Kerry Anderson - Jul 21, 2004 10:01 am (#41 Total: 45) Microgame Design Group I've been thinking about Elias's comments. Closely examining the situation, I have to concede that he's got a point. Why this apparently obvious strategy never came up before, I don't know. So, I've come up with a few new rules that should open things up a bit. Call them optional or call them experimental if you want but they are not official until I can have a go at them myself. Please tell me what you think. 7.1.1 Cavalry Probes: Cavalry can bypass (move through) cities occupied by enemy troops if there are friendly units in the city as well to engage the enemy units. The number of friendly corps-equivalent units must at least match the number enemy corps-equivalent units up to three corps-equivalents. If the defenders have three corps-equivalents or more, the cavalry probe cannot be conducted. Count fortresses as the equivalent of one division (half a corps-equivalent). 7.1.2 Forced March: Infantry units can move two cities by using forced march. Every unit that force marches suffers an immediate loss. Cavalry and special units cannot force march. 8.6 Overwhelming Odds If either side cannot fill the firing line with three corps-equivalents, his opponent rolls one extra die per corps-sized unit per corps-equivalent advantage. Count fortresses as the equivalent of one division (half a corps-equivalent). EXAMPLE: The Germans attack Liege with three four-strength Corps. Defending are and two strength infantry division and a two strength fortress. The Germans would have one and one-half corps-equivalent advantage allowing them to roll one extra die per corps. Since the fortress is also reducing the number of dice per unit by two, the German would roll nine dice on his attack. 8.7 Bayonet Charge First the attacker and then the defender may announce that a battle will be a bayonet charge. In a bayonet charge, hits for both sides are achieved on die rolls of 5 or 6 (4, 5 or 6 if defender has machine guns). In addition, the player who declared the charge fires after his opponent, applying any results against him before he rolls. EXAMPLE (continued): The Germans attacking Liege declare a bayonet charge on the Belgians. The Belgians would then roll four dice hitting on rolls of 5 or 6. With rolls of 1, 3, 5, 6 they score two hits on the Germans. The German player first reduces on corps by two and then rolls 7 dice on the attack. 11.3 Cavalry Foraging Cavalry units can maintain themselves in supply through foraging. Roll a die for every cavalry unit deemed out-of-supply by normal paths (see 11.1). If the roll is six, the cavalry unit takes a loss, otherwise the unit is uneffected by being out-of-supply.