WFHGS Rules Supplement
CRUX OF BATTLE
WASATCH FRONT HISTORICAL GAMING SOCIETY
AGE of DISCOVERY
CRUX OF BATTLE:
A
Command & Control Variant for AOD
Crux of Battle is a
game supplement intended
to add command and control rules into Warfare in
the Age of Discovery.
During the Renaissance era
command on the battlefield
was haphazard to say the
least. Few commanders
had total control of their
plans as modern warfare
was still in its infancy.
Knights still charged unsupported, the Swiss could
wreck any commanders
plans, and mercenaries
were totally unreliable.
This module attempts to
have a good idea of what
recreate this uncertainty on
the battlefield of this era
the Renaissance battlefield.
was like. This variant will
Some commanders will
also add a degree of uncerexcel in combat, able to
tainty to any Age of Discommand multiple units
covery scenario.
while others may have a
hard time controlling two!
Each side will randomly
draw its leaders before the
battle and have to make
due with what they got.
Add into the mix special
events, individual unit initiative, and varying effects
on officer casual- 15mm heavy cavalry ready for a charge.
ties and you will
How to Read the Leader Cards
Army Color
French-Blue
Spanish/Italian-Red
Phillipe of Milan
Leader Name
Special
Event Number
Leadership
Value
Command
Range
Command Ability
Included in this supplement:
Introduction
How to Read the Cards
Initiative Rules
Using the Command System
French Leader Cards
Spanish/Italian Leader Cards
Special points of interest:
Special Rules for Swiss contingents.
Random Special Events
Initiative Rules for separate units.
Presents command problems on the battlefield and adds uncertainty to each turn.
Using The Cards
When using the standard set up
for an Age of Discovery battle, each
side randomly draws three leader
cards from their deck of nine cards.
These three leaders are then given
command to one of the three
battles or forces each side has.
Play then proceeds normally.
following
turn then
the new
event takes
precedent
over the old
event.
Battle of Dreux during the French Wars of Religion
At the start of each turn, before
the die is rolled to determine which
side goes first in that turn, 2D6 are
rolled. If the number rolled corresponds
When it is a force or battles turn,
to a special event number on a leaders
the leadership ratings on the leader card
card, then 2D6 are rolled again and the
are consulted. The center number is the
back of the leaders card is checked to
number of units a leader can command in
find the result. The result is to be implea single turn. Any units above this nummented immediately and may last longer
ber have to check for initiative to move or
than just that one turn. If a different
charge on their own. The final number is
event is rolled for the same leader on a
how far away the units can be from the
leader and still be in command. For example, a leader has a command ability of
three and a command range of ten. Any
three units of that leaders force within
ten inches of him can move or charge
normally. If there are four units in his
force, the fourth unit will have to roll for
initiative to move or charge.
The first number is the leadership
value and is used for melee and morale purposes as normal in the AOD
rules. When a leader is killed or captured, another leader card is drawn from
the deck to replace him. The delay in
when he appears is determined by rolling
1D6 with the following results: 1,2: 1
turn, 3,4: 2 turns, 4,5: 3 turns. When the
new leader arrives he is placed in the center of the force he is commanding.
Unit Initiative & The Swiss
When a force has no leader or there
are too many units for a leader to command in one turn in his force, unit initiative must be used to move or charge. The
unit initiative number is the same number
as the class of the unit. So, a Swiss unit
trying to move on its own would need to
roll a 4 or less on 1D6. If the unit fails
the roll, it can defend itself or fall back to
prevent being flanked, but cannot move
normally or charge.
and if the result comes up 12, then this
special rule applies. Immediately, ALL
The Swiss could make life interesting
Swiss units must move directly towards
for any commander and
the nearest unit of enmore than once destroyed a
emy infantry. Once inwhole campaign by their
side of charge range they
Whenever there are Swiss
impatience. Whenever
must charge. Only after
there are Swiss present
present, they must be under the they have charged and
they should be under a sinentered melee do they
command of a single leader.
gle leader. When it is that
revert back to control of
forces turn 2D6 are rolled
the forces leader.
Variants and Optional Rules
The following could be tried with
Crux of Battle, especially with more
experienced players.
1.
Randomly assign leaders to forces.
2.
In very large games(over 30 sps),
add more leaders (over the initial 3)
so that you have cavalry leaders,
baggage train leaders, etc.
3.
Set up a bid system in sps to buy
Page 2
better leaders and compensate the other side
with additional units.
4.
Modify the unit initiative for various units to
reflect better trained
troops, desperation, or
greed for certain scenar- 15mm Swiss, Spanish, and
ios.
Germans about to come to
5.
When one side is d e-
grips with pikes.
fending in fortifications and after the third turn in which they
have suffered more casualties
than the attackers (from bombardment, etc), start making a
1D6 roll vs. the leaders leadership value and if they fail they
must come out of the entrenchments. The commanders force
must attack the nearest enemy
units.
CRUX OF BATTLE
Jacques de Tourville
Michael de Saxe
Jean Rousseau
Pierre Marchand
Henry Lefevbre
Vincente Moreux
William St. Priest
Rene Friant
Paul Grouchy
WFHGS RULES SUPPLEMEN T
Page 3
Die Roll
Event
Event
Die Roll
Confusion. All units must
halt this turn.
3 All Firing is 2 this turn.
4 Command Ability is 3 for
this turn.
5 All units move 1/2 this
turn.
6,7,8
No Effect
9 All units +3 inches move
this turn.
10 Command Ability increases to 6 this turn.
11 All firing is +2 this turn.
12 All charges are at +2 this
turn.
2,3,4
+1 to all Melee rolls
for all units this turn.
5,6,7
No Effect
8
Command Ability is 4
for this turn.
9
All units +3 inches
move this turn.
10
Confusion. All units
can only move 1/2 this
turn.
11,12 This turn only, this
leader and his units
can activate at any
point during the turn.
Die Roll
Die Roll
Die Roll
Event
For this turn only,
you can choose any
movement sequence
for your side.
3
All units +1 for firing
this turn.
4
All units +1 for melee
this turn.
5,6,7
No Effect
8,9
Command Range
reduced to 6 this turn
10,11 All units +2 inches
this turn.
12
All units must full
Move towards nearest enemy.
Die Roll
Die Roll
2,3,4
Event
Superior tactics. All
units get 1 free move
this turn after all other
forces have moved.
5,6
All units 1/2 move this
turn.
7,8,9,10 No Effect
11,12 Mercenaries on Strike
All mercenary units
in leaders force halt
until a 5 or 6 is rolled
on 1D6, then they
work things out and
function normally.
Page 4
Die Roll
3,4
5,6
7
8,9,10
11
12
Event
Command Ability
increased to 5 this turn
All units no movement
this turn.
All units must full
move towards nearest
enemy.
All units +1 firing this
turn.
No Effect
Roll for 2 events
If in melee last turn is
automatically killed:
shuffle leader cards
and draw a new leader
Event
Catastrophe. All units
lose 1 casualty to
straggling, desertion,
etc, and fall back 1
full move.
3,4
All units only 1/2
move this turn.
5,6,7,8 No Effect
9,10
Leadership Value
goes up to 4 this turn
11
All units +1 firing
this turn.
12
All units automatically
pass any morale
checks this turn.
3,4,5
6
7
8
9,10
11,12
Event
Reorganization. All
units halt this turn.
No Effect
Confusion. All units
move 1/2 this turn.
Unsure. If any unit(s)
are fired upon, they
fall back 1/2 move.
All firing is 1 this
turn.
All units +3 inches
extra this turn.
All units treated as
Class 4 this turn.
Event
All units halt this
turn.
3
All units +1 melee
this turn.
4,5
All units 1/2 move
this turn.
6,7,8,9 No Effec t
10
All units +1 firing
this turn.
11
All units +3 inches
move this turn.
12
If any unit loses a
melee this turn all
units fall back 1
full move.
Die Roll
Event
All units 1/2 move
this turn.
3
All units fire at +2
this turn.
4,5,6
No Effect
7,8
No Effect
9,10,11,12
All units
must move at best
possible speed towards the
enemy and charge when able
to. The player may roll 2D6
every turn and if the result is
11 or 12 he may halt the attack.
CRUX OF BATTLE
Franz Hoffstetler
Alfredo Pellicini
Fransesco Albuera
Fernando Olivera
Alfonse Pacino
WFHGS RULES SUPPLEMEN T
Antonio Garibaldi
Gustavus Wilhelm
Hector Fuentes
Geraldo Cabrerra
Page 5
Die Roll
2
3
4
5,6,7
8,9
10,11
12
Die Roll
2,3,4
5,6
7
8
9,10
11
12
Event
All units ignore any
morale results this
turn.
All units get +3 inches
move this turn.
Command range is 8
this turn.
No Effect
All units 1/2 move
this turn.
All units must halt
this turn.
All units are treated as
Class 4 this turn.
Event
All up/down die rolls
are up for this turn.
All units move 4
inches extra this turn.
No Effect
All units +1 firing
this turn.
All units ignore any
morale results this turn
All units are +1 in
melee this turn.
All units are treated as
Class 4 this turn.
Die Roll
Event
2,3,4
Die Roll
Confusion. All units
fall back 1 full move.
5,6
No Effect
7
All units move +3
inches this turn.
8
All units halt this turn
9,10,11 All units must
advance towards the
enemy this turn.
12
Second Thoughts.
All units are treated as
Class 1 this turn and
any existing Class 1
units fall back 6.
Die Roll
Die Roll
3,4
5,6,7
8,9
10,11
12
Event
Second Thoughts.
All units are treated as
Class 1 this turn and
any existing Class 1
units fall back 6.
Leadership Value
is 5 for this turn.
No Effect
All units halt this turn
All melee up/down
die rolls are down
for this turn
If hit this turn he is
automatically killed
3,4,5
6,7
8,9,10
11
12
2,3,4
5,6,7
8,9
10,11
12
Event
Your force has the
option of moving at
any point in the turn.
All units move 3
inches extra this turn.
All units add +1 to
all melees this turn.
No Effect
All units 1/2 move
this turn.
All melee die rolls are
up on the up/down die
for this turn only.
Event
Roll 1D6. On an even
number all units must
advance; if odd they
fall back 1 full move
this turn only.
No Effect
Leadership Value
is 4 for this turn.
All units get +3
inches move this turn
All units must charge
the nearest enemy
and get a +2 bonus
this turn.
.
Die Roll
2
Event
All units must advance
until they contact the
enemy.
3,4
All units 1/2 move this
turn.
5,6
Command range is 12
this turn.
7,8
No Effect
9,10,11 All units get +3 inches
move this turn.
12
Leadership Value for
this turn applies to all
units, even if he is
attached to a single
unit.
Die Roll
2,3,4
5,6
7
8
9
10,11
12
Event
Any mercenary units
refuse to enter combat
or move this turn.
No Effect
All units are +1 in
melee this turn.
Leadership Value is
4 this turn.
Command range is 3
this turn.
All units are +1 firing
this turn.
All mo rale results are
one level worse
this turn.
Die Roll
2,3
Event
This turn all units
automatically pass
any morale check.
4,5
Leadership value is
4 for this turn.
6,7,8
All units get +1 in
melee this turn.
9,10,11 No Effect
12
All units abandon any
defensive positions.
If in the open they
fall back and on 1D6
if a 6 is rolled they
flee the battle and
are lost.
