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<h1>
Table Battles
</h1>
<p class="center">
<img src="cover.jpg">
<p class="center" style="font-size:24px">
❦
Designed by Amabel Holland
❦
<h2>
INTRODUCTION
</h2>
<p>
The goal of Table Battles is to provide light but crunchy
two-player gaming experiences out of land battles fought
throughout human history.
These aren't detailed simulations, but quick fillers that should play out in about
fifteen or twenty minutes. Many of these battles are difficult
to game in a more conventional hex-and-counter format
because they are largely static. Indeed, the game has no
maneuver element at all. Instead, the decision space is
dominated by feints and counter-feints, the threat of force,
its application, and its neutralization. Good play is about
leverage and tempo, about forcing the other person to deal with
what you're doing, instead of advancing their own aims.
<h2>
COMPONENTS
</h2>
<p>
Your copy of the game should come with twelve dice (six for
each player), a deck of 50 cards, eighty wooden Units (20
sticks each in four colors), and ten wooden cubes.
<p>
The <i>dice</i> are used to commit to, and execute, actions.
<p>
The <i>cards</i> represent Formations, and dictate what those
Formations can do.
<p>
The <i>Units</i> represent the strength of those Formations.
<p>
The <i>cubes</i> are used to represent Morale, and also the
capabilities of Special Formations.
<h2>
READING A FORMATION CARD
</h2>
<p>
The Formation Cards are really the core of the game.
Let's look at one, shall we?
<p class="center">
<img src="card.png" style="width:384px">
<h4>Formation Name:</h4>
<p>
The color band behind the name
indicates the Wing to which it belongs; for example, this
Formation belongs to the Red Wing.
<h4>Strength:</h4>
<p>
This is the number of wooden Units that the
Formation has assigned to it at the beginning of the battle.
<ul>
<li>
If the Strength is represented by a roman numeral (I,
II, or III), it is a <i>Special Formation</i>. Special Formations
function differently than normal ones, and use wooden
Cubes instead of wooden Unit pieces.
<li>
A star symbol below the Strength indicates that the
Formation counts double for Morale purposes if it Routs.
</ul>
<h4>Dice Area:</h4>
<p>
This indicates the type of dice that can be
placed on a card.
<ul>
<li>
Numbers indicate that dice of matching numbers
may be placed there. For example, "6" means that
any sixes rolled may be placed on the card.
<li>
Sometimes multiple numbers, or a range of numbers,
will be indicated. Any of those results may be used, but
only dice of a single type may be placed on a given card
on a turn. For example, "5/6" means that you can place
fives or sixes; you can place multiple fives or multiple
sixes in a single turn, but you can't place some of both.
"4-6" means fours, fives, or sixes; "Any" means ones,
twos, threes, fours, fives, or sixes, and so on, and the
same rule applies: you can place only dice of one type.
<li>
If the number is (bracketed), only one die may be
placed on the card per turn.
<li>
The word "Doubles" means two identical dice (total)
may be placed on that card each turn. You cannot
place two sets of Doubles in a single turn.
<li>
The word "Triples" means three identical dice (total)
may be placed on that card each turn. You cannot
place two sets of Triples in a single turn.
<li>
The word "Straight" means that dice following a
numerical sequence may be placed on the card.
"Straight-3" means three dice, "Straight-4" means four
dice, and so on. For example, "Straight-4" would
require that you roll 1-2-3-4, 2-3-4-5, or 3-4-5-6.
</ul>
<h4>Actions:</h4>
<p>
This indicates what the Formation can do
when there are dice on the card.
<ul>
<li>
Each Action has a <i>Type</i>. We'll cover the Types of
Actions in detail in the later ACTIONS section.
<li>
Some, but not all, Actions have a <i>Requirement</i>:
<ul>
<li>
<span>Pair</span> means that the card must have at least two
identical dice on it to take the Action.
<li>
<span>Two Pairs</span> means the card must have at least two
different sets of two identical dice on it to take the
Action. For example, 2 fours and 2 fives would
qualify, but 4 fours or 4 fives would not.
<li>
<span>Triplet</span> means the card must have at least three
identical dice on it to take the Action. (Don't
confuse the Requirement "Triplet" with the Dice
Area designation "Triples".)
<li>
<span>Two Triplets</span>, naturally, means two different sets
of three identical dice are required to take the
Action, and just as with Two Pairs, 3 fours and 3
fives would work, but not 6 fours or 6 fives.
<li>
<span>Full House</span> means the card must have at least one
Pair and one Triplet to take the Action, and these
must be different; 2 fours and 3 fives would work,
but 5 fours or 5 fives would not.
<li>
<span>Five Dice</span> means the card must have at least five
dice on it to take the Action.
</ul>
<li>
Many Actions have a <i>Target</i>. If multiple Targets are
listed, the second Target only becomes available after
the first has been removed from play, and the third
after the second has been removed from play (ignore
this for a Screen action). The use of the word "Any",
usually regarding a Screen action, means that any
triggering enemy Formation is the Target.
</ul>
<h4>Reserve/Retire/Pursuit:</h4>
This indicates if the
Formation begins the game in Reserve, is able to Retire,
or is required to perform Pursuit.
<h4>Card Number:</h4>
<p>
Indicates the card number information,
which is used in set-up. Each card has an "A" and a "B" side.
<h2>
SET-UP
</h2>
<p>
Each scenario has a set-up card.
<p>
The set-up card will list the sides and who goes first. The
Formation Cards for each side will be indicated; each player
should place their cards in front of themselves.
<p>
For all normal Formations, place wooden Units of its Wing's
color, equal to the Strength of the Formation, in front of the
Formation Card. Single-wing armies may need to use pieces
of a second color (e.g., the White Mountain scenario).
<p>
For all Special Formations, place one wooden cube near the
Formation Card (regardless of the Strength indicated).
<p>
The set-up card will indicate the starting Morale for each
side. Each player should take that many cubes, designated
as Morale Cubes, and place them to the side of their army.
<p>
Finally, each player takes six dice, forming their own Dice
Pool, and play begins with the first player's turn.
<p>
The set-up card or one or more of the Formation Cards
may have a special rule. As is usually the case with these
sorts of things, when the special rule contradicts these
rules, follow the special rule.
<h2>
HOW TO WIN
</h2>
<p>
You can win the game in one of two ways:
<p>
By reducing your opponent's Morale, measured in
Morale Cubes, to zero.
<p>
By Routing sufficient enemy Formations that, at the
beginning of your opponent's turn, it is impossible
for any of their remaining Formations to ever Attack
any of your Formations. It doesn't matter if you also
can't Attack any of their - the check is made at the
beginning of a player's own turn, and the first player
to fail this check loses the game.
<h2>
FLOW OF PLAY
</h2>
<p>
The game is played in alternating Player Turns until one
side wins. A Player Turn consists of two phases, always
performed in this order: an Action Phase, and a Roll Phase.
When a player has finished their Roll Phase, proceed to their
opponent's Action Phase. A player's Action Phase is skipped
if they performed a Reaction during their opponent's Action
Phase. This is a crucial rule, so we'll say it again, and heck,
we'll even bold it for emphasis: <b><i>A player's Action Phase
is skipped if they performed a Reaction during their
opponent's Action Phase.</i></b>
<h2>
ACTION PHASE
</h2>
<p>
During the Action Phase, the acting player may (but is
not required to) take <b>one</b> Action with <b>one</b> Formation. If
this Action triggers a Reaction from an opponent's
formation, then that <b>one</b> Reaction takes place during
that same Action Phase.
<p>
To take an Action (or a Reaction) with a normal Formation,
you must remove <i>all</i> dice currently on the Formation Card,
and you must meet the stated Requirement for the Action
(if any).
<ul>
<li>
You must remove at least one die to take an Action.
<li>
You must remove all dice even if only some of the
dice are needed to meet the Requirement.
<li>
You may "take" an Action whose Requirement you
don't meet; if you do so, the dice are removed and
returned to your Dice Pool, but the Action is not
performed. Note that you can't do this "null" Action
if you do meet the Requirement.
<li>
You can only take a Reaction during your opponent's
Action Phase, and unless indicated otherwise on the
card, Reactions are always mandatory - if you can
React, you must React. (But if you have multiple ways
to React, you get to choose which one to use.)
</ul>
<h2>
ACTIONS
</h2>
<p>
The Actions are as follows:
<h4>Attack.</h4>
<p>
The core Action of the game. This allows you to
attack the stated enemy Formation, inflicting Hits.
<ul>
<li>
"# hit(s)" means the enemy Formation loses that
number of Units; remove those wooden Unit pieces
from the game.
<li>
"1 hit per die" means the enemy Formation suffers
one hit for each die that was on the acting
Formation's card.
<li>
"1 self" means the acting Formation loses one Unit
while making this attack.
<li>
When multiple enemy Formations are listed, the first
Formation must be targeted until it has been removed
from play, then the second, then the third.
</ul>
<h4>Bombard.</h4>
<p>
This Action is usually restricted to a Special
Formation. It causes the removal of one Morale Cube
from your opponent. It cannot be used to remove your
opponent's last Morale Cube, and cannot be Screened.
<h4>Command.</h4>
<p>
This Action causes a named Formation that
is in Reserve to become active.
<h2>
REACTIONS
</h2>
<p>
The Reactions are as follows:
<h4>Screen.</h4>
<p>
This cancels an Attack from an enemy
Formation which is listed as a target of the Screen.
(Unlike with an Attack, all listed Targets may be
Screened regardless of their status.) While both sides
expend their dice, neither side suffers any losses.
<h4>Counterattack.</h4>
<p>
When the Formation is Attacked, a
Counterattack causes the enemy Formation to sustain
Hits as indicated in the Action text. Hits are applied
simultaneously to both sides.
<h4>Absorb.</h4>
<p>
When a friendly Formation listed as a Target
suffers Hits, this Formation may suffer the Hits instead.
Note that as this is a Reaction, it may only be performed
during your opponent's Turn.
<p>
Again, <b>Reactions are mandatory</b> unless the Action
text specifically indicates that it is Voluntary. If you take
a Reaction during your opponent's Action Phase, you get
no Action Phase on your own subsequent Player Turn.
<h2>
RETIRE/RESERVE
</h2>
<p>
During the Action Phase, instead of taking a standard
Action, a Formation that has "RETIRE" on its card may
Retire, leaving the game.
<ul>
<li>
The Formation must have at least one die on its card.
<li>
Retiring is not the same as Routing (which we'll get
to in a minute), and so does not affect Morale.
<li>
A Formation may only Retire during your Action
Phase, as your Action.
</ul>
<p>
Some Formations begin in Reserve, and have another
friendly Formation's name listed in the Reserve section.
<ul>
<li>
Formations that are in Reserve cannot take Actions
and cannot have dice assigned to them.
<li>
When the other Formation Retires, Routs, or performs
Pursuit, the Formation in Reserve comes out of
Reserve, enabling them to take Actions and to have dice
assigned to them. Formations come out of Reserve
automatically when the triggering Formation leaves
play.
<li>
Some Formations must be Commanded to come out
of Reserve.
</ul>
<h2>
ROUTING
</h2>
<p>
When a Formation takes Hits, its wooden Unit pieces are
removed. When it has no Unit pieces left, the Formation
Routs. Formations that Rout are removed from the game.
When a Formation Routs, that side gives one of its Morale
Cubes to the other player; if the Formation was marked
with a star, it gives two Morale Cubes to the other player.
<p>
If friendly and enemy Formations Rout simultaneously, <b>no
Morale Cubes are given to either player</b>, even if one
of those Formations was marked with a star.
<p>
If a Routing Formation had dice on its Formation Card, the
dice are returned to the owning player's Dice Pool.
<h2>
PURSUIT
</h2>
<p>
Some Formations must perform Pursuit when an enemy
Formation that is the Target of their Attacks is Routed.
Pursuit is performed automatically at the instance of the
Routing, and results in the Pursuing Formation being
removed from play. This is not considered Routing and does
not alter Morale for the Pursuing side. If the Pursuing
Formation had dice on its Formation Card, the dice are
returned to the owning player's Dice Pool.
<h2>
ROLL PHASE
</h2>
<p>
During a player's Roll Phase, they take all the dice from
their Dice Pool and roll them. Dice that are currently on a
Formation Card are not in the Dice Pool.
<p>
After making their roll, the player may (but is not required to)
place dice on <b>one</b> Formation Card <b>per Wing</b>. For example,
if a player has only Red Wing Formations, they may place dice
on only one Formation Card, total. If a player has both Red
Wing and Pink Wing Formations, they may place dice on one
Red Formation and on one Pink Formation, for a total of
two Formation Cards. Placing dice of a type on one Wing's
Card does not preclude you from placing dice of the same
type on your second Wing's Card. For example, if Tom's
Division (Red Wing) and Mary's Division (Pink Wing) can
only accept sixes, you can place some sixes on Tom's
Division and some on Mary's, provided of course that you
rolled them.
<p>
Dice may only be placed according to the information on
the Formation Card's Dice Area. Dice remain on the Card
until the Formation takes an Action, or until it Routs or
performs Pursuit.
<h2>
SPECIAL FORMATIONS
</h2>
<p>
Special Formations act somewhat differently from normal
Formations. They cannot be Attacked, and if removed from
play, they do not alter Morale.
<p>
When dice are "placed" on a Special Formation Card, a
wooden cube is placed on or near the card instead, and
the dice are immediately returned to the Dice Pool.
<p>
When a Special Formation takes an Action or Reaction, it
expends one (and only one) of the wooden cubes assigned
to its card.
<p>
Special Formations always begin the battle with one cube
assigned to them. The Strength on the Special
Formation's card indicates the maximum number of
cubes that can be assigned to the card.
<p>
<i>Edge case</i>: If all ten cubes are in play, either as Morale
Cubes or on Special Formations, a cube cannot be placed;
Morale Cubes removed from the game become available
for use for Special Formations upon doing so.
<p>
Special Formations generally represent massed artillery
or inspired leadership.
<h2>
CREDITS
</h2>
<p>
<b>Design:</b> Amabel Holland
<br><b>Rules Editing:</b> Mary Holland-Russell, Travis D. Hill
<br><b>Layout:</b> Mary Holland-Russell
<p>
<i>
The designer wishes to gratefully acknowledge her
intellectual debt to Hanno Uusitalo, Kim Paqvalin,
and Edwin S. Lowe.
</i>
<p style="text-align:center;font-size:24px">
❦
<br><br><br>
<h2>
EXPANSION 1 - WARS OF THE ROSES
</h2>
<p class="center">
<img src="../info/wotr-cover.jpg" width="240">
<p>
This expansion contains Scenarios 9 through 16.
In addition to the eight Scenario cards and the card
you're holding in your hand, this set includes
40 new Formation Cards. Because these battles
are all drawn from one conflict, you will see the
same characters pop up repeatedly; it's important
to utilize the card number to ensure you have the
correct Formation for that specific scenario.
<h2>
EXPANSION 2 - AGE OF ALEXANDER
</h2>
<p class="center">
<img src="../info/aoa-cover.jpg" width="240">
<p>
This expansion contains Scenarios 17 through 23
and Formation Cards 92 through 135. As always,
make sure you're using the cards specific to that
scenario as many cards have similar names.
<p>
Alexander won every battle he fought thanks to
the many advantages of the Macedonian system.
His enemies were hopelessly outmatched. The
onus is on the Alexander player to win decisively;
the other player often only needs to Rout one of
Alexander's formations to win the game.
<h2>
EXPANSION 3 - GETTYSBURG
</h2>
<p class="center">
<img src="../info/getty-cover.jpg" width="240">
<p>
This expansion contains Scenarios 24 through 29
and Formation Cards 136 through 177.
<p>
These scenarios are drawn from the second day
of the Battle of Gettysburg; the first five scenarios
cover some of the most famous engagements
largely at regimental and brigade scales,
while the sixth zooms out to cover the whole day
at a larger scale. Neat, huh?
<p>
What's this? Another card?
<p>
Well, after the title card, the scenario cards, and
the formation cards, we're up to forty-nine, and
we really need fifty in a deck to get the best price.
So we need one more, and here we are.
<p>
While we're here, I'd like to take a moment to
thank some folks. First up is Steve Carey and
Rodger MacGowan for making the C3i magazine
expansion possible (if you want to know where
Formation Cards 83 - 91 went, that's where).
<p>
Second is Rick Barber, Gettysburg resident and
map artist extraordinaire, who let me pick his
brain while I designed this expansion.
<p>
Third is Mary, who is probably disappointed by
the lack of dinosaurs this time around. Soon.
<h2>
EXPANSION 4 - THE ENGLISH CIVIL WAR
</h2>
<p class="center">
<img src="../info/ecw-cover.jpg" width="240">
<p>
This expansion contains Scenarios 30 through 35
and Formation Cards 178 through 216.
This expansion also includes four replacement cards
for Expansion 3, to correct some minor errors
from the first printing. Fare-thee-well, Wilcow;
we hardly moo ye.
<p>
In some scenarios, a player that eliminates a
certain number of enemy unit sticks achieves a
Tactical Victory. When this applies it will be
indicated for that side on the scenario card, with
the target number. Sticks removed due to
Retirement or Pursuit do not count toward the
target number.
<h2>
EXPANSION 5 - THE GRAND ALLIANCE
</h2>
<p class="center">
<img src="../info/tga-cover.jpg" width="240">
<p>
This is the fifth expansion to Table Battle. This
time around we're looking at some battles fought by
the Grand Alliance - the Dutch Republic, England,
Austria, and sometimes Spain and Savoy - against
France (and sometimes Spain and Savoy) during the
Nine Years War and the War of the Spanish
Succession (which was the first of several wars of
succession fought in succession).
<p>
Specifically this set encompasses Scenarios 38 - 43,
and Formation cards 226 - 263. Some scenarios will
utilize the Tactical Victory rule that was introduced
in Expansion #4: a player that Eliminates a certain
number of enemy unit sticks achieves a Tactical
Victory (or in some cases, a Draw). Sticks removed
due to Retirement or Pursuit do not count toward
the target number. Normal victory by the opponent
supercedes a Tactical Victory or Draw.
<p>
You might be curious what the heck that square with
the two bars is on these two explanation cards, and
why they also appear on some of the formation
cards. This is called a Link; cards with successive ID
numbers with paired Link symbols (for example,
233-A and 234-A) are Linked Formations. So long
as a card shares a Link with at least one other card, it
suffers one less Hit when it is Attacked. Once it no
longer shares any Links, it suffers Hits normally. If a
card Absorbs Hits, the presence of a Link - either on
its own card or the original target's - does not reduce
the number of Hits inflicted.
<p>
Lastly, I wish to thank Doug Miller, whose library,
expertise, and friendship proved invaluable.
<h2>
EXPANSION 6 - CHARLES ALEXANDER OF LORRAINE
</h2>
<p class="center">
<img src="../info/cal-cover.jpg" width="240">
<p>
Over the course of a decades-long career, Charles
Alexander, Prince of Lorraine commanded Austria's
forces in some of the most important, memorable,
and famous battles of his age. I mean, sure, he lost all
those battles while Frederick the Great and other
luminaries just ran absolute circles around him, but
hey, he was also there, the jobber of 18th century
warfare, existing to be beaten by the main eventers.
<p>
Of course, we only say that because he lost over and
over again, usually when the odds were clearly in his
favor. But that didn't need to be the way his story
played out...
<p>
This expansion includes six new scenarios, 44 - 49. It
uses four special rules which apply to all of them.
<h3>
SPECIAL RULE #1 - LINKED FORMATIONS
</h3>
<p>
You might be curious what those squares
with the two bars is on this card, and why they
also appear on some of the formation cards.
This is called a Link; cards with successive ID
numbers with paired Link symbols are Linked Formations.
<p>So long as a card shares a Link with at least one other
card, it suffers one less Hit when it is Attacked.
Once it no longer shares any Links, it suffers Hits
normally. Cards that are not yet in play (i.e., that are
In Reserve) are not yet Linked!
<p>
If a card Absorbs Hits, the presence of a Link - either on
its own card or the original target's - does not reduce
the number of Hits inflicted.
<h3>
SPECIAL RULE #2 - TACTICAL VICTORY
</h3>
<p>
A player that Eliminates a certain number of enemy
unit sticks achieves a Tactical Victory. This is a
"win", though not as impressive of course as a
normal one. It's probably the best our boy Charles
Lorraine can hope for though. Sticks removed due
to Retirement or Pursuit do not count toward the
target number. Normal victory by the opponent
supercedes a Tactical Victory.
<h3>
SPECIAL RULE #3 - SHIFT
</h3>
<p>
Many Formations will be either Infantry or Cavalry.
This distinction is important for the purposes of the
new Shift mechanism.
<p>
At the start of your turn, you may initiate a Shift of
one or more sticks from one Formation of your
choice to another, provided that
<br> (a) both are Infantry or both are Cavalry, and
<br> (b) you do not remove a Formation's final stick.
<p>
Place the sticks <i>behind</i> the Formation that is to
receive them. At the start of your next turn, before
initiating any other Shift, add them to that Formation.
If the Formation is Routed or removed before
these sticks arrive, the sticks are Eliminated.
<p>
If you initiate a Shift, your Action Phase is skipped
that turn. You may still initiate a Shift if you reacted
on your opponent's turn.
<h3>
SPECIAL RULE #4 - OBLIQUE ATTACK
</h3>
<p class="center">
<img src="../images/infantry1.png" height=125>
<img src="../images/infantry2.png" height=125>
<img src="../images/cavalry1.png" height=125>
<img src="../images/cavalry2.png" height=125>
<p>
Before resolving hits from an Attack made by an
Infantry Formation, compare its number of sticks to
the number possessed by the target (or, if the Attack
is Absorbed, the Absorbing Formation).
<p>
If the difference is at least three sticks, and in the
Attacker's favor, the enemy suffers one extra hit.
<p style="text-align:center;font-size:24px">
❦