Square Eagles - Simple Napoleonic Rules for a gridded table

 These rules are based upon Steve's "Eagles Cheaper than Brain Cells" over at the Sound Officer's Call blog, which are them selves descending from Neil Thomas' One Hour Wargames. I have also borrowed some ideas from Martin Rapier's OHW variant that I used at Historicon last July. 

I used them for a solo game and then a FTF game in the past month. Here they are with a few minor modifications based upon those games, which will appear as write ups on the blog soon. 

“Square Eagles”

 UNITS AND BOXES: There are four types of Units, representing typical formations. Each unit occupies one 4” to 6”square box. It must face one of the four sides of the box; no diagonal facings! Shooting and moving is +/- 45 degrees. Count diagonals as 1.5 boxes for moving or shooting. Diagonal moves cannot be made if both boxes to either side are occupied by troops or terrain the unit cannot enter. All units except Light Infantry and units in Towns/SP exert a Zone of Control into the box directly to their front. Any unit that enters an enemy ZOC must either assault that unit, or stop there and face into a box containing at least one such unit. Units that start in an enemy ZOC must either remain stationary and face into at least one such unit, assault one such unit if able, or withdraw from the zone of control without charging.

Line of sight is measured from the center of the unit's box to the center of the target. Intervening woods, hills, towns, and units block line of sight. One box is about 150 yards. A turn is about 15-30 minutes of In/Action.

1. Infantry. A brigade of about 3-4,000 close-order Foot with muskets/bayonets using firepower to confront the enemy; bayonets mostly defensive. Attached Guns are included, adding firepower at all ranges. Light foot screen the brigade at a distance from the enemy, inflicting casualties and confusion.

2. Lights. A battalion of about 400 light Foot in a dispersed formation for rapid movement even through rough terrain. Their small size and open formation makes their musketry less effective. NO flanks/rear for fire or melee combat.

3. Cavalry. A brigade of about 1500 close-order horse who rely upon movement and mêlée to affect the battle. Flank charges are a potent threat. Attached horse guns provide firepower along with screening light Horse that inflict casualties and confusion.

4. Heavy Cavalry. As above, but big men on large horses, they have an advantage over lighter cavalry in mêlée.

5. Guns. A massed battalion of 10-15 heavy foot guns with longer Range but less firepower than an infantry brigade. They are screened by attached infantry and baggage guards.

6. The General. This is a suitably mounted fellow with his staff – but he functions as a marker, not a Unit. Generals are very important in Square Eagles, as they can attach to a Unit: that Unit always counts as Ordered [regardless of the cost to Order that Unit] and it gets a +1 to Rally. There should be about 1 General for every 6 Units on a side. Can share a box with a unit.

Strength Points: Infantry 7 SP, Cavalry 5 SP, Artillery or Skirmishers 5 SP. Can adjust up or down 1 SP for relative numbers, troop quality, etc.

TURN SEQUENCE  The game begins per the OHW scenario instructions. The side said to “go first each turn” has the Initiative Turn 1 – but it can change from Turn 2 on. A full turn has five phases:

1. Orders Phase: All generals roll one D6; this is the number of Order the General. Units within l box of an enemy unit cost two pips to be given an Order. Place a marker next to each unit to Order it for this turn, showing the Order's cost – 1 or 2. Place the General with any unit under his command (within 4 boxes); it counts as Ordered. Units with Orders will be able to select and execute an Action during the Actions phase.

2. Initiative Phase [not Turn 1]:  Players roll off a d6; high roll wins and has Initiative; it acts first in Phases 3-4.

However, Initiative only switches sides if the Reacting side wins the roll by 2 or more.

3a.  Initiative Actions Phase: The Side with Initiative performs Actions with all Ordered Units.

3b. Reacting Actions Phase: The Side without Initiative does the same. When performing Actions, each player sequentially selects an Ordered Unit, chooses and resolves an Action for it, then repeats this with another Unit until all desired Units with Orders have Acted. Units do not have to perform an Action. Action choices are:  Bombardment, Rally Move, March, Maneuver and Assault.

4a. Initiative Fire Phase: The Side with Initiative Fires with all Units in Range.

4b. Reacting Fire Phase: The Side without Initiative does the same.

5. Remove Units and Orders: Units that have lost all their Hits are removed, including any attached Generals. Return any Generals that were removed last turn. Remove unused Orders.

3. ACTIONS

3.i. Bombardment: This Action is performed by Guns only and allows them to Fire [4].

3.ii Rally: Units remove Hits by rolling a d6 and regaining: 1 Hit on a 4+ or 2 Hits on a 6+. Add 1 to the die roll if in Cover or General is attached. Units may not rally to less than 1 Hit, i.e. the first Hit is permanent.

3.iii. Movement: Units may use an Order to perform a Move, March, Maneuver or Assault Action. Move and March are straight ahead on the table up to the maximum allowed distance listed below during their turn, except that Infantry in Column, Skirmishers, and all Cavalry may include 1 box on the diagonal (costs 1.5) as part of their move.

Unit Type Move or March

Infantry, Foot Artillery: 2 Boxes; Foot Artillery may not Fire if they Move; +1 Box if Marching (Infantry only in Column)

Lights: 3 Boxes +1 Box if Marching

Cavalry and Horse Artillery: 3 Boxes; +1 Box if Marching

General 4 Boxes during the Orders Phase

Units may neither Fire nor move within 1 Box of enemy Units while using a March Action.

3.iv. Maneuver: is a single 1 to 1.5 Box move in any direction, ending in any formation and facing any direction.

a. Turns: A free 180° Turn is permitted at the start of a Move or March for Infantry and Guns. Lights and Cavalry may Turn at the start or end of the Move.

b. Interpenetration: Only Skirmish Units may pass thru; the moving Skirmish Unit must clear the other.

c. Terrain affects Unit movements follows:

1. Towns Gives Cover. Only Infantry and Lights may end their move in a Town.

2. Woods Gives Cover. Lights move thru with no Penalty – others move at half speed OR Turn.

3. Lakes, Marsh, and the Board Edge are impassible to all Units.

4. Rivers are impassible, but may be crossed at a Ford or Bridge.

5. Roads grant unlimited turns and a 1 Box move bonus if a unit spends its entire move on the road (Infantry must be in column to use Road and/or March movement).

3.iv. Assault Moves occur when one Phasing Unit uses an Assault Action to enter a Box containing one Target Unit.

The Assaulter stops upon contact. Assault movement restrictions:

1. The Defender’s Side Arc in which the Assaulter begins the Action is the only one it may contact.

2. One turn up to 90 degrees may be made at the Assault's start.

3. Artillery and Lights may not Assault

  d. Assaulted Guns are Removed immediately.

  e. Ordered Guns Assaulted from their Front Arc Fire once at Close Range before (potential) Removal.

  f. Resolve Assaults immediately, before going on to the next Action. Both Units inflict Hits during the Assault by rolling d6 equal to their remaining Strength Points, modified as Follows:

1. Cover Defenders in Towns, Hills, at River Crossings, in Woods, etc. cause Attacker to lose 1d6

2. Charging gives Cavalry bonus 1d6. Cavalry charging Lights gives an additional 1 d6 bonus. Cavalry fighting Heavy cavalry lose 1d6 in melee.

3. Orders A Unit with an unused Order may spend the Order to Defend and either Fire at 1 Box Range before the Assault is resolved, OR get a bonus 1d6 during the Assault resolution

4. Flank or Rear give Assaulter a bonus 1d6 when touching those sides.

5. Formations: Infantry in Column get a a bonus 1d6 when assaulting infantry not themselves in Column; Squares have no flanks & get +2d6 when assaulted by Cavalry, but can only move by Maneuver and may not assault.

6. Hits are inflicted by rolling the final modified number of d6 for the Following Target Numbers:

Cavalry 3+   Infantry 4+ Lights 5+

7. Assaults end with the loser retreating straight back from the enemy the Hit difference in Boxes; – Assaulter loses Ties and retreats 1 Box.

• If the retreating Unit’s path crosses other Units, terrain etc, it takes a Hit for each one.

• If it retreats into impassible terrain it is eliminated.

• If it ends its move in the same box as a friendly Unit, move it to the closest open Box in which it fits.

           Winning Assaulters may either move one Box straight ahead or Turn up to 180.

4. FIRE

4.i. Skirmish Fire: All Infantry and Artillery Units have the ability to Skirmish Fire. It has a 360° Arc, 2 Box Range, and gets one unmodified d6 for a 4+. It must use the Priority Target rule, below. Marching Units may not Skirmish Fire.

4.ii. Fire is permitted for Guns with Bombardment Orders and all other Units unless they Marched.

  a. Fire Arc is 45° Arc off the Front.

  b. Priority Targets are those within the Front Arc and must be chosen over Targets in any other Side’s Arc. Units may freely choose between Targets that are at the same Range, however.

  c. Infantry Fire is 1 Box Range with 3d6.

  d. Artillery Fire is: 2 Box Range 3D6, 4 Box Range 2d6, 8 Box Range 1d6. Horse Artillery limited to 4 box range, BUT may Move and Fire in the same turn!

  e. Fire dice modifiers: The firing Unit may get more or less dice on the shot:

• Cover: Firing at Units in Cover or at Lights is -1d6 penalty; Lights shooting ignore this penalty.

• Flank or Rear: Firing at these Sides gives bonus 1d6

• Formation: Infantry in Column or Square shooting at 1 Box range 2d6. Artillery shooting at Column or Square +1 d6

• Order: An order dice may be used as a bonus 1d6.

  f. Hits are inflicted by rolling the final modified number of d6 for the following Target Numbers:

Artillery 3+ Infantry 4+ Lights 5+

  g. Withdraw! Units that take 3+ Hits from one Fire Action immediately retreat 1 Box, as in Assaults.

Hills are considered to be relatively gentle slopes, so provide an advantage defending from Assaults but not from shooting, especially when considering the plunging arcs of the incoming missiles.

5. REMOVALS

Units that took Hits equal to their Strength Points are removed from the table at this point. Remove unused Orders. Remove any Generals who were with a unit that was removed. Attach any Generals that were removed last turn to a Unit [they’ve lost a Turn].

Units receive Hits through combat in the game without reduction in firing ability until they have lost all their Hits and are removed. This reflects a model of fighting whereby casualties are actually relatively low as a percent of personnel, but morale and fatigue are acquired until the Unit routs.

OPTIONAL RULES

Resupply Guns. Guns no longer need an order to Bombard. Instead, roll a d6 and on a ‘1’ they need to choose this Order before they can Fire again.

Defend! Units may spend an Order to Fire in opposing  Actions Phase of this Turn, at the end of any Unit’s Action.

Forts/Works. These are Towns in which Guns may also end a Move.

Limbers. Place these or a dust cloud next to Guns that have Moved to show they cannot Fire.

Horse Gun Batteries may Maneuver and Fire. Count as Medium Artillery, maximum range 4 boxes.

Limited Skirmishers. The Unit may only Skirmish Fire at 1 Box Range.

Light Rifles. 3 Box range; the Unit may re-roll a miss with its Skirmish Dice.

Militia. The Brigade may only Turn by Maneuvering.

Impetuous. The Unit Always advances one Box if it wins an Assault instead of Turning.

Medium Battery. These Guns hit on a 4+ instead of a 3+; includes all Horse Artillery.

Low Supplies. The Unit Fires with a Target Number one worse.

Resolute /Steady. The Unit receives a Bonus 1d6 during Assault Resolution when Assaulted.

Stubborn. The Unit receives a +1 to the Rally d6 even if not in Cover or having a General attached.

Division General. The Division General acts as a Bonus General, guaranteeing a simultaneous advance of three units.

Guard. The Unit gets a +1 to Rally. This may be in addition to the +1 for Cover or the General attached.

Excellent Staff. General can save one Order on an orders roll of 5, two on a 6. They may be used any Orders Phase.

Sluggish. This Unit may only Turn on a Move at the end of the Move, not at the beginning.

Veterans. This Unit may be assigned a second Order but must use both this Turn as usual.

Square Eagles - Summary Sheet

Unit	Move	March	Shoot	Skirmish	Melee	Special
Infantry	2 Boxes	3 Boxes  (Column only)	1 Box - 3d6* Hit 4, 5, 6	1d6  all directions	SP d6 Hit 4, 5, 6	Formations: Line, Column, Square
Lights	3 Boxes	4 Boxes	1 Box 3d6 Hit 5, 6	1d6  all directions	SP d6 Hit 5,6	May enter woods, -1 d6 as target No flank/rear
Cavalry	3 Boxes	4 Boxes	N/A	N/A	SP d6 Hit 3, 4, 5, 6	+1 d6 Charging -1 d6 vs Heavy Cav
Heavy Cavalry	3 Boxes	4 Boxes	N/A	N/A	SP d6 Hit 3, 4, 5, 6	+1 d6 Charging
Artillery	2 Boxes	3 Boxes	1 - 2 Boxes     3d6  2.5 - 4 boxes   2d6 4.5 - 8 boxes   1d6 Hit 3, 4, 5, 6	1d6  all directions	Eliminated	Only Horse Artillery may Maneuver and Fire, HA/Medium Artillery hit on 4,5,6.  Horse Artillery max range = 4.
General	4 Boxes	4 Boxes	N/A	N/A	N/A	Bonus to Rally,  1 Free Order

Effects of Infantry Formations:

Column: Allows March Move, 1 box diagonal, +1 d6 for Assaults, only 2 d6 firing at 1 bow range, +1 d6 as target for Artillery

Line: Standard effects

Square: No movement except Maneuver, no flanks, +2 d6 vs Cavalry, negate Cavalry charge bonus, +1 d6 as target for Artillery, 2 d6 for fire at 1 box range

Fire Modifiers:

-1 d6 shooting at Cover (Lights ignore)

-1 d6 shooting at Lights

+1 d6 shooting at flank or rear

+1 d6 for unused Order marker

Melee Modifiers:

-1 d6 Defender in cover or uphill

-1 d6 Cavalry assaulting Heavy Cavalry

+1 d6 Cavalry/Heavy Cavalry assaulting (except vs square)

+1 d6 Cavalry assaulting Lights

+1 d6 Assaulting flank or rear (except Lights defending)

+1 d6 Infantry in column assaulting Infantry in Line or Square