© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
6.5 Moving Into Enemy-Occupied Spaces
7.4 Events Influencing the Combat
8.0 Forts, Fortresses and Sieges
8.1 Battles Outside Forts or Fortresses
10.2 Militia Deployment Against Raids
Wilderness War
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Strategic Game of the French & Indian War
Designed by Volko Ruhnke
3rd Edition
R U L E B O O K
©2006 Rodger B. MacGowan
Wilderness War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
1.0 INTRODUCTION
WILDERNESS WAR is a two-player game based on the French
and Indian War—the climactic struggle between Britain and
France for control of North America. One player is the British
and the other is the French.
3RD EDITION RULES: This rulebook folds the “Advanced
Rules” of previous editions into its main body and includes Op-
tional Rules previously available only on line. Other minor edits
and clarifications made for the 2nd or 3rd editions are indicated
with a ~ symbol. No other rules have been changed.
WILDERNESS WAR includes:
• One 22” x 34” mounted map
• Two counter sheets
• 24 leader stands
• Two player reference cards
• 70 strategy cards
• Two six-sided dice
• One playbook
• This rulebook
If there are any components damaged or missing, please contact
us at:
GMT Games
P.O. Box 1308
Hanford, CA 93232-1308
If you have any questions about the rules, we’ll be glad to answer
them if you send them to the address above with a self-addressed,
stamped envelope. For faster response, we’re on the Internet at
www.gmtgames.com and on WILDERNESS WAR discussion
forums at www.consimworld.com and www.boardgamegeek.
com—or send email to rwinslow@gmtgames.com or vruhnke@
gmtgames.com.
2.0 THE GAME MAP
Cultivated Spaces and Departments: All cultivated spaces,
except the holding boxes of Louisbourg and Halifax, are in
one of three Departments. The spaces within the St. Lawrence
Department, plus Louisbourg, are “originally controlled” by
and “originally friendly” to the French. The spaces within the
Northern and Southern Departments, plus Halifax, are “originally
controlled” by and “originally friendly” to the British. A space
that is “originally friendly” to one side is “originally enemy” to
the other.
Fortifications: “Fortifications” include fortresses, completed
forts and stockades. Fortresses are marked on the map and cannot
be built or destroyed; forts and stockades have markers. Forts
under construction (pickaxe counters) do not count as fortifica-
tions until completed.
Fortresses: Friendly control of a fortress (or fortress/port) space
requires that it be unbesieged, free of enemy units, and—if origi-
nally enemy-occupied by at least one friendly unit or “Amphib”
marker.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Hostile population centers had to be
garrisoned.
Settlements: Indian settlement spaces are marked with colored
borders that correspond to Indian unit counters and Event card
symbols. There is one settlement for each tribe except the
Cherokee, whose settlement is off the map.
Connections: Spaces are connected by either water (river or lake
shore) or land-only connections. Either connection can be used
to move from space to space, retreat, and so on.
Important: Water connections are assumed to have land
connections as well and can be used for either land or boat
movement.
Arrows: The arrows leaving Halifax and Louisbourg are for
British Amphibious Landings only. All four arrows leaving Pays
d’en Haut (the upper Great Lakes) can be used for either land or
boat movement, but only in the direction marked. Spaces with
arrows between them are NOT “adjacent” for retreat or any
purpose not listed here.
Holding Boxes: Most leaders have holding boxes, where units
and other leaders stacked in the same space may be placed for
ease of play.
Stacking: The only stacking limit is that no more than four units
may be INSIDE a fort when an enemy enters a space with a fort.
Stacking affects various game aspects such as Attrition, Small
Pox, and whether a Battle results in a victory point award. Players
may always inspect the contents of enemy unit stacks.
3.0 THE PLAYING PIECES
3.1 Units
There are three main types—Drilled Troops, Auxiliaries, and
Militia—each with special abilities and restrictions. In general,
Drilled Troops (square counters) are best in concentrated opera-
tions against fortifications. Militia (also square) defend cultivated
areas (the square spaces on the map). Auxiliaries (round counters)
are best in dispersed operations in the wilderness (the round
spaces on the map).
Units are rated for combat strength and movement. All units
have two steps—full strength on the front, reduced strength on
the back (boxed in white).
Full Strength
Reduced Strength
Strength
Reduced Strength
Movement Allowance
Unit Type (shape: square = drilled troops)
Unit I.D.
Game of the French & Indian War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
3.11 Drilled Troops include:
Regulars—Professionally trained infantry, mostly
from Europe, accompanied by artillery, engineers,
and so forth (all 4-4 and 3-4 units plus the French
1-4 Marine Detachments).
Provincials—Regiments raised by British colonies
in emulation of European Regulars.
Light Infantry—Professionally trained British
troops selected, equipped, and conditioned for
flanking and advance guard duty. They emphasize
marksmanship and use of terrain but commonly
operate as an extension of an European army
rather than in the more independent style of North American
irregulars.
3.12 Militias include:
British Colonial and French Canadian Mili-
tia—Local inhabitants organized temporarily for
frontier or territorial defence and given minimal
training and equipment.
3.13 Auxiliaries include:
Indians—North American Indian warriors al-
lied to the European combatants for their tribe’s
strategic advantage, out of personal loyalty or
antagonism, or for plunder. They excelled at wil-
derness fighting, but were hesitant to participate
in prolonged campaigns.
Coureurs des bois—”Runners of the Woods,”
French irregulars recruited from trappers and
other French Canadian frontiersmen, and adept
at Indian-style wilderness fighting.
Rangers—The British equivalent of Coureurs
des bois, recruited most famously by Robert
Rogers of New Hampshire.
3.2 Leaders
Leaders are used to command units. Leaders are rated for:
• Initiative—how easy it is to Activate them (1 = easiest).
• Command—how many units they can command for move-
ment (the force activation limit). This rating also serves to
denote rank—subordinate leaders must have the same or lower
Command rating as the leader to which they are subordinate
[5.3.4].
• Tactics—their talent for combat, siege, and raiding.
~ PLAY NOTE: This edition of the game includes
both stand-up and square pieces for each leader.
We recommend using the stand-up pieces for com-
manders of forces [5.34] and the square pieces for
subordinates or leaders without units.
3.3 Markers
Markers are included for fortifications, Indian alliances, raided
spaces, game record tracks, and the effects of various Events.
Their use is explained in the applicable rules or on Event
cards.
4.0 SEQUENCE OF PLAY
See the scenarios in the PLAYBOOK for game length and setup
information. WILDERNESS WAR is played in a series of hands of
cards, each of which constitutes a season. Two hands (represent-
ing an “Early Season” and a “Late Season”) plus some year-end
activity constitute a year. Play follows this order:
A. Early Season
A.1 Deal Cards. Deal each player cards as specified in the sce-
nario set up. Events during the game can change the number of
cards players receive.
A.2 Action Phases. Beginning with the French, players alternate
taking Action Phases. Each Action Phase consists of playing a
card to activate leaders and units, build fortifications, or intro-
duce an Event. Continue until both players have played all their
cards.
Commands Iroquois/Mohawk for free
British Commander-in-Chief Band
(maximum of 2 on map)
Scenario Limit
British
French
Initiative
Command
Tactics
Optional
square leader
Wilderness War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
Exception: When a player has one card left, he may announce that
he will pass and hold his card. The held card, if applicable, may
be played as an Event during an enemy Action Phase [5.5.6] or
held until the following season. If held until the following season,
the player must play ALL his cards that season. (Place a “Card
Held” marker on the Year track as a reminder.) ~ A player’s held
card counts against next turn’s hand size.
If a player has expended all his cards—or held his last card—
while his opponent has two or more remaining, the opponent
plays his cards one after another until finished.
B. Late Season
B.1 Deal Cards. Same as Early Season.
B.2 Action Phases. Same as Early Season.
B.3 Indians & Leaders Go Home. Any Indian units NOT in
friendly fortification spaces Go Home [10.4]. Also, any leaders
in wilderness or mountain without troops or fortifications are
placed in the nearest friendly fortification.
B.4 Remove Raided Markers. Award half a victory point for
each “Raided” marker on the map to the side that placed it,
rounding totals up [10.3.1 and 13.2.2], then remove all Raided
markers from the map.
B.5 Winter Attrition. Units in stacks meeting certain conditions
lose steps [11.0].
B.6 Victory Check. Check to see if the game has ended because
victory conditions were met [13.1] or the last year of the scenario
has been played. Otherwise, begin another year.
5.0 STRATEGY CARDS
5.1 General
The cards are the “engine” that drives a game of WILDERNESS
WAR. The players initiate movement, combat, construction, and
a variety of special events through the play of cards.
5.11 All cards are usable by both players for activation of leaders
and units or for construction.
5.12 Red symbol cards are usable as Events only by the British,
while blue cards are Events used by the French. A card with a red
and blue symbol is usable as an Event by either player.
5.13 Events with brown backgrounds around their name are play-
able as response cards during the middle of an Action Phase.
5.2 Card Deck
5.21 Both players are dealt cards from a single, facedown draw
pile. The scenario instructions state how many cards players
receive.
5.22 As cards are played, they are placed into a faceup discard
pile. Certain Events allow a player to draw a card from the discard
pile into his hand.
5.23 If a card which says “REMOVE” is played AS AN EVENT
(only), it is removed from the game rather than added to the
discard pile.
5.24 Players may inspect the number of cards left in the draw
pile, the number of cards in players’ hands, and which cards have
been discarded or removed from play.
5.25 If the draw pile runs out when more
cards are needed for the deal, or at the end of
any season in which the Surrender! card has
been played—whether or not for the Event
(and even if a player was forced to discard
it)—then reshuffle the discard pile and any
remaining undealt cards together.
PLAY NOTE: Upon playing the Surrender! card, place it face
up on the draw pile to serve as a reminder that the deck needs
to be reshuffled.
~ CLARIFICATION: If Surrender! hasn’t been played,
and there aren’t enough cards in the Draw Pile to refresh both
player’s hands, deal out the remaining cards in the Draw pile.
Then reshuffle the Discard Pile and deal enough cards to fill
both hands.
5.26 Card Options. During each Action Phase, the active player
plays a card and chooses one use—EITHER “activating” lead-
ers and/or units [5.3], OR carrying out construction of forts or
stockades [5.4], OR causing the card’s Event to occur [5.5].
Activation Value (#)
of Card
Event Color Symbol
This card has a red and blue
symbol and is usable as an
Event by either player.
Response Card
Brown Coloring
Event Text
Game of the French & Indian War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
5.3 Activation
5.31 Either side can use any card (regardless of colored symbol)
to activate leaders or units. Only activated leaders or units may
move, initiate combat, carry out sieges, or Raid. An individual
unit or leader may only be activated once per Action Phase.
5.32 Each card can be used to activate:
• Individual Auxiliary units and/or leaders moving alone totaling
up to the card’s number value. Indian units each count as only
HALF a unit toward this total, OR
• One Drilled Troops unit, regardless of the card’s number value,
OR
• One force [5.3.4] under a leader with an Initiative rating equal
to or lower than the number value of the card.
EXAMPLES: The French player could use a 3-value card to
activate two Indian units plus one Coureurs unit plus any one
leader moving alone. A force led by a “1” leader could be acti-
vated with any value card. A force led by a “2” leader may only
be activated with a “2” or “3” card; and by a “3” leader only
activates with a “3” card.
5.33 Activating Individually. Units and leaders activating alone
can be anywhere on the map. When several units are activated
individually, the player designates all that will be activated (we
suggest tilting the counters), then the player completes the move-
ment, combat, and Raiding for each before beginning with the
next. Movement order need not be predesignated.
5.34 Activating a Force. A leader may “command” (activate as
a force to move together) units stacked with him up to his Com-
mand rating, PLUS any subordinate leaders, ALONG WITH
units up to the Command ratings of each of those subordinate
leaders. Any leader in a space may be chosen to command, but
only leaders with the same or lower Command rating may be
subordinate.
Definition: A “force” is any group of units and leaders subor-
dinate to a particular leader (a leader MUST be present). Force
activation limits must be observed for Movement [6.0], Intercept
[6.7], and Avoid Battle [6.8]. ~ Such limits do not affect Battles
[7.0], Sieges [8.2], Assaults [9.0] or Raids [10.0].
EXAMPLE: A force under Murray (1-5-0) that includes Webb (3-
5-0) and Bradstreet (1-4-1) as subordinates could move with up
to 14 units, all activated together with either a 1, 2 or 3 card.
PLAY NOTE: The Campaign event activates two leaders and their
forces, if any (the leaders do not need to have units to activate).
5.35 Co-Existence. Commanding and subordinate leaders and
their force composition need only be defined for the duration of
an activation, or at the instant of defending in a Battle, Avoiding
Battle [6.8], Intercepting [6.7], and so on. Otherwise, numerous
leaders and units can coexist in a space without defining subor-
dinates or forces.
5.36 Sequence of Actions. Each active force or individually-
activated unit or leader conducts any of the following actions
that apply in the following order:
• Movement [6.0]
• Battle [7.0]
• Raid [10.0]
Alternatively, an activated force that does not move may Siege
[8.2] and/or Assault [9.0] a fort or fortress.
~ Important: A unit or leader may not be activated if it previ-
ously participated in combat (per 8.251) or assault (per 9.12) in
the current Action Phase.
5.4 Construction
A player may play any card to build EITHER stockades OR
forts (not both).
Exception: A player may NOT carry out construction with two
card plays in a row, even after beginning a new season.
5.41 Stockades. Place stockade markers (one per
space) totaling up to the number value of the card.
Stockades may be placed in any spaces occupied by
friendly supplied [12.0] Drilled Troops units, or in
any cultivated spaces that were originally friendly to the placing
player (no friendly units need be present). They may not be placed
in spaces containing enemy units or fortifications.
5.42 Forts. Construct forts in spaces occupied by
friendly supplied [12.0] Drilled Troops units. Forts
Under Construction counters (pickaxe symbol) may
be placed, and previously-placed Pickaxes may be
flipped to their completed side, up to the value of the card be-
ing used.
EXAMPLE: A player could use a 3-value card to flip one Fort
Under Construction marker to become a completed fort and to
place two new Pickaxe markers on other spaces. He could NOT
place both stockade and fort markers with the same card, nor
could he use a 2 or 3 card to place a Fort Under Construction
marker and complete it in the same Action Phase.
5.43 One Per Space. No space may have more than a single
completed fortification. Construction may not occur in a siege
space. Stockades and forts may not be built in fortress spaces.
Stockades may not be built in spaces with completed forts. If a
fort is completed in a space with a stockade, remove the stockade.
Fortresses may never be built or removed.
5.44 Forts Under Construction. These provide no
benefits to the owner, nor any hindrance nor Victory
Points to the enemy—in effect, they do not exist
until completed.
5.45 Enemy Destruction/Capture. A stockade is Destroyed
(removed) if enemy Drilled Troops units win a Battle in the
space. The stockade is Captured intact (flipped over to the new
owning side) if enemy Drilled Troops units enter an otherwise
unoccupied stockade space. In either case award 1 VP. A Fort
Under Construction is removed whenever a space is solely oc-
cupied by enemy Drilled Troops units. See Sieges [8.2] for how
Wilderness War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
fortresses and completed forts are captured. Stockades also can
be destroyed in Raids [10.31].
5.46 Demolition. At any time during his OWN Action Phase and
at no activation cost, a player may demolish (remove) any of his
own UNBESIEGED forts or stockades anywhere on the map.
Stockades and Forts Under Construction may be demolished
without VP penalty, but demolishing a fort costs 1 VP.
5.5 Events
5.51 If a card is played as an Event, follow the instructions on
the card. Markers are provided for use on the Year track as ap-
propriate reminders of the effects of the following Events:
• Diplomatic Revolution
• William Pitt
• Louisbourg Squadrons/No Amphib
• Louisbourg Squadrons/No French Naval
• Quiberon
• British/French Blockhouses
• Cherokees/Cherokee Uprising
5.52 Reinforcements and Replacements. When an Event calls
for the placement of units, they must come from counters which
are not currently in play. The counters provided in the game are
a limit on the entry of units.
PLAY NOTE: Due to the nature of the reinforcement Events and
the counter mix, eliminated Regulars and Coureurs units are
removed permanently from the game, while Provincials, Light
Infantry, Militia, Indians and Rangers units may re-enter the
game by play of the appropriate card.
5.521 Units always enter at full strength.
5.522 Units may NEVER enter the game at a space occupied by
enemy units or fortifications, including besieged spaces [8.2]. If
no suitable entry space is available when an Event is played, the
reinforcements are not received.
5.523 Certain Events allow reduced-strength units to be restored
(flipped back) to their full-strength sides. Units may NOT be
restored from reduced strength to full strength while Besieged
[8.22] or if they are Out-of-Supply Drilled Troops [12.3].
5.53 Indian Alliances. Cards 23 through
30 may be played as Events to secure
Indian allies, either entering them as
new units or restoring reduced units
already on the map.
5.531 Indian unit counters, settlements
on the map, and related Event cards are
color-coded for ease of play:
• Northern Indians (pro-French, blue
stripe): Abenaki, Algonquin, Caugh-
nawaga and Mississauga.
• Western Indians (pro-French, orange stripe): Delaware,
Mingo and Shawnee.
• Pays d’en Haut Indians (pro-French, half orange and half
blue stripe): Huron, Ojibwa, Ottawa and Potawatomi. These
can be placed with either the Northern or Western Alliance
Events.
• Iroquois (neutral, gray stripes): Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga,
Tuscarora and Oneida.
• Mohawks (pro-British, red stripes).
• Cherokee (pro-British, green stripes).
5.532 Players should mark settle-
ments with Allied markers while the
corresponding Indian units are on the
map, as reminders of where units are to
“Go Home” and of allied settlements’
vulnerability to enemy Raids. If all Indian units from a settlement
are eliminated, immediately remove the Allied marker—that
settlement is no longer a Raid target.
PLAY NOTE: This means that if a would-be Raider eliminates
the last step of Indians from a wilderness settlement in a Battle
at that settlement, no Raid occurs.
Important: Settlements—allied or not—are no hindrance to
enemy movement.
5.533 The game has (gray) counters to represent Iroquois tribes
allied to either the French or the British. An Iroquois unit may
not be entered if the corresponding enemy Iroquois counter of
the same name is already on the map.
5.534 The only British leader who can command Mohawk or
Iroquois units is Johnson, and he commands any number of
them for free (they do not count against his command rating).
French leaders command Indians normally and British leaders
command Cherokee normally. (Any Indians may be activated
individually.)
EXAMPLE: Johnson (1-3-1) could command a force of three
Regulars units (his Command rating), both Mohawk units and
all five British Iroquois units.
HISTORICAL NOTE: William Johnson, Superintendent of
Northern Indian Affairs and “Colonel of the Six Nations,” was
Britain’s principal diplomatic link to the Iroquois, especially
the Mohawk.
Game of the French & Indian War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
5.54 British Colonial Politics. The
Colonial Politics event moves the
position of the marker on the Provincial
Assemblies Track—which restricts the
number of British Provincial units that
may be in play, by Department. When
the French play Colonial Politics, the
British player must immediately select
Provincial units in excess of the limits
stated on the Provincial Assemblies
Track and eliminate them.
Exception: In the unlikely occurrence that more than the allowed
number of Provincial units are besieged [8.2], they are exempt
from this restriction until the next French play of Colonial
Politics.
5.55 British Leader Reinforcements: When a British Event calls
for leader placement, the British player draws the appropriate
number of leaders randomly from a pool, then chooses where
they enter. The British may NOT have more than two leaders
with Command ratings of “7” in play. Whenever a third is chosen
from the pool, the British player must immediately choose and
remove from the game one of the other two already on the map.
If both on-map “7” leaders are besieged, return the third to the
pool (without substitution).
HISTORICAL NOTE: The British suffered command disruptions
until a satisfactory commander-in-chief for North America was
found.
5.56 Response Events. Events with a BROWN background
around the name (only) may be played during friendly or enemy
movement or other unit activity. Their play does not replace the
normal card play during the Action Phase.
EXAMPLE: An active player could play the Surrender! event im-
mediately upon fulfilling the requirements for making a siege roll,
thereby removing the need for a successful Siege and Assault.
6.0 MOVEMENT
6.1 General
Active forces, individual units, or individual leaders move in
one of three ways, which may not be combined during the same
activation:
• Land movement is along any land (brown) or river/lake (blue)
connections.
• Boat movement is faster, but is mostly restricted to river/lake
connections.
• Naval movement is from port to port.
A force may NOT “pick up” additional units or leaders as it
moves, but MAY drop off subordinate units or leaders, which
move no further that Action Phase.
6.2 Land Movement
Land movement is conducted by entering adjacent spaces up to
the movement allowance of the moving unit/force, along any
combination of land AND/OR river/lake connections.
• Drilled Troops that pass through a wilderness space stop in
the NEXT space—UNLESS moving with Auxiliaries.
• Auxiliaries that pass through an enemy cultivated space stop
in the NEXT space—UNLESS moving with Drilled Troops.
• All units/leaders must stop upon entering a mountain space.
Exception: Spaces that have friendly fortifications do not count
for the above three restrictions. For example, a Regulars unit
may pass through four wilderness and mountain spaces if each
space has a friendly stockade or fort.
HISTORICAL NOTE: Auxiliaries help Drilled Troops find their
way in the wilderness. Auxiliaries without Drilled Troops move
more cautiously amidst hostile populations.
6.21 Leaders moving alone have a movement allowance of 6.
6.22 A force moves at the rate of its slowest unit. If slower units
are dropped off, faster units may continue moving up to their
higher movement rate.
PLAY NOTE: French play of a Foul Weather event precedes any
British play of George Croghan.
6.3 Boat Movement
Boat Movement is conducted by moving up to nine spaces (re-
gardless of terrain) using only river/lake connections.
Exception: A force or unit moving by boat may pass over ONE
land connection during its activation if each end is either an
originally-friendly cultivated space or a friendly fortification
(even if besieged, though the force or unit would have to stop
upon entering it).
HISTORICAL NOTE: Much of the movement of men and supplies
in the war was via bateau (a flat-bottomed boat holding 20 men)
or canoe. At several stretches between bodies of water, goods
and often the boats themselves had to be hauled along portage
roads or paths—called “carrying places” or “carries”—such as
the 14-mile carry between the Hudson River and Lake George,
which by 1757 was protected by British forts at either end.
6.4 Naval Movement
Naval Movement is conducted by moving directly from one
friendly-controlled port to another. The French may naval move
only between Québec and Louisbourg.
6.41 A FORCE may only naval move if activated with a 3-value
card. (All 3-value cards are marked with an anchor to show that
they enable an entire force to naval move.)
6.42 Units or leaders activated INDIVIDUALLY may naval
move with any card.
Wilderness War
© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
6.43 British Amphibious Landings.
The British may use a special kind of
naval movement only along the “Am-
phibious” arrows on the map.
6.431 To make an Amphibious move,
in addition to the card used to activate
movement, the British player must play
an Amphibious Landing card (which has
an Event name on a brown background).
The British must control the port of
departure, but not the destination space. Place an
“Amphib” marker in the destination space. If that
space ever becomes solely occupied by French
units that include Drilled Troops ~ or an unbesieged
French fortification, remove the Amphib marker.
PLAY NOTE: Thus, the Amphibious arrows mean that the British
can launch Amphibious Landings from Halifax (only) against
Louisbourg, or from Louisbourg (once the fortress is captured)
to Baie-St-Paul, Île d’Orléans or Rivière-Ouelle. The arrows do
not affect normal naval movement.
Important: If the French player wishes to block a British naval
movement with a Foul Weather event, he plays it AFTER the
British player plays a card for activation but BEFORE play of
Amphibious Landing.
6.432 An “Amphib” marker has the following effects:
• It allows normal British naval movement (not Amphibious
Landings) between the Amphib space and any British-con-
trolled port—even if a Siege is underway in the Amphib
space.
• It maintains British control of Louisbourg (no British unit need
be present).
• It allows British retreat from the Amphib space directly to any
British-controlled port.
• It allows British placement of reinforcements as if the space
were a port.
~ Clarification: Reinforcements CANNOT be placed on an
Amphib Marker in a besieged space [8.22].
• ~ It allows British Avoid Battle from the Amphib space di-
rectly to any British controlled port, not just an adjacent space
[6.811].
6.5 Moving Into Enemy-Occupied Spaces
6.51 A unit or force using any kind of movement to enter a space
occupied by unbesieged enemy units or fortifications must stop
and take the appropriate action as listed below:
• If the space has enemy units, the moving unit or force must at-
tack (the enemy units defend). Attackers may continue moving
after an Overrun Battle [7.82], or if all defenders Avoid Battle
[6.82].
• If the space has an enemy fort or fortress while no
enemy units defend outside [8.1], place a “Siege
0” marker on the fortification.
• If the space has an unoccupied enemy stockade and the moving
unit or force includes Drilled Troops, the stockade is captured
intact (flip the stockade marker, award 1 VP).
• If the space has an unoccupied enemy stockade and the moving
unit or force includes Auxiliaries without Drilled Troops, then
the Auxiliaries must Raid [10.0].
6.52 Only a unit or force that includes Drilled Troops may enter
an unbesieged enemy fort or fortress space.
6.53 Leaders moving alone cannot enter an enemy-occupied
space. If a leader is ever without friendly units or fortifications
in an enemy-occupied space, he must retreat or be eliminated
[7.92].
6.54 Leaders alone, Forts Under Construction, and settlements
are no hindrance to movement.
6.6 Infiltration
~ A lone Auxiliary unit (either activated individually or com-
manded by a leader and moving without any other units) may
move by land or boat THROUGH one or more spaces occupied
by enemy units or unbesieged enemy fortifications.
PLAY NOTE: Infiltration is the only way that Auxiliaries mov-
ing without Drilled Troops may enter unbesieged enemy fort or
fortress spaces.
Example: Virginia units are in Woodstock and Augusta, and
a Shawnee unit is in Allegheny South. The Shawnee moves
into Woodstock, attempting to Infiltrate to Culpeper. The
Virginia unit in Woodstock attempts to Intercept the Shawnee
in Woodstock and fails on a roll of 2. The Shawnee enters
Culpeper, where the Virginia unit in Augusta may attempt
Interception, but the unit in Woodstock may not because the
Shawnee is moving from the Woodstock space.
Game of the French & Indian War
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~ 6.61 A unit that attempts to Infiltrate must have sufficient
movement allowance (or remainder of the nine spaces by boat),
assuming successful Infiltration, to reach a space that it may enter
without using Infiltration.
6.62 Regardless of terrain and unit types, an Infiltrating unit is
subject to Interception [6.7] by enemy units within the same
space.
6.63 An Infiltrating unit (along with any accompanying leaders)
is eliminated if it is forced back (either by retreat from Battle or
by the Lake Schooner event) into an enemy-occupied space.
6.64 An Infiltrating unit may end its movement or keep moving
(and may conduct additional Infiltrations). If it ends movement
in an enemy-occupied space, it causes a battle [6.51].
6.7 Interception
6.71 General. Units may attempt to Intercept enemy units that are
using land, boat, or naval movement (not Retreating, Intercepting,
or Avoiding Battle) to enter spaces adjacent to them. Units being
Infiltrated also may try to Intercept within their space. For each
Interception attempt, first designate which leaders and units will
make the attempt. Then roll one die and add the Tactics rating
of the Intercepting commander, if any, to the roll. Interception
succeeds on a modified die roll of 4 or higher.
• ~ If successful, place the Intercepting force or unit into the
space with the Intercepted enemy—who must immediately
attack in a Battle (i.e., the activated, moving unit or force
will be the attacker, the Intercepting unit or force will be the
defender.) All defenders not inside a fort or fortress must
participate [7.1].
• If the Interception attempt fails, the moving units may continue
normally.
6.711 If units Intercept into a space where their side has an unoc-
cupied stockade, the stockade is not captured but remains in place
and benefits them in the ensuing Battle [an exception to 6.51].
6.712 If an Auxiliary unit is Intercepted while attempting to In-
filtrate an enemy fort or fortess space, it attacks the Intercepting
units in a normal Battle outside the fortification, but the Infiltrator
(only) must retreat—regardless who wins.
~ Clarification: First, attempt Interception. Then, units that
started in the fort/fortress space may retreat inside (Intercepting
units must fight).
6.72 Who May Interecept. For each space a moving enemy
force or unit enters, you may attempt Interception with any ONE
unbesieged force or individual unit that is adjacent or in the same
space. Leaders may not Intercept alone. An intercepting force
need not include all units in a space, and it may not exceed the
force activation limits of the commanding leader and any sub-
ordinate leaders [5.34].
6.721 A lone Auxiliary unit (with or without leaders) entering
a wilderness or mountain space may be Intercepted ONLY by a
lone enemy Auxiliary unit (with or without leaders).
Exception: This restriction does NOT apply to Interception
against Infiltrators within the same space [6.62].
6.722 Units entering a space already occupied by their side’s
unbesieged units (not leaders alone) or fortifications may NOT
be Intercepted.
6.723 Leaders moving alone can NOT be Intercepted.
~ 6.724 Units may not Intercept an enemy leaving their own
space.
EXAMPLE: If Interception against a unit attempting to Infiltrate
[6.62] fails, or if no attempt is made, any Infiltrated units may
not attempt Interception against the Infiltrating unit in the next
space it enters. If all besieging units leave a space, the formerly
besieged units may not Intercept in the first space entered.
EXAMPLE: Ossipee and Concord each contain two British
Provincial units and Ossipee also contains a Ranger. A French
Coureurs unit is in White Mountains North and intends to
move to Casco Bay, then Portsmouth, then Gloucester in
order to Raid. Only the Rangers can attempt to Intercept the
Coureurs in Casco Bay, which is wilderness, succeeding on a
roll of 4-6. If they fail and the Coureurs enter Portsmouth—a
cultivated space—one (only) of the two Provincials in Con-
cord could attempt to Intercept the Coureurs in Portsmouth.
If Concord also contained the leader Bradstreet, he and
both Provincials could attempt to Intercept into Portsmouth
together, succeeding (with a +1 for Bradstreet) on a 3 or
higher.
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6.8 Avoiding Battle
Any ONE unbesieged force or individual unit in a space about
to be attacked may attempt instead to Avoid Battle. An Avoid-
ing force need not include all units in a space, and it may not
exceed the force activation limits of the commanding leader and
any subordinate leaders [5.34]. Roll a die and add the Tactics
rating of the Avoiding commander, if any. On a modified roll
of 4 or higher, the Avoiding force or unit is placed in a single
adjacent space.
Exception: In wilderness or mountain spaces, an Auxiliary unit
or a force whose units include only Auxiliaries may automatically
Avoid attackers who have no auxiliaries.
6.81 The adjacent space to which the avoiding units move may
not be the one from which the attacker entered, nor may it contain
unbesieged enemy fortifications or units.
~ 6.811 British units in an Amphib space may Avoid Battle di-
rectly to any British-controlled port [6.432].
6.82 If all defending units successfully Avoid, the active force
or unit may continue moving. If the active force/unit again
moves into the defenders’ space, they may again attempt to
Avoid Battle.
Exception: If the space has an enemy fortification, the active units
must stop. If it is a fort or fortress, place a “Siege 0” marker. If
it is a Stockade, Drilled Troops capture it—flip it and award 1
VP—while Auxiliaries without Drilled Troops must Raid.
6.83 A force or unit can Avoid out of a fort or fortress space
while other units stay inside [8.1]. But if Avoidance fails, the
Avoiding group must defend in a Battle while the group inside
the fortification remains inside.
~ Clarification: Declaration of “inside” or “outside” comes
before “Avoid Battle” die roll is made.
6.84 Intercepted and Intercepting units are not allowed to Avoid
Battle. Intercepting units which fail their Interception attempt
also may not Avoid Battle if later attacked during the same
enemy move.
6.85 A player may not Avoid Battle from a space with some units
and attempt to Intercept into it with others (whether successful
or not) during the same enemy move—he must chose one or
the other.
7.0 BATTLES
7.1 General
A Battle occurs when an active force or unit (“the attackers”)
moves into a space containing enemy units (“defenders”). With
the exception of units and/or leaders inside a fort or fortress [8.1],
Battle in such a space is mandatory and all other units present
must participate.
Important: “Battles” are distinct from “Assaults,” which are
combat between besieging and besieged units [9.0].
7.2 Resolving Battles
Battles are resolved with the following procedure:
A. Determine if any Militia will participate [7.3].
B. The attacker and then the defender, if they wish, play one or
more Events to influence the combat.
C. Each side totals its combat factors to determine their column
on the Combat Results Table (CRT), applies die roll modifiers
(DRMs) or other modifications [7.5], and rolls a die.
D. Unit step and leader losses, if any, are inflicted according to
the results read from the CRT.
E. A winner is determined [7.8] and VPs awarded.
F. Militia return to their box and the loser retreats.
7.3 Militia
When any Battle is to occur in an originally-friendly CULTI-
VATED space (including outside a fort or fortress), any or all
Militia units in the box corresponding to that Department may
participate. The owning player simply places them in the Battle
space. Because Louisbourg is not part of any Department, Militia
may never deploy there.
Exception: Militia may not deploy on the map for Battle if the
enemy has placed any “Raided” markers within that Department
that year (but, see 10.2).
7.4 Events Influencing the Combat
The attacker must play all Event cards he wishes to use for that
Battle before the defender does.
EXAMPLE: After the attacker’s option to play cards, the defender
plays a Fieldworks card and places a Fieldworks marker. The
attacker is also holding a Fieldworks card, but may not play it
to remove the marker for this Battle, because the attacker always
plays all his cards first.
7.5 DRMs and Column Shifts
The Combat Results Table (CRT) summarizes the following die
roll modifiers (DRMs) and other modificatons for leaders, unit
types in certain terrain, stockades, and Event cards.
~ 7.51 For Battles, Sieges [8.231], Assaults [9.0], and Raids
[10.0], the active side adds the activated leader’s Tactics Rating,
and the non-active side uses the Tactics rating of any one leader
with the highest Command rating in the space. For Intercepting
[6.7] or Avoiding Battle [6.8], use the commander of the force
making the attempt. For “dropped off” Raids [10.13], use any
leader in the space that could command the force. Force activa-
tion limits [5.34] do not apply to combat.
7.52 If only one side in a Battle (not Assault) in wilderness or
mountain terrain has Auxiliaries or Light Infantry, the other side
suffers a –1 DRM.
7.53 If only one side in a Battle (not Assault) in cultivated terrain
has Regulars, the other side suffers a –1.
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7.54 If attacking in an Amphibious Landing and/or
against defenders in a stockade space, the attacker
suffers a –1 for each that applies.
7.55 If attacking defenders under a Fieldworks
marker (regardless of when the marker was placed
or what type of units are defending), the attacker
shifts one column to the left. ~ One Fieldworks
marker per space.
7.56 If only one side in a Battle (not Assault) in wilderness
or mountain played an Ambush! event, its combat strength is
doubled (before any column shift) and it fires first. The other side
takes losses first, then fires with its surviving combat strength.
7.6 Step Losses
Each side’s fire on the CRT inflicts a number of step losses.
Unless an Ambush! event has been played, results are simultane-
ous. However, the attacker must assign his step losses (flip and
eliminate units) before the defender assigns his.
7.61 All units at full strength have two “steps.” A full strength
unit that loses one step flips over. A reduced strength unit (already
“flipped”) that loses one step is eliminated. When eliminated,
the Regulars and Coureurs units are removed permanently from
the game. However, eliminated Provincials, Light Infantry,
Indians, Militia and Rangers may re-enter the game by play of
the appropriate card.
~ 7.62 The owner chooses which specific units take losses, but
at least half (rounded up) of the step losses must be fulfilled
from a Drilled Troops unit, if available. This takes precedence
over 7.63.
~ EXAMPLE: If five losses are suffered in a Battle, at least three
of the steps lost must be from Drilled Troops units if there are at
least three steps of Drilled Troops units in the stack.
~ 7.63 Except as required to meet the Drilled Troops loss re-
quirement above, a player may not assign overall losses from a
battle such that some units are eliminated while others remain
at full strength.
~ EXAMPLE: Three Indian units and one Light Infantry unit (at
full strength) suffer a 3-step loss in a Battle. The Light Infantry
is eliminated and one step loss comes from any Indian unit (7.62
takes precedence over 7.63).
7.64 Leaders are never removed due to step losses. If all units
are eliminated in a Battle, any leaders retreat [7.9].
7.7 Leader Losses
Either side’s leaders may be killed (removed from the game). If
you roll a natural “1” or “6” (before DRMs) AND cause at least
one step loss, the opposing player must roll a die for EACH of
his leaders involved in the Battle. A roll of “1” for any leader
kills him.
7.8 Winner/Loser
If only one side has surviving units, it wins. Otherwise, the side
that caused the higher number of step losses wins. The defender
wins a tie. ~ The side that caused most step losses on the CRT
wins if both eliminated. Defenders still win ties.
7.81 The winner of the Battle is awarded 1 VP if the losing side
included at least one Regular unit or more than four units of
any kind.
7.82 Overrun. If there are no defending fortifications and the
attacker eliminated all enemy units without suffering any step
losses himself, he may continue moving as if the space had been
unoccupied.
7.9 Retreat
7.91 In step F of the Battle, return any surviving Militia to their
box (reduced units remain reduced). Then retreat the losing lead-
ers and units to one or more spaces adjacent to the Battle space
(defenders may split up).
Exceptions: Units defending outside a fort or fortress may retreat
inside [8.1]. British retreating from an “Amphib” space may be
placed in any British-controlled ports [6.432] within the usual
requirements [7.92].
7.92 Any retreating units or leaders that cannot meet the follow-
ing requirements are eliminated:
• The French may never retreat via naval movement (and thus
may not retreat from Louisbourg). The British may do so from
an “Amphib” space [6.432].
• Losers may not retreat to a space with unbesieged enemy units
or fortifications.
• Defenders may not retreat into the space from which the enemy
entered.
• Attackers must retreat back into the space from which they
entered.
• Drilled Troops must retreat to either a cultivated space or a
friendly fortification.
PLAY NOTE: This means that it can be very risky, for example,
to move with Drilled Troops in the midst of wilderness without
securing a line of retreat via stockades or forts.
EXAMPLE: A defending stack containing a Drilled Troops unit,
an Auxiliary unit and a leader is forced to retreat. The defenders
have several options. All could retreat together to a cultivated
or fortification space. The Drilled Troops could retreat to such a
space, while the Auxiliaries retreat to a wilderness or mountain
space, and the leader could accompany either unit or retreat
into a third space alone.
~ NOTE: See 6.53 for leaders alone in a space.
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8.0 FORTS, FORTRESSES AND
SIEGES
8.1 Battles Outside Forts or Fortresses
When units move into a space with both enemy units and an
unbesieged enemy fort or fortress, the defending player must
decide which units and leaders will defend inside and which
outside. Players may designate units “inside” by placing them
under the fort marker or on the fortress symbol directly. Defend-
ers at a stockade may NOT similarly avoid an attack by going
“inside”—instead a Battle results normally with the attacker
suffering a –1 DRM for the stockade.
~ Clarification: If Infiltrating a fort or fortress space [6.6], the
inactive side first attempts any Interception [6.7]. Then, units that
started in the fort/fortress space may retreat inside (Intercepting
units must fight).
~ Clarification: Declaration of “inside” or “outside” comes
before “Avoid Battle” die roll is made.
8.11 No more than four units and any number of leaders may
defend inside a fort. Any number may be inside a fortress.
8.12 If any units defend outside, they fight a Battle without help
from the fortification or any units or leaders inside it.
8.13 If the defenders lose a Battle outside a fort or fortress, they
retreat either into adjacent spaces normally, or some or all may
retreat inside the fortification (up to four units if a fort).
8.2 Sieges
8.21 If friendly units are in a space with an enemy fort or fortress
(not stockade) but no enemy units are outside the fortification,
then the fort or fortress is besieged. Place a “Siege 0” marker
on the space. Any space with a siege marker (0, 1, or 2) on it is
“besieged” (a “siege” space), and any units or leaders inside the
fort or fortress are “besieged” units or leaders.
EXAMPLES: Placement of a Siege 0 marker would occur: a) im-
mediately after defenders lose a Battle outside a friendly fort or
fortress, or b) if all units choose to defend inside, or c) if enemy
units move into an otherwise unoccupied fort or fortress space.
REMINDERS: Only a unit or force that includes Drilled Troops
may enter an enemy fort or fortress space that is not already
besieged [6.51]. Stockades, though included in the term “forti-
fications,” can never be besieged. They provide a DRM in Battle
but are eliminated if the defenders lose the Battle [6.5].
~ 8.22 Siege Spaces. A besieged fortress (or fortress/port) space
is controlled by neither side for the purposes of naval movement,
reinforcements, victory, or requirements for the play of an Event
[Exception: 13.12]. Reinforcements may never be placed in a
siege space, although units outside can be restored to full strength.
Units and leaders which are INSIDE a fortification under Siege
cannot be removed nor restored to full strength by an Event. If
subsequently the Siege is lifted, they can be restored or removed
only by newly-played Events.
Exception: Besieged units CAN lose steps and be removed by
the Small Pox event.
8.23 Resolving a Siege. To capture a fort or fortress, besiegers
must first increase the “siege level” by rolling on the Siege Table.
The siege level begins at “0” and can be increased to either “1”
or “2.”
8.231 To increase the siege level, the besieging stack must begin
an Action Phase in the besieged space (there would already be a
siege marker) and must include supplied [12.0] Drilled Troops
and at least one leader. The besieging player then activates a
leader with the highest command rating in the space (regardless
of how many units or subordinate leaders are present). There is no
movement. Either player may play the Coehorns event. Then the
Active player rolls a die and checks the Siege Table, applying all
applicable modifiers and adjusting the siege marker as indicated.
Possible DRMs (also summarized on the Siege Table):
• Add the Tactics rating of the besieger’s commanding leader.
• Subtract the Tactics rating of the defender’s commanding
leader.
• If the besieger played the Coehorns event, add two; if the
defender played the Event, subtract two.
• If the Siege is at Louisbourg, subtract one.
~ Clarification: To roll on the Siege Table, a FORCE (not an
individual leader or unit) must be activated, though force limits
can be ignored. For example, if Loudoun is the highest ranking
leader in a siege space, a “3” card would need to be played to
roll on the Siege Table.
~ Clarification: Surrender! may be played after Coehorns. A
siege roll may enable Surrender! even if the fortification’s siege
level [8.24] has been reached. Surrender! does not prevent the
effects of Massacre!.
8.232 If a besieged space ever becomes vacant of besieging units,
remove the siege marker.
8.24 Assault Possible. If the required siege level has been
reached (“1” for forts, “2” for fortresses), the active force may
IMMEDIATELY Assault [9.0] in that Action Phase. Assault is
not mandatory after siege, but, once declared, must proceed even
if the defender waits until then to play Coehorns. Unoccupied
forts or fortresses still must be Assaulted.
Exception: A captured, originally-enemy fortress that the captor
leaves unoccupied immediately reverts to enemy control, award-
ing the owner 3 VPs.
8.25 Breaking the Siege. Besieged leaders and units may be
activated normally. They may not leave the space, but may attack
the besieging stack in a Battle outside the fortification. Militia
may participate.
8.251 If units move into a space in which the enemy is conducting
a siege, friendly units inside the fort or fortress MAY participate
in the subsequent Battle even though they were not activated.
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8.252 If the besieged units lose the Battle, they retreat back inside
and remain under siege. Units that entered from an adjacent space
may not retreat inside.
9.0 ASSAULTS
9.1 General
Combat to capture a fort or fortress is called “Assault.” To As-
sault, an active stack may not have moved and the fort or fortress
must have reached the required siege level (1 for a fort, 2 for a
fortress).
~ 9.11 An Assault may occur immediately after the siege level
is reached (1 for a fort, 2 for a fortress). If the siege level was
reached in a previous Action Phase, the besieging force (it must
include a leader) may be activated to Assault without rolling on
the Siege Table.
~ 9.12 As in all combat, force activation limits are ignored (all
units and leaders participate). If one force activated by a Cam-
paign event enters a space where the second activated force is
besieging, both may be combined for a subsequent Assault, even
though the force that moved would no longer be activated.
9.13 These DRMs and column shifts are applicable to an Assault
(also summarized on the CRT):
• Both sides add the Tactics rating of their commander (high-
est-rated leader)
• Add two to the side that played the Coehorns event that phase
(including a play to influence a siege roll).
• The attacker automatically suffers a one column shift to the
left.
9.14 An Assault works just like a Battle, with the following
differences:
• No Militia take part.
• Steps must first be lost by both sides from involved Drilled
Troops (even if some Drilled Troop units would be eliminated
before non-Drilled Troop units are reduced.)
• No retreat occurs.
• No VPs are awarded for the combat itself (but are awarded for
capture of the fort or fortress [9.22].)
9.2 Winner/Loser
The Attacker must cause a HIGHER enemy step loss result to
win an Assault, otherwise the Defender wins. Eliminating all
defending units is NOT sufficient to win: unoccupied forts and
fortresses continued to defend themselves on the 0 column of
the CRT.
9.21 If the defender wins, the Siege continues.
9.22 If the attacker wins, a fortress is captured intact. A fort is
replaced with a Fort Under Construciton marker of the attacker’s
nationality (to represent damage to the captured fort). Units and
leaders defending inside are eliminated. Remove the siege marker
and award 2 VPs for a fort and 3 VPs for a fortress.
REMINDER: You must occupy the captured enemy fortress
with at least one friendly unit or Amphib marker to maintain
control.
10.0 RAIDS
Successful Raids earn VPs, destroy stockades,
eliminate Indian units, and block some Militia
deployments. A “failed” Raid in the game does not
mean that no damage was done—only that it had
no particular political or military impact.
10.1 Targets
Any active Auxiliaries not stacked with Drilled
Troops and ending their activation in any of the
following spaces MUST Raid (roll on the Raid
Table):
• An originally enemy cultivated space, OR
• An enemy stockade, OR
• A settlement with corresponding enemy Indian unit(s) CUR-
RENTLY on the map (an enemy “allied” settlement).
~ Clarification: All leaders and auxiliaries in a space Raid
together with one roll.
10.11 Spaces with forts, fortresses, friendly stockades or friendly
Drilled Troops may not be Raided.
10.12 Active units still Raid after fighting a Battle [5.36].
EXAMPLE: An Auxiliary unit may move into an enemy-occupied
stockade space and—if the enemy units lose the resulting Battle
and thus retreat—the Auxiliary must Raid the now unoccupied
stockade.
~ 10.13 A force may “drop off” Auxiliary units and subordinate
leaders in any spaces through which it passes. The dropped-off
Auxiliary units Raid, using the highest Command leader with
them, after the force that dropped them off has resolved any
Battle.
10.2 Militia Deployment Against Raids
If a Raid is against a stockade in an enemy CULTIVATED
space, the enemy player MAY place ONE Militia unit from that
Department’s Militia Box into the space. He may do so regard-
less of whether or not Raided markers are present already in that
Department (i.e., the 7.3 exception does not block this kind of
Militia deployment).
~ Exception: Militia may not deploy if the Raiding unit(s) already
fought a Battle in the stockade space that Action Phase.
10.21 If a Militia unit deploys, the Raiding unit(s) must imme-
diately attack it (in the stockade) in a Battle. After the Battle,
surviving Militia returns to its Box.
10.22 If the Raiders win, they carry out the Raid normally.
10.23 If they lose, they retreat normally (they do not Go
Home.)
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10.3 Resolving a Raid
First, the defending player may play the Blockhouses event.
Then the Raiding player rolls a die on the Raid Table. Use either
the “Stockade/Settlement” or “Cultivated” column, depending
on the space being Raided (for a stockade or currently enemy-
allied settlement in cultivated terrain, use the Stockade/Settle-
ment column), and apply any DRMs (also summarized on the
Raid Table):
• Add the commanding leader’s Tactics rating.
• Add one if any Raiding units are Rangers.
• Subtract one if the Raid is within an enemy Department whose
Militia Box has two or more Militia units in it (reduced or
full).
EXAMPLE: If two or more Militia units (even if reduced or if
participated in a Battle) are in a Department’s Militia Box, apply
a –1 against Raids within their Department. The Militia modify
the Raid from their holding box without deploying to the map.
10.31 Raids result in either Success or Failure and
can result in step losses (owner’s choice) or leader
losses for the Raiders. If successful:
• Place a Raided marker,
• Eliminate any stockade in the space,
• Eliminate all unbesieged Indian units, wherever on the map,
belonging to the tribe whose settlement has been successfully
Raided, and
• Score half a VP during the Remove Raided Markers phase
(total rounded up).
10.32 If a natural “1” is rolled on any Raid—or a natural “6”
is rolled on a Raid against a stockade or enemy-allied settle-
ment—roll another die for each leader involved. A roll of “1”
kills that leader.
10.33 Previously-Raided Spaces. For additional VPs, you may
add Raided markers to spaces that already have them ONLY
for successfully Raiding stockades or currently enemy-allied
settlements—NOT to an empty cultivated space that already
has a Raided marker. Auxiliaries ending a move alone in an
empty cultivated space with a Raided marker still must roll on
the Raid Table and then Go Home—even though Success will
have no effect.
10.4 Going Home
Regardless of the outcome of a Raid, all surviving Raiders im-
mediately redeploy. Indians must redeploy if they are not in a
fortification during the Indians & Leaders Go Home Phase at the
end of each year (4.0 B.3).
10.41 Indians. Pick up and place the Indian unit in its home
settlement space.
10.411 If its settlement is occupied by the enemy, the Raiding
unit is eliminated.
10.412 If the unit is Cherokee, it is eliminated. Exception: See
10.422.
PLAY NOTE: A non-Cherokee Indian unit that has Gone Home
to its Settlement is still available for activation in a later Action
Phase.
10.413 An Indian unit that Goes Home may be accompanied by
any leaders or Coureurs des bois units stacked with it.
10.42 Non-Indians: Coureurs des bois, Rangers, and leaders are
immediately placed in the closest friendly, unbesieged fortifica-
tion (owner’s choice).
10.421 “Closest” is determined by counting connected spaces,
regardless of intervening enemy presence or terrain.
10.422 Any Indians stacked with a leader may accompany him
to the closest fortification.
DESIGN NOTE: This means that Raiding Cherokee are elimi-
nated unless Raiding with a British leader, because “Going
Home” means they go off the map.
11.0 ATTRITION
Eighteenth Century armies had to submit to the cycle of the
seasons, assembling for campaigns in the spring and dispersing
for shelter before the onset of winter—particularly in the wilder-
ness. Players must do the same with their troops if they are to
avoid winter losses.
11.1 Who Suffers Attrition
During each Winter Attrition Phase, Drilled Troops may suffer
step losses. All besieged Drilled Troops are subject to Attrition,
as are any that do NOT occupy one of the following spaces:
• An originally-friendly cultivated space, OR
• An unbesieged fort or stockade space with no more than four
friendly units of any kind (leaders do not count), OR
• An unbesieged fortress.
11.2 Attrition Losses
Apply the following losses to each affected stack:
• ~ First, eliminate half (rounded up) of the reduced Drilled
Troops units (owner’s choice).
• Second, reduce EVERY full-strength Drilled Troops unit.
Exception: The last friendly step in a space (i.e., a lone, reduced
unit) is never removed by Attrition.
EXAMPLE: A stack of three reduced and two full-strength Drilled
Troops units is at a fort in wilderness during Winter Attrition.
The owner would eliminate two of the reduced units and then
flip both full-strength units to their reduced side.
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© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
12.0 SUPPLY
12.1 General
Drilled Troops units (only) must trace a supply line to an origi-
nally-friendly fortress to be fully effective. British units also can
trace to a captured port or to an Amphib space. The supply source
must be friendly-controlled and unbesieged.
12.2 The Supply Line
The supply line consists of an unbroken chain of spaces, none of
which is occupied by unbesieged enemy fortifications or units.
An enemy fort or fortress that is under siege does NOT block
supply.
12.21 Each space, except the space being supplied, must have at
least one of the following characteristics:
• Water-connected to each adjacent space in the chain (including
the supplied space, if adjacent), OR
• Cultivated, OR
• Friendly fortification, OR
• Amphib.
Important: Units in a wilderness or mountain space need not
have a fortification to be in supply, as long as the next space in
the supply line is one of the above.
EXAMPLE: A Regular unit in a wilderness space could trace
supply to an adjacent friendly stockade, from there via a river
connection to an empty wilderness space, from there via lake-
shore to another stockade, from there to a mountain space with
a friendly fort, from there to a cultivated space, and from there
to a friendly fortress.
12.3 Out-of-Supply Effects
Drilled Troops units that cannot trace a supply line have their
activities restricted. They:
• May not build forts or stockades.
• May not roll on the Siege Table (or use the Surrender!
event).
• May not be restored to full strength.
Important: A space is “supplied” the instant a supply line is
established. Therefore, a player could use a 2-value card to place
a stockade that creates a supply line to a second space and im-
mediately place a second stockade there.
PLAY NOTE: If besiegers become out of supply, the siege level is
unaffected—though rolls on the Siege Table are prevented until
the besiegers again have a supply line.
13.0 VICTORY
13.1 How to Win
13.11 Sudden Death. Check during each Victory Check Phase
(4.0 B.6) to see if any of these conditions prevail:
• If the British control [2.0] all fortresses plus solely occupy
Niagara and Ohio Forks, they win regardless of VPs.
• If either side has 11 or more VPs, it wins.
• After 1759, the French win if they have at least as many VPs
as the box on the VP Track marked with that year (8 in 1760;
5 in 1761).
13.12 Scenarios ending in 1759. If none of the above has oc-
curred by the end of 1759, the British win if they control all
originally-British fortresses plus two of the following four spaces:
Québec, Montreal, Niagara, Ohio Forks
Otherwise, whichever side has at least 1 VP wins.
~ For purposes of the above conditions only [as an excep-
tion to 8.22], the British control a besieged originally-British
fortress UNLESS the besieging force qualifies to roll on the
Siege Table [8.231].
13.13 Scenarios ending in 1762. The French win at the end of
1762 if they have at least one VP. The British win if they have
at least 5 VP.
13.14 Any other result is a draw. Exception: In a tournament, a
draw is considered a French win.
13.2 Victory Points
13.21 Victory Points (VPs) are awarded during the course of the
game as specified in the Victory Point Table. When the British
or French side gains VPs, move the VP marker that many spaces
toward its respective end of the VP Track. To mark a score greater
than 10, flip the marker to the “+10” side.
13.22 During the Remove Raided Markers phase (4.0 B.4), award
half a VP for each “Raided” marker on the map to the side that
placed it, rounding up the totals for each side. (In other words,
you get 1 VP for every ODD successful Raid you conducted.)
13.23 Whenever Niagara or Ohio Forks changes hands (becomes
solely occupied by units and/or fortifications of the other side),
the capturing side receives 1 VP (in addition to any VPs for
capturing fortifications or winning Battles).
13.3 Bidding
In tournaments, or if players both want to play the same side,
each player should write down a bid of at least 0 VPs. The higher
bidder plays the favored side. The other player begins with the
number of VPs bid by the opponent added to the scenario-defined
start level. If both players bid the same, roll a die to randomly
determine sides (the loser still adds the bid VPs).
PLAY NOTE: Tournament-level players in the Annus Mirabilis
scenario over time have tended to bid 1 or 2 points to play the
French.
Wilderness War
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© 2010 GMT Games, LLC
GMT Games, LLC
P.O. Box 1308, Hanford, CA 93232-1308
www.GMTGames.com
14.0 OPTIONAL RULES
The following modifications appeal to some players, particu-
larly for the longer scenarios; use any of them only if both sides
agree.
14.1 If one of the cards #67 William Pitt or #69 Diplomatic
Revolution has been played as an event and the other is in the
discard pile, the side that could play the unplayed event automati-
cally receives that card as part of its next deal [5.21].
HISTORICAL NOTE: European diplomacy linked the escalation
of British and French war efforts.
14.2 An enemy raid marker placed within a Department [10.31]
immediately causes a step loss to one militia unit in that Depart-
ment (owner’s choice).
HISTORICAL NOTE: The population that supported militias
would flee from hard hit frontiers.
14.3 Whenever a side plays a British Regulars or French Regu-
lars event (#55-59, 64 or 68) in 1755 or 1756, it suffers –1 VP
[13.0 Victory Point Table].
HISTORICAL NOTE: The political cost of committing European
units to the New World was greater before general war was
underway.
14.4 Either the sieging or besieged side may play event #6, Sur-
render! (requirements and effects are the same).
HISTORICAL NOTE: A local commander might grant an enemy
more generous terms than distant superiors desired.
14.5 Either side may play event #66, Acadians Expelled (the
effects are the same).
HISTORICAL NOTE: Pro-French guerrilla activity in Acadia
helped inspire British deportation of the French-speaking
populace.
14.6 Each turn after 1756, immediately after dealing and ex-
amining cards, the British player may randomly discard a card
Credits
Designer: Volko Ruhnke
Developer: Rob Winslow
Art Director: Rodger B. MacGowan
Map, Card and Counter Artist: Mark Simonitch
1st Edition Project Editor: Stuart K. Tucker
Layout: Mark Simonitch
Box Cover Artist: Rodger B. MacGowan
Playtesters: Steven Bucey, Ananda Gupta, Chris Hall,
Ric Manns, John Nebauer, Mark Novara and Jim
Watkins
Production Coordination: Tony Curtis
Producers: Tony Curtis, Rodger MacGowan, Andy Lewis,
Gene Billingsley and Mark Simonitch
Special thanks go to John Foley for his assistance with the
examples of play. Finally, thanks are due to all the others,
too numerous to list, who sat down with Volko or Rob to
test the game during development.
to add any one British Regulars or Highlanders card in the
discard pile to his hand. If Surrender! is discarded, reshuffle
normally [5.25].
14.7 Alternative Bidding. Each player rolls a die. The one with
the higher roll must bid by stating the VPs he would give up to
play a chosen side. The other player then may either raise the bid
to play that side or accept it to play the other. Alternate until a bid
is accepted. Bids may be any whole number of VPs, including
zero. [Replaces 13.3]