Orders And Messages (optional)

The first part of this segment is devoted to the issuing of orders. Issuing orders is completely optional. The method for issuing orders is as follows: The commander that is issuing orders must write out any orders issued. The orders are then passed to the game’s judge. The turn following the writing of the orders, the game judge determines whether or not the orders arrive at their destination. If the destination is within the issuing commander’s command span, the orders arrive. If not, 1d6 is rolled to determine the delay. A roll of 6 indicates the order is lost. The delay is kept secret from the players. Once the orders arrive at their destination, the receiving commander must activate them. This is accomplished by rolling 1d10 plus 2 if the receiving commander is superior, plus 1 if excellent and minus 1 if poor. A modified roll of 5 or better means the commander may act on the new orders. If the roll is 4 or less, the commander must try again at the beginning of the following turn. If the roll is a natural 1, the orders are so hopelessly garbled that they cannot be understood. If the Order Issuing rules are being used, the players must adhere to the orders they are given. Messages are passed in the same manner as orders, but no activation roll is required.

Independent Activity Determination

Independent formations activate at either the beginning of the turn or the end. After any orders or messages are sent, the army commanders each roll 1d10. If the individual result is even, the independent formations under that commander may activate now. If the result is odd, activation occurs after all other units have activated.

Skirmish Combat

Skirmish combat is a part of the Pre-Initiative Sequence. In A l'Ombre des Aigles, all use of unformed troops has been abstracted so that the commanders are not bogged down with actual handling of individual skirmish companies (something which is beneath the concern of a division or better commander). All infantry and artillery units, who are within 8" but outside 4" of enemy infantry and are not within 8" of friendly cavalry, must check on the Skirmish Combat Table. For each unit that must check, roll Class Dice. Add to this your National Screen Modifier (found in the appendix for your troop’s nationality) and Subtract your opponent’s National Screen Modifier. Cross-index the die roll result with the unit’s class to determine any effect. Any result other than NE put the unit "In Smoke." The numbers in parentheses are casualties.

	SKIRMISH COMBAT CHART
CLASS	CLASS DICE plus/minus SCREEN MODS
ELITE LINE CONSCRIPT	8+ 7 6 5 2 - 4 1 or less NE NE Smk Smk SH(1) DO(2) NE NE Smk SH(1) DO(2) DOR(2) NE Smk SH(1) DO(2) DOR(2) DOR(2)
	NE = no effect, Smk = in smoke, SH = shaken, DO = disordered, DOR = disordered retreat, (#) = losses in casualty steps.

Initiative

At the beginning of the game, the opposing army commanders each make a die roll (d10). The die rolls are cross-referenced on the Grand-Tac Initiative Chart to determine the number of initiative points each army commander will have for the battle. These points are finite; once spent they are lost. These points may be used to gain the initiative for a turn, or if the army commander is attached to a division, to help steal the initiative. Initiative is not broken up into the classic "I move, you move" sequence. Rather, the opposing army commanders make an opposed initiative roll at the beginning of the segment adding any initiative points they allocate. During the turn, division (and attached corps and army) commanders may attempt to steal the initiative from the side that has it. If the attempt is successful, that division may activate. Once the challenging division is done with its activations, or the initiative is stolen back, the initiative reverts to the side that was active to begin with. Initiative rolls, whether at the beginning of the segment or attempts to steal the initiative, are always opposed rolls. Both commanders roll 1d10 and add any allocated initiative points. The highest modified die roll wins the initiative. the only modifiers to the die rolls, other than points spent, is for attached leaders. Superior +3 Excelent +2 Good +1 Poor -1 Initiative may be stolen at any time if the answers to all the following questions are all "yes." Is the challenging player’s eligible commander... ...leading troops, which are within 8" of the troops of the challenged division? ...able to see the troops of the challenged division? (Line of sight) Attached leaders do not give any bonus to initiative. The senior officer present rolls initiative. Divisions, which have already moved, may not be used to steal initiative, with one exception - divisions made up of Elite troops (majority). Divisions may only attempt to steal initiative once. Initiative rolls are not without their dangers. If during an opposed initiative roll the unmodified sum of the two rolls equals or exceeds 17, the turn immediately ends. This includes the initiative roll at the beginning of the segment. So, it is possible that skirmish combat takes place, but nothing else for the entire turn.

GRAND-TAC INITIATIVE

d10 roll POOR AVG GOOD EXC SUP 1 1d6 1d6 1d6 1d6 1d6 2 0 0 1 3 4 3 0 1 2 4 5 4 1 2 3 5 6 5 2 3 4 6 7 6 3 4 5 7 8 7 4 5 6 8 9 8 5 6 7 9 10 9 6 7 8 10 11 10 7 8 9 11 12

Local Initiative

During the turn there will be times when individual units need to react to local threats. Local Initiative allows units to react to the opposing troop movements. Unless specifically stated, Local Initiative only allows movement. You may stop your opponent in mid move to test for Local Initiative. If you succeed, the unit you interrupted may finish its move after you have concluded your reaction move. In order to gain Local Initiative, roll the unit’s class dice, apply any modifiers and cross-reference the result with the unit’s situation. An "R" result means the unit may react. Some, but not all, of the exceptions to only movement are... Forming square in the face of a cavalry charge. Independent units use Local Initiative in order to activate. Counter-charge Local Initiative checks are mandatory if the enemy’s movement is threatening your unit’s flank. No unit may test for Local Initiative more than once per turn.

LOCAL INITIATIVE CHART

SITUATION CLASS DICE PLUS MODS

9+ 8 7 6 5 4- Normal AA AA AA NA NA - In Smk AA AA NA NA - - In FF AA NA NA - - -

AA = Agressive Action, NA = Non Aggressive Action, - =No Action The only modifiers are: Reacting to a cavalry charge -1 Division or better commander attached +1

Copyright @ 1992 by Dan Brown. All rights reserved.