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{\*\generator Msftedit 5.41.15.1507;}\viewkind4\uc1\pard\li360\ri360\sb100\sa100\b\f0\fs36 Command Rules for Armies of Arcana\b0\fs24  \line{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "aoasupportmain.html"}}{\fldrslt{\cf1\ul Back to Main Support Page}}}\cf0\ulnone\f0\fs24  \par
These are purely optional rules. They are designed to simulate the lack of control a general would actually have over his troops in a battle, instead of the highly manueverable and instantly responsive units normally used in Armies of Arcana. Many battles in history have been won or lost due to orders not being recieved, or commanders disobeying those orders. These be probably become integrated into the Armies of Antitem rules modification, whenever I get off of my duff and get it to full playtest stage. \par
At the beginning of the battle, a general can form his units up into groups. A group can consist of up to 4 units, but they must remain within 6" of another group member at all times, unless a unit becomes disobedient. \par
Each group recieves orders from the general as one. A group can be maneuvered at the group commanders discretion to achieve that order, but the group as a whole must attempt to follow the order given. \par
However a general does not have instant command over his groups. When he gives an order, it must be transmitted in some way to the group commander. For fast communication, the signal can go by trumpet or flag - however, this is easily missed or ignored by a commander, especially the further away he is. So a general may also send a messenger to the commander, which is much more dependable but also much slower. \par
Even when the order is recieved, the group commander must make a morale test to understand and obey it. In addition, units within the group may become disobediant if presented with an easy target or a threatening enemy. \par
\b\fs28 Set up\b0\fs24  \par
A normal meeting engagement should be run. Army construction and set up is as normal, except that each army must pick 1 hero to the army general, and that hero must be a victory condition. A general may also purchase 1 messenger per 1000 points of army. The messengers are individuals, attached to no one, who wil never initiate combat and may only move between units with a group commander and the general. \par
After set up is complete, each player writes down what his groups are. A group may be up to 4 units, those units must be within 6" of another member of the group, and must be able to see each other. The caracter with the highest morale, in the largest unit in the group point-wise, is the Group Commander. If he or his unit dies, the next highest morale character in the group becomes group commander. \par
Each group may be given an order at the start of the battle. \par
\b\fs28 Orders\b0\fs24  \par
A group can be given any of the following orders. A group must attempt to achieve that order from turn to turn, until given a new order. After the first turn, all orders must be directed towards things that the general can see, unless a group requests an order via messenger (more on that later). Orders should be kept hidden from your opponent. \par
\ul Defend position\ulnone  - the group must defend a particular terrain feature or battlefield position. It's units may move about to better confront an enemy which is threatening the position, but may not move to engage an enemy which is beyond 1 normal move from the feature. \par
\ul Move to position\ulnone  - the group will move to a particular position on the battlefield, and then defend it until given another order. It may engage units which are in a position to prevent them from acheiving that order. \par
\ul Attack enemy unit\ulnone  - the group will move to engage a particular enemy unit. It may attack other units which would interfere with that order. \par
\ul Protect a unit\ulnone  - the group will defend a particular unit not in the group to the best of its abilities. This may mean shooting at a threatening enemy unit, or interposing itself between an enemy and the unit to be defended. It's a good idea to keep a group around your general with these orders! \par
\ul Retreat \ulnone - the unit will move back to the set up zone. It does not have to break and flee, or even turn tail, it may simply back up, at the group commander's discretion. \par
An order can also be amended by the following additions - \par
\ul Avoid combat\ulnone  - the group will attempt to obey the order, but will do it's best to avoid combat with non-target enemy units in the process. This may mean not advancing to the target if enemy are present, or even backing away if the enemy moves towards them. A group does not have to retreat further back than 6" from the board - sometimes you just have to stand and fight! \par
\ul And return\ulnone  - once the order is satisfied, the unit will return to the General (or at least to within 12"). This is a good order to use with individual monsters or other fast units, which can strike a target then return for further orders. \par
\b\fs28 Changing Orders\b0\fs24  \par
At the beginning of the movement phase, each General may attempt to issue to orders. He may issue up to 3 orders to different groups per turn. He must write those orders down, as well as how the orders will be delivered (signal or messenger). These orders are kept secret from the other player(s). \par
When it is the player's turn to move, he transmits those orders. Messengers may be moved towards their units and signals are trumpeted or flagged. The procedure to determine whether the message was recieved and understood varies depending on the method of transmission. \par
\ul Signalled messages\ulnone  - The Group Commander must be within 12" of be within sight of the General. The group commander must be make a morale test modified by \line -1 for every 8" between himself and the General \line -3 if he is engaged in combat \line If he fails the test, the order is ignored, and the unit continues on the previous order. \par
\ul Messengers \ulnone - Messengers are moved at the beginning of the Orders Phase. The player is free to move them as he wishes, to avoid combat or hazards. The messengers will not initiate combat. \par
A messenger must begin the turn in contact with the unit to recieve an order from the general, or to recieve an Order Request from a group commander. A messenger may stay with a unit as long as desired. If he begins the turn in contact, he recieves the order and begins moving to the target. \par
Whenever he reaches the target, the order is transmitted. Roll the Morale of the Group Commander to make sure he undrstands and obeys the order - there is no madifier to this roll. \par
When carrying an order request back to the general, the messenger must stay in contact with the general until the beginning of the next movement phase to get approval for the order before moving back to the unit requesting the order. \par
\b\fs28 Commander Discretion\b0\fs24  \par
A Commander and his group are not automatons - they will try to carry out an order, but will respond to their environment to achieve in the most rational manner possible. If a group is told to capture a hill, each unit will not move blindly towards it, converging in and interfering with each other. The group as a whole must move towards the objective, but may adjust the positions and formations of the units to best achieve that objective, and to counter the actions of enemy units which would interfere with them. \par
There is no precise rule for this - only a great deal of playtesting can develop such an rule. In general, the group as a whole must each turn move closer to acheiving the object of it's order, even if it may place them in a bad position overall. Its units may move to lessen the groups risks, but overall it must end the turn closer to its object than it started. \par
\b\fs28 Unit Disobediance\b0\fs24  \par
A unit may become disobediant when placed in imminent danger or presented with a juicy target. Under such circimstances they may decide to ignore their orders and take matters into their own hands. Such issues are resolved on a unit by unit basis (not groups) and during the movement phase, just before the unit is moved. \par
When a unit is placed in such positions, it takes an obediance test before it moves. Units engaged in combat do not have to test. The highest morale value for the unit is used, unmodified. If the test is failed (by rolling higher than the morale value), the unit will take a course of action, based on the situation which made it test. \par
Situations requiring an obediance test, and the results of failing, are: \par
A) The unit can charge an \b inferior enemy unit\b0  - if failed, the unit must charge that enemy unit. \par
B) The unit can be charged by a \b superior enemy unit\b0  - if failed, the unit will move to minimize it's risk; moving backwards, turning to face the threat, forming into RaF formation etc. \par
An \b inferior unit\b0  is one that can be charged by a unit that will force it to take a morale test - if a skirmished unit is threatened by a RaF unit, or a RaF unit could be charged by an enemy in its own flank (which is within 8" - no point looking for cavalry half-way across the board). \par
A \b superior unit\b0  is the exact opposite - one that has the opportunity to automatically force a morale test on an enemy unit by charging. \par
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