Legio VI Rules

Fast Play 6mm wargames for the civil wars of the late Roman Republic. Abridged version for the Society of Ancients Games Day

Organising Troops

Figures are mounted on 20mm square bases, each base representing a 'cohort' of approximately 3-400 heavy infantry, 120-150 light infantry, 80-100 heavy cavalry, 50-60 light cavalry. A unit must be classified according to one of the following types and grades.

All troops in a unit must be of the same type and grade except Germanic cavalry may include attached light infantry (combined on the same base), increasing their Combat Value to 3. Under-strength heavy infantry may be represented by at least ¼ less figures on each base, reducing the Combat Value by 1.

Important Game Concepts

Legions

A Legion may be deployed in one, two or three lines with a gap of up to 20 paces between each line. These lines may relieve each other providing fresh troops in combat and helping to reduce fatigue and disorder. The entire Legion moves and fights as a single entity regardless of the number of lines (eg: if one line moves, they all do, at the same speed).

Death, Desertion and Disorder Points (DPs).

The state of a unit's 'health' is noted by the accumulation of DPs due to fatigue and disorder from fatigue, missile fire, combat and psychological factors. DPs are indicated by markers (small pebbles) placed beside the unit. When a unit has accumulated 5 DPs it becomes shaken and any further DPs due to combat or morale (but not manoeuvre or missile fire) will cause an entire cohort to be removed as a casualty. DPs can be removed by resting or by the intervention of a commander. DPs are assigned for the following as soon as they occur:

• 1 DP for each non-light friendly unit broken/destroyed in bow range
• 1 DP for fatigue while moving depending on die roll
• 1 DP for evading
• 1 DP if Commander killed/broken in bow range (2 DPs for General)
• 2 DPs if formed troops contacted by a charge that originated from behind the unit's flank/rear.

Troops become Shaken on 5th DP (+1 for each additional line of a Legion, eg: a three-line Legion becomes shaken with 7 DPs) or if broken. Once shaken further DPs for combat or morale cause a casualty, DPs for movement or shooting have no further effect.

Unformed Units

Light troops; shaken units; units in rout, pursuit, evading or retiring; are unformed. Unformed units move bases independently with no manoeuvre penalties. They are considered to be facing all round. They make no attempt to manoeuvre as a cohesive body.

Risk to Leader

Unattached leaders who are contacted by any enemy are automatically captured. Leaders, attached to a unit which suffers a DP due to missile fire or combat, must roll a die. If a '1' is rolled, roll again:

1 = Killed; 2-4 = Wounded. May no longer help remove DPs. A previously wounded leader, wounded for a second time is killed. 5-6 = Near miss. No effect

Playing the Game

The game is played sequentially in several phases with both sides completing each phase before moving to the next. At the start of each turn players dice for initiative with high roll deciding whether to take the initiative and move first. Historically excellent commanders such as Caesar add one to their die roll when dicing for initiative in a historical scenario. All actions are conducted from right to left. The player with initiative takes the first actions in all phases.

Phase I – Command Phase

• Move unattached leaders and/or join a unit. A leader who is already attached to a unit will move with that unit normally in the move phase and does not need to move during the command phase. Unattached leaders may move up to 240 paces.
• Take Control Tests for units beyond bow range of their leader, and all units who wish to cease rout, pursuit, or looting. This will determine their actions for the rest of the turn.
• Roll 1 AvD (A-B Grade) or 1 D6 (others). To cease rout etc, the result must be other than "repeat last move".

Phase II - Movement and Skirmish Phase

Units move 20 paces (20mm) for each number rolled on dice and must move the full distance except that they must halt 40 paces from visible from non-light enemy to their front, and will not be forced to interpenetrate friends or cross an obsatcle. Units to the right move first except where two units moves intersect, the front unit may move first. Light troops must fall back in face of moves by enemy heavy troops, maintaining a 40 pace distance (this is done during the opponent's move and does not limit further moves by that unit). Units of the same command, in base to base contact with each, other may roll one set of dice and move as a single body, other units dice and move individually. Multi-line Legions also move as a single entity with one set of dice. Light infantry supporting cavalry and in base to base contact with them may move on the cavalry dice as long as the cavalry do not move fast. All cohorts of a unit must remain together. Unformed units space cohorts apart by up to 20 paces, lines of a Legion may also be spaced apart by up to 20 paces, but other formed units must keep all cohorts in base to base contact with each other.

Basic Movement Rates: Infantry : 1 AvD. Cavalry: 1 AvD + 1 optional AvD (compulsory if fast move)

• Fast Move: +1optional D6 in addition to full basic move. Compulsory if charging, evading, retiring, routing or pursuing.
• Light Troops: +20 paces for each die rolled.

Fatigue Formed units in line incur 1 DP each time a 6 is thrown, no penalty for unformed. Unformed units move cohorts freely and independently. Normal moves by formed units must be directly to the front with no more than 22½° variation of the centre axis. Manoeuvre within bow range of enemy causes DPs where noted.

• Wheel: Inside edge remains stationary, measure distance moved by outside edge. One DP for formed troops in line within bow range of enemy.
• Form-up unformed troops: One full move, 1 DP within bow range of enemy.
• About Face: ½ move for formed units. Turns to the flank are not permitted.
• Interpenetration: No penalty for Legionaries of the same Legion, or if at least one units is unformed and none made a fast move. Otherwise 1 DP for formed units within bow range of enemy.
• Effect of difficult terrain: -20 paces for each die rolled for formed infantry. Impassable for cavalry unless on a road. Movement in rough terrain by Legionaries line incurs a DP for fatigue on a roll 5-6.

Shooting during the Move Phase

Legionaries shoot during the Combat phase. Others shoot during this phase, either before or after making their move. The nearest target must be engaged and there must be a clear line of sight from the shooter to the target. Enemy engaged in combat are not eligible targets. A gap must be at least 20mm wide to shoot through. Unformed units may shoot all round, others up to 22½° off centre.

Roll 1 D6 for each cohort shooting, less 1 die for each DP on the shooting unit; 1/2 number of dice (round down) if target is light troops, or in cover. If the result is 6, a Hit has been scored. A Hit causes 1 DP on the target until it becomes shaken. Further Hits from shooting on shaken units have no effect.

Rest, Rally and Recovery.

Any unit may choose to rest instead of moving (they may still shoot). Resting troops may remove DPs at the following rate: A Grade: 2/turn, B-C Grade: 1/turn, D Grade: 1/turn if not shot at Commanders may remove one additional DP if attached to a resting unit. This may include D Grade units who were shot at. Resting units may shoot. Generals may remove 2 DPs.

Roman Line Relief

Any Roman Legion in a multi-line formation which makes no other move, may replace the front line with one of the rear ones as long as there is a gap of at least 20 paces between lines. A Legion in combat may also do this. Each line of the Legion may only be relieved once in the game, thus a two-line legion may conduct one line relief, a three line legion may conduct two line reliefs. Line relief removes 1 DP from the Legion. The new troops may deliver a pilum volley and count as charging if relieving a line engaged in combat.

Rallying Shaken Units

Shaken units can no longer simply remove DPs by resting. To recover they need to rally by resting beyond bow range of any visible unbroken enemy, regaining order with 3 DPs.

Phase III – Combat Phase

Declare charges

Players state which units will initiate a charge, player with initiative declaring first. This is an irrevocable decision A charge is the only way for units to close to hand-to-hand combat. Shaken units may not initiate a charge, nor may slingers or archers. Other unformed units may only charge unformed or an exposed flank or rear.

Make charge & response moves

Charging units must dice using the maximum dice for a fast move, regardless of the distance to be covered. DPs for fatigue must be taken into account immediately. Units which are being charged and who did not themselves declare a charge, respond according to type:

• Shaken troops break
• Light infantry may stand if in difficult terrain, or behind obstacle, or charged by cavalry or light. Otherwise they must evade
• Auxiliaries may evade legionaries, otherwise they must stand.
• Light cavalry may counter-charge cavalry or light, otherwise they must evade.
• Heavy cavalry may evade infantry. Otherwise must counter-charge.
• Others must stand to receive at the halt. May turn to meet a charge from the rear from over 100 paces away.

An evade is a fast, unformed, move directly away from the enemy, automatically incurring 1 DP. Evading units may choose to halt once separated from their pursuers by friendly good order troops or a terrain obstacle. Otherwise the full fast move distance must be taken. Evading units caught by chargers will automatically take a casualty and break. Evaders may shoot at chargers, deducting 20 paces from each move die.

If chargers fail to contact, because their opponent broke or evaded, they must continue their charge move up to the full distance. They will automatically charge into any new opponents who are uncovered by the evading or breaking unit. A new target must react according to the normal charge responses if it is charged in these circumstances. Light troops and A Grade troops may choose to halt at 40 paces from the new target.

Simultaneously resolve the pilum volley.

Legionaries who have not yet shot may do so before contact. In this instance engaged enemy troops are eligible as targets. A Legionary line which replaced another in combat may also shoot even though in base to base contact with opponents. DPs only take effect after both sides have shot. Each Legionary Line has only one missile volley during the game. Once the unit or line has engaged in combat or has pursued, retired or routed, it is considered to have discarded missile weapons to draw swords and may no longer shoot. The pilum volley is conducted like other shooting except that a Hit is scored on a 5-6 if the target is heavy infantry.

Simultaneously resolve combat

Legionaries Roll 1 AvD, others 1 D6. Add the following and compare results. For multiple unit combats, roll a die for each unit, total all factors for all units and divide by the number of units (to determine quality grade in multi-unit combats, use the majority or where exactly equal use the highest). Round up to the nearest whole number. All units involved in the combat must share the outcome.

Numbers: Count all bases in base to base contact plus up to one over-lapping on each flank for formed units. Count ½ bases (round down) of a second rank, including second line of a Legion. Heavy infantry count double. Units, which have been hit in the flank or rear, only count bases directly in base to base contact with enemy and not any overlapping or second rank bases.

Results:

• 5+ Victory. (0 DPs). " A/B Grade units may halt others must pursue. Cavalry who choose not to pursue take 1 DP.
• +2/4 Success - Infantry who stood to face a charge by cavalry must halt (0 DP); Cavalry who charged good order infantry frontally, must fallback.(DP). Others must follow up or pursue opponents; except A/B Grade; and C Grade units who did not charge or who were opposed only by light troops; may halt (1DP)
• +1/-1 Inconclusive. (1 DP each); HI halt or fallback; LI halt, fall back or retire. Cavalry who charged good order infantry frontally, must fallback. Other cavalry follow up, pursue or fall-back.
• -2/-4 Set-Back. Break if shaken otherwise 2 DPs; HI who were charged by cavalry, must halt. Unformed troops retire; Others must all-back
• -5 or less Rout. 1 casualty and break.

Make After Combat Moves:

Defeated units move first, player with initiative moving last when inconclusive. All lines of a multi-line Legion must share the result of the engaged troops:

• Halt.Remain halted following turn. May shoot and respond normally to charges. May not make any other moves nor initiate a charge. Legions may conduct line relief.
• Follow-up.Move forward in good order to remain in combat with an opponent who fell back. Continue combat next turn.
• Fallback. Move back 20 paces facing enemy. Remain halted next turn if opponent does not follow up. Units unable to fallback remain in place and receive 1 DP.
• Retire.Move back full fast move unformed with the option of halting once separated from pursuers by good order friendly troops or a terrain obstacle. Units unable to retire remain in place and receive 1 DP. Retiring units break if caught by pursuers.
• Break. Make a full fast move, unformed, until behind good order friendly troops, or terrain obstacle, or beyond bow range of enemy. They may then halt and rally if they pass a control test. Units unable to move remain in place, receive 1 casualty and will surrender to any enemy within javelin range.
• Pursue.Make a full fast move, unformed, in an attempt to remain in contact with opponent who broke or retired. Pursuers encountering new enemy automatically come into combat with them, except light troops and A Grade may choose to halt at javelin range from the new target. A new target must react according to the normal charge responses if it is charged in these circumstances. This is worked out immediately as a new charge. Pursuers who catch routers or retirers may engage, rolling one die per engaged cohort, causing an automatic casualty for every 3+.

Tips and Tactics

Deploy in depth. Several successive charges by new units will always be more effective than massing lots of troops to hit at once. Therefore, deploy troops in depth and use fresh units to relieve tired or shaken units.

Rest before engaging. An accumulation of DPs for whatever reason will rapidly reduce a unit's capacity to fight effectively. Units with more than 1 DP should almost always rest a turn to remove DPs before charging or moving too close to dangerous enemy. Be wary of the fact that it is compulsory to roll dice for a charge move with the potential for adding another DP, a pilum volley on top of that could reduce a unit with 3 DPs to shaken before combat is worked out.

Skirmish Effectively.Use missile fire to support heavy troops particularly as they go into combat. Light troops can also useful to screen heavy troops absorbing the DPs that would otherwise disrupt their combat effectiveness. However, shooting will not win the battle, the worst that can happen to a unit as a result of missile fire is to become shaken.

Use Cavalry on the Flanks. Cavalry rarely win frontally against good order heavy infantry. Even if they get the best of a combat, they will be forced to retire and take DPs while the infantry, standing firm, will be unscathed. Cavalry are more effective chasing off enemy cavalry and skirmishers and then moving in on the flanks or rear of enemy heavy infantry. Another tactic would be to wear down heavy infantry with missile fire than charge them when they are shaken.