Scales

1 25mm figure represents 20 men.

1 wagon or engine model represents 4 wagons or engines.

1 move represents a period of time of approximately 1 minute.

The ground scale is 1 to 400 i.e. 2.5 mm to 1 m or approximately 1" to 10 m.

Bases

Troops should be mounted in groups of convenient size on rigid bases so that they are easier to move and preserve their correct spacing. Base sizes are not absolutely mandatory, WRG's DBM base sizes are quite acceptable.

Heavily and Fully Armoured Cavalry may, additionally be on barded horses; if so they are classed as HCb and FCb respectively.

 

Other Equipment

Players will also need a ruler, preferably marked in millimetres, several dice marked 2,3,3,4,4,5 and ordinary dice marked 1,2,3,4,5,6. Average dice are used for Soldiers or Mercenaries and ordinary dice for all others. Several decimal dice, marked 0 to 9 are also needed.

 

Weapons

In God's Acre troops may be termed 'pikemen' or 'archers' etc. if they are armed with uniform weaponry, but most bands, especially of routiers, carried a great assortment of weapons all in the same unit. To cope with this, several categories of mixed weapons are included.

Units

All troops must be organised into recognisable units for the duration of the batt1e. Units may have sub units acting within their overall orders, and always remaining within a normal move's distance of their parent body.

 

Command

Each Army must be led by an Army Leader command figure. The Army may be split into a number of Wards or Battals, usually 2, 3, or 4. Each Battal must be led by a Battal Leader command figure. Each unit should be led by a recognisable Unit Leader command figure.

 

Feudal Battals may contain Knightly and Feudal and Mercenary troops.

Regular Battals may only contain any Soldiers or Mercenaries.

Mercenary Battals may contain only Mercenaries.

Troops may also be classified as missile troops, skirmishers or shock troops.

Social Class.

A rigid social hierarchy is central to the morale system of Gods Acre. Command figures are the highest status, with Emperors, Kings or Popes being the highest status, followed by Dukes or Earls, then by Counts, then Barons. Then by the various troop types in the following order:

Knightly troops, A B & C class
Feudal A class
Mercenary or Regular A class
Feudal, Mercenary or Regular B class
Mercenary or Regular C class
Feudal C class and Mercenary or Regular D class
Feudal D class

Command Figures

Each player is allotted a set number of points for command figures. Peasants, Routiers and forced levies must be led by Sergeants, Sergeants by Knights, and Knights by Barons or higher. Knights and Feudal type troops can be combined into one unit; however, any of the Feudal type troops may not be superior in class to the Knights in the unit. The Knights may, however, be of a higher class then the Feudal type troops. Such a unit must then be led by a leader command figure suitable to lead the highest class of figures in the unit, i.e. a unit of Knights and Sergeants must be led by a Baron or higher, not a Knight. Regular units upto 300 men strong are led by Sergeants, above that by Captains. Regular Battals are led by Counts, and Armies by Dukes

 

Command Figures Cost

The points cost of command figures as above is inclusive of its normal figure points cost.

Points Values

The basic figure cost includes a sword or hand arm if the figure carries one or a spear, pole arm, javelin, short bow or sling if it does not.

Setting up a Battle

The Historical Battle

This is an attempt to recreate a battle from history, and the engagements may be either actual or hypothetical. In the staging of an actual battle the terrain will be easily ascertained from available historical sources, and the main problem is to scale down the armies. If staging a hypothetical battle, both terrain and forces should be arrived at by mutual assent and then throw a dice for sides. These situations offer limitless scope and allow players to make full use of the campaign factors as well as deciding troop types and classes. It is strongly urged that in these situations little attempt be made to equalise points values and the object will be for each player to make the best of his situation rather than necessarily get a 'win' over his opponent.

 

The Campaign Battle

This will take place as part of a campaign in which the terrain and composition of armies in a particular engagement will be decided by the strategical moves made by both players in the campaign. This again will lead to many unbalanced and interesting games allowing full scope for the use of campaign factors, etc. The campaign can be either historical or mythical.

 

The Competition Battle

Both players pick armies of their choice using the points value system on the above chart. Under no circumstances should a player use a troop type not included in the medieval army his reflects or equip troops with any weapon that their medieval prototype did not carry. It is suggested that the normal competition game be fought with an army of 1,500 points including up to 300 points for command. A larger game might go up to 2,000 points including command or even higher.

Give each player a set number of pieces of terrain. Each player in turn lays a piece of terrain anywhere on the table as long as it is 25Omm from his own base line or discards a piece until all the pieces are used up. Having picked armies and terrain both players draw a map of the terrain and mark clearly the position on it, of each of their units. Units must be deployed within 200mm of the player's base line. Both players having drawn maps, they then lay out their troops as shown on the maps.

The Results of Battle

Historical or Campaign Battles.

The winner loses half the figures removed as dead and the other half as wounded, to return to duty after 2 weeks. One tenth of all routed troops are lost as deserters and the rest of routed troops and casualties which did not add up to complete figures return to duty.

 

The loser loses all figures removed as dead with the exception of Knightly class, half of which may be assumed to be held for ransom. Half the routed figures are also lost, as deserters. Then, count the number of formed cavalry on both sides and if the loser has less, he loses 1 extra figure for each extra cavalry figure his opponent has in hand. The disproportion is due to the number of men who desert after a defeat, or are killed in fight and to the loser's wounded who, if not Knights, will almost certainly be massacred.

 

In a Competition Game both sides count full points values for all remaining formed figures and half points value for all prisoners except Knights, for whom they count full value, and half points value for all their figures who have pursued enemy troops from the field and not yet returned or have withdrawn voluntarily from the field.

Orders

General orders for each Battal should be written at the beginning of each game. More specific orders can be written for each unit in the Battal. These orders should outline what the unit is expected to do in the battle but need not go into detail about specific formations. Units may be assumed to take minor actions within the framework of their general orders on their own imitative, e.g. a unit threatened by an attack may adopt and hold a defensive posture, cavalry can be assumed to counter-charge, morale, etc. permitting, missile troops may be assumed to fire and bring as many men as possible to bear on their own initiative.

A time limit of one minute per 100 points per side should be allowed for writing orders. At the end of this time any Battal not included in orders will be assumed to be without orders for the duration of the game or until the army leader has time between moves to write orders.

 

Orders for each unit in the Battal may be changed by the Battal Leader or in some cases the army leader. Changes of orders may be issued by the army leader concerning only situations he can see or has received a report on. Two minutes are allowed each move for writing these changes. Orders from the army leader are carried by messenger to the Battal Leader in command of the unit. He takes one move to read them before passing them on to the unit who again take one move to react to the orders. If the entire army is of Regular or Mercenary troops, then orders may be sent direct to a unit from the army commander. A leader takes one move to write or dictate a new order which he may then send by a messenger figure or detachment. This figure or detachment moves at open order cavalry speed.

Pre-arranged audio-visual signals may be given by army leaders to Battal Leaders or Class A or B, Regular, Mercenary or Feudal troops, denoting some previously arranged action by the unit(s) concerned. It is up to the umpire whether the unit concerned receives the signal, having regard to the influence of obstacles, confusion, and noise.

 

Units may only be ordered to move to or occupy positions they can see or know of from maps. Units may vary their formation at will as long as this does not violate restrictions placed on them by other rules or morale reactions or contract their orders. A unit's orders must be followed until changed by an order from a leader or they may be changed by a unit's morale enforced reaction.

Troops are deemed to have lost their current orders if they have been routed in combat or as a result of a morale reaction or they have advanced contrary to orders as a result of a disobedience test or their orders are deemed by the umpire to be inapplicable to the situation. Troops who lose their orders immediately take a morale test

Moving

The Move

The battle is fought as a series of moves. Both sides move simultaneously in accordance with their general orders or enforced morale reactions.

 

Move Sequence.

During each move the sequence is as follows:

1. Write down, then declare, all intended charges. (p.8)

2. Test morale for all troops wishing to charge. (p.10-11)

3. Move all troops.

4. Work out all shooting and resultant morale throws. (p.13&f)

5. Work out all close combat: and resultant morale throws and breaks. (p.15&f)

6. Work out all other morale throws. (p10-11)

Move Distances

These are the maximum distances which troops may move in clear terrain. Terrain obstructions and manoeuvring may slow actual moves.

The distances in brackets represent actual unscaled move distance and those wishing to measure in inches convert this to scaled movement by disregarding the terminal nought.

Infantry in open order may 'double' i.e. move at charge speed every alternate move. While doing so and in the period immediately after, they count as 'winded'.

Manoeuvre

Terrain

.Charges

A charge is any move intended to bring or bringing contact with the enemy in that move. As such it must be announced before any other actions. Charges may only be announced against a specific enemy within charge reach of a unit and visible to it at the beginning of a move. If the unit fails to make contact it must nevertheless move the full extent of its movement allowance.

In a charge troops move their normal move and then all shooting and morale tests (in that order) resulting are worked out. Once this is done the charge bonus is added and any resultant impacts are worked out. If a body of troops reaches its enemy within the normal move then the charged troops may not shoot.

There are 3 other occasions in which a charge may be made:

Reactions to charges

Any troops charged must either stand, evade or counter-charge.

Counter charges

These must be declared and launched as soon as the troops in question have finished their reaction time. If contacted before this, they may not counter-charge.

Evading

Troops evading move up to a normal move directly away from the attack, ignoring deductions for turning and end up facing away from the enemy. Evading troops who fail to outdistance pursuit are caught with their backs turned. Missile armed troops who cannot shoot all round may not shoot during an evade move.

 

Interpenetntion

Sub units are allowed to interpenetrate the formation of their parent body without penalty. In all other cases interpenetration may not be voluntary i.e. it may only occur as the result of a break in close combat or a morale reaction and in these cases lighter troops may not penetrate the formation of heavier.

Loss of Formation

A unit is termed unformed if it falls into one of the following categories:

Infantry charged by cavalry while moving

Cavalry charged while stationary.

Troops still unrallied after a rout, pursuit, melee, unsuccessful charge

All troops crossing linear obstacles, or wading or swimming or climbing cliffs

Troops charged in flank or rear whilst frontally engaged or changing formation

Close-order infantry, and any pikemen or cavalry moving in woods, marshes or villages or on high hills.

Unformed troops manoeuvre at half normal rate and fight or shoot in one rank only without any benefit of any supporting ranks.

Loss of formation lasts for the whole move in which the cause is applicable and continues if troops am unformed ml pushed back in close combat.

 

Rallying and Reforming

After a melee, pursuit, unsuccessful charge or break situation, troops will need to rally and reform. While rallying troops may not advance but may retire at normal speed. They may shoot counting as unformed and are unformed in close combat. The following table shows the time in moves taken to rally after various actions.

Morale

Distraction Factors, reflect factors which impair the morale and fighting efficiency of a unit. Add up all relevant factors from the list below and this distraction total will affect morale and combat. * This factor counts double for any unit with 10 or less current figures. It only counts for units with 50 or more figures per two figures removed.

 

 

All troops add their MV to all morale scores.

 

Morale Tests

Morale tests are taken by Leader figures on behalf of their units. Unit Leaders test when:

 

Mercenary or Regular troops declaring a charge against, or being charged by, any unit

Mercenary or Regular troops declaring a charge against, or being charged by, any unit

Another unit in their Battal breaks or passes in rout

The unit suffers 10% casualties in 1 move

The unit loses a round of close combat.

A unit is attempting to rally after routing.

The first time a Feudal or Knightly Battal comes within a normal move plus a charge move of the enemy.

During any subsequent move in which a unit of Knights or Feudal shock troops does not advance at over half speed

 

Army leaders may take tests as a Battal Leader if commanding a Battal.

Army or Battal Leaders may take tests as a Unit Leaders if commanding a unit.

Army Leaders test when 1 or more of their Battals is driven from the field. The test is taken for the unit the Leader is with or the nearest unit to him, and affects the whole army.

Battal Leaders or staff officers test when their major unit breaks or a Battal adjacent to his breaks or is broken. The test is taken for the unit the Leader is with or the nearest unit to him, and affects the whole Battal.

To Test Morale:

Throw two dice and add the unit's MV and. add or deduct as below: Finally, add or deduct the leader's Cv and consult the Morale results table:

When an Feudal or Knightly unit or Battal breaks in rout it can only be rallied by a Leader Figure of a higher social status than its current or ex leader, moving into contact with it. To rally the unit, it must then pass a standard morale test.

 

A Mercenary or Regular unit may attempt to rally as soon as it passes friendly troops within 250mm (100m) who are facing the enemy and who's morale is at least Confident.

Leader Casualties.

When a Knightly or Feudal unit's leader is killed or taken, throw 1 dice and add the CV of the leader and the unit's MV. Add 1 if the unit is Knightly and deduct 1 if Feudal. If the score is 11 or under the unit breaks in rout. If the score is 12 or higher the unit will seek revenge, attacking the nearest enemy at all times and never needing to take another morale test of any kind. If the Leader killed or taken is an Army or Battal Leader, then his troops will fight on if the unit testing passed the test, but, join in the rout if they break.

 

When a Mercenary unit's leader is killed or taken the band will withdraw from the field facing any attacks but taking no more morale tests. If a Mercenary Army or Battal Leader is killed or taken, his whole Army or Battal will act in the same way.

 

The CV of a regular unit is assumed to reflect its chain of command and as such, when a regular leader is killed or taken, he is assumed to be replaced by a subordinate. When a Regular Battal or Army Leaders, is killed or taken When a Knightly or Feudal unit's leader is killed or taken, throw 1 dice and add the CV of the leader and the unit's MV. If the score is 10 or higher the Army or Battal will fight on as normal, if the score is lower they will withdraw from the field.

 

Risk to Leaders

When a unit takes casualties from missile fire, or in melee, there is a risk that the Leader figure will be amongst the casualties. Throw one decimal die for each figure removed. If the score of any of them is equal to the Leader's Cv then he is a potential casualty. Throw a second die for each potential leader casualty and consult the results below:

Shooting.

Troops Eligib1e to shoot

Shooting takes place throughout the move and is worked out at any time during the move at which the target is in range, as long as other considerations listed below are complied with.

 

Troops may shoot in an arc of 45 degrees to either side of a line perpendicular to the front of their base. The exception to this is mounted missile troops in open order who may shoot all round .

 

Two ranks of infantry or cavalry may fire direct. No indirect fire is allowed. Shooting is assumed to take place throughout the move and so troops who cannot shoot during the whole move may be penalised.

 

Windlass and repeating crossbowmen may not shoot and move. Stirrup crossbowmen may move at at quarter speed and shoot. Other infantry may move at half speed forwards and shoot. Open order mounted troops may move in any direction and shoot. Other mounted troops may at full speed forwards and shoot.

No troops may shoot during charge or counter charge move.

 

No troops may shoot at an enemy in base to base contact with their own side. No troops, save the pursuers, may shoot at routed troops or their pursuers during a move in any part of which the two were in contact.

 

Target Priorities

Troops must engage the target which has the highest priority in the list below:

1. An enemy advancing upon them and within charge reach.

2. An enemy of at least half their own strength shooting at them at effective range.

3. An enemy they are ordered to engage as a priority.

4. The nearest enemy.

Ranges: Troops may shoot within the following ranges:

Weapon Factors

Each group of weapons recognised by the rules has been allocated a weapon factor. To find the effect of missile fire read across from the appropriate weapon to the column concerning the standard of protection of the target. This basic factor will be modified by tactical and other factors listed below to give a final shooting factor.

Tactical Factors

All applicable factors are cumulative.

 

Random Factor: Each time a unit shoots, throw one die and modify the weapon factor as follows:

Close Combat

Close combat is divided between two types of situations: impact-melee, where combat is along a recognisable line and mixed-melee where both sides have intermingled. In close combat both sides look up the combat factors in the appropriate table below, modify them by the relevant tactical and random factors, and then check them off against the number of men fighting in the casualty table

 

Impact-melee

This is the result of a charge or pursuit except where two bodies of formed troops, in close or loose order, do battle along a recognisable line. Where a body of close order or loose order troops contacts or is contacted by an open order enemy, it is at the discretion of the close/loose order player to elect an Impact or Mixed Melee.

Troops Entitled to Fight, in Impact Melees are, figures in base to base contact with the enemy and one overlapping on each side.

 

Mixed-melee

Mixed Melee is any close contact situation not described in 'Impact' above, usually a continuing combat situation where both sides have become intermingled. Any combat resulting from the clash of two unformed or open order bodies is automatically a Mixed Melee.

Troops Entitled to Fight, in Mixed Melees are, figures in base to base contact with the enemy and one overlapping on each side plus all the figures directly behind them in a second rank.

.Impact-melee:

Weapon Factors against Cavalry

Weapon Factors against Infantry

Tactical Factors

The Results of Close Combat

Where more than one unit on one or both sides is involved in a close combat situation, total the casualties from all units involved to determine the results. Then add up each side's melee points from the following table:

 

Melee Points.

Mixed-melee

It will be noticed in a melee that there is no factor for a lance. If a force which is lance armed becomes involved in a Mixed-melee situation, it is deemed to have abandoned its lance in favour of hand arms. Spears may be discarded at the player's discretion. Once discarded, lances, etc. cannot be picked up and may only be replaced from a wagon designated for the purpose of re-arming or a pre-designated re-arming point.

 

Weapon Factors against Cavalry

Weapon Factors against Infantry