Line of Battle - Crib Notes
I decided to write up my notes for the Line of Battle series rules in the hope that you might find them helpful as you read through the rules on your own...
Command Phase
Orders - Requires Command Roll (much more on this later)
Attack Recovery - Roll for each division
Fluke Stoppage - Roll for each division following attack orders
Activity Phase
Move activity including Charges or Fire Activity (can move 1/2 MA before firing)
Rally Phase
Remove all Blood Lust / Shaken / Cowardly Legs counters
Flip DG to Shaken
Roll to see if Routed can become DG
Loss Recovery - add 25% FRD or 1SP (whichever is greater)
Fire Activity
Move up to 1/2 MA and then Fire
Can use MA to change facing
Cannot initiate a Charge -
Cannot Fire and then Move
Move Activity
Can move individually or in stacks
Can add to stack as move thru hex
2.3 Night Turns - 1/2 hour and visibility limited to 2 hexes
2.4 Fog of War - Plans / Orders / Unit Strength are all Secret - Can always view the top unit in Stack
3.0 Movement -
Movement Allowance (MA) based upon formation / type
Movement Points are based upon Terrain Effects chart
Roads - Column, Mounted and Limbered can use Road Movement rate (Line formation cannot)
Combat Units may not stack while using Road Movement rate
No unit can enter hexes containing enemy combat units
Minimum move of 1 hex allowed - No Fire or Charge Allowed
Each stack must complete its activity before another stack can start
Routed units cannot move normally
DG units move at 1/2 MA FRD
Routed / DG may self-instruct retreat of 10 hexes
- No additional loss or morale state increase
- Apply retreat into EZOC (3.4a) normally
3.1 Formations - Flip counter / Available to Combat Units only
Movement Side - Column / Mounted / Limbered
Combat Side - Line / Open Order / Unlimbered
Units change formation in the Activity Phase at a cost of Movement Points
Unlimbered Artillery must Limber as part of Retreating (except as part of Skedaddle [10.9])
Infantry / Cavalry can change to Line/Open in EZOC only in a Fie Activity
Mounted Cavalry has MA of 12
- double expended MPs when mounting
- half expended MPs when dismounting
Units in Column have 8 MA but must end turn in column
Line formation cannot use road to ignore Streams, Creeks or Rivers (can use Fords)
Artillery can only Unlimber if 5 (4 with leader) hexes away from enemy unit in a clear LOS
Stacking - 16 SP maximum - evaluate end of movement, retreat and declaration of charge
Unlimbered Artillery units cannot stack with other combat units
Stacking order can be adjusted at any point in Move before Opening Volley
3.3 Facing - Line / Unlimbered Units - points towards Hex side
All units in hex must have the same facing
Change in facing must be before Firing or Charge
Line units can change facing any number of hexsides for 1 MP
Artillery (Unlimbered) change facing with no MP expenditure
Fire allowed thru 3 frontal hexsides only (120 degrees)
Can only move thru 3 frontal hexsides
Can adjust facing after Retreat does not cost any MP
Charge is only allowed thru center-facing hexside
- no change in facing allowed during charge
3.4 Zones of Control
If combat unit can fire - has ZOC in front 3 hexes
- cannot fire - formation restriction, morale state and ammo depletion
Units are locked when in EZOC and cannot leave unless
- Retread (even self inflicted)
- Command is skedadling, Fluke Stopping, Following New Orders
- Artillery (first full night turn)
- Successfully charged into that hex
- Open Order Capable ( except 9.4e )
3.5 Closing Rolls (CR)
Successful CR is required in order to move adjacent to enemy combat unit or initiate charge (Except 3.5a)
Units under a Move Activity that fail CR stop all movement but can fire (assuming spent 1/2 MA)
Fail Charge can only fire at Charge location
CR fails for DG, Wrecked, Overstacked
CR Automatically Succeed if unit is Blood Lust / Open Order
CR Auto Success
When using Leaders Morale Value - Leader must finish with stack
3.6 Artillery
Unlimbered cannon move, can change facing with no MP cost
Changing to limbered costs 3 MP
Can unlimber before firing but cannot enter a new
1 shot allowed, except with leader
must make Morale Check for Shots > 10 hexes
3.9 Reinforcements
Enter during the Activity Phase
4.0 Line of Sight - Clear vs Blocked
Crest in End Point Hex + 1
Obstacles - Woods +3 Orchards +1 Town +2 Crests +1
Obstacle Height higher than Higher Endpoint Hex -- Blocked
Ranges
- 4 hexes or less or small arms fire - anything not ignored will Block LOS
- 5 hexes or more and not small arms fire - use the Slope Table
4.1 Slope Table
Difference between High / Low on Left and Range across the top --- Slope
Obstacle Lever on Left and Range to Low --- Obstacle Slope
If Obstacle Slope > Overall Slope LOS is Blocked
Special LOS Rules
4.2a - Can always see adjacent
4.2b - Sudden Dips Blocks except Adjacent
4.2c - Same Hill -- Ignore all unmodified heights on higher hill
4.2d - Orchards -- Ignore orchards in End Point hexes
4.2e - Units block a Range of 4 or less or Small Arms fire
4.2f - Danger Close - Artillery at > 5 hexes impacts all friendly adjacent units
Visibility is maximum range in hexes for LOS
5.0 Combat
Weapons Characteristics Chart (WCC) contains max range and other capabilities
Units have a Letter and Number -- Letter is Weapon and Number is Strength Points
Max fire from a single hex is 8 SP (3 SP from a Open Order unit)
1st loss must be from the top combat unit - remaining can be distributed
5.2 - Must have Clear LOS, be in Range and have Visibility
Column, Mounted, Limbered, and Routed - Cannot Fire
Each Unit can only fire once
A given hex can be charged or fired upon multiple times (except non-leader artillery)
5.4 Opening Volley
Active Units must have expended MPs (or facing change by Artillery) or declared Charge
Attacking Unit must be Inactive - 3 hex maximum range
5.6 Threshold - Used to determine if column shift due to weapon type applies.
must check each weapon type individually. Apply one on small arms / cannister shift.
Combat Results
M - Morale Check Only --- possibly CBF marker increase
# - Step Loss --- SP losses, leader loss check, morale and possible CBF
if unit is destroyed - no morale check, leader and HQ remain (after Leader Loss Check)
destroy wagons if enemy unit adjacent
add Cowerdly Legs (6.5) counter
5.7 Wrecked Status - Infantry / Cavalry at < 50% of printed SP
- Artillery is never wrecked
- Can recover from wrecked status
Wrecked Penalties
- Cannot pass closing roll (ex part of charge)
- applies morale table modifier if top unit
- applies shift on Opening Volley Table
5.8 Counter Battery Fire (CBF)
Fire by artillery at hex with artillery with "M" Result
Precludes "by Caisson Replensishment"
applies Combat Table shift = CBF Level
Remove all CBF from friendly units in Rally Phase
Has no impact on Movement
6.0 Morale - A is Best and F is Worst
Imposed by Morale Table, but also Line formation in Town and Overstacking
Morale States:
BL - Blood Lust - Free Pass on Closing Rolls - Ignores Retreat or Loss Result from Morale Table
Sh - Shaken
DG - Disorganized - 1/2 MA and 1/2 Combat Strength - No Charge and No Closing Rolls allowed
R - Routed - Cannot Move / Fire and has no ZOC, Must Retreat
Each hex has a single morale state (worst unit in hex)
Any stack with a Routed unit becomes Routed
6.1 Morale Check - Called for by Combat Table
Top Unit in Stack provides Morale Rating / Modifiers (can be modified by Leader)
Long Range Shots - Many Morale Modifiers do not apply
6.1b - Smallness - Modifier for small by small arms 1 hex
BL - Result ignored if not adjacent to attach or open orders
Retreads - Ignored if BL
Loss - Ignored if BL; take after Retreat
6.3 Retreat
- Calculated in hexes; must retreat together, can change formation, adjust facing, stacking order
- Retreat into units
- units can displace 1 hex (worsen Morale). Leaders / HQ in Disp hex must displace
- HQ Displace - must Skedaddle
- units can join or pass thru with negative consequences
- Retreat into EZOC - Lose 1 SP
6.4 Rally - Remove BL / Sh; Flip DG to Sh; Roll for Routed units; Withdrawl; Remove CL
6.5 Cowardly Legs (CL) - Place on Retreat / Destruction; Mod to MC for Adjacent units
7.0 Charge
Move Adjacent Normally - Announce Charge and make Closing Roll
If Successful - Defender makes Opening Volley - Attacker takes Losses including Leader Loss (LL)
- If 4+ SP remain, defender takes 1 SP loss (LL)
- except if attacker Small or Breastworks
- Defender then makes a MC with Charge Modifiers
- If Defender is eliminated or retreats; Attacker advances and can continue to move / charge
- Place Cowardly Legs as appropriate
Only Infantry and Mounted Cavalry can Charge
If Closing Roll fails - Fire Activity is still allowed if sufficient MPs remain
7.26 Clear Pathway - if must move to charge - adjacent hex must be clear
Command Radius - must extend to 1st charge hex
7.4 Mounted Charges - Restrictions Apply
Line of Battle Series v2.0
Version 1.0 - May 9th 2019
Scale
Scale
110 yards per hex / 15 minute turns / 20' elevation levels
Units are Regiments / Independent Battalions / Artillery Batteries
Each Strength Point represents 50 men and a single cannon
Terrain
Slope Lines (thick lines) - Impact morale when firers are at lower elevation
Inclined Ground - Impacts movement but not LOS
Woods - Impacts LOS as expected, but Movement only impacted across Green hex-side
Stone Walls - Can impact Small Arms fire
Towns - Impact Movement (also Intersections) can also impact Combat (DG Results)
Creek / River - Impact Movement
Runs - No Impact on Play
Rock Ledges - protect units on downhill side
Small - Less than or equal to 3 Strength Points (3SP)
Sequence of Play
- Command Phase - Orders / Attack Recovery / Fluke Stoppage
- Activity Phase - Movement and Combat
- Rally Phase - Rally / Remove Counter Battery Fire (CBF) counters / Loss Recovery (midnight only)
Command Phase
Orders - Requires Command Roll (much more on this later)
Attack Recovery - Roll for each division
Fluke Stoppage - Roll for each division following attack orders
Activity Phase
Move activity including Charges or Fire Activity (can move 1/2 MA before firing)
Rally Phase
Remove all Blood Lust / Shaken / Cowardly Legs counters
Flip DG to Shaken
Roll to see if Routed can become DG
Loss Recovery - add 25% FRD or 1SP (whichever is greater)
Fire Activity
Move up to 1/2 MA and then Fire
Can use MA to change facing
Cannot initiate a Charge -
Cannot Fire and then Move
Move Activity
Can move individually or in stacks
Can add to stack as move thru hex
2.3 Night Turns - 1/2 hour and visibility limited to 2 hexes
2.4 Fog of War - Plans / Orders / Unit Strength are all Secret - Can always view the top unit in Stack
3.0 Movement -
Movement Allowance (MA) based upon formation / type
Movement Points are based upon Terrain Effects chart
Roads - Column, Mounted and Limbered can use Road Movement rate (Line formation cannot)
Combat Units may not stack while using Road Movement rate
No unit can enter hexes containing enemy combat units
Minimum move of 1 hex allowed - No Fire or Charge Allowed
Each stack must complete its activity before another stack can start
Routed units cannot move normally
DG units move at 1/2 MA FRD
Routed / DG may self-instruct retreat of 10 hexes
- No additional loss or morale state increase
- Apply retreat into EZOC (3.4a) normally
3.1 Formations - Flip counter / Available to Combat Units only
Movement Side - Column / Mounted / Limbered
Combat Side - Line / Open Order / Unlimbered
Units change formation in the Activity Phase at a cost of Movement Points
Unlimbered Artillery must Limber as part of Retreating (except as part of Skedaddle [10.9])
Infantry / Cavalry can change to Line/Open in EZOC only in a Fie Activity
Mounted Cavalry has MA of 12
- double expended MPs when mounting
- half expended MPs when dismounting
Units in Column have 8 MA but must end turn in column
Line formation cannot use road to ignore Streams, Creeks or Rivers (can use Fords)
Artillery can only Unlimber if 5 (4 with leader) hexes away from enemy unit in a clear LOS
Stacking - 16 SP maximum - evaluate end of movement, retreat and declaration of charge
Unlimbered Artillery units cannot stack with other combat units
Stacking order can be adjusted at any point in Move before Opening Volley
3.3 Facing - Line / Unlimbered Units - points towards Hex side
All units in hex must have the same facing
Change in facing must be before Firing or Charge
Line units can change facing any number of hexsides for 1 MP
Artillery (Unlimbered) change facing with no MP expenditure
Fire allowed thru 3 frontal hexsides only (120 degrees)
Can only move thru 3 frontal hexsides
Can adjust facing after Retreat does not cost any MP
Charge is only allowed thru center-facing hexside
- no change in facing allowed during charge
3.4 Zones of Control
If combat unit can fire - has ZOC in front 3 hexes
- cannot fire - formation restriction, morale state and ammo depletion
Units are locked when in EZOC and cannot leave unless
- Retread (even self inflicted)
- Command is skedadling, Fluke Stopping, Following New Orders
- Artillery (first full night turn)
- Successfully charged into that hex
- Open Order Capable ( except 9.4e )
3.5 Closing Rolls (CR)
Successful CR is required in order to move adjacent to enemy combat unit or initiate charge (Except 3.5a)
Units under a Move Activity that fail CR stop all movement but can fire (assuming spent 1/2 MA)
Fail Charge can only fire at Charge location
CR fails for DG, Wrecked, Overstacked
CR Automatically Succeed if unit is Blood Lust / Open Order
CR Auto Success
- hex already contains a friendly unit
- no LOS to any adjacent units
- hex only contains non-combat / open order capable units
- skedaddling units
- not adjacent to an enemy unit
When using Leaders Morale Value - Leader must finish with stack
3.6 Artillery
Unlimbered cannon move, can change facing with no MP cost
Changing to limbered costs 3 MP
Can unlimber before firing but cannot enter a new
1 shot allowed, except with leader
must make Morale Check for Shots > 10 hexes
3.9 Reinforcements
Enter during the Activity Phase
4.0 Line of Sight - Clear vs Blocked
Crest in End Point Hex + 1
Obstacles - Woods +3 Orchards +1 Town +2 Crests +1
Obstacle Height higher than Higher Endpoint Hex -- Blocked
Ranges
- 4 hexes or less or small arms fire - anything not ignored will Block LOS
- 5 hexes or more and not small arms fire - use the Slope Table
4.1 Slope Table
Difference between High / Low on Left and Range across the top --- Slope
Obstacle Lever on Left and Range to Low --- Obstacle Slope
If Obstacle Slope > Overall Slope LOS is Blocked
Special LOS Rules
4.2a - Can always see adjacent
4.2b - Sudden Dips Blocks except Adjacent
4.2c - Same Hill -- Ignore all unmodified heights on higher hill
4.2d - Orchards -- Ignore orchards in End Point hexes
4.2e - Units block a Range of 4 or less or Small Arms fire
4.2f - Danger Close - Artillery at > 5 hexes impacts all friendly adjacent units
Visibility is maximum range in hexes for LOS
5.0 Combat
Weapons Characteristics Chart (WCC) contains max range and other capabilities
Units have a Letter and Number -- Letter is Weapon and Number is Strength Points
Max fire from a single hex is 8 SP (3 SP from a Open Order unit)
1st loss must be from the top combat unit - remaining can be distributed
5.2 - Must have Clear LOS, be in Range and have Visibility
Column, Mounted, Limbered, and Routed - Cannot Fire
Each Unit can only fire once
A given hex can be charged or fired upon multiple times (except non-leader artillery)
5.4 Opening Volley
Active Units must have expended MPs (or facing change by Artillery) or declared Charge
Attacking Unit must be Inactive - 3 hex maximum range
5.6 Threshold - Used to determine if column shift due to weapon type applies.
must check each weapon type individually. Apply one on small arms / cannister shift.
Combat Results
M - Morale Check Only --- possibly CBF marker increase
# - Step Loss --- SP losses, leader loss check, morale and possible CBF
if unit is destroyed - no morale check, leader and HQ remain (after Leader Loss Check)
destroy wagons if enemy unit adjacent
add Cowerdly Legs (6.5) counter
5.7 Wrecked Status - Infantry / Cavalry at < 50% of printed SP
- Artillery is never wrecked
- Can recover from wrecked status
Wrecked Penalties
- Cannot pass closing roll (ex part of charge)
- applies morale table modifier if top unit
- applies shift on Opening Volley Table
5.8 Counter Battery Fire (CBF)
Fire by artillery at hex with artillery with "M" Result
Precludes "by Caisson Replensishment"
applies Combat Table shift = CBF Level
Remove all CBF from friendly units in Rally Phase
Has no impact on Movement
6.0 Morale - A is Best and F is Worst
Imposed by Morale Table, but also Line formation in Town and Overstacking
Morale States:
BL - Blood Lust - Free Pass on Closing Rolls - Ignores Retreat or Loss Result from Morale Table
Sh - Shaken
DG - Disorganized - 1/2 MA and 1/2 Combat Strength - No Charge and No Closing Rolls allowed
R - Routed - Cannot Move / Fire and has no ZOC, Must Retreat
Each hex has a single morale state (worst unit in hex)
Any stack with a Routed unit becomes Routed
6.1 Morale Check - Called for by Combat Table
Top Unit in Stack provides Morale Rating / Modifiers (can be modified by Leader)
Long Range Shots - Many Morale Modifiers do not apply
6.1b - Smallness - Modifier for small by small arms 1 hex
BL - Result ignored if not adjacent to attach or open orders
Retreads - Ignored if BL
Loss - Ignored if BL; take after Retreat
6.3 Retreat
- Calculated in hexes; must retreat together, can change formation, adjust facing, stacking order
- Retreat into units
- units can displace 1 hex (worsen Morale). Leaders / HQ in Disp hex must displace
- HQ Displace - must Skedaddle
- units can join or pass thru with negative consequences
- Retreat into EZOC - Lose 1 SP
6.4 Rally - Remove BL / Sh; Flip DG to Sh; Roll for Routed units; Withdrawl; Remove CL
6.5 Cowardly Legs (CL) - Place on Retreat / Destruction; Mod to MC for Adjacent units
7.0 Charge
Move Adjacent Normally - Announce Charge and make Closing Roll
If Successful - Defender makes Opening Volley - Attacker takes Losses including Leader Loss (LL)
- If 4+ SP remain, defender takes 1 SP loss (LL)
- except if attacker Small or Breastworks
- Defender then makes a MC with Charge Modifiers
- If Defender is eliminated or retreats; Attacker advances and can continue to move / charge
- Place Cowardly Legs as appropriate
Only Infantry and Mounted Cavalry can Charge
If Closing Roll fails - Fire Activity is still allowed if sufficient MPs remain
7.26 Clear Pathway - if must move to charge - adjacent hex must be clear
Command Radius - must extend to 1st charge hex
7.4 Mounted Charges - Restrictions Apply
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