Updated 12/31/02

Being an adaptation of Larry Brom’s The Sword and The Flame Colonial rules set, for use in the early Renaissance period. Another set will address the later Renaissance "Musket & Pike" period. The Jackson Gamers assume that you already know how to play "TSATF". A copy of those rules will be neccesary as the rules below are in semi-outline form.

ITEMS NEEDED FOR PLAY

• Miniature soldiers and terrain
• A deck of 52 playing cards randomly shuffled.
• Tape measure or ruler - one per player.
• Four-sided die (referred to as D4) - probably only 1, and a D6 can be used by re-rolling results of 5 or 6.
• Six-sided dice (referred to as D6) - a bunch (at least 6)
• Ten-sided die (referred to as D10) - at least 1, although a D-20 can be used by subtracting 10 from results of 11 or greater.
• Twenty-sided dice (referred to as D20) - a handfull!

TROOP TYPES & ORGANIZATION

GENDARMES - Heavy cavalry fighting with lance, and sword. Never dismount, Open order, may fight 2 ranks deep. 12 figures per unit, 4 companies of 3 men each.
REITERS - “Medium Cavalry” armed with several pistols, designed to produce a large volume of fire from horseback. Open order. 12 figures per unit, 4 companies of 3 men each. Fight 2 ranks deep, may shoot 4 ranks deep.
LIGHT HORSE - Cavalry armed with spears or arquebus, or crossbows. Primarily to skirmish with firearms or crossbows from horseback rather than charge mounted. May shoot two ranks deep. They use open or skirmish order. 12 figures per unit, 4 companies of 3 men each.
PIKEMEN - Infantry armed with long spears. May be in closed or open order, fight normally in closed order, may fight 4 ranks deep. 20 figures per unit, 4 companies of 5 men each.
ARQUEBUSIERS - Infantry armed with the Arquebus (an early musket). Move and fight in open order. May use skirmish order. Takes 1 turn to reload arquebus after firing. May shoot 2 ranks deep. 20 figures per unit in 4 companies of 5 men each, or may be organized in a 5-man company as a sub-unit attached to a pike formation.
CROSSBOWMEN - Infantry armed with the Crossbow. Move and fight in open order. May use skirmish order. The crossbow has less effect than the Arquebus, but does not take 1 turn to reload as an arquebus after shooting. May shoot 2 ranks deep. 20 figures per unit in 4 companies of 5 men each, or may be organized in a 5-man company as a sub-unit attached to a pike formation.
HALBERDIERS - Infantry armed with Halberds (like giant axes). Move and fight in open order. 20 figures per unit in 4 companies of 5 men each, or may be organized in a 5-man company as a sub-unit attached to a pike formation.
GREAT-SWORDSMEN - Infantry armed with 2-handed long swords. Move and fight in open order. Organized in a 5-man company as a sub-unit attached to a pike formation.
SWORD AND BUCKLER MEN - Infantry armed with swords and small shields. Move and fight in open order. Organized in a 5-man company as a sub-unit attached to a pike formation. May use skirmish order.
RIFLEMEN - Individual sharpshooter figures with rifles. Takes 2 turns to reload after firing. Range double that of an arquebus. These are not organized in units but are individual figures. Availability subject to the whim of the game-master.
OFFICERS - Individual figures. UNIT OFFICERS represent the leader of a unit and are part of the unit. FIELD OFFICERS are the Colonels or Generals that command the army of some part of the army, and are not part of any particular unit. Officers may not be shot at directly but if in the ‘cone of fire’ of enemy units and within 12” of friendly units under fire, may become casualties. When casualty cards are pulled, if an ‘ace’ is pulled from the deck then an officer or unit leader is hit instead of 1 other figure. Unit officers may be hit when their unit takes fire casualties.

Each unit has at least one “unit leader” that remains with the unit at all times unless he becomes a casualty. Swiss and Spanish pike units may have two leaders.

FRESH/WORN/SPENT Units

Each unit in the army is counted as "Fresh", "Worn" or "Spent"..

• "Fresh" Cavalry or Infantry units have taken no losses.
• "Worn" units have taken losses, but no more than 50%.
• "Spent" units have taken more than 50% losses.
• "Fresh" guns have taken no losses.
• "Worn" guns have lost one or more gunners. There are no "spent" guns, they do not fall below "Worn" until destroyed.

ORDER

CLOSED ORDER - Base to base, 1 or more ranks as deep as desired, but except for pikes, only 2 ranks may fight in close combat.
OPEN ORDER - Must have some distance between figures - up to 1” between bases. As deep as desired, but only 2 ranks may shoot or fight in close combat. Due to some figures being mounted on multiple bases, it should be remembered that most figures will be in Open Order. Only pikemen, halbardiers, etch are in closed order.
SKIRMISH ORDER - Distance between figures 1” or more, between bases. As deep as desired, but only 2 ranks may shoot. Skirmishers in close combat are destroyed if contacted.

SEQUENCE OF ACTIONS

1. Test "To Stand" morale for any unit which is "Spent" (under 50% strength) which does not have a field officer attached to it. If it passes, it will continue in the game. If it fails, it is removed from the field immediately.
2. Pull a card from the deck. If red then one unit of the "Red" side may move. If black, then one unit from the "Black" side may move. Continue till every unit has had a chance to move.
   "Shaken" units attempt to rally from shaken ("Stand and fight" morale table) when their card to move is pulled. If the rally attempt is failed, they may not move.
3. Pull a card from the deck. If red then one unit of the "Red" side may fire. If black, then one unit from the "Black" side may fire. Continue till every unit capable of firing has had a chance to fire. Place one reload marker on each unit which fired, and the appropriate number of reload markes for the type of weapon which the unit has.
   Note that units which take fire casualties may only fire back with the figures which have not yet become casualties.
4. Test morale for units which took fire casualties. (See further notes under Morale)
5. Test "To Close" morale for units charging.
6. Test "To Stand" morale for units being charged.
7. Fight all close combats testing morale ("Stand and fight" morale table) for losing units. If this test is passed, the losing units fall back a normal move and become "shaken". If this test is failed, the losing units rout.
8. Attempt to rally all routed units ("Rally" morale table) which routed in a previous turn. Rounted units which fail to rally are removed from the field.
9. Remove one "reload" marker from every unit with any "reload" markers present.

FIRE

Each eligible miniature may roll a D20 to see if it got a “hit” on the enemy.

Target classifications:
Class I = Pikes or other heavy foot, base-to-base
Class II = Other foot and all horse, operating in open order, with ½” or more between figures.
Class III = Skirmishers or artillerists. Also Gendarmes taking fire from pistol-armed cavalry. Also foot defending behind light cover such as hedges, woods etc
Class IV = All foot defending behind stone walls, in buildings or prepared defenses.

Firing weapon:	Class I	Class II	Class III	Class IV
Arquebus - Short range - 12” or less	1-6	1-5	1-4	1-3
Arquebus - Long range - to 18”	1-5	1-4	1-3	1-2
Pistol - To 4”	1-6	1-5	1-3	1
One turn to reload the above*
Crossbow - to 12"	1-5	1-3	1-2	1-1
Fire every turn for crossbows
Heavy Cannon - Short Range - to 18”	1-6	1-4	1-4	1-4
Heavy Cannon - Long Range - to 48”	1-4	1-3	1-3	1-3
2 turns to reload heavy guns
Light Cannon - Short Range - to 12”	1-5	1-4	1-3	1-2
Light Cannon - Long Range - to 24”	1-4	1-2	1-2	1
Light guns may fire every turn that they do not move.

*See note on Reiters below.

Above numbers are "hits" on a D20
Roll one D20 per man for Arquebus, Pistol, Crossbow,
Roll 3 dice per gunner for heavy gun (crew of 4)
Roll 3 dice per gunner for Light gun (crew of 2)
May not move more than 1/2 while loading arquebus on foot. Mounted arquebus may move while reloading .
Crossbows, foot or mounted may reload while moving. May shoot every turn.
Light guns may move or fire, not both in same turn. Pivot in place does not count as moving.
Heavy guns may not move during the game. Pivot in place does not count as moving.

Modifiers to above dice rolls:
+1 to each die result if firing unit "Shaken"
+2 to each die result if weather is "light rain"

Weapon Ranges:
Heavy Gun: Long 48" Short 18”
Light gun: Long 36" Short 12”
Crossbows 12" (No short range)
Arquebus: Long 18" Short 12"
Pistol 4” (No short range)

The front rank of cavalry armed with pistols who are charging with swords may fire one pistol if it closes with the enemy then lay about with sword, axe etc. Cavalry that does not close may similarly fire the front rank but are +1 to each fire die because they are "shaken".

Note that we allow only "Reiters" to carry two pistols. No other cavalry at this time may have pistols.

Reiters may shoot twice per turn but then are out of fire till they spend a turn motionless to reload. They may shoot one pistol every turn if they want, without ever “stopping” to reload. They may fire up to 4 ranks deep.

Reiters attacked by other cavalry with the sword or lance must test to see how many ranks can fire before the close combat begins. Roll a D4 and the result is the number of ranks which may fire.

MORALE

• All units test morale when a fire casualty becomes the reason that the unit has lost 25% of it’s strength and every time it loses a figure by fire after that. Note that if a unit has lost almost 25% due to other reasons, and one fire casualty pushes the unit to 25% lost, the unit does test due to "fire" on the morale chart.
• All units test to stand or to close into close combat.
• All units test "Stand and fight" morale after losing a close combat. Pass means to fall back shaken. Failure means rout.
• Units which are "Spent" must test "Stand and fight" morale at the start of each turn unless a field officer is attached to the unit. Pass means to continue the fight. Failure means to leave the table.
• Shaken Units test "Rally" morale at end of following move . Pass means to rally from being shaken. Failure means to remain shaken.
• Routed Units test "Rally" morale at end of following move . Pass means to rally from routed to shaken. Failure means to leave the field.

NOTES:
Units without any leaders -2 to above die rolls.
"Spent" units (less than 50% strength) -2 to above die rolls
Gendarmes vs. lighter cavalry +1 to above die roll “to close”
Swiss pikes vs other pikes +1 to above die roll "to close"
Attacked in rear -2 to "Stand and fight" die roll
Shaken units are -1 to "Stand and fight" die roll
Field Officer attached to unit +1 to above die roll
Units attacking the rear of an enemy unit need not test "to close".

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
Swiss & Spanish pike or halbard units may have two leaders, others have only one.
Artillerists NEVER actually stand and fight. They may test to fire before falling back on above table. If this is failed, they rount. If they do not try to test, they do not fire but may fall back if the enemy passes “To Close” roll.

SHAKEN UNITS
Units that become "shaken" move a normal move to the rear. At the end of the next turn, they must pass "Rally" morale. Failure means they stand in place without moving and remain shaken. Pass means they are no longer shaken and may move normally in the following movement turn.

Shaken units that are attacked in close combat before their chance to test will not have the opportunity to rally from shaken. They must pass "to stand" morale to stand in place and fight as shaken. If they fail, they are routed.

NOTES on shaken units:

• May not move unless they rally
• fight at -1 in close combat.
• Are -1 on any morale table
• Shoot at -1

ROUTED UNITS
Rounted unit take a D4 of casualties when they rout and are moved a normal move to the rear. They may not move during the next turn. At the end of the next turn they must pass "Rally" morale or they are removed from the field. Pass means they are no longer routed and must stand in place as "shaken". They may rally from "shaken" in the next turn using the proceedure above under "Shaken Units".

NOTES on routed units:

• May not move
• Routed units attacked in close combat are destroyed.
• Routed units which are fired upon and take casualties must test "Stand and fight" morale. Failure means they are removed from the field. Pass means they remain in place, routed till they test again under the procedure above.

CLOSE COMBAT

Combat is between companies of 5 foot or 3 mounted figures. For each match up of a company vs. an enemy company, roll a D6 for each side. The winning company stands in place and fights another company, the loser "falls back", perhaps with casualties.

Close Combat Factors

• Gendarmes & Knight cavalry are +2 win ties
• All swordsmen and Halbardiers are +2 win ties vs Pikes, swords, or halbardiers.
• Units in open order are -1 when fighting closed order troops
• Medium Cavalry (reiters) are +1
• Light Cavalry are +1 win ties vs. infantry but not cavalry.
• Cavalry with lance +1 first turn for the first die roll in any melee for each company.
• Pikes closed order are +2 win ties to their front. Pikes vs. Swordsmen or Halbardiers are only +1. *
• All other units fighting pikes to front -2
• Units climbing up to higher level are -1
• Units attacking “across walls” are -1
• Pikes in broken terrain or urban areas other than in the streets= die number
• Gendarmes or Rieters in broken terrain or urban areas other than in the streets= die number
• Companies containing a unit officer are +1 in addition to the modifier for their unit.
• Field officers fight as a company of Gendarmes with an additional +1 modifier in all circumstances.
• "Shaken/falling back" troops are -1
• Attacked in rear - all units are die roll no modifiers - enemy must START to rear**
• Gunners and auxilliaries, camp followers, etc, will NOT fight in close combat. They rout when the enemy is within 6".

*A pike SQUARE has no rear or flank and presents a FRONT in all directions.

A company fighting against an enemy company loses one figure killed in close combat if it loses a Close combat die roll and their opponent won with a "5" on the D6 (this is after modifiers are figured in).

A company fighting against an enemy company loses two figures killed in close combat if it loses a Close combat die roll and their opponent won with a "6" on the D6 (this is after modifiers are figured in).

The company containing the unit officer is the last to fight, unless a Colonel or General is attached, in which case that worthy gentleman fights last of all, by himself with the force of an entire company, +1 because he is an officer. Note that in this case, a loss with a 5 or 6 on the enemy's D6 rol results in the loss of the officer only (since he is the only figure fighting).

Units that Lose a Melee test "Stand and Fight" morale. If this test is passed, the losing units fall back a normal move and become "shaken". If this test is failed, the losing units rout. BREAKING OFF:
Any unit may break off a close combat after 6 die rolls. The player tests "Stand and fight" morale for the unit breaking off.

• If the result is a "Pass" then the unit retires a normal move and is shaken.
• If the result is a fail, then the unit routs a normal move toward the rear.

Modifiers to the above:
-1 Unit is already shaken
-1 Unit has no leader
-2 Infantry attempting to break off from melee with cavalry

EVASION

• Mounted troops may evade the attack of foot units or slower mounted troops if they have not already moved, by announding that they will evade and rolling movement dice. This movement must be AWAY from the enemy's charge and may not be towards any other enemy. If full movement distance cannot be used, the unit is dsipersed and removed from the game. Evasion cannot be used if the evading unit is trapped by terrain, units, etc. This evasion move is in lieu of the unit's normal move.
• If the Mounted unit has already moved, but wishes to be evade, it must test "to stand" morale. If it passes, it may evade as above but becomes shaken. If it fails, it is routed.
• Open order foot units may evade closed order foot as above.
• Skirmishing foot may evaded open or closed order foot as above.
• Infantry may not evade cavalry.
• Artillerists and train drivers may never evade, they rout instead.

Note that skirmishing units which evade, but are caught by enemy mounted units lose every figure contacted by the enemy horse, and the remainder routs.

NO ONE TO FIGHT
If an attacking unit causes an artillery or auxilliary unit to rout by moving within 6" and attempting to close into close combat, the attacking unit has three choices:

1. Stop where it is and face in any direction
2. Pursue the routed unit to the limits of it's remaining movement. If it catches the routed unit, said routed unit is destroyed.
3. Pick a new target unit and move towards it, to the limits of it's remaining movement. The new target unit must be within 45 degrees either side of the line down which the charging unit has been moving.

If an attacking unit reaches a routed unit, the routed unit is destroyed. In that case, the attacking unit has two choices:

1. Stop where it is and face in any direction
2. Pick a new target unit and move toward towards it, to the limits of it's remaining movement. The new target unit must be within 45 degrees either side of the line down which the charging unit moved to reach the routed unit.

UNIT LEADERS & OFFICERS

UNIT OFFICERS represent the leader of a unit. Each unit has at least one officer which should be plainly marked.

FIELD OFFICERS are the Colonels or Generals that command the army of some part of the army.

Officers may not be shot at directly but if in the ‘cone of fire’ of enemy units and within 12” of friendly units under fire, may become casualties. When casualty cards are pulled, if an ‘ace’ is pulled from the deck then an officer or unit leader is hit instead of 1 other figure.

Officers are mounted as Individual figures,

To add plus to unit morale or to units fighting in melee, the officer must be “attached” to the unit. That means visibly touching the unit. If the unit is involved in close combat the officer figure must fight last. If he loses a melee roll and his opponent had a 5 or 6 as a roll, pull a casualty card. On a heart, he is killed, on any other result he is captured.

UNIT OFFICERS are integral to the units. Each unit has one except for Swiss and Spanish pike units, which have two unit leaders. Subunits may have unit leaders. If they do not, the subunit counts as “leaderless”. Note that if a “Father” unit loses it’s leader or leaders, the unit leader of any attached subunit does not count for the purposes of the “Father” unit being “leaderless”, while attached Field officers DO count.

GENERALS are the normal run of field officers, having various units under their command. COLONELS are lower ranked field officers usually commanding a group of three pike units with attached Arquebusiers or perhaps halbardiers or having a separate unit of Arquebusiers along with the three pike units. A colonel’s command is called a “Colonela”, "Tercio", or a “Brigade”.

MOVEMENT

Infantry 3 D6 open order, 2 D6 closed.
Heavy Cavalry (Knights & Gendarmes) 5 D6
Medium and light Cavalry 6 D6
Light guns 2 D6
Supply Wagons 2 D6
Pike Square - roll 2D6 and halve the result (round fractions UP)
Heavy guns do not move without special permission of game master, but may pivot in place.

Movement Penalties
Closed order Infantry- Half movement: uphill, down, across any obstacle, through woods.
Open order Infantry - Lose 1/4 movement, same as above
Skirmish order - no terrain penalties
Heavy & Medium cavalry, Light guns, wagons lose half movement: uphill and across all obstcles
Light cavalry l - Lose 1/4 movement, same as above
Guns and Wagons cannot enter woods except on roads.
Pike squares may not move through woods or rough terrain.

Movment bonuses
No bonus for roads in this period. Roads do nullify other terrain, but to use roads units must be in column no wider than a company (3 figure frontage), or no wider than one wagon or artillery piece.

THE SPIRIT OF THE ARMY

At the start of the game, each player totals the number of infantry and cavalry units and guns. to test the sprit of the army divide this number by the current "Spirit number". This "spirit number" is obtained by counting fresh units as 1 pont and worn units as 1/2 point.

Each turn count the number of fresh units and assign each one point. Count the used units and assign each 1/2 point. Do not count spent units. Divide this total by the number of fresh units at the start of the game. Round fractions UP. This is the number that must be rolled equal to or below on a D10.

Example: An army has 10 units and 6 guns at the start of the game for a total of 16. At the end of turn 1, the army has 6 fresh units, 4 worn units and 6 fresh guns for a total of 14 points. Divide the 14 points by the 16 fresh units (start of game) and the result is .875 which we round UP to 90%. The army commander must roll 9 or less on a D10 for the spirit of his army to be Good.

At the end of turn 2, the army has 5 fresh units, 4 worn units, 1 spent unit, 4 fresh guns and 2 worn guns for a total of 12 points. Divide the 12 points by the 16 fresh units (start of game) and the result is .75 which we round UP to 80%. The army commander must roll 8 or less on a D10 for the spirit of his army to be Good.

If an army commander rolls above that number, then the spirit of his army is poor. The effects are as follows:

1. All rounted units are removed from the field.
2. All spent units are removed from the field.
3. All shaken units rout

OPTIONAL RULES

BRIGADE MOVEMENT A group of three or four units of the same type (all Gendarmes or all Pikemen), commanded by a COLONEL may be declared a “brigade” and they move on one card, all at the same movement rate. If the COLONEL is killed or captured, they are no longer a brigade and move independantly.

DISMOUNTING Unless special rules have been provided by the game-master, only mounted crossbowmen or arquebusiers may dismount. Unit loses 1 D6 to mount or dismount.

WOUNDED AND DEAD You can assume (as we do) that wounded on both sides are removed from the field by pesants after the battle and are otherwise ignored, but here are two ideas for “wounded” if you want to fool with them. In TSATF when a figures is “hit” by fire, a card is pulled for each and a Heart means a “kill”, other suits are “wounded”.

1. For each wounded figure that the unit drags about with it, subtract 1 from the movement dice total. Thus, at some point, the wounded figures will immobilize a unit.
2. You can allow wounded figures to fight at half effect (two wounded equal one healthy figure, but they must be killed at twice normal rate.
3. Wounded are to be formed into small parties of 6 or so and they will set out for the rear, moving on any card of their side. If they reach the friendly base line, they are placed among the “saved” figures. If they are contacted by any enemy forces during their trip “home” then they are removed and placed in the enemy camp as captured. At the end of the game, each player must “ransom” his captives by paying the opposing player 10 cents per figure captured.

QUICKER MOVEMENT To speed the game up, each time a movement card is drawn from the 52 card deck, roll a D4. That player may move the D4 number of units instead of just one.

DESIGNER'S NOTES

This set of rules used our “Sword Cross and Gold” TSATF variant as a start. We have added much and subtracted much from that set, limited as it was to the Aztec/Spanish conflicts in the new world. Mark Stevens was the major author of that set and we thank him for his work.

Go to an earlier version of these rules

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