Roman War Rules from USA

Dated: November 30, 2000.

ROMAN WAR RULES


GENERAL
The board is set up to 25mm (about HO) scale.
Pieces can move the indicated inches in each move (adjusted for up/down hill and roads).
Dice are used for all shooting/fighting results (1 die/man). I suggest at least 30-40 dice of at least three different colors. If 20 men are shootingat 20 others, it’s much easier to roll 20 dice all at once. If the men are different types, use different colors for each type.
For projectiles, the “effect” is the dice numbers that indicate a “hit” on the target (other numbers are a miss). Soldiers hit then roll for survival (5,6 = survive-flesh wound : 1-4 = dead & removed from the game). Any man hit (in one turn) two or more times is automatically dead (no survival). There are different effects for different ranges.
Armored and unarmored men are subject to different effects from projectiles and in melee (hand to hand) as shown below.
Chariots and elephants use a clear plastic pattern (e.g. the size of the chariot & horses) to cover the troops “run over”. A roll of 1,2,3 = man hit, then roll for survival.
I’ve tried many variations to add to the reality of these games (supply rules, morale rules (camp followers), etc.). Most of these require ridiculous paperwork and slow the game to a crawl. Leaving them out is less realistic but more fun.



TROOP TYPE	ARMORED/UNARMORED
Roman Equites	Armored
Roman Triarri & Princeps	Armored
Roman Archers	Armored
Roman Chariots	Armored
Roman Artillery	Armored
Roman Hastati	Unarmored
Roman Velites	Unarmored
Gaul some cavalry	Armored
Gaul rest	Unarmored
African Liby-Phoen	Armored
African rest	Unarmored
Spanish all	Unarmored

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MOVING
UNARMORED MEN MOVE 10 INCHES.
ARMORED MEN MOVE 9 INCHES.
CAVALRY MOVE 20 INCHES.
ROMAN CHARIOTS MOVE 20 INCHES.[4-HORSE] (3 RIDERS MAX.)
GAUL CHARIOTS MOVE 18 INCHES.[2-HORSE] (3 RIDERS MAX.)

ADJUSTMENTS


MOVE	UP(-1/3)	DOWN(+1/3)	ROAD (+1/2)
9"	6"	12"	13.5"
10"	6.5"	13.5"	15"
18"	12"	24"	27"
20"	13.5"	26.5"	30"


CHANGE of TERRAIN moves need to be split up.
ON RD.-> OFF 2/3 ON + REST OFF (example: a man with a regular 9” move wants to move 6” on the road and then move off. He has used 2/3 x 6 = 4” on the road so he can move 5” off the road.)
OFF RD. -> ON OFF + 1 1/2 REST ON
FLAT -> UP FLAT + 2/3 REST UP
UP -> FLAT 1 1/2 UP + REST FLAT
DOWN -> FLAT 3/4 DOWN + REST FLAT
FLAT -> DOWN FLAT + 1 1/3 REST DOWN

“RIVER” = minimum of 4” wide.
Across river, unarmored men lose 1/2 move (once) and can’t fire while in river.
Armored men can not swim. Cross rivers only at bridges.
Unarmored men cross pond or bay at 1/2 move (can’t fire).
NO ONE can cross the moat (predators).
Doors, drawbridges, etc. can not be opened or closed in same turn as troops passing through them
4 men needed to open & close draw bridge (from inside).


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ARCHER RANGES/EFFECTS


Normal Range	Up Range (-1/4)	Down Range (+1/4)	Ranks Hit	Effect on Armored	Effect on Unarmored
1/2-20"	1/2-15"	1/2-25"	1st 2	1,2	1,2,3
20-36"	15-27"	25-45"	1st 2	1,2	1,2
36-50"	27-37.5"	45-62.5"	ALL	1	1




LANCER RANGES/EFFECTS


Normal Range	Up Range (-1/4)	Down Range (+1/4)	Ranks Hit	Effect on Armored	Effect on Unarmored
1/2-8"	1/2-6"	1/2-10"	1st 2	1,2	1,2,3
8-12"	6-9"	10-15"	1st 2	1,2	1,2
12-16"	9-12"	15-20"	ALL	1	1




SLINGER RANGES/EFFECTS


Normal Range	Up Range (-1/4)	Down Range (+1/4)	Ranks Hit	Effect on Armored	Effect on Unarmored
1/2-12"	1/2-9"	1/2-15"	1st 2	1,2,3	1,2,3,4
12-20"	9-15"	15-25"	1st 2	1,2	1,2,3
20-36"	15-27"	25-45"	1st 2	1	1,2




SCORPIO RANGES/EFFECTS


Normal Range	Up Range (-1/4)	Down Range (+1/4)	Ranks Hit	Effect on Armored	Effect on Unarmored
1/2-40"	1/2-30"	1/2-50"	1st 2	1,2	1,2,3
40-72"	30-54"	50-90"	1st 2	1,2	1,2
72-100"	54-75"	90-125"	ALL	1	1


SURVIVAL = 5,6
DOUBLE HIT = DEAD (NO SURVIVAL)
UP/DOWN EFFECT= 3 INCH ELEVATION MINIMUM.



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SHOOTING AT CAVALRY:


EFFECT	SPLIT UP
1,2,3,4	1,2,3 = man hit 4 = horse hit
1,2,3	1,2 = man hit 3 = horse hit
1,2	1 = man hit 2 = horse hit
1	1 = man hit


WHEN MAN IS SHOT OFF A HORSE, HORSE MOVES 1 FULL MOVE (or stays put):
“1”=N,“2”=S,“3”=E,“4”=W,“5,6”=STAY
ARCHERS must be 1 1/2” from walls to fire over the wall.
LANCERS, SLINGERS & ARCHERS can fire & move to melee. If move toward enemy & fire, MUST melee if in range.
LANCERS can not fire up a wall, but can fire down.
ARCHERS & SLINGERS can not fire down a wall at troops within 2” of wall.
ARCHERS 2” or more from wall can fire at men on top.
CHARIOTS & ELEPHANTS attack (run over) 4 deep if have covered under pattern (effect = 1,2,3).
Chariot riders (not drivers) can shoot projectiles. All chariot men can sword fight (melee).



COVER
COVER REDUCES EFFECT BY 1


Anything reasonable provides cover from archers, slingers & lancers.
Stone walls, buildings, and boulders (not little rocks) provide cover.
Buildings provide complete cover. IF MEN SHOOTING FROM WINDOWS & DOORS , they get regular cover.
Building walls (2” high), cliffs (3” high), & castle/fort walls (3” high) provide complete over the top archer and lancer cover (men within 2” of wall/cliff). i.e. they can’t be hit by projectiles moving in an arc. Men more than 2 “ from the wall/cliff can be hit but get cover effect (unseen target).
Men shooting down from the top of a cliff have cover from men below.
Slingers can only hit in a straight line (no over the top).


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MELEE


MAXIMUM “GROUP” = 10 MEN (for stay/retreat).
If attacker fires (lances) and melees, enemy killed by fire are removed before the move to melee.
Retreat is a full move away from the enemy.
1 ST ROUND
Attacker rolls-if hit, defender is dead (no survival).[attacker advantage]
if miss, defender fights back.
Defender rolls-if hit, attacker rolls for survival.
if miss, both decide for stay/retreat (hidden paper, show at same time) for each group.
2ND... ROUND
Attacker rolls-if hit, defender rolls for survival BUT DEAD fight back before being removed.(fighting at same time)
if miss, defender fights back.
Defender rolls-if hit, attacker rolls for survival.
if miss, both decide for stay/retreat (hidden paper, show at same time) for each group.


MEN	NEEDED TO KILL
armored men	1,2,3
Roman archers (armored)	1,2,3,4
unarmored men	1,2,3,4
Gaul archers,slingers (unarmored)	1,2,3,4,5
Roman cavalry (armored)	1,2
Celtic cavalry (armored)	1,2
Celtic cavalry (unarmored)	1,2,3
Numidian cavalry (unarmored)	1,2,3



Men attacking chariot riders lose advantage of attack (start with 2nd round).


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CASTLE/FORT


1 full move to open/close doors.
Men can move on/off walls only at corners.
STORMING
1/2 move to put up ladder (within 1” of wall).
1 move - 2 men on ladder (no firing).
1 move - men on ladder melee with 2 men in fort (no attack advantage).
If ladder men win, put on wall.
If men stay at top of ladder, others can follow.
2 men can push ladder off wall by rolling 1,2.
Men on ladder when pushed off need 4,5,6 to survive.
On walls, only 2 men can melee at a time in each direction.
DOOR BATTERING
1 turn (5-10 men) to door- 1 turn roll “1” to knock down (1 die/turn).
DRAW BRIDGE DOWNING (from inside)
1 turn (1-4 men) to each chain. 1 turn roll 1 die/man. “1” breaks chain.
must break both chains to drop draw bridge permanently.


BRIDGES


1 bridge can be built by 10 men in 10 moves or 5 men in 20 moves or 1 man in 100 moves.
SMALL - 2 men abreast.
LARGE - 4 men abreast.


Many thanks to Mr. Schulz for sending in this contribution.