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Volley & Bayonet
Historic Miniature Rules |
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Fast Tempo Miniature Rules
These "grand tactical" rules allow players to fight battles from about
1700 through about 1890. The two centuries of warfare by rules
experienced gradual changes in military technology and doctrine. These
changes are reflected in the rules by period and weapon specific rule.
Many large battles can fought by multiple players in a few hours. Each
game turn represents one hour and each inch represents 100 yards.
Flexible Troop Scale
In Volley & Bayonet only the size of the troop base is important, not
how many castings are mounted on it. These make the rules equally scale
for any scale of figures, from 5 mm all the way up to 30 mm (I have seen
people use 50 mm + figures for demo games). Simply tack down your current
stand onto V&B sized bases.
Pick your Period
The rules include battles and campaigns of Marlborough, Frederick, Napoleon,
Lee and Grant, and Bismarck are at your disposal, and the rules include
complete scenarios for almost a dozen historical battles.
- Volley & Bayonet - Austria Stands Alone (1809 V&B Supplement) - stock
- $18.95
Napoleon Returns (1815) - Rule Modifications (Senario book will be available 1997)
GENERAL RULES MODIFICATIONS
These rules can be used in any Volley and Bayonet battle from any era and
should be considered an update and elaboration on the basic game rules.
OPTIONAL CENTIMETER SCALE
Players who use 15mm scale or smaller troops may wish to use a centimeter
scale instead of an inche scale. Doing so will allow players to play even
very large battles on a space as small as a kitchen table and can allow
entire campaigns to be set up on a large gaming table. Most of the Waterloo
campaign map, for example, can be fit one large table.
COMMAND CONTROL
The following modifications and elaborations are made to the basic game's command control rules. Army and Corps Troops: Any troops listed in a scenario as army troops may be commanded by the army commander or any corps commander in the army.
Any troops listed in a scenario as corps troops may be commanded by the army
commander, the commander of the corps in which thr troops are listed, and any
division commander of that corps.
Skirmishers: All skirmishers are subject to the same command control
restrictions as are formed troops.
MORALE
The following modifications have been made to the morale modifiers.
Lancers: In a cavalry melee lancers enjoyed a slight shock advantage at first
but were generally at a disadvantage when it came to the actual melee, and so
had no real net advantage versus other cavalry. The principal advantage
lancers enjoyed was against enemy infantry. Their lance gave them better
reach than the infantryman's bayonet and the ability to impale prone
infantry. As a result the -1 morale modifier for facing lancers now applies
only to infantry.
Unsupported: Playing has shown that this rule is often forgotten and adds
little to the game when it is remembered, as the facing and command rules
provide ample reason not to push solitary units out. Therefore ignore this
rule and modifier.
Line Meleed From Flank: This should (for greater clarity) have read
Regimental Infantry Stand Meleed From Flank. It refers to infantry mounted on
3"x1.5" regimental stanbds, not large regiments (such as the Prussians in
this campaign) mounted on brigade stands.
SKIRMISHERS
Command Control: All skirmishers are subject to the same command control
restrictions as are formed troops (as noted above as well in the Command
Control rule).
Cavalry Skirmishers: Any light cavalry brigade can be broken into cavalry
skirmishers. Each strength point in the brigade produces one skirmisher. The
brigade stand is removed from the table and replaced by two skirmish stands
at the beginning of the movement phase and at no movement cost.
Any two or more cavalry skirmishers may combine to reform a brigade by
moving together and paying half of their movement allowance. The skirmish
stands must be of the same morale grade and type as the broken down brigade.
The skirmish stands are removed and replaced with a brigade stand at the end
of the movement phase.
Infantry Skirmishers: Infantry skirmishers which occupy a village, town, or
work melee normally. That is to say it is possible for them to win the melee
and hold their ground, forcing the attacking troops back in disorder.
ARTILLERY BATTERIES
Any artillery unit which begins the scenario with a single strength point is
a battery. Batteries receive only a single die. Foot batteries may only fire
when stationary. Horse batteries may fire at any time when they are
unlimbered.
BATTALION GUNS
This rule replaces the current rule on battalion guns. The altered or added
portions of the rule are shown in italics. In addition to the rule below,
reduce the close range hit number of all light artillery to 5 or 6 (not 4, 5,
or 6).
Stands in the game with battalion guns will be identified by the scenario
or period rules. Infantry stands with battalion guns roll the same number of
dice as similar stands withoiut battalion guns, but one of the dice rolled is
treated as a light artillery die. Cavalry stands with battalion guns receive
one fire die. This die has a short range of 4 inches and a long range of 8
inches. Subtract one from the gun's die roll if the stand is not stationary.
(This means that non-stationary battalion guns hit on a 6 at close range and
may not hit at all at long range.)
Cavalry battalion guns may not fire in melee . Cavalry units with battalion
guns may go stationary to improve the fire of their guns.
Enemy units within close range of a stand's battalion guns are not required
to check morale.
TERRAIN AND COMBAT
Sunken Roads: Sunken roads are treated as works for purposes of morale and
saving throws versus fire. They also provide a saving throw versus melee by
cavalry, but not from infantry.
Sand Pit: The sand pit east of La Haye Saint is considered a work for all
purposes.
Villages: Villages (and substantial farmsteads, which are also represented
by village blocks) are small enough that they do not block line of sight or
the movement of artillery or formed troops. Cavalry, artillery, and infantry
may move through unoccupied villages without being disordered (in fact they
open ranks slightly and move around them) and may end their move with part of
the base on the village. They simply receive no benefit from the village
terrain. Units may not move through a village which is occupied by an
infantry skirmisher, however.
Towns: When multiple skirmish stands occupy a single town block they no
longer receive a saving throw from fire for being in open order. When
multiple stands (either skirmishers or regimental bases) occupy the same town
block, each stand checks morale separately but are all considered to be a
single unit for melee. That is, all units in the town may fire at any units
attacking any unit in the town and the all losses on both sides are compared
to determine the winner. If the attacker wins all surviving defening stands
are ejected from the town. If the defender wins all attacking stands are
driven back in disorder.
Woods: Infantry in woods receive a saving throw from fire (but not melee).
This is noted in the original rules but was omitted from the reference chart.
It has been added to the reference chart included in this book.
MELEE
Melee Ties: When the same number of casualties are suffered by each side in
a melee, the tie is always broken with a die roll. (All automatic
tie-breakers are aboloished) Both sides roll a die and add their modified
morale. If more than one unit is involved in the melee add the highest
modified morale. In addition, add the following to the die roll:
Grenadiers Present +2
Stationary infantry versus cavalry +2
Supported Artillery* +2
*Supported artillery is any artillery which has a stand of formed
non-disordered infantry touching the back of its base.
Comments: Note that this retains the grenadier advantage, although in
something less than an all-or-nothing form. Cavalry is now at a severe
disadvantage against stationary infantry, however, reflecting the advantage
infantry enjoyed in square. There is now a substantial benefit for providing
infantry supports for artillery.
Artillery in Melee: Artillery which loses a melee is eliminated.
RETREATS, ROUTES, AND DISORDER
Retreat Path: A retreating or routed unit must move directly away from the
stand or stands which caused it to retreat or test morale. If several stands
were involved the retreating stand must move directly away from the middle of
the mass of the enemy stands. A unit may only vary its movement to avoid
contact with enemy units; it may not vary it to avoid contact with difficult
terrain or friendly units.
Blocking Terrain: Units which are forced to retreat or route through
disordering terrain lose one additional strength point. However units may
pass across bridges and through towns without penalty.
Disordering Other Stands: Stands which retreat or route back through a
formed friendly unit disorder the stand only if some part of the retiring
unit's bace passes through two opposite sides of the other unit's base and if
the first point of contact between the stands is within the first half of the
retiring unit's movement.
A routing or disordered stand passing through a non-disordered stand will
pass completely through it and leave it disordered. A disordered unit passing
back through an already disordered unit will carry the other unit back to the
rear with it but will not route it. A routing unit passing back through an
already disordered unit will route it.
Troops either routed by a routing unit or carried back in disorder by a
retiring unit move back with the routing or retiring unit ahead of it and in
a body. Units farther to the rear which the retreating or routing units pass
through are considered to be passed through by a single unit, not multiple
units.
FAQ and Errata
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Updated 22-Nov-1997