Peter Perla - 07:27pm Mar 28, 2003 PST (#2890 of 2941) Richard, The Marl Man showed up yesterday. On a first read through, I am not clear on the shock procedure. For example, a long unit has a three-hex front and so must shock up to three units. But the shock seems to ordered defending unit not attacking unit. So, how do I resolve shock in the following cases: 1. Long unit vs three small units, one in each of its front hexes. Is that three resolutions? Do the flank defending units count as one unit vs one unit and the middle one as one defender vs two attakers? 2. Long unit vs two small units, with small units in the leftmost and rightmost hexes of the long unit's front. Presumably, each of these fight as one unit vs one unit? 3. Long unit vs two small units, with one small unit in the center frontal hex and one in a side frontal hex. One resolution at one v one and one at one v two? 4. Long unit vs another long unit, but with the units overlapped only on opposite flanks (does that make sense?) so that neither has any part of the counter in the center front of the other. Is that a one attacker vs two defender? Maybe (obviously) I just don't get it, but there seem to be an awful lot of unclear situations with the way the rule is written. Help! Peter -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Richard H. Berg - 06:06am Mar 29, 2003 PST (#2891 of 2941) "The melancholy thing about the world is that it is full of stupid and common people, and the world is run for the benefit of the stupid and the common."... V.S. Naipaul www.charlestonstage.com/performances/season/annie/annie_photos54.html It is not often you get infantry attacking cavalry (no reason for the latter to stick around . . .but it does happen) - which is what your question covers, for the most part, Peter . . . however 1. 3 separate combat resolutions . . . and your 1-1, 2-1 guess is correct. 2. Correct 3. Correct 4. No, 1 vs 1 . . . just to keep it simple. (Remember, if theattacker overlaps he has the ability - if he has enough Movement points, to swing around - pivot - and thus flank the defender and change the odds to 2-1 . . . tricky, huh?) Wasn't that unclear, as (a) you got most of it right, and (b) it helps to play these things out to see how they work. Keep it like the Bud drinker trying to pick up babes in a bar: Simple and Obvious. RHB -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Richard H. Berg - 08:34am Mar 29, 2003 PST (#2893 of 2941) "The melancholy thing about the world is that it is full of stupid and common people, and the world is run for the benefit of the stupid and the common."... V.S. Naipaul www.charlestonstage.com/performances/season/annie/annie_photos54.html I've been rethinking Peter's questions . . .and i think i jumped in with an explanation a tad too soon, The Basic Premise is to know how many "units" are involved, total, before dividing them up . . . with the Infantry counting as 2 (unless facing each other full frontally). perhaps it would have been betetre to say, under the "Strength Advantage" section, that when there are multiple units involved, the infantry (long) is treated as '2'. Thus "1. Long unit vs three small units, one in each of its front hexes. Is that three resolutions? Do the flank defending units count as one unit vs one unit and the middle one as one defender vs two attakers?" That's 2 attacking 3. So, you're going to have 3 separate combat resolutions, two of which will be with no Strength Disadvantage (1-1), and oner of which will with a -1 for a defender strength advantage. "2. Long unit vs two small units, with small units in the leftmost and rightmost hexes of the long unit's front. Presumably, each of these fight as one unit vs one unit?" As it's 2 units vs 2, that's correct. "3. Long unit vs two small units, with one small unit in the center frontal hex and one in a side frontal hex. One resolution at one v one and one at one v two?" No, as it's 2 vs 2, it's two attacks with no Strength Advantage DRM. "4. Long unit vs another long unit, but with the units overlapped only on opposite flanks (does that make sense?) so that neither has any part of the counter in the center front of the other. Is that a one attacker vs two defender?" Same as above . . . Hope that is clearer . . . that, and the awareness that it is rare for the rectangular's to attack the squares . . . RHB Steve Carey - 07:10pm Mar 31, 2003 PST (#2900 of 2941) Ready Freddie Richard, despite a few hiccups (see below) I'm finding MM to be very easy to get into. The game reminds me of a combo of Longbow, Ben Hull's TACW, and SGBoH. You've struck a nice balance with chrome, feel, and playability here - well done. Anyway, on to the nits for a rules update: 1) The example on pg 3 should have d'Arco's Rating being increased to 5 (not 4, which already is his printed value) by Marsin's +1. 2) Infantry Movement on pg 4 refers to a unit suffering cohesion penalties - what does this refer to? 3) ZOC on pg 5 mentions that Foot units (including Dismounted Dragoons) must roll for Withdrawal after leaving a ZOC, then the Exception states that Dragoons do not have to roll after Withdrawal - ? 4) From 10.0 on pg 7 add the note "+2 if the attacking unit is Charging Cavalary" to the Infantry/Foot portion of the Pre Shock Reaction Table on the back page. 5) Shock Position Advantage on pg 7 states Flank or Rear bonus applies if "any" attacking units are in this position, but the Possible Shock or Charge DRM chart on the back states "all" - ? 6) Continued Attack on pg 9 states the victorious unit "must" Advance and then Shock all units in its ZOC, but the Shock /Charge table on the back states the attacker "may" Continue Shock (or the defender "may" Counter Attack) - ? Blenheim is on the table.... Steve Carey - 03:54am Apr 1, 2003 PST (#2905 of 2941) Ready Freddie Blenheim is quite impressive when set up, not only for the situation but also for the colorful massed troop counters which look absolutely terrific on the green dominated map. Several interesting situations here. Where to place the cumbersome artillery to best effect? Keeping in mind their Range, where are the Wing Commanders best deployed? And Maxmillian's French Left Wing is independent since he's both a Wing Commander and Command Leader. Q: Richard there's no mention regarding whether Auroch's and Vittinghof's Dragoons (under Hesse-Kassel, British Left Wing) set up Mounted or Dismounted - could you please clarify? Also, there's an apparent typo on the Terrain Chart on the Blenheim map: it lists a cost of 3 MP for Artillery to enter Woods, but since the guns only have an MA of 2 (and can't use Rapid Movement), I assume the cost should be 2 MPs (as listed on the chart, pg 13). And yes it's 3 o'clock in the morning, but who needs sleep when one has a captivating game laid out before him.... Richard H. Berg - 07:33am Apr 1, 2003 PST (#2908 of 2941) "The melancholy thing about the world is that it is full of stupid and common people, and the world is run for the benefit of the stupid and the common."... V.S. Naipaul www.charlestonstage.com/performances/season/annie/annie_photos54.html "1) The example on pg 3 should have d'Arco's Rating being increased to 5 (not 4, which already is his printed value) by Marsin's +1." True . . . that's why you never trust examples (which should be read to illustrate general principles, not specifics). "2) Infantry Movement on pg 4 refers to a unit suffering cohesion penalties - what does this refer to?" Some other game, some other time, some other drug . . . The Curse of Cut and Paste Strikes Again!! "3) ZOC on pg 5 mentions that Foot units (including Dismounted Dragoons) must roll for Withdrawal after leaving a ZOC, then the Exception states that Dragoons do not have to roll after Withdrawal - ?" Probably my being nervous about everyone realizing that dismounted dragoons were foot units (thus the parenthetical explanation). Dragoons do not dieroll after Withdrawal. "4) From 10.0 on pg 7 add the note "+2 if the attacking unit is Charging Cavalary" to the Infantry/Foot portion of the Pre Shock Reaction Table on the back page." If you wish . . . "5) Shock Position Advantage on pg 7 states Flank or Rear bonus applies if "any" attacking units are in this position, but the Possible Shock or Charge DRM chart on the back states "all" - ?" Should be ANY . . . "6) Continued Attack on pg 9 states the victorious unit "must" Advance and then Shock all units in its ZOC, but the Shock /Charge table on the back states the attacker "may" Continue Shock (or the defender "may" Counter Attack) - ?" It's MUST Advance and MAY Attack . . . " Richard there's no mention regarding whether Auroch's and Vittinghof's Dragoons (under Hesse-Kassel, British Left Wing) set up Mounted or Dismounted - could you please clarify?" Mounted. "Also, there's an apparent typo on the Terrain Chart on the Blenheim map: it lists a cost of 3 MP for Artillery to enter Woods, but since the guns only have an MA of 2 (and can't use Rapid Movement), I assume the cost should be 2 MPs (as listed on the chart, pg 13)." Correct . . . altho I do not think that any guns will ever venture near any woods (at least not in this battle). "Can the large infantry units move in any direction as long as they do not change facing? ie, could they move backwards, sideways, etc? " Sideways? SIDEWAYS??? What have you been shooting up, Marty? This is not the Riverdance company; it's a bunch of slog-footed Euro-trash illiterates. Sideways??? (Well, they do move towards their "short" end when using Column; but that's not sideways.) Jeezus . . . and no, they can't move backwards, as it specifically states on p.4. RHB Steve Carey - 01:22am Apr 2, 2003 PST (#2918 of 2941) Ready Freddie I spent the evening with Marlborough Man (don't say that in West Hollywood), and some play questions arose: 1) Fire/pg 5 first states that "Units may fire at any time during their Activation", but under Phasing Fire restricts this to "Fire is either before or after Movement is undertaken." So can a unit move, pay 1 MP for Phasing Fire, and then continue to move with remaining MPs? 2) Fire/pg 5 again is confusing under Phasing Fire for Cavalry/Pistols because it states "It costs 1 Movement Point to use Phasing Fire", but Caracole pg 6 relates that "Caracole is treated as Fire instead of Movement" and "The only way cavalry may use Phasing fire is to Caracole." So does Caracole use up a Cavalry unit's entire activation, and thus the 1 MP cost for Phasing Fire only applies to Infantry? 3) Charging/pg 8 states that a Charging Cavalry "Disordered by enemy Fire prior to resolving the Charge resolves the Charge as if it were a normal Shock." So does a Charging Cavalry that's Disordered by Fire also suffer the -2drm for Shocking while Disordered, or is the only penalty in this case the loss of the +2 Charge drm? 4) Charging/pg 8 states a "Cavalry may not charge across a Stream hexside." Can Cavalry Charge across a Stream if a Bridge is present? 5) Counter-Charge/pg 8, does the Charge capable unit that's now Counter-Charging (adjacent hex) qualify for the +2 Charge drm? 6) Combat Results/pg 9 Example is apparently in error since it mandates that the advancing, now Disordered, British HC unit must Continue Attacking when called for (we've already clarified that a Continued or Counter Attack is optional, I think). 7) Command Range/pg 9, can a player trace command range through an enemy ZOC if the hex is occupied by a friendly unit? Players should not be put off by these questions - unlike a Perry Moore game for example, everything here makes sense and just some clarifications are needed. I'm hoping these help Richard smarten up version 1.1 of the rules. Oh, on a scale of 1-9, I'd rate MM as 4 complexity and 7 solitaire. Enjoyment factor is an 8+. Richard H. Berg - 08:23am Apr 2, 2003 PST (#2922 of 2941) "The melancholy thing about the world is that it is full of stupid and common people, and the world is run for the benefit of the stupid and the common."... V.S. Naipaul www.charlestonstage.com/performances/season/annie/annie_photos54.html "1) Fire/pg 5 first states that "Units may fire at any time during their Activation", but under Phasing Fire restricts this to "Fire is either before or after Movement is undertaken." So can a unit move, pay 1 MP for Phasing Fire, and then continue to move with remaining MPs?" No . . . the "either/before" is now THE rule. 2) Fire/pg 5 again is confusing under Phasing Fire for Cavalry/Pistols because it states "It costs 1 Movement Point to use Phasing Fire", but Caracole pg 6 relates that "Caracole is treated as Fire instead of Movement" and "The only way cavalry may use Phasing fire is to Caracole." So does Caracole use up a Cavalry unit's entire activation, and thus the 1 MP cost for Phasing Fire only applies to Infantry?" That reference is to BOTH caracole and regular musket fire. (Look again.) Your last sentence is correct. 3) Charging/pg 8 states that a Charging Cavalry "Disordered by enemy Fire prior to resolving the Charge resolves the Charge as if it were a normal Shock." So does a Charging Cavalry that's Disordered by Fire also suffer the -2drm for Shocking while Disordered, or is the only penalty in this case the loss of the +2 Charge drm? Lose the Charge bennie and pay the -2 for Disorder. Life is tough in the Fast lane of cavalry. 4) Charging/pg 8 states a "Cavalry may not charge across a Stream hexside." Can Cavalry Charge across a Stream if a Bridge is present?" No. 5) Counter-Charge/pg 8, does the Charge capable unit that's now Counter-Charging (adjacent hex) qualify for the +2 Charge drm? This instituted a Change. There is now no Counter-Charge; it is Counter-Shock. Units getting this benefit may Counter-Shock . . . not Charge. Clears things up a tad. 6) Combat Results/pg 9 Example is apparently in error since it mandates that the advancing, now Disordered, British HC unit must Continue Attacking when called for (we've already clarified that a Continued or Counter Attack is optional, I think). Must Advance, may Continue. 7) Command Range/pg 9, can a player trace command range through an enemy ZOC if the hex is occupied by a friendly unit? Yes. I also made it possible for infantry to Withdraw even if they are not in an enemy ZOC. "Q: Richard, Victory/pg 10 what happens if both sides roll for Flight level and each thus goes over at the same time?" They both lose. Really. (Unless you have some gold louis on the outcome, is this important?) Phil . . .if i left it out, it was for a reason. Unfortunately, I cannot remember that reason, and I don't think it affects play in any sense. RHB Richard H. Berg - 04:18pm Apr 2, 2003 PST (#2931 of 2941) "The melancholy thing about the world is that it is full of stupid and common people, and the world is run for the benefit of the stupid and the common."... V.S. Naipaul www.charlestonstage.com/performances/season/annie/annie_photos54.html "OK, is a Caracole like a Hit-and-Run attack in SGBoH? i.e., uses the firing unit's entire activation?" Yes . . . Road on map. Ya know what? We left it off (accidently)? It's on the playtest version . . . somehow didn't make the final. Missed proofing. The Good News? Has almost no effect on anything . . . the bridges in that area were for small commerce, not army movements. RHB Marty Arnsdorf - 03:41am Apr 3, 2003 PST (#2934 of 2941) when counting the range for carocle or charging cav, is the target hex included? ie, for 2 hexes range is there one empty hex or two between the charging unit and the target? Richard H. Berg - 04:14am Apr 3, 2003 PST (#2935 of 2941) "The melancholy thing about the world is that it is full of stupid and common people, and the world is run for the benefit of the stupid and the common."... V.S. Naipaul www.charlestonstage.com/performances/season/annie/annie_photos54.html "...for 2 hexes range is there one empty hex or two between the charging unit and the target? " One. RHB