ACW Bolt Action Rules

Bolt Action ACW Rules

The Turn

1.      Draw an order dice. There is one order dice per brigade commander and 1 for each independent unit. Each unit must be part of a brigade except independent units. Independent units must be identified at the start of the battle.

2.      Test for all routing units in the brigade

3.      Move all units in a brigade as required. Units can only be given 1 order. Some orders require a morale check to complete an order

4.      When required opposing forces can act during an opponent’s turn.

5.      Once all the brigade has completed all its actions draw a new dice until all units have moved

Orders

Units can undertake the following actions

1.      Fire without moving

2.      Fire and advance. Cavalry use this order to dismount and fire or to fire and remount, or to mount / dismount and move. 

3.      Run / Charge. Move at double speed

4.      Change formation. Line to column and column to line. Limber or unlimber artillery. No advance can be made and the unit cannot fire.

5.      Rally. No move or fire but lose D6 pin markers

6.      Down. No move or fire, but gain an extra -1 to be hit. Mounted cavalry, limbered artillery and wagons cannot go down

Order tests are required for

1.      Units that have pins. -1 per pin to the morale test

2.      

Order tests are taken using 2D6 against the unit’s morale and must be equal to or below the modified morale rating. A failed morale test means that unit cannot complete that order or any other orders that turn except hand to hand fighting.

If the order test is passed then the unit can complete its action and it removes 1 pin

Morale ratings

Inexperienced troops = 7

Regular troops = 8

Veteran troops = 9

Morale modifiers

Colonel present with unit          = +1

Brigade Commander within 6” = +2. Only for units in this brigade.

Army Commander within 12    = +2. Any unit

Commander benefits are not cumulative and only one commander bonus counts. Player can pick which commander to use

Pinned unit                              = -1 per pin

Infantry / Cavalry unit strength below 5 bases = -1 per base

Unit Sizes

Infantry. The standard unit size is 20 - 24 figures on 5 or 6 bases

Skirmishers. 2 figures per base. Standard infantry units do not deploy skirmishers, they are assummed to be deployed automatically and recalled automatically when in line. Skirmishers are units that only deploy in skirmish order or dismounted cavalry

Cavalry. The standard unit is  12 figures  mounted or 5 bases of skirmishers dismounted. A cavalry skirmish line may move more than 6” away from its horse holders but once dismounted the horseholders can not move. The remounting move can only be done if the unit is within 6” of the horseholders

Artillery. The standard unit is 1 cannon.

Movement

                                                            Line                             Column                                  

Infantry                                               6”                                12”

Cavalry                                                9”                                18”

Limbered Artillery                                                                  12”

Unlimbered Artillery                                                               3”

Commanders                                                                           24”

Wagons                                                                                   12”

Terrain Movement Modifiers

Linear obstacles – ½ move. Must cross in single move.

Woods – ½ move. If in line then must take an order test and if failed then can move but takes a pin. Skirmishers receive no penalties from moving through woods.

Roads – double move for column only

Major rivers – only at crossing points

Skirmishers - ignore all movement penalties except major rivers

Interpolation of units

Line units can interpolate with 1 unit remaining stationary and the moving unit passing through it at  at walking speed. However a unit wanting to interpolate must make an order test. If failed then both units take a pin and the rear unit stays 1" behind the front unit

Shooting

An infantry regiment in line fires at a rate of 2 shots per base. Only the front rank can fire. For an infantry regiment in column only the front base can fire at 2 shots per base. The unit can only fire to its front, standard 45^o arc of fire.

Skirmishers fire at 1 shot per base but can fire in any direction.

Cavalry can fire mounted at 1 shot per 2 figures, only the front rank can fire.

Cannon have one shot per base.

Ranges

                                                            Max range

Smoothbore musket                            18”

Rifled musket                                     24”                             

Smoothbore carbine                            12”

Rifled Carbine                                    18”

Sharps rifle                                          30”

12lb Smoothbore cannon                    48”      Damage =1D6, at point blank range (12") 2D6

12lb Rifled cannon                             60”      Damage =1D6, at point blank range (12") 2D6

Roll 1D6 for each shot fired. Basic to hit is 3+. Add or subtract the following modifiers

Shooting at 6” or less                          +1

Per pin marker on shooting unit          -1

More than ½ range                              -1

Inexperienced shooters                       -1

Fire on move                                       -1

Firer is mounted cavalry                     -1

Firing after a failed charge order        -1

Target is down                                    -1

Target is small unit (e.g cannon)         -1

Artillery with casualties                      -1

Target is in soft cover                         -1

Target is in hard cover                        -2

Firer interpolated a friendly unit this turn -1

If any shot results in a hit then the unit receives a pin.

Enfilading Fire

Units that are hit by enfilading fire automatically receive an addition pin.

For each hit roll to wound. Basic scores to wound are

Inexperienced             3+

Regular                        4+

Veteran                       5+

If any of the wound scores are a 6 then there is the potential for exceptional damage. Reroll all 6s and if any are a 6 then the unit colonel has been killed. Units that have lost their colonel no longer receive the colonel’s command bonus.

Once the target has received all its casualties remove 1 base for every 4 casualties and mark additional casualties. A unit losing an entire base, this can be cumulative, must make morale test.

Morale Test

The morale test is taken against the unit’s morale using 2D6 and must be equal of lower than the units morale after the following adjustments have been made

-1 for each pin the unit has

-1 for each base lost below 5 bases. Most units will start with 5 or more bases 

-1 for each friendly unit routing within 6”

+1 is colonel present within unit

+ 2 for Brigade commander within 6” if colonel has been killed

+2 for Army commander within 12” even if colonel is present with the unit

Units that fail their morale test are routed and must retreat at run speed away from the enemy. Any friendly units that the routers move through receive 1 pin

At the start of the next turn any routing units must make a morale test, ignoring any loss of base factors. If passed then they lose D6 pins and must remain stationary for that turn.

Melee

Any active unit in range can charge any enemy to its direct front. 

Any unit charged must take an order test. If passed then the unit can fire at point blank range at the charging enemy. Chargers receiving fire must take a morale test. If the chargers pass this test then they charge home. If failed then the chargers must halt.

If the charged unit fails its order test then it must retreat a full move. If it meets a friendly unit behind then it must take an interpolation test. If passed then can pass through. If failed then it must stop with its back to the enemy. Both units receive 1 pin.

Cavalry can counter charge cavalry that start their charge more than 12” away from the unit. Combat is simultaneous. Infantry can not counter charge cavalry

In combat the chargers attack 1^st and then the defenders respond. If the defenders are defending a linear obstacle then the combat is simultaneous. Each infantry base rolls 2 dice per base with the values the same as for shooting plus the following factors

Attacking from flank            +1

Attacking from rear             +2

Once the attackers have inflicted casualties then the remaining defenders respond. The side that has inflicted the most casualties has won the combat. The losing side must take a morale test. If failed they rout. If passed then the victors must make a morale test. If failed then they must fall back 2” facing the enemy. If both sides pass then the melee continues to the next turn. Any unit losing casualties in a melee takes a pin.

Units charged or charging in column can only attack with 1 base, irrespective of if they are attacked in the flank

Cavalry charging have 2 attacks per figure. Cavalry cannot charge defended obstacles nor unpinned infantry in front and in line. Victorious cavalry can launch a 2^nd charge in the same turn if they pass another order test and there is a viable enemy within any remaining charge distance that they have left.

Skirmishers cannot engage in hand to hand combat and must retreat a full move, re-join their parent unit or try and remount if cavalry. If they are caught by formed infantry or cavalry they are destroyed automatically.

Brigade and army strength.

Once a brigade has lost 50% of its units then it is combat ineffective and all remaining units must take an order test before it does anything aggressive. If failed then the unit is removed from battle and goes home.

Once an Army has lost 50% of its brigades then all brigades must take an order test when their dice is draw. If the brigade fails the morale test then the Brigade goes home