From: Elliot Wilen Subject: Ancients variant translation Here's my translation of that ancients variant--it's in ASCII format, so it doesn't look as nice as the original--but at least one can (in theory) read it without using Microsoft software! --Elliot Optional Command Rules for "Ancients" (3W) - Stephane Martin (translation: Elliot Wilen) [Translator's note: While the numbered rule references are to the 3W edition of the game, terminology is based on the Good Industries edition, which may or may not differ in this respect. Neither the terminology nor the rule numbering should present any difficulty if common sense is applied.] At the cost of a very slight increase in the level of difficulty of the rules of Ancients, it is possible to add several command mechanics which are somewhat more sophisticated and which are directly inspired by those found in the miniatures rules DBA and DBM as well as the game _Champs de Bataille_ ["Field of Battle"], which was published as an insert in a recent _Vae Victis_. This collection of rules makes it possible to represent with great simplicity the majority of cohesion and control problems of armies in midst of battles. Chapter 3, detailed below, constitutes the keystone of these mechanics. 1) Activation of units Before moving his units, the phasing player receives his "activation points". To do so, he rolls 1d6*. The player adds to the number rolled on the die the number of his leaders present on the map who are not in contact with an enemy unit. The sum (die roll + leaders) is divided by 2 for an army which has reached its panic level (fractions rounded up to the next whole number). The final score becomes the number of activation points (or AP). The player uses these activation points to move his units, individually or in groups. He may also use AP to "hold back" certain impetuous units (see chapter 4). Any AP which aren't spent during the movement phase can also be used to rally disordered units during the rally phase (see chapter 5). AP which are not spent during a turn are lost and cannot be "saved up" for later use. *: Players who want the points to be to be less "random" may replace the d6 by an "averaging die" (a die with 6 sides numbered 2-3-3-4-4-5). Similarly it may be advisable to use a d4 or a d5 (d10 divided by 2) for battles involving only a few units. 2) Activation Costs The base cost for moving one unit or a group of units is 1 AP. The base cost for "holding back" (see chapter 4) a unit or a group of barbarians or knights is 1 AP. These costs are subject to the following modifiers (cumulative): -It costs one additional AP to move (or hold back) a unit or group of units which is not located within 3 hexes of a leader who is not in contact with an enemy unit. N.B.: It thus costs 1 additional AP to activate (or hold back) a unit or a group of units in an army which possesses no leaders. -It costs one additional AP to reorganize a unit which is not located within 3 hexes of a leader who is not in contact with an enemy unit. -It costs one additional AP to move an elephant unit or a group containing at least one elephant unit. It costs one additional AP to restore a disordered elephant unit to full strength. Optional: It is recommended that the movement of leaders be limited to 5 hexes per turn. A leader ignores the additional movement costs for changing facing and for terrain. (A leader may still not cross a river, however, nor may he enter a hex which is occupied by an enemy unit or leader.) 3) Definition of a "group of units" A "group" of units is a collection of non-disordered units. To belong to a group, each unit must face in the same direction and be adjacent to at least one other unit in the group. A unit which is disordered and/or in contact with an enemy unit cannot belong to a group (thus it can only be activated individually). However, a player is not obliged to include in a group a unit which fulfills all the conditions for belonging to the group. N.B.: But note that choosing not to include a unit in a group may totally or partially eliminate one or several of the conditions necessary for the validity of the group. The composition of a group may vary from one turn to the next. A "group" is thus defined solely by the definition given above. Even if it is activated as part of a group, a unit may be moved in any direction and according to its own movement capability. (N.B. This freedom of movement can nevertheless break the cohesion of a group, effective the following turn.) 4) Holding back barbarians and knights N.B.: This rule partially replaces that contained in paragraph 13.9. One must spend 1 AP (plus any modifiers listed in chapter 2) to hold back a barbarian unit or a knight unit or a group containing at least one unit of barbarians or knights. It is not necessary to hold back a barbarian or knight unit which is moved normally or which is already in contact with an enemy unit. A barbarian or knight unit which is not held back must move toward an enemy unit as described in optional rule 13.9. 5) Rallying a unit By expending 1 AP (plus any modifiers listed in 2, above), it is possible to restore a disordered unit to full strength provided that it is not in contact with an enemy unit. Clarification: Rallying can only be done unit-by-unit and not by groups of units. N.B. It is still possible to rally a disordered unit according to the procedure described in chapter 10.