (or not).

No matter how many supply units may actually be present in a force involved in combat, no more than one +3 or -3 DRM may be generated per combat by consuming one of them. In the case of multi-hex attacks, one burned supply unit is sufficient to cover the entire attacking force with its DRM.

13.25 Supply Lines & Combat

As a final step prior to concluding each combat's DRM tabulation, each player should check to see if his own involved force can trace a complete supply line at that moment (see 7.5). An attacking force without a complete supply line at the instant of combat thereby suffers a -3 DRM. In multi-hex attacks, just one attacking hex being without a complete supply line is sufficient to generate that penalty. A defending force with no supply line thereby grants a +3 DRM to that attack coming in against it.

13.26 Artillery in Attacks

There are three types of ground artillery units in the game: siege, field and rocket. In general, they participate in attacks using all normal combat rules; however, note the following important exception. In any single attack there may never be more artillery attack factors involved than there are non-artillery ground-unit attack factors. For example, if an attacking force contained five infantry attack factors and eight artillery attack factors, no matter their exact types, three of those artillery attack factors aren't counted when it comes time to calculate that battle's odds. Note this rule in no way affects, nor is it affected by, the presence of attacking riverine units.

Also note this should be judged on an attack-by-attack, but not necessarily a hex-by-hex, basis. That is, in multi-hex attacks there could be an imbalance of artillery and non-artillery attack factors within one or some of that attacking force's hexes; but whether there actually were 'extra' artillery factors that must be ignored would be decided on the basis of just one large tabulation of the two types of factors present in that overall attacking force.

13.27 Paraguayan Weapons & Supply Captures

Whenever a Paraguayan unit or force attacks an enemy occupied hex that contains a total of four or more Allied units of any nationalities or types, riverine or ground, eliminates all those defending units, and one or more of the victorious Paraguayan units advances after combat into that just-vacated hex (see 13.30), they will make a "weapons and supply capture."

The Paraguayan player should resolve each capture individually as soon as each occurs by rolling a single die. That result (zero through nine) is the number of attack factors the capturing force may add to its attack (if any) in the next combat phase that turn. (There's never any carry over from game turn to game turn.) Note, however, no such award, no matter what the die roll, may ever be greater than the number of attack factors otherwise within the victorious Paraguayan force.

The board usually won't be filled with many victorious attacking Paraguayan forces. If there does prove to be too many for easy recall of their particular capture awards from phase to phase, the Paraguayan player is allowed to record them on paper for later referral.

13.28 Final Combat Resolution

After all applicable DRM have been applied and the final DRM determined, the attacker rolls a die and consults the CRT to get a "combat result." For example, an unmodified roll of "5" at odds of 6:1 yields a combat result of "1/11."

13.29 Combat Results

In each battle, the defender must always completely absorb his combat result before the attacker absorbs his. The results to the left of the slash apply to the attacker; those to the right apply to the defender. All results are expressed as the number of units that must be lost by that side. For example, in the "1/11" result obtained above, the attacker would have to eliminate any one of his involved attacking units (his choice as to exactly which), and the defender would have to eliminate any 11 of his involved defending units (again, entirely his choice as to exactly which).

There is never any carry over of a combat result from one battle into any other battle. So, if one player were called on to eliminate more units than he actually had involved in a particular battle, he would simply eliminate all his involved units and the excess number is ignored.

13.30 Advance-After-Combat

At the end of every attack, whenever the defender's hex has been left empty of all units, the attacking player must advance-after-combat at least one unit from the victorious attacking force into that hex. He may choose to advance any number of involved victorious attacking units, up to the normal stacking limit, but he must advance at least one. Such advances aren't part of normal movement, and they don't cost any MP, but advancing units must still observe normal terrain prohibitions (see 12.2).

The decision as to the composition of each advancing force must be made immediately after the battle is resolved and before that of another is begun. It's not necessary for advancing attackers to stack-full the newly won hex; the victorious player may send just one or a few units.

There is never any defender advance-after-combat; victorious defenders simply hold their place.

13.31

Zero Attack Factor Units may never attack in any way, nor may they 'go along' with positive-factored units attacking from their hex (or from other nearby hexes) in order to be used as 'cannon fodder' when losses occur.

Old Hands Note. There is no defender retreat-after-combat, nor is there any kind of concentric attack bonus.