Waterloo (Avalon Hill)

Waterloo (Avalon Hill) Rulebook

Table of Contents

Instructions - Read First

Mapboard

The mapboard shows the theatre of operations where the battles of Quatre Bras, Ligny and Waterloo were fought on the 16th and 18th of June in 1815. A hexagonal grid has been printed on the board and is used to determine movement. Hereafter, these hexagons will be called squares. Terrain features are as follows:

ROADS: double solid lines for primary, and double dash lines for secondary.
RIVERS: blue lines.
RIVER SQUARES: any square through which a river line crosses any two sides of the hexagon.
WOODS: any square containing green, wholly or partially.
SLOPES: any square containing brown splash contours, wholly or partially. The thickest part of the splash contours indicates the high side of the slope.
HILL TOPS: any square adjacent to the high side of slope squares. Hill tops contain no splash contours.
PLAYABLE SQUARES: Only those hexes showing in entirety all six hexsides are playable.
GRID COORDINATES: Should you wish to refer to specific hexes by name it will be necessary for you to print the following information on the board: Print letters A through WW along the east and west edges of the mapboard; print numbers 1 through 57 along the north and south edges. Start row A in the northeast and northwest corners; start row 1 in the southeast corner. For instance, row V bisects Wavre and Quatre Bras. Examples: Waterloo is E-43, Nivelles is V-38, Quatre Bras is X-27, and Fleurus is JJ-13.

Unit Counters

Now study the set of die-cut counters. The Blue counters represent French Units; Green counters represent Prussian Units; and Red counters represent Anglo-Allied Units. These counters will be your chessmen which you will move on the mapboard. Printed on each counter is information for the play of WATERLOO. Study the example given below.

Example counter: Size of Unit (Division) XX; Type of Unit (Infantry); Combat Factor 6; Movement Factor 4; Unit Commander (Jerome).

TYPES: Headquarters; Infantry; Horse Artillery; Cavalry; Artillery.
UNIT COMMANDER: Refer to when setting up Units on board.
SIZES OF UNIT: XXXX--Army; XXX--Corps; XX--Division; X--Brigade; III--Regiment; II--Battalion; I--Battery.
COMBAT FACTOR: basic fighting strength when attacking or defending.
MOVEMENT FACTOR: Maximum number of squares a Unit may move in one turn.

Prepare for Play

The mapboard is laid out on a table. The commander of the French Forces sits at the southern end of the board; the commander of the Prussian and Anglo-Allied Forces, hereafter called P-A-A player, sits at the northern end of the board.
The French player places his Units on the board in the positions outlined on the Situation Card.

To be specific the road between Charleroi and Fleurus is defined as consisting of the following hexes: TT-15, SS-15, RR-15, RR-14, QQ-15, PP-15, OO-16, PP-14, PP-13, and the road to and including JJ-13.
After the French player has completed his Unit placement the P-A-A player places his Units on the board in the positions outlined on the Situation Card.

To be specific, Prussian units may start the game on row EE or north of EE, and ON or east of Y-26, Z-25, AA-25, BB-24, CC-24, DD-23, and EE-23.

How to Play

Following is a condensed and easy to follow step-by-step explanation of how to play WATERLOO.

The French player moves any or all of his Units according to their individual movement factors. No P-A-A movement is allowed.
All combat caused by French movement is resolved.
The P-A-A player checks the Order of Appearance card for possible arrival of additional Units.
The P-A-A player moves any or all of his Units according to their individual movement factors. No French movement is allowed.
All combat caused by P-A-A movement is resolved.
Check off 1 two-hour period on the Time Record Card. Play reverts to the French player.
Repeat steps #1 through #6 until one player wins the game.

How to Win

The P-A-A player can win by either: a. avoiding the French condition of victory by the end of the time limit. b. eliminating all French combat Units.
The French player must eliminate all P-A-A combat Units to win. This can be done in one or both of the following methods: a. elimination through ordinary combat. b. elimination through enemy defections. For every French combat Unit the French player can move off the board toward Brussels, the P-A-A player must arbitrarily remove from the game Units whose combat factor total is twice that of the French Unit. Such arbitrary removal is done at the end of the French player's turn by the P-A-A player who may select any Units from anywhere on the board. Units for removal may also be selected from any group awaiting arrival on board. Movement off the board by French Units must be done only through the board edge squares between the two roads, inclusive, due north from Mont St. Jean. c. if all P-A-A units are eliminated from the board, but remaining P-A-A reinforcements cannot enter because all entrances are blocked, and the French cannot exit enough units to win by defection, the P-A-A wins.

Important: When French Units move off the board they cannot be brought back into play for the remainder of the game.

STOP: Be sure you have a general understanding of the above routine before reading further. The remaining sections deal with details of play.

How to Move Units

In your turn you may move up to all of your Units in play up to their maximum movement factor.
You do not have to move every Unit, nor do you have to move any Unit in your turn.
You may move a Unit less than its movement factor.
You can move Units in any direction, or combination of directions, in each turn.
Movement factors are not transferrable from one Unit to another, nor can they be accumulated from one turn to the next.
Unlike chess and checkers you move all of your Units you choose to move in your turn before resolving any one battle.
You can never move your Units when your opponent is taking his turn.

The die is used only to resolve combat--it has nothing to do with movement.

More Than One Unit per Square

Both players are allowed to combine Units of any kind in a stack totaling no more than 15 basic combat factors.
Any square on board may be used for stacking.
The movement factor of stacked Units is that of the slowest Unit in the stack.
Units may combine or split up in the middle of a turn with no movement penalty.
Prussian Units may be stacked with Anglo-Allied Units.
Combined Units may stay together indefinitely, or they may combine on one turn and split up on the very next.
Units may pass through squares containing other friendly Units, even if stacked, with no movement penalty.

How to Have Combat

The player moving his Units is always the attacker; his opponent is the defender.
A player, when attacking, automatically causes combat when he moves a Unit into an enemy Unit's zone of control. (Diagram: a Unit on any square controls 6 adjacent squares. An enemy Unit that lands on any one shaded square must attack.)
The attacker resolves all combat one battle at a time after moving all the Units he chooses to move in his turn.
The attacker has the choice of resolving each battle in any order he chooses.
To determine battle odds, the attacker's combat factor is stated first. The total combat factors of attacking Units is compared to the total combat factors of defending Units.
To resolve combat the attacker rolls the die once for each battle situation. The result of each battle is obtained from the combat results table.
No Unit may fight or be forced to fight more than one battle per turn.

Attacking

The factor of any Unit when attacking is always the combat factor printed on its counter.
The attacker may move as many Units into enemy zones of control as he is able before resolving combat.
An attacking Unit must STOP as soon as it enters the first enemy controlled square.
Attacking units may not move from the zone of control of one enemy unit into the zone of control of another enemy unit without first moving into an uncontrolled hex. EXCEPTION: Advance after combat.
All units which move into an enemy zone of control must attack some enemy unit and all defending units in an enemy zone of control must be attacked by at least one enemy unit.
An attacking Unit is not allowed to withdraw from an enemy Unit's zone of control and then re-enter that Unit's zone in the same turn.
A Unit beginning its turn while in an enemy Unit's zone of control is not allowed to move to another square in the same Unit's zone--it must either attack from the square it is on or withdraw from the zone altogether.

Defending

The factor of any Unit when defending is as follows:

	Defending Unit is on	Attacking Unit(s) is on	Defending Unit's combat factor
a.	Plain, Woods, Road, River, or Slope square	Non-river square	Basic
b.	Plain, Woods, Road, Slope, or Hill top square	River square	Doubles
c.	" " "	River and non-river squares	Basic
d.	River square	River square	Basic
e.	Hill top square	Hill top square	Basic
f.	" "	Slope square

*Combat factor does not further increase if a river runs through Slope Square.

**Factor doubles if river runs through attacker's Hill top square.

Multiple Unit Battles

When two or more Units attack one defending Unit, the factors of the attacking Units are totaled into one combined attack factor.
When one Unit attacks two or more defending Units, the factors of the defending Units are totaled into one combined defense factor.
When several Units attack several defending Units, the attacker has the choice of dividing combat into more than one battle as long as the following conditions are met: a. he must fight every defending Unit in whose controlled zone he has attacking Units. b. he must be in the controlled zone of the defending Unit(s) he is attacking. c. every unit moved into an enemy zone of control must attack at least one adjacent enemy unit.
The attacker may divide combat against stacked Units on the same square into more than one battle as long as he has more than one attacking Unit.
Attacking stacked Units on one square may divide combat against defending Units on separate squares.
The attacker may deliberately sacrifice one or more attacking Units at unfavorable odds in order to gain more favorable odds over other defending Units. This tactic is called "soaking off."
You are not allowed to split any individual Unit's combat factor.
No attacking Unit may fight more than one battle per turn even if it finds itself adjacent to the enemy after combat has been resolved. The defending Unit must either attack or withdraw in its turn.

Movement After Combat

Units are allowed to move after combat in the same turn only in the following situations:

A unit that defeats any enemy unit while attacking from a river square is allowed to move onto the defeated Unit's vacated square immediately after combat. This applies even if the defender was not doubled due to the fact that participating attackers were on river squares and non-river squares in combination.
A unit that defeats any enemy Unit on top of a hill while attacking from a slope square is allowed to move onto the defeated Unit's vacated hilltop square after combat. This applies even if the defender was not doubled due to the fact that participating attackers were on slope squares and hilltop squares in combination.
Zones of control have no effect on advance after combat. This is the only case where a unit may move directly through enemy zones of control.

In "exchange", surviving Units, if attacker, are allowed to move onto the above mentioned squares after combat in the same turn.

Special Terrain Movement

Roads

a. Any Unit on a primary road is allowed to move four additional squares on the road. The Unit receives this four-square bonus immediately at any time it reaches a road. For example: a Unit which has a movement factor of four squares reaches a road square on its fourth move. It could then move up to four more squares along the road immediately in that same turn. Or suppose the same Unit had reached the road in two squares, then this Unit could move along the road up to four squares and then move off two more squares. A Unit is not allowed to apply the bonus movement to more than one road per turn. b. A unit cannot leave a road after taking part of its movement bonus and then return to the road for the remainder of that movement bonus. c. The road bonus applies only when a unit enters the road hex through a hexside which is intersected by the road. d. There is no movement bonus on secondary roads.

Rivers

a. All units must stop when they land on river squares unless they intend to move up or downstream along the river without crossing. If they intend to cross they must stop and may move off the river square on their next turn. Units must still stop on wooded squares, even if the "forest" is on the opposite bank of the river. b. Units that land on a river square of a different river immediately after leaving one must stop again -- not proceeding until the following turn unless intending to only move up or downstream on the new river. c. There is no movement delay when crossing rivers on primary and secondary roads. d. In summary, units intending to cross rivers must stop when crossing at river hexes where the river is not intersected by a road.

Woods

a. All Units must stop when they land on Woods squares. They may not proceed until the next turn. b. All Units move through the woods at the rate of one square per turn. c. All Units may leave the woods at their normal movement rate. d. There is no movement delay when traveling through woods on primary and secondary roads. However, the woods hex must be entered from the hexside containing the road to negate the effects of the woods. e. Movement in woods along rivers is at the rate of 1 square per turn.

Other

There is no movement delay through slopes, hilltops, or cities. In fact, cities are treated as continuations of the roads going through them. As such, units can cross the river at Charleroi with no delay.

Time Record

WATERLOO is played in turns. The French player moves all his Units and resolves all combat, if any; that is a turn. The P-A-A player moves all his Units and resolves all combat, if any; that is also a turn. Together these two turns are called a complete turn and measured as the passage of two hours in the game. The French player always takes his turn first in each two-hour interval. After each complete turn, the passage of a two-hour interval is marked off on the time record card. Asterisks, shown opposite certain hours, mark the arrival of Prussian or Anglo-Allied troops.

Order of Appearance

In the real battle of Waterloo the P-A-A troops were arriving for several days after June 16, 1815. In the game WATERLOO the P-A-A player introduces Units accordingly.

The Order of Appearance Card states the area and the time of arrival of new Units. They are brought into play as follows:

Incoming Units are placed on board at the beginning of the P-A-A player's turn.
The P-A-A player brings out his units scheduled to arrive in that turn in one pile (one on top of the other) on the partial squares on the edge of the board where the designated road enters.
To be specific, units from Braine Le Comte start on U-48; those from Hal on C-57; those from Brussels on square number 46 (not A-45). Note that none of these starting squares are playable.
All incoming units start moving from the edge of the board counting the first playable hex as the first basic movement factor used. Movement between two unplayable hexes is not allowed.
Incoming units may be moved according to their movement factor and used in combat in the same turn of arrival.

Incoming Units may not be placed on board directly into enemy zones of control. If enemy zones prevent the P-A-A player from bringing in any or all scheduled Units, such Units may be brought in on the next unblocked primary or secondary road looking clockwise around the board.

If the P-A-A forgets to bring in Units when scheduled they may be brought on at any time later in the game. He may purposely delay their arrival if he so wishes.

Use of Headquarters Units

In a 2-player game use only the HQ Units labeled Wellington, Napoleon and Blucher.
When more than 2 play, additional HQ Units may be used as subordinate commanders' HQ Units. Elimination of a subordinate commander's HQ Unit means he is out of the game. Units under his command, however, remain in play.
HQ Units are not allowed to attack and are automatically eliminated when attacked.
In effect, HQ units are included for historical purposes only. They have no bearing on the play of the game as they have no zone of control and cannot be used to delay the enemy.

Combat Results Table

To resolve combat, players must first convert battle odds to the basic odds comparisons appearing in the table. (4 to 2 battle odds would convert to 2 to 1; 9 to 3 converts to 3 to 1; etc.)
Next, the Die is rolled by the attacker.
The number rolled is matched up with the basic odds comparison to get the results of combat. For instance: if the odds are 2 to 1 and a 1 is rolled, all defending Units are eliminated.

Round off all battle odds in favor of the defender. For example, if battle odds are 29 to 10, thus lying between 2 to 1 and 3 to 1, it is rounded off to 2 to 1. In other words all fractions are rounded off in favor of the defender. Other examples: 9 to 5 converts to 1 to 1; 24 to 5 is 4 to 1; 2 to 3 is 1 to 2; 4 to 15 is 1 to 4; etc.

Unlike most other Avalon Hill games, odds worse than 1-6 are legal although they automatically result in A Elim.

Combat Results Explanation

A-ELIM: all attacking Units are to be considered completely destroyed and are removed from the board.
D-ELIM: all defending Units are to be considered completely destroyed and removed from the board.
BACK 2: all losing Units must retreat two squares in any direction, or combination of directions, determined by the winner. The winner cannot force losing Units into blocking zones of control or terrain if alternate, unblocked routes of retreat are available. a. If a Unit is forced to retreat into an enemy controlled zone it is eliminated. b. If a Unit is forced to retreat off the board it is eliminated. c. If a Unit is forced to retreat onto or across a river it is eliminated. d. Units are allowed to retreat in any direction during combat on river squares during combat. Retreat onto river squares of another river; into enemy zones of control; or in violation of other retreat restrictions results in elimination. e. Units are allowed to retreat through friendly units even if stacked. However, the only possible retreat route results in over-stacking, the excess over the stacking limitation must be eliminated. f. If the first hex in a retreat is a woods hex, the retreating unit is eliminated unless:
1. that woods hex contains a road, and
2. the path of retreat is through the hexside that the road intersects, and
3. the entire retreat continues down the road.
EXCEPTION: French units retreating off the board via squares A39 and A45. In this case, the retreating French units must leave the hex via the hex side intersected by the road. These retreating French units cause P-A-A defections.

Example of 1 above: If A retreats into X or Y it is eliminated. (Diagram)

Example of 2 above: B may retreat into X through Y. (Diagram)

Example of 3 above: C is eliminated if forced to retreat, because it cannot leave the road to enter Y or Z.

Order of Battle Card

This card lists every Unit provided for play. "Order of Battle" does not mean "time of arrival" as inferred by its title. It is the military term for troops taking part, active or inactive, in a particular conflict. Therefore, this card has nothing to do with basic rules of play and is included only as a check against counters that might get lost.

Special Terrain Movement (Road-Woods)

Units traveling on roads cannot leave road-woods hexes except via the hexside intersected by the road.
Units beginning a turn on a road-woods hex may move off into adjacent non-road-woods hexes at the rate of one hex per turn if they do so before moving along the road that turn.
Units entering road-woods hexes must stop unless entry is made via the hexside that the road intersects.

(Diagrams) Example of 1 above: Move to hex C is ok; all others not allowed. Example of 3 above: No unit may move to "Y" and continue moving unless they enter from hex C.

Appendix

Those players who become very involved in the play of WATERLOO may find minor points for disagreement in the printing of the mapboard. For such buffs, the following rulings are offered should arguments arise. Beginning players need pay no attention to the fine points which follow as they are intended only to satisfy nit-pickers trying to take advantage of small ambiguities in the playing board.

Nivelles, Gosselies, and Charleroi are primary roads. Primary roads extend into LL21, TT16, and UU15. Genappe and Marchienne au Pont are not primary roads.
The following hexes with hexsides just touched by rivers are not river hexes: Y-13, Y-14, Y-16, Y-17, X-19, N-21, A-32, S-25, S-38, V-38, and A-56.
Bridge hexes occur where roads cross rivers, even if the blue is not broken where the road crosses. Thus the following hexes are bridge hexes: UU9, UU15, UU19, D27, and C27.
The following hexes are not woods hexes: T20, I23, B37, B39, and E44.

Using these samples as a guideline most reasonable people should have no trouble resolving the identity of terrain in a given hex. Should arguments still occur, we suggest solving them with a friendly roll of the die.

Second Edition

This version is the 2nd edition. It supersedes all earlier rules. If playing-by-mail or with a stranger we suggest you make sure your opponent is familiar with the version of rules you are using.

Reference Folder

The Reference Folder's historical narrative (General Situation, Actual Campaign, The Battle of Waterloo) is omitted here as background; strategy notes and examples follow.

Basic French Strategy

The basic French strategy in Waterloo is rather simple--to advance to Brussels while suffering as few casualties as possible.

Naturally the Quatre Bras road junction is a key point, the early acquisition of which by the French would confront the Prussian forces with dire movement problems. However, Quatre Bras is easily defended against frontal assaults and the French would have to be extremely fortunate to seize it early in the game. Thus the French strategy will usually be to flank the Quatre Bras area to the west between Quatre Bras and Nivelles or even farther to the west between Nivelles and Braine le Comte. At the same time a substantial force should advance upon Tilly and either penetrate to Quatre Bras from the east or advance up the secondary road toward Wavre and force the Prussians and Anglo-Allies to extend their lines along the Thil and Dyle Rivers. If a major break through across the Dyle can be achieved before the arrival of the Prussian IV Corps, the Anglo-Allies and Prussians will be hard pressed to hold their position.

Basic Anglo-Allied and Prussian Strategy

The basic Anglo-Allied and Prussian strategy is to keep the French from reaching Brussels by the time limit. This is best done by fighting a stubborn delaying action along the Nivelles-Quatre Bras-Tilly line and, when that becomes no longer tenable, to gradually fall back upon Mt. Jean. It is essential that they delay the French as long as possible so that the additional Anglo-Allied and Prussian units can arrive on the field. If losses have not been too great, the arrival of the Prussian IV Corps will usually carry the field for the Allies. However, if the French have managed to penetrate to Mt. St. Jean by the 18th, the battle will probably be lost.

Equipment

22" x 28" Mapboard
8 page Instruction Folder
Time Record and Order of Battle Card
Situation and Order of Appearance Card
Red, Blue and Green Unit Counters
Results Table
1 Die

Overall Strength Comparisons

The following chart shows French and Prussian-Anglo-Allied (P-A-A) strength comparisons. Blank "spare" counters are included so players may replace lost counters without having to purchase a whole set.

	INF Units	CAV Units	ARTY Units	HORSE ARTY Units	HQ Units	TOTAL Units	TOTAL Comb. Fact.
French	20	14	6	10	13	63	193
P-A-A	32	22	14	10	14	92	237

In all following diagrams, Blue designates the attacker; Red designates the defender. Of course in the play of Waterloo, all such situations are applicable to the Green (P-A-A) Units too.

Defection

If, in the French Turn, all four Blue units shown totaling 15 factors are moved off the board, P-A-A Units totaling 30 factors automatically defect. The P-A-A player must remove any Units on board totaling 30 factors before taking his turn. Movement of French Units off the board must be done through board edge squares between those marked X.

Examples: How to Have Combat

In attack, you may move as many Units as you are able into a Defending Unit's zone. All 3 BLUE Units are moved into RED's zone of control. Notice that BLUE-A circled the RED controlled square (Z) to gain a better attack position. RED is completely surrounded by BLUE zones of control, therefore, RED would be eliminated even if the Combat Results Table calls for a retreat. Had BLUE-A moved into the square marked (Z), RED would have had an escape route through (E). Battle odds are 11-5, which reduces to 2-1.

CORRECT: Blue must circle the zone of control to reach Square (B).
INCORRECT: Blue is not allowed to short-cut its approach to Square (B) by passing thru Square (A). Blue must stop on Square (A) and fight there.
In the surrounded-Unit situation, Red-A only had engaged Blue in battle. Blue cannot re-treat because it is surrounded by Red zones of control indicated by letter.

Examples: Movement After Combat

Blue moves onto the river square and attacks Red. If Blue is victorious it is allowed (not required) to move onto Red's vacated square after combat in the same turn. The same thing also applies in hilltop attack. Victorious Units on slopes may move onto hilltop squares vacated by defeated Units in the same turn.

Blue A & B move onto river square and attack Red. Assuming Blue-B and Red are eliminated in an "exchange", Blue-A is allowed (not required) to move onto Red's vacated square after combat in the same turn.

Examples: Combat -- When Defense Factors Increase

Since Blue is attacking from river squares, Red's combat factor doubles on defense: Blue-A attacks Red-A at 4-4, Blue-B attacks Red-B at 6-2, and Blue-C attacks Red-C at 6-2. If desired, the attacker can divide combat with Blue-A & B attacking Red-A at 10-4 and Blue-C attacking Red-B & C at 6-4.
Since Blue is attacking from non-river squares, Red's factor is basic on defense: Blue-A attacks Red-A at 4-2, Blue-B attacks Red-B at 4-1, and Blue-C attacks Red-C down slope at 6-2.
Since Blue is attacking from river and non-river squares, Red's factor does not double on defense: Blue-A & B attack at 8-2.
Since Red is defending on a river square, its factor does not double when attacked from river squares: Blue-A attacks Red-A at 6-2, Blue-B attacks Red-B at 4-1.
Since Blue is attacking from slope and hilltop squares, Red's factor does not double on defense: Blue-A & B attack at 10-2. However, if Blue-B was not in the picture and Red was attacked solely from the slope square, its factor would double; Red would be attacked by Blue-A at 4-4. If Blue-A was not in the picture and Red was attacked solely from a hilltop square, its factor remains basic; Red would be attacked by Blue-B at 6-2.

Examples: River Combat

Since Blue is attacking from a river square, Red's factor doubles. Blue attacks at 4 to 4.
Blue's square is not a river square since the river does not pass through two sides of the hexagon. Blue attacks Red at 4 to 2.
Since the defender's factor does not double when attacked from both a river and a non-river square, Red is attacked by Blue-A & B at 8 to 2.

Examples: Hilltop Combat

Both Blue-A & B attack Red from slope squares. Red's factor doubles and is attacked at 8 to 4. The presence of rivers and roads does not alter battle odds.
Red-A is on a hilltop because its square is adjacent to the thickest part of the splash contour of Blue's square. By this definition, Red-B's square is not a hilltop. Only Red-A's factor doubles: Blue attacks Red-A & B at 4 to 6.

Examples: Multiple Unit Battles

When several Units attack several defending Units, the attacker has the choice of dividing combat into more than one battle. Blue has the choice of dividing combat two different ways: a. Two battles: Blue-A, B and C attack Red-A and B at 3-6. b. Three battles: Blue-A and B attack Red-A at 8-4; Blue-C attacks Red-B at 5-2; and Blue-D attacks Red-C at 3-4. Blue-A and B are not in Red-B and Red-C's zones. Therefore, combat cannot exist between those Units. The same applies between Blue-C and Red-C; between Blue-D and Red-A.

The attacker may divide combat against stacked Units on the same square into more than one battle as long as he has more than one attacking Unit. In both examples above, Blue has the choice of combat in three ways: a. One battle: Blues attack Reds at 8-8. b. Two battles: Blue-A attacks Red-A at 4-2; Blue-B attacks Red-B and C at 4-6. c. Two battles: Blue-A attacks Red-A and B at 4-4; Blue-B attacks Red-C at 4-4.

Stacked Units that are attacking from one square may divide combat against defending Units on separate squares. Blue has the choice of combat in three ways: a. One battle: Blues attack Reds at 9-6. b. Two battles: Blue-A attacks Red-A at 5-2; Blue-B attacks Red-B at 4-4. c. Two battles: Blue-B attacks Red-B at 5-4; Blue-B attacks Red-A at 4-2.

No attacking Unit may fight more than one battle per turn even if it finds itself adjacent to the enemy after combat has been resolved. The defending Unit must either attack or withdraw in its turn. With Blue the attacker, Blue-A eliminates Red-A and Red-B eliminates Blue-B. Consequently, Blue-A and Red-B are still in combat position after combat. But Blue-A is not allowed to attack. In Red's turn, Red-B must either attack or withdraw. (Red-B is not allowed to withdraw and attack Blue-A from a different square.)

Miscellaneous Examples

There is only one possible way in which to fight this battle: Blue-A attacks Red-A at 5-5 (Red-A does not double his defense factor because he is on a river square--even though it is a different river.) Blue-B attacks Red-B at 6-4 since Blue-B is on a river square and Red-B is on a plain square.
Blue has the choice of dividing combat into many different ways, four of which would be: a. One battle: Blue-A, B, C and D attack Red-A and B at 19-11. This is the least desirable method of attack since Blue would be committing his entire forces in a 1-1 battle. b. Two battles: Blue-A and B attack Red-A at 11-14; while Blue-C and D attack Red-B at 8-4. c. Two battles: Blue-A and C attack Red-A at 11-7; while Blue-B and D attack Red-B at 8-4. d. Two battles: Blue-A, B and D attack Red-A at 14-7; while Blue-C or D join with Blue-A or B in attacking one of the Red units, that Red unit loses its doubled combat factor. Therefore, examples C and D are the most desirable methods of attack.

Soaking Off

To become expert at Avalon Hill war gaming one must thoroughly understand the soaking off procedure. Soaking off is a method of attack whereby small attacking Units are sacrificed at overwhelming odds to provide greater attacking odds over the remaining defending Units. The end result is two-fold: (1) it usually provides the attacker with at least one victory, and (2) when opposing Units are still engaged after combat the defender is forced to withdraw or attack at unfavorable odds. Examples are as follows:

In the first diagram, Blue-A, B, C, D & F attack Red-A at 24 to 6. Blue-E soaks off against Red-B, C & D at 2 to 18.
In the second diagram, it is assumed Red-A and Blue-E have been eliminated leaving several opposing Units still engaged. But since no Unit may fight more than one battle in the same turn, it becomes the defender's turn to become the attacker. Red-B is not allowed to withdraw because Blue controls the "X" squares plus the Red-C, D square. Therefore, it is forced to attack Blue-A, B, C & D at 6 to 18. Red-C, D is allowed to withdraw although it has the option to attack Blue-F at 12 to 6.
In the first diagram of the second example, Blue-A soaks off against Red-A, B & D at 2 to 18. Blue-B, C, D, E & F attack Red-C at 24 to 6.
In the second diagram, it is assumed Blue-A and Red-C have been eliminated leaving several opposing Units still engaged. Red-D is forced to withdraw or attack. If it decides to withdraw, it may do so only through square "X". To attack, it must do so from its present location--it is not allowed to move to square "Y" since "Y" is also a Blue-E, F controlled square.