Uploaded February 2023 | Updated September 2026, 54 minutes ago
Close order and unformed formations
• Currently, units with the ‘close order’ trait may form up into ‘close order’ if they wish. Representing units formed up shoulder to shoulder.
• Units with the ‘close order’ trait not formed up in ‘close order’ shall be regarded as ‘unformed’ (please note, this is not ‘extended/skirmish’ order). For example, after a melee, or in flight, a unit is no longer formed up in ‘close order’, it is ‘unformed’. Also, some unit types cannot form up in ‘close order’, for example: militia units in the Redcoats & Tomahawks supplement, as they do not have the ‘close order’ trait, unless they are upgraded.
• Just to clarify, ‘unformed’ units do not get the +2 moral bonus for reaction tests as they are not formed up in ‘close order’.
• As per the rules, it takes only half a move for ‘close order’ units to form up into ‘close order’ again. They can of course stay ‘unformed’ if they wish.
Shooting for close order and unformed formations.
• Currently, ‘close order’ units formed up in ‘close order’ fire straight ahead with either ‘normal fire’, or ‘volley fire’. They cannot fire at another angle. I have added the following: If they wish to fire at a target at 45°, the front rank may fire but with ‘normal fire’ only, not ‘volley fire’, which must always be straight ahead. If firing at 45°, the rear rank cannot fire as they are blocked by the front rank. Only figures in the 45° arc of fire can be hit. The advantage with this is the bonus of the 45° angle of fire and no ammo marker being issued as only half the unit has fired. The disadvantage is only half the unit fires.
• Like ‘close order’ units, ‘unformed’ units may fire straight ahead for ‘normal fire’ but may not ‘volley fire’. They may also fire at 45° angle of fire, like ‘close order’ units. In fact, this is currently the case, but some firers can get blocked by friends, which can take time to work out and slows the game down. It is a lot quicker and easier to use the same method as mentioned above, with only the front rank firing.
• Units formed up in ‘close order’ or ‘unformed’ units can never go into extended order, even if reduced to units of less than six figures. They are not trained to do so, so do not gain the -1 to hit for being shot at.
Light or Skirmish units
• For units to be in extended order (skirmish order) they must have the ‘scout’ trait. They are more adapted for the skirmish role and trained for that purpose. I have added the following: Light/Skirmish units never get blocked by friends of their own unit. Also, they are automatically in extended order all the time, regardless of how they are based, and obtain the -1 to hit on the shooting table. This represents kneeling, laying down, using any cover nearby etc. Every effort should be made to spread figures out if possible, or if sabots (movement trays) are used they, ideally, should be skirmish ones.
• Just to clarify, all Light or Skirmish units have a 180° arc of as per the rules.
Additional Melee House Rules
• Units with the shaken marker will be penalised for being shaken if they are charged, their fighting value will be penalised by 1. Example: a shaken unit normally hitting on 6’s will now hit on 7’s.
• Units who are loaded, benefit by their fighting value being improved by 1. Example: a loaded unit normally hitting on 6’s will now hit on 5’s. This is for one melee round only as the weapon, being discharged, will now receive an ammo marker and are out of ammo until activated to load again as normal.
Officers House Rules
• Officers within 6” of units taking a moral test, must do so first, to see if they pass or not. This may have a detrimental effect on the unit when it then rolls for moral.
• When an officer, within 6” of a unit benefiting from its size (+1 or +2) or being formed up (+2), the officer also gains those benefits.
• Units taking moral tests cannot gain the +1 benefit for officers within 6” if the officer in question is in flight. See first bullet point.
• Currently, officers cannot be targeted for shooting if they are within 6” of a unit of its troop type. This does not make sense as officers should be able to be targeted, in fact even picked off, which was not uncommon. So, if a unit takes casualties and there is an officer is within 6” of it, and he is in range and arc of fire of the shooters, he must roll to see if he is hit. If the unit takes a hit, roll a D10. If the roll is lower than the total hits on the unit, the officer is hit. Then test for the result of the hit as usual.
Example: A units takes 2 hits, if the additional d10 roll is a 1, then the officer is hit. If the unit takes 5 hits, a roll of 1,2,3,4 is a hit.
As mentioned above, then test for the result of the hit.
• If an officer is in combat, at least one enemy figure must roll to see if he hits the officer. Maybe if two officers are involved in a melee, they fight each other? That would be fun.J
Close order and unformed formations
• Currently, units with the ‘close order’ trait may form up into ‘close order’ if they wish. Representing units formed up shoulder to shoulder.
• Units with the ‘close order’ trait not formed up in ‘close order’ shall be regarded as ‘unformed’ (please note, this is not ‘extended/skirmish’ order). For example, after a melee, or in flight, a unit is no longer formed up in ‘close order’, it is ‘unformed’. Also, some unit types cannot form up in ‘close order’, for example: militia units in the Redcoats & Tomahawks supplement, as they do not have the ‘close order’ trait, unless they are upgraded.
• Just to clarify, ‘unformed’ units do not get the +2 moral bonus for reaction tests as they are not formed up in ‘close order’.
• As per the rules, it takes only half a move for ‘close order’ units to form up into ‘close order’ again. They can of course stay ‘unformed’ if they wish.
Shooting for close order and unformed formations.
• Currently, ‘close order’ units formed up in ‘close order’ fire straight ahead with either ‘normal fire’, or ‘volley fire’. They cannot fire at another angle. I have added the following: If they wish to fire at a target at 45°, the front rank may fire but with ‘normal fire’ only, not ‘volley fire’, which must always be straight ahead. If firing at 45°, the rear rank cannot fire as they are blocked by the front rank. Only figures in the 45° arc of fire can be hit. The advantage with this is the bonus of the 45° angle of fire and no ammo marker being issued as only half the unit has fired. The disadvantage is only half the unit fires.
• Like ‘close order’ units, ‘unformed’ units may fire straight ahead for ‘normal fire’ but may not ‘volley fire’. They may also fire at 45° angle of fire, like ‘close order’ units. In fact, this is currently the case, but some firers can get blocked by friends, which can take time to work out and slows the game down. It is a lot quicker and easier to use the same method as mentioned above, with only the front rank firing.
• Units formed up in ‘close order’ or ‘unformed’ units can never go into extended order, even if reduced to units of less than six figures. They are not trained to do so, so do not gain the -1 to hit for being shot at.
Light or Skirmish units
• For units to be in extended order (skirmish order) they must have the ‘scout’ trait. They are more adapted for the skirmish role and trained for that purpose. I have added the following: Light/Skirmish units never get blocked by friends of their own unit. Also, they are automatically in extended order all the time, regardless of how they are based, and obtain the -1 to hit on the shooting table. This represents kneeling, laying down, using any cover nearby etc. Every effort should be made to spread figures out if possible, or if sabots (movement trays) are used they, ideally, should be skirmish ones.
• Just to clarify, all Light or Skirmish units have a 180° arc of as per the rules.
Additional Melee House Rules
• Units with the shaken marker will be penalised for being shaken if they are charged, their fighting value will be penalised by 1. Example: a shaken unit normally hitting on 6’s will now hit on 7’s.
• Units who are loaded, benefit by their fighting value being improved by 1. Example: a loaded unit normally hitting on 6’s will now hit on 5’s. This is for one melee round only as the weapon, being discharged, will now receive an ammo marker and are out of ammo until activated to load again as normal.
Officers House Rules
• Officers within 6” of units taking a moral test, must do so first, to see if they pass or not. This may have a detrimental effect on the unit when it then rolls for moral.
• When an officer, within 6” of a unit benefiting from its size (+1 or +2) or being formed up (+2), the officer also gains those benefits.
• Units taking moral tests cannot gain the +1 benefit for officers within 6” if the officer in question is in flight. See first bullet point.
• Currently, officers cannot be targeted for shooting if they are within 6” of a unit of its troop type. This does not make sense as officers should be able to be targeted, in fact even picked off, which was not uncommon. So, if a unit takes casualties and there is an officer is within 6” of it, and he is in range and arc of fire of the shooters, he must roll to see if he is hit. If the unit takes a hit, roll a D10. If the roll is lower than the total hits on the unit, the officer is hit. Then test for the result of the hit as usual.
Example: A units takes 2 hits, if the additional d10 roll is a 1, then the officer is hit. If the unit takes 5 hits, a roll of 1,2,3,4 is a hit.
As mentioned above, then test for the result of the hit.
• If an officer is in combat, at least one enemy figure must roll to see if he hits the officer. Maybe if two officers are involved in a melee, they fight each other? That would be fun.J
