5. Combat
0. component changes
1. introduction
2. diplomatic phase
3. operations phase
4. movement
5. combat
6. political phase
7. economic phase
8. leaders
9. peloponnesian war scenario
5. Combat
Combat occurs during the operations phase, either in a combat operation or as a result of a successful interception. Combat consists of three steps:
Depending on the forces present, and the city-states' desires, some of these steps may be skipped. Sieges take place only in combat operations, not during interception.
Combat takes place in a particular space, known as the combat space. It may also involve forces in neighboring spaces; such forces do not move to the combat space, but participate from a distance. Every combat involves two sides. Forces of city-states not belonging to either side are ignored for combat resolution.
Whenever units in a major city-state's home space are involved in a battle or skirmish, the city-state may, if desired, place a leader in the home space. The usual rules (3.2.1) apply when selecting the leader.
Naval battles are fought between naval SPs of the opposing sides. All naval SPs whose ZOI includes the combat space are eligible to participate in the battle.
Eligible naval SPs may avoid participation in a battle if:
Example: Athen naval SPs in Siphae attack a Theban fleet in the space. Any Athenian naval SPs at Naupactus may participate in the battle, but are not required to. Likewise, if Corinth is friendly to Athens or Thebes, naval SPs at Corinth may participate, but need not do so. Naval SPs in Siphae must participate, since Siphae is not a city-state.
Some SPs may avoid battle, while others participate. Only participating SPs are counted in the battle and affected by losses.
Naval SPs (even those of non-player city-states) may avoid an impending battle through self-destruction. The Peloponnesians in particular often burned their ships to prevent them from falling into Athenian hands.
If both sides have naval SPs which are unable or unwilling to avoid battle, combat occurs between the participating naval SPs. Roll one die for each side, and modify the die rolls as follows (all cumulative):
The higher modified die roll wins. If there is a tie, the side with the higher leader battle rating wins (a leader skill rating of "0" beats no leader). If there is still a tie, the battle is a draw.
The winning side loses no SPs. The losing side loses a number of naval SPs equal to the die roll difference, or the number of naval SPs in the winning force, whichever is less, and may retreat (3.3, 4.6).
If the battle is a draw, both sides lose one naval SP, unless each side has only one naval SP, in which case neither loses any; if only one side has only one SP, it is eliminated.
Hoplite battles and skirmishes are fought between the hoplite and cavalry SPs of the opposing sides. All land SPs whose ZOI includes the combat space are eligible to participate in the battle.
Eligible land SPs may avoid participation in a battle or skirmish if:
Putting To Sea: If a moving army is eligible to use naval transport (4.3) and is intercepted, it may avoid battle by putting to sea. The army may continue to move.
Some SPs may avoid battle, while others participate. Only participating SPs are counted in the battle and affected by losses. If any land SPs in the combat space avoid a battle or skirmish, the other side may ravage the space, if desired.
If both sides have land SPs which are unable or unwilling to avoid battle, combat occurs between the participating land forces. Ordinarily, this combat will take the form of a hoplite battle. However, the side to which the combat space is friendly may, if desired, attempt to engage the enemy in a running skirmish rather than an outright battle. To do this, roll a die and modify it as follows (all cumulative):
If the modified die roll is a 7 or more, the combat is a skirmish. Otherwise, it is a hoplite battle.
To resolve a hoplite battle, roll one die for each side, and modify the die rolls as follows (all cumulative):
The side that has the higher modified die roll wins. If there is a tie, the side with the higher leader skill rating wins (a leader skill rating of "0" beats no leader). If there is still a tie, the battle is a draw.
The winner loses no SPs. The loser loses a number of land SPs equal to the die roll difference, or the number of hoplite SPs in the winning force, whichever is less. Reduce these losses by one SP for each cavalry SP the loser has in excess of the number of cavalry SPs on the winning side (although the losing side must always lose at least one SP). At least one SP of the losses must be a hoplite SP, if possible. The loser may retreat (3.3, 4.6).
If the battle is a draw, both sides lose one land SP, unless each side has only one SP, in which case neither loses any; if only one side has only one SP, it is eliminated.
To resolve a skirmish, roll one die for each side, and modify the die rolls as follows (all cumulative):
The side that has the higher modified die roll wins. If there is a tie, the side with the higher leader skill rating wins (a leader skill rating of "0" beats no leader). If there is still a tie, the battle is a draw.
The winner loses no SPs. The loser loses one SP, and may retreat (3.3, 4.6).
If the battle is a draw, both sides lose one SP, unless each side has only one SP, in which case neither loses any; if only one side has only one SP, it is eliminated.
If battle losses must be allocated among more than one major city-state, the major city-states may divide up the losses in any agreed-upon manner, except that a dominant city-state whose SPs participated in the battle must always be allocated at least one SP. If the major city-states cannot agree, each city-state loses the full amount.
A major city-state may allocate battle losses to its minor allies, but if more than one SP is lost in a battle or skirmish, at least one must come from the major city-state. Losses may only be taken from SPs which participated in the battle.
Naval and hoplite battles affect bellicosity.
A major city-state whose naval SPs participate on the winning side of a naval battle increases its bellicosity by one. A major city-state whose naval SPs participate on the losing side of a naval battle decreases its bellicosity by one.
If a hoplite battle results in a loss of one SP, a major city-state whose hoplite SPs participate on the winning side increases its bellicosity by one, and a major city-state whose hoplite SPs participate on the losing side decreases its bellicosity by one. If two or more SPs are lost in the battle, the bellicosities are increased and decreased by two.
Bellicosity is not affected by skirmishes or drawn battles.
If a major city-state wins a hoplite battle which results in the loss of another major city-state's hoplite SPs, the victorious major city-state takes hostages from the other major city-state. Place a marker from the losing side in the Hostages box on the victor's card. If more than one major city-state has SPs on the winning side, the dominant city-state takes the hostages.
A major city-state, or any army led by one of its leaders or containing any of its SPs, cannot ravage the home space of another major city-state who holds its hostages.
When two city-states conclude a peace treaty (6.5), both city-states must release any hostages they hold of each other.
A leader who participates in a hoplite battle is killed if his unmodified battle die roll is less than or equal to his bravery rating. A leader can also be killed this way in a naval battle, but only if his side lost or drew the battle. Leaders are not killed in skirmishes unless all friendly forces in the space are eliminated.
If a side has more than one leader present, only the leader selected to lead the battle is killed.
If, during a combat operation, the active army occupies an unfriendly or neutral space with a fortress, it may besiege the fortress. Siege attempts are made after resolution of any naval and/or land battles in the space, and only if, during this operation:
Neutral city-state spaces may not be besieged. To besiege a neutral city-state, war must be declared in the diplomatic phase, making the city-state unfriendly.
Greek sieges at the time of the Peloponnesian War invariably involved building a wall around the town and starving the defenders out. Only a city with divided loyalties would capitulate in less than year. An army cannot make a siege attempt unless all other friendly forces are at home, have been assigned to year-round station, or are themselves involved in a siege (meaning they are in a space containing at least one accumulated siege point).
A successful siege requires the accumulation of three siege points in city-state spaces and spaces containing unfriendly SPs or a garrison, and one siege point in other spaces. To make a siege attempt, the active city-state must pay 100 talents for each friendly SP in the space (to maintain them in the field for an extended period), and roll one die.
If the siege point total reaches the required number, the siege is successful. All defending SPs and garrison are eliminated, any defending leader is killed, and any rebellion marker is removed. The victor may place a garrison marker in the space if desired. If the siege results in the capture of a city-state space, the victor gains one bellicosity (exception: if the siege merely recaptures a rebellious city-state, no bellicosity is gained).
If the siege point total is insufficient, the siege must be continued in a subsequent operation. The 100 talent cost per beseiging SP must be paid again in the subsequent operation. If at any point the conditions for the siege no longer apply (either the beseiging forces move away, avoid or lose a battle, or are outnumbered in naval or cavalry SPs), all accumulated siege points are lost, and the siege must be restarted from scratch. Accumulated siege points have no effect on the besieged force; they may move away or fight normally.
Whenever a siege attempt is made, place a ravaged marker in the space.
For siege purposes, any naval SPs in Piraeus count as being in Athens as well, so that Athens can only be taken by siege if the besieging side has at least as many naval SPs in Piraeus as the Athenians.
ppw@mountford.net (discussion group)
brian@mountford.net (me)