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1 PIQUET GREAT WAR By Mark Dudley Page 1 of 59

2 1. Introduction Scales and Representations Stands and Mounting Corps Scale Unit Representation Divisional Scale Unit Representation Other Unit Type Representation Basing Game Scale and Formations Movement Standard Movement Rates Additional Movement Rules Combat and Fire Basic Mechanics Combat Rules Rules Combat and Ranges Close assault Morale Challenges Fortifications and Trenches Trenches Fortifications chips Leadership Refit and Reinforcements Card Definitions Victory Points Designer Notes The Campaigns The Campaign Maps France Galicia Balkans East Prussia Quick Play Sheets...56 Page 2 of 59

3 1. Introduction. This Piquet supplement is designed to re fight large scale games of the early campaigns of the Great War. Included in these rules are 4 separate scenarios covering France, Galicia, Balkans and East Prussia and 2 scales Divisional and Corps. With these rules you will be able to recreate the Grand Strategic moves of the opening campaigns of Each scenario has different challenges and objectives. For the Germans in France can you reach Paris and end the war before the Russian steamroller reaches Berlin. The Austrians are faced with a war on two fronts, revenge against Serbia, for the death of Franz Ferdinand while having to deal with the Russians in Galicia in support of your German ally. The Russians are faced with the challenge of assisting their allies by launching an early Invasion of East Prussia and in Galicia of helping your Serbian brothers fight off the menace of Austrian. As the Allies in France you are faced with the opportunity of seeking revenge for defeat in the Franco Prussian War of 1870, recapturing the lost provinces of Alsace and Loraine, whilst defending the violation Belgium s neutrality guaranteed by the great powers. The rules should be used with standard Piquet rules. If a situation is not covered in Home before the Leaves Fall then use the standard Piquet rule instead. I would like to thanks the Ilkley Lads for their help in additional design and play testing. Two of the Ilkley Lads returning from a playtest of the rules. 2. Scales and Representations 2.1 Stands and Mounting HBTLF will work with any figure scale or basing system as long as the opposing armies are consistent with each other and that the bases can be used to represent the deployments and frontages. Small variations in unit frontages may be disregarded. Alternative basing conventions will not impact on game play. There are two game scales defined. Corps level allows the opening campaigns in France and Galicia to be re fought and divisional level for the campaigns in East Prussia and the Balkans. The Corps level game has a game scale of 1 = 2.5 miles and the Divisional game is 1 = 1.25 miles. 2.2 Corps Scale Unit Representation The following types of units are represented in the Corps game. Infantry units: The unit represents the total fighting capability of the elements that made up a typical Corp including infantry, machine guns, field and heavy artillery. A unit s combat and barrage effectiveness is a distillation of the overall strength of the various arms. Page 3 of 59

4 Cavalry units: The units representing all arms present in a typical cavalry formation. At this scale of play cavalry where normally fielded as independent divisions. However in HBLTF they have been amalgamated into game scale Corps to fit with the level of play. Some changes have been made to the historical orders of battle to accommodate these changes. Artillery units: Units represent the heavier artillery attached at army level. 2.3 Divisional Scale Unit Representation The following types of units are represented in the Divisional game. Infantry and Cavalry units: Units represent the fighting capability of the elements that made up a typical Division including infantry, machine guns, field and heavy artillery. A unit s combat and barrage effectiveness is a distillation of the overall strength of the various arms. Artillery units: Units represent the Corps level assets. 2.4 Other Unit Type Representation Other types of units are available in both game scales Command units: Command units represent the army commanders, their staff and entourage. Commands units have no combat values Towns: Sections represent unfortified towns. These are treated as Type 2 terrain. Hasty works and Trenches: Stands represent the frontage covered. Fortifications: Stands represent the different types of permanent structures built by all nationalities. The Fortification s combat factors represent its overall strength whilst the morale factor represents its ability to withstand attacks. British troops keeping a beady eye on German POWs Page 4 of 59

5 2.5 Basing The game can be played with any scale of figure using as few or as many figures per stand or indeed as few or as many stands per unit. Because of the scale of the game smaller scale figures will provide a better visual representation although gaming with 20 or 25 mm scale figures using the divisional scale will also work. If using smaller figures (6 and 10mm) then it is suggested that you half base sizes and distances or double the number of stands in each unit Corps Scale Unit Type Base Size Suggested Stands per unit Infantry Corps 1.5 x.75 in. 2 Cavalry Corps 1.5 x.75 in. 2 Heavy Artillery 1.5 x.75 in. 1 Fortifications 2 x 2 in. 1 Hasty works/trench 3 x 1.5 in. 1 Towns 2 x 2 in. 1 Command Units Per Type As Desired Divisional Scale Unit Type Base Size Suggested Stands per unit Infantry Divisions 1.5 x.75 in. 4 Cavalry Divisions 1.5 x.75 in. 4 Heavy Artillery 1.5 x.75 in. 2 Fortifications 4 x 4 in. 1 Hasty works/trench 6 x 1.5 in. 1 Towns 4 x 4 in. 1 Command Units Per Type As Desired Page 5 of 59

6 2.6 Game Scale and Formations Piquet Great War HBLTF is a grand tactical scale game and does not require individual stands to be removed during the course of the game; casualties are recorded only for the current initiative. Each unit can in fact be represented by as many or as few stands, as a player likes. However a deployed Corps should not occupy more than 3 inches on the tabletop and a deployed Division 6 inches. There are no formations per se in these rules. Units are measured by frontage. The frontages are defined as: - Corps Scale Unit Type Deployment Frontage Assault Frontage Infantry Corps 3 inches 1.5 inches Cavalry Corps 3 inches 1.5 inches Heavy Artillery 1.5 inches N/A Divisional Scale Unit Type Deployment Frontage Assault Frontage Infantry Divisions 6 inches 3 inches Cavalry Divisions 6 inches 3 inches Heavy Artillery 3 inches N/A Deployed Corps Deployed Division There are no specific formations within these rules and the players may adopt any arrangement of stands, as they like. If defending a line the gamer may wish to deploy covering the full extent of the unit s frontage. Alternatively a massed attack can be made on a 1.5-inch frontage for corps and 3 inch for divisional level games; two or more units can then attack a single deployed corps or division. Corps in Mass Attack Page 6 of 59

7 Division in Mass Attack Placing the stands in a line half the stands facing the rear to represent an entrained unit. Front Back Entrained Corps Front Back Back Front Entrained Division There are no significant game advantages or disadvantages for these formations other than a deployed unit can cover more ground whilst an assaulting unit can fit more strength into a smaller frontage. But remember that units are vulnerable to flank attacks and an aggressive enemy can exploit gaps in a line. 3. Movement 3.1 Standard Movement Rates Movement rates are as follows: - Movement (both Scales) Troop Type Movement Rates Grand Tactical Infantry Corps 6 inches 30 inches Cavalry Corps 8 inches 30 inches Leaders 12 inches 30 inches Heavy Artillery 4 inches 30 inches 3.2 Additional Movement Rules Interpenetrating: All units may interpenetrate freely with no adverse impacts. Page 7 of 59

8 Hasty works and trenches: Count as linear obstacles with units stopping on contact. Fixed Placements: Fortifications and trenches cannot move. It requires a Deploy card to move into or out of a Fortification or occupy an undefended trench. Fortification terrain type is determined by scenario. Towns: Unfortified towns and are treated as standard Type 2 terrain for combat and Type 3 for movement. To assault an occupied town a unit does not need to deploy into it as the case in standard Piquet. Instead a unit may attack using a Close Assault with the defender counting as in Type 2 terrain and the attacker in type 1. To occupy an undefended town requires a unit to be in contact and then use a Type 3 difficult terrain card to move into the town. Heavy Artillery: Heavy Artillery moves on Tactical Artillery move cards and require a Deploy card to set up for action. Retrograde Movement: All units may move backwards at normal rates and may remain facing the enemy. Movement outside Range: If a unit is outside range of an enemy unit or fortification it may also move on the Infantry/Cavalry move in difficult card. At no point may this movement enter an enemy barrage range. Rail Movement: Grand tactical movement represents rail movement and is undertaken on a Cavalry /Bicycle Move Card. A Deployment Card is required to entrain units. A unit may only entrain at a town/fortification that they control. A player controls towns/fortifications within their home countries or opponents towns he occupies. The unit must either occupy the town/fortification or have a stand touching the town/fortification section to be able to entrain. To use Grand Tactical Rail Movement the unit must be made able to trace a straight line between the present location and another Towns or Fortifications that the player controls. If the unit cannot meet this condition, due to impassable terrain or an enemy unit, then the movement is not allowed. Having established that the movement is allowed the unit must move in a straight line to reach its destination. Having reached its destination point the unit may either disembark on continue to another town/fortification as above. If the destination is occupied before the entrained unit reaches it must return to its departure point. A player may detrain at a town they occupy on a Deployment card. If attacked whilst in rail movement the attack is treated as a flank attack. Example: In the East Prussia Game the German Player has a unit at Insteburg and draws an Officer Check Card and decides that he wished to entrain the unit. He rolls his D12 Other Difficulty die getting a 3. The Russian player rolls a 2 on a D8. The German Unit is entrained. On the German players next Cavalry/Bicycle Move Card he decides to commence his rail movement. He can decide to move to Allenstein. When he reaches there he decides to continue onto Willemburg before detraining. Had the Russian player being blocking the line between Allenstein and Willemburg then rail movement would have only been allowed to Allenstein. Page 8 of 59

9 British repairing punctures whilst under fire. Sounds like a difficulty check to me. Entering Combat Range: All units must stop movement at combat range of an enemy unit. A unit may move to contact on an appropriate subsequent Move Card. Opportunity Charges: There are no opportunity charges as in standard Piquet rules.. Page 9 of 59

10 4. Combat and Fire 4.1 Basic Mechanics The basic mechanics of resolving fire combat are as per the Piquet Master rules. At this level of abstraction, permanent losses to units are not tracked outside of the current initiative. Rather, the accumulated effects of loss are shown by the loss of supply chips of the individual as a whole. Any losses in the current initiative are used only to modify Morale rolls. Losses in the current initiative are used only to modify Morale rolls. Do not track permanent individual unit losses. One Chip is lost for each "stand" hit in a target unit. When an 's Chip total is 0, each further "stand" loss removes the target unit to refit, awarding one Chip. When an 's Chip total is 0 and a loss requires the forfeiture of a Chip, the Chips are lost from the Commander in Chief 's Chip pool. If the C in C does not have any Chips, the Chip loss is from the nearest 's Chip pool. If there is any question about which is then to lose the Chips, the enemy selects which will lose the Chips. Example: A Russian infantry Corps is in Combat with an Austrian Unit. The the Russian Corps in has 1 Chip remaining. During the current initiative the Russian Unit is hit, losing 1 "stand". The infantry Corps is not marked for losses, nor are any figures removed. The loses 1 Chip for the "stand" loss. The now has 0 Chips. The next Austrian fire at the Russian Unit results in a 2 "stand" loss. Since the Group is at 0 Chips, the additional hits on the Russian infantry Corps results in being removed to refit. Two Chips are removed from the Russian Commander's Chip pool. Command at Zero : If a unit, from an that is presently out of chips, is involved in any form of combat, barrage fire or close assault, it has an additional Down 1 modifier. 4.2 Combat Rules Combat represents a battle with the fire factor representing a units Rifle, Machine Gun and close support Artillery fire. Combat Dice are used for both Combat Fire and Close Assault. A unit may move into contact and then use a Close Assault to capture the enemy position. Players may soften up the enemy with barrages and combat fire prior to moving to resolving the Close Assault. Once a Close Assault has started a unit may not use Combat of Fire. Do not remove stands due to fire or close assault combat unless sufficient hits are achieved to eliminate an entire unit (12 hits for infantry, 8 hits for cavalry, and 6 hits for artillery) in a single initiative, or if a single additional "stand" hit is achieved on a unit in an which has zero chips remaining. Eliminated units are sent to refit. When a unit is removed to refit add a Hunker Down card to the sequence deck. For Corps level games add one hunker down card for every 2 units removed to refit. 4.3 Rules Effective Range represents the fire of all Corps/Divisional Artillery and Heavy Artillery. Fire at Long Range represents the fire only by Heavy Artillery. Fire: fire is adjudicated when the card is drawn and is treated as direct fire. fire can still be used when units are in Combat range and a unit may use both and Combat fire at Combat Range. Units do not lose target acquisition by using fire. Page 10 of 59

11 Example: A unit can spend one impetus pip to fire at combat range using their combat factor; if a card is then flipped the same unit can fire using their effective or long barrage rating regardless of whether the unit has regained combat range target acquisition. If the unit is in contact it may also resole combat on a close assault card. Once a close assault has started no units may use combat or barrage fire on the units involved in the continuing assault. Supporting Fire: Units may use fire and fire over friendly troops unless the target unit is in contact with a friendly unit. Defensive : Units may use an Opportunity pip to fire a Defensive however the firing unit may not fire on the next card. Place a suitable marker by the unit to denote this. 4.4 Combat and Ranges Measure from the centre of the firing unit to the nearest point of the target unit. Corps Scale Combat Ranges Type Range Close Assault Contact Combat 0 1 inches Effective Range 0 3 inches Long Range 3 5 inches Divisional Scale Combat Ranges Type Close Assault Combat Long Range Range Contact 0 2 inches 0 6 inches 6 10 inches 5. Close assault. Stands Lost: At this level of abstraction, permanent losses to units are not tracked outside of the current initiative. Rather, the accumulated effects of loss are shown by the loss of chips of the individual Armies and the C in C as a whole. Any losses in the current initiative are used only to indicate winners and losers of a close assault, the degree of victory, and to modify Morale rolls. Chip losses are as per Morale Chips the Piquet Master rules (1 Chip lost for each "stand" hit in a target unit). When an 's Chip total is 0, each further "stand" loss result in the unit going shaken and retiring a full move. If the unit is already shaken it is removed to refit Example: A German cavalry corps is close assaulting a French infantry corps. The the French infantry corps is in has 4 Chips remaining. The French Infantry corps loses the close assault, losing 1 "stand" and has its close assault roll doubled. The infantry corps is not marked for losses, nor are any figures removed. The infantry corps is marked as shaken and retires the number of inches in the difference between the die rolls ending facing the enemy. The loses 1 Chip for the Page 11 of 59

12 "stand" loss, 1 Chip for the lost close assault and 1 Chip forgoing shaken. The now has 1 Chip. The next loss by the would leave it at 0 Chips. Once the Group is at 0 Chips, any additional hits on any unit in the would result in the unit being removed to refit. Close Assault Dice: For Close Assault use the units Combat factor. Desperate Struggle: For the cost of one chip each side may declare, prior to rolling the dice, a desperate assault or defence. Attacker declares first. This allows the players the option of re rolling their close assault die rolls. If a player re rolls they cannot then revert to the original roll. For example an Austrian corps is conducting a Close Assault against a defending Russian unit. Both players declare a desperate assault and pay a supply chip. The Austrian player rolls a 2 and declares he is going to re roll. He re rolls and gets a 8. The defender rolls a 4 and decides to use the re roll and this time rolls a 1. The difference is 7 so the Russian player loses 2 chips the unit is trebled and therefore removed to refit. No Stands Lost: If the close assault results in No stand lost the result is a continuing engagement with the units remaining in position. The loser loses one supply chip but suffers no other effects. Stand lost but not doubled: If the close assault results in a stand lost but not doubled the result is a continuing engagement with the units remaining in position. The loser loses one supply chip for the lost stand but suffers no other effects. A unit may recover from shaken on a successful Leadership test on an Officer Check card. Stand lost and doubled: The loser is shaken and retires the number of inches (doubled for Divisional Games) in the difference between the die rolls ending facing the enemy. The defeated unit loses 1 supply chip for losing the close assault, going shaken as well as one supply chip per stand hit. The victor gains one victory point. Stand lost and trebled: The loser is removed to refit. The defeated unit loses one supply chip for losing the close assault, one supply chip for being removed to refit as well as one supply chip per stand removed. The victor gains two victory points. A German mg prepares to open fire. 6. Morale Challenges Morale Challenges are as per standard Piquet. Morale Challenge is failed but not doubled: The unit is shaken and the player loses 1 supply chip. Morale Challenge is failed by double: The unit is shaken and retires the number of inches in the difference between the die rolls ending facing the enemy (Double for Divisional scale games). The Page 12 of 59

13 unit loses 1 supply chip for going shaken. Piquet Great War Morale Challenge is failed trebled: The unit is removed to refit costing a supply chip. The challenger is awarded one victory point Command at Zero : A unit from an that is presently out of chips takes a morale check with an additional Down 1 modifier. 7. Fortifications and Trenches 7.1 Trenches On a Sapper Card a player may take a standard difficulty check, spending one pip per Infantry or Cavalry Unit, and build a Type 2 hasty defence covering the Units front. If the Unit subsequently moves the hasty defences are removed. From the beginning of September 1914 players may spend one pip on a Sapper Card and upgrade a hasty defence to a Class 3 trench. Again a successful difficulty check is required. However unlike a hasty defence if a unit moves the trench remains unoccupied. The enemy may capture an unoccupied trench however it reverts down one level back to a hasty defence. Austrian Infantry defending a type 2 trench 7.2 Fortifications Fortifications are either Type 3 or 4 terrain and have normal Combat and factors as well as a Morale rating. They are represented by single stand but are treated in game terms as a 4 stand unit If a Fortification takes a morale test, for any reason, and fails, it is destroyed and it s Combat and factors are reduced to zero. In addition the terrain is reduced by one type. A Class 3 Fortification will be reduced to a Class 2 town and a Class 4 fortification to a Class 3 fortification. A Victory point is awarded when a unit has physically occupied an enemy Fortification. It is possible for a Fortification to change hands, and therefore Victory Points awarded, more than once during a game. Capturing a Fortification: To occupy an enemy Fortification a player must win a Close Assault by triple the Fortification die roll. Any other result is treated as no stand lost continuing assault. Fortifications are not shaken by a losing a close assault. If the attacker beats the defender s die roll, but not tripled, then a morale challenge may still be made with a D4 casualty dice. A morale challenge failed by tripled will destroy the fortification. If the Fortification wins the Close Assault the attacker Page 13 of 59

14 loses the Close Assault, goes shaken, but remains in contact. A Fortification may only initiate a Close Assault if it has Garrison. Garrisoning a Fortification: Any number of units may garrison a Fortification. Having a garrison uplifts all defensive combat dice by UP 1. The attacker may also receive superior number if it has 2 or more units in contact with the fortification. If the Fortification is destroyed by morale challenge, or tripled in close assault, the garrison is considered captured and removed to refit and the victor awarded an extra Victory Point for each unit in the Garrison. Garrisons may also be used to break a siege by launching a close assault against the enemy units in contact with the Fortification. Combat Factor: Fortifications have no Combat Factor and only having and defensive Close Assault Factors. A Garrison may use its own Combat and factors to support if it attempts to lift the siege. Austrian 305mm Skodas prepare to bombard Leige 8. chips Supplies, or lack of them, are more important for the armies of 1914 therefore in HBTLF has replaced Morale Chips used in standard Piquet. Chip Determination: Calculate the army's Chip total as per the Piquet Master rules for Morale Chip. Additionally, each Officer (C in C and commanders) has a number of Chips that are assigned to them to add to the total available for their command. The number of Chips assigned to each officer depends on the officer's quality. Refer to the Officer Chip Table below. Officer Chip Table Officer Quality Number of Chips Abysmal 2 Poor 3 Average 4 Skilled 5 Superior 6 and Chip Distribution: Each side in the campaigns is organised into armies and each is given its own supply of Chips. The Chips are obtained by using the Characterisation deck as in the Piquet Master Rules are split among the Armies. The Chips Page 14 of 59

15 obtained for each officer must be assigned to that officer's ; they may not be reassigned to other Armies. The army commander keeps his officer Chips, plus any assigned army Chips, in his personal Chip pool. Once the total number of Chips is determined, the player commanding the side allocates the Chips to the individual armies. The number of Chips a may be given (including both army Chips and officer Chips) is limited to no fewer than the number of units in the and no more than three times the unit count value (1point for each regular unit; 2 points for each elite and guard unit) of units in the. After these limits are met, the C in C may keep Chips in his personal pool to pass to Armies as he sees fit during the game. At no time may the Chip limits for the Armies be exceeded. Chip totals will fall below the initial minimum limits as losses mount during the game. Example: The Serbian in 1914 has 14 units for chip determination and draws 5 Cards (using the Characterisation deck as per the Piquet Master rules). The player has 3 Armies (Command Groups). The 3 Command Group officers are Abysmal, Poor and Skilled. The Commander quality is Average. Based on his plan and dispositions, he allocates the 23 chips drawn from the Characterisation deck as follows: Command Group 1 is the 1st under Bojoviv who is an Abysmal Officer, (5 regular units): 5 Chips +2 Officer Chips = 7 Chips. (Possible range of Chips = 5 to15) Command Group 2 is the 2nd under Stephanovic who is a Poor Officer, (5 regular units): 6 Chips + 2 Officer Chips = 8 Chips. (Possible range of Chips = 5 to 15) Command Group 3 is the 3 rd under Jurisic-Sturm who is a Skilled Officer, (4 regular units): 7 Chips + 5 Officer Chips =12 Chips. (Possible range of Chips = 4 to 12) Putnik is the Serbian C in C and is Average Command Officer Chip Pool: 5 Chips + 4 Officer Chips = 9 Chips Note that Officer Chips must be assigned to that officer's. Only the Chips whose total was determined by the draw from the Characterisation deck may be allocated at the player's discretion. A convenient method to allocate Chips to Armies is to first place the Officer Chips in their Chip pools. Then place the minimum number of Chips into each pool. This leaves a number of Chips, which may be placed into the various Chip Pools, or kept, in the Commander's Chip pool, at the player's discretion (remembering to observe the maximum Chip count limits for the ). Chips Lost for Each Stand Lost Lost Close Assault Removal to Refit Desperate Struggle Issuing a Morale Challenge Failed Morale Challenge Page 15 of 59

16 9. Leadership 9.1 Leader Quality Roll a D20 and for the Officer Nationality. This applies to both army and C in C ratings. Leader Quality Nationality Abysmal Poor Average Superior Brilliant German French British Belgium Russian Austrian (Balkans) Austrian (Galicia) Serbian Officer Command Radius Officer Command radius is determined by their quality. Corps Scale Command Radius Quality Radius Brilliant 9 inches Superior 8 inches Average 7 inches Poor 6 inches Abysmal 5 inches Divisional Scale Command Radius Quality Radius Brilliant 18 inches Superior 16 inches Average 14 inches Poor 12 inches Abysmal 10 inches Out of Command: Units are automatically out of command when they are greater then the command radius from their army command. Units also go out of command if: - They are involved in a close assault Moving or deploying into in type 3 or 4 terrain. By entraining An out of command unit automatically goes back into command on an Officer Check Card for the cost of one impetus pip if the unit is within command range and the above conditions do not apply. Page 16 of 59

17 Transferring Units: Transferring units between armies requires a successful leadership test costing one initiative pip for each unit. The transferred units remain out of command until they are successful bought back into command by their new commander. Commander Morale Chip Pool: An army commander may distribute Chips to or from his Chip pool to or from any subordinate on an Officer Check Card. Chip distribution by the army commander costs 1 impetus point, regardless of the number of supply chips transferred, if the distance between the Commander and sub-commander is less than or equal to the sum of their command radii. If the distance is greater it costs one Impetus Chip per Chip transferred. At no time may the maximum Chip count for an be exceeded, nor may the minimum Chip count for an be voluntarily reduced by any redistribution of Chips. Example: It is 1914 on the tabletop, and the German C in C Von Moltke (Superior) wishes to pass some Chips from his Chip Pool on to a threatened army. The army commander is average and is 29" away from Moltke. The maximum distance between Moltke and the commander for chip distribution is 16" (9" + 7"). The distance is greater than the combined command radius. Moltke elects to give the army 5 Chips. The impetus cost is 5 (1 per Chip distribution). Had the distance been equal or less than 16 the cost would have 1 impetus pip for all 5 Chips. Disengage: All units, except heavy artillery, in contact may make a break off attempt on a leadership check. If successful the unit moves a double move backwards and remains facing the enemy. If unsuccessful the unit moves a double move backwards but is shaken. If the unit is already shaken it is removed to refit. A unit may disengage even if it is in a continuing close assault. 10. Refit and Reinforcements. Recovering units in refit: A destroyed unit may be recovered and returned to the game on a successful Leadership test. It costs one initiative and one Point per unit for Infantry and Cavalry units. Heavy artillery units may not be recovered and once removed from play are permanently lost. Units returning from refit must be must be placed within 3 inches of their Command stand (6 inches in divisional scale) and no closer than to an enemy unit than the Command stand. The first time that a unit is returned as a result of refit it will have all die types down 1. A Corps can be returned from refit more than once during a game, however for each subsequent refit after the first, the unit suffers no further die type adjustments. Reinforcements: Availability and arrival tiles are defined in the scenarios. 11. Card Definitions Re supply card: On the Unique Event Card the player may attempt to re supply their armies. A player attempting re supply rolls a D12 dice versus a D8. The difference is the number of supply chips that are added to any of the player s army supply totals. Major Morale card: Now effects individual armies with a D20 thrown against the number of units removed to refit in each individual army. The Major Morale check costs one supply chip per army, only if the army is required to test, and it fails. Failure results in army failing morale. All units become one worse morale level. Normal becomes shaken. Shaken are removed and sent to a refit. Morale levels can be recovered in the normal way on an Officer Check card costing a supply chip. Major Morale tests are not taken by out of command units as per standard Piquet rules. The Major Morale card is added the player s deck at the commencement of the game. Page 17 of 59

18 The Austrian Player in the Serbian game draws the Major Morale card and checks the status of his armies. The 2 nd army has no units in refit and therefore does not have to test. The 5 th has one unit in refit and the player rolls a leadership D20 adjusted by leadership quality and rolls a 5. The army has passed the test. The 6 th army has two units in refit and this time the Austrian player rolls a 2 and fails the test. He loses on point from the 6 th army and all units in the army go down one morale level. Aerial Phase: On the appearance of the Aerial Phase card the player may attempt an Aerial Recon test using the armies Aircraft Recon Die dice versus a D6. If successful for each 2 pip difference the player may select a single enemy army and the opposing player must disclose the number of Chips remaining with that Command Group. 12. Victory Points Victory Determination: Victory points are assigned to objectives and as a result of game play. At the end of the game the Victory Points gained from holding objectives are added to those awarded during play. The victory conditions vary depending on the scenario being played. See the scenarios for details. Victory Point Number of Points awarded Awarded for Close Assault Stand Lost and doubled 1 Close Assault Stand Lost and trebled 2 Failed Morale Challenge by treble 1 Capturing a Fortification As per Scenario Each unit captured in a fortification 1 Page 18 of 59

19 13. Designer Notes My interest in the gaming the Great War goes back many years to when I was at College in the mid 1970s. At the time rules and figure sources where few and far between and my gaming of the period was limited to a few board games. My interest in gaming this period lay dormant until in recent years I discovered Piquet as a game system and the Supplement for the First World War. I now had a set of rules that worked. Figure ranges started to expand and I was able to collect late war Foundry 25mm figures and for the early war period Britannia, IT Figures and Irregular provided all I needed with 20mm figures. What I really wanted to do was the big game, to play the battles of the opening weeks of August and September 1914, to game the campaigns and battles I had read about. I decided to develop a game that allowed me to play these opening campaigns on my gaming table in a reasonable time Home before the Leaves Fall was born. Piquet and the various Supplements provided an excellent framework on which to develop HBTLF. The design and mechanisms, often referred to as the toolkit, are ideally suited for the would be rule writer to develop there own ideas and HBLTF is very much a part of the Piquet family of supplements. This first item to deal with was game scale. I decided that 2 scales of play where required for the opening campaigns. The Corps Scale is designed to be used for the French and Galician scenarios and fits well with the level Command structure used. The Divisional Scale uses the same basic rules mechanism but extends the ranges and allows critical East Prussian Campaign, which resulted in the battle of Tannenburg, and the lesser well known Balkans Campaign to be reproduced. One of the key features of the opening campaigns was that it was a war of movement. I wanted to reproduce this feeling of movement and manoeuvre on the tabletop. To achieve this I kept typical Piquet movement rates. Having set my movement rates it was necessary to decide how long each turn should represent. As I wanted to reproduce the opening 6 weeks of the war (the time the Germans planned to be in Paris) it seemed reasonable to have a 12 turn game represent 6 weeks at 2 turns per week for the Corps scale game and 1 turn every 2 days for the Divisional Scale. When translated to the table top it fits well with the ground scale and distances a unit could cover in a turn. Having sorted out the turn length and movement rates all that was needed was to scale the whole thing to fit a typical wargames table. I finally needed to set different range bands that tied ground and timescales together and allowed the Close Assault, Combat and Fire to be reflected with different Range Bands. Battles are represented by Combat Range were a typical unit was able to deploy its artillery and troops into the fight with Close Assault represented the storming of enemy positions and troops seeing the white of the enemies eyes. Ranges were developed to allow supporting fire from attached medium and heavy artillery. The range bands for this fire are perhaps slightly longer than historically true but work well on the game table. Fire allows other units to support attacks however this type of in the opening months of the war was hard to use due to poor communication and fire control mechanisms. To reflect this fire is adjudicated immediately the card is turned. While fire will be harder to control than Combat Fire, when used with Close Assault and/or Combat Fire can be decisive. Allowing a single unit to have both Combat and fire neatly represents the abilities of combined arms formations and does not require large number of artillery models to be deployed. Those that are present represent the heavier artillery assigned at army level. Fortifications played an important role in military thinking prior to the outbreak of war and are present in all the HBTLF scenarios. However Fortifications can be easily by passed, unless part of a defensive line and isolated fortifications can be assaulted and captured. The importance of Fortifications is as defensive terrain, which also acts as a railhead, and control for ward of Victory Points. Page 19 of 59

20 14. The Campaigns The Scenarios: There are 4 scenarios included within HBLTF which allow gamers to re fight the titanic struggles of the opening weeks of the Great War. The scenarios provide challenges for all players and are playable in a reasonable time. Feel free to amend or change these scenarios to suit your own requirements. If you don t like the scenario rules change them. If you wish to add special rules then do so. If you want to change the composition of armies and or ratings it s up to you. Each of the Scenarios includes full order of battle and a map of the area fought over. Having set up the terrain and marshalled your forces you are ready to begin. Set up Photocopy the s for the selected scenario. Determine Generals Quality in the normal way using the appropriate line on the Leader Quality table. Determine Chips by using the standard army characterisation deck but with all non-morale cards stripped out. Assign Chips to your individual armies Build your sequence decks for each army using the appropriate army table. Set up your gaming table in accordance with the scenario map. Deploy the troops on the table according to the Deployment Instructions. Units may deploy facing in any direction. Reinforcements are denoted on the Deployment table. This determines the turn the reinforcement arrives. They physically arrive on the first appropriate move card turned. They may arrive entrained. Page 20 of 59

21 15. The Campaign Maps Piquet Great War Map Legend Trench System Impassable Terrain Type 2 River Type 3 Terrain Type 3 River Type 3 Marsh Type 2 Wood Type 2 Hill Town Type 3 Hill Fortification Type 4 Hill Impassable Water Feature See PowerPoint File for Maps Page 21 of 59

22 16. France Number of Turns: Campaign starts following the fall of Liege. Turn 1 is August 16 th and last 12 turns with every 2 turns represent a week. Determining Victory: The game ends immediately in a German Victory if they capture Paris or in an Allied victory if they capture Strasbourg. At the end of the game if either side has more than twice the Victory Points of their opponent they can claim a tactical victory or if by 50% more they may claim a marginal victory. Any other result is a draw. Joint operations. If allied armies are involved in a joint attack it costs 1 pip per nationality involved in the close assault. To reflect the poor co ordination of the BEF and other nations the BEF may only contribute to a Joint Operation if the C in C (French) passes a leadership test, Elite Reload Cards: The BEF may, in addition to the Infantry target acquisition card may also regain, target acquisition on the Elite Target Acquisition card. French 9 th : At the beginning on turn 5 the player may create the 9 th. Up to 4 units may be re assigned to the 9 th from other Armies using standard transfer rules. Foch commands the 9th. All units transferred to the 9 th receive and Up 1 to their Close Assault factors to represent his attack minded approach. Transfer to the East: Add a Stratagem Card to the German Deck on turn 5. On its appearance the German player must roll a standard difficulty check versus a D8 to determine if any Infantry Corps are withdrawn to meet the Russian threat to East Prussia. If the roll is passed no Corps are removed if failed the German player must remove 2 Corps, with good morale, from the 1 st. The Card is kept in the German deck and the test is repeated until the test is failed when the Stratagem Card is removed from the deck If players wish to run the game historically assume the German fails this test and remove 2 Corps. Belgium: If forced to retire, either by a mandatory or voluntary move, the Belgium units must move towards Antwerp. If Antwerp is captured they can retire as the player wishes. British 3 rd Corps: Add a Stratagem card to the allied deck on turn 5. On its appearance the British 3 rd Corps deploys in square D9. Instead of deploying as per the Deployment Schedule the British 3 rd Corps may be deployed in Antwerp. Plan XVII: Add an Uncontrolled advance to the allied deck. On its appearance all units of the French 1 st, 2 nd and 3 rd Armies must move forward a full move on each appropriate move card until at least one unit in their respective army has been involved in a Close Assault. Once this condition has been met the units in that army no longer act under the mandatory move option. Once all the above armies have been involved in a Close Assault remove the card from the deck. Limoges: Following a French losing a Close Assault with a tripled loss result the Allied player may attempt to replace the commander, and send him to Limoges, on a successful C in C Leadership Test costing a Victory Point Belgium : The Belgium army starts may have no more than 4 chips assigned. Page 22 of 59

23 16.1 Deployment Deployments German Map Reference 1 st A5 2 nd A5 3 rd B4 4 th B3/C3 5 th C3/C2 6 th C2/D1 7 th E1 Deployments Allied Map Reference 1 st E2 2 nd D2 3 rd D3 4 th C4 5 th B5 Belgium BEF Deployment Notes A6 B6 Belgium army must deploy behind the Lys The French 1 st and 2 nd armies may not deploy in the Vosges Mountains running between D1/D2 and E1/E2 The French 5 th army deploys in B5 to the right of the Sambre and below the Meuse. Fortifications Terrain Close Effective Long Morale Type Assault Verdun 4 D10 D8 D6 D10 Toul 3 D8 D6 D4 D8 Nancy 3 D8 D6 D4 D8 Paris 4 D12 D10 D8 D12 Antwerp 3 D10 D8 D6 D8 Namur 3 D8 D6 D4 D8 Mauberge 3 D6 D4 D4 D6 Metz 4 D10 D8 D6 D8 Thionville 4 D10 D8 D6 D8 Strasbourg 3 D10 D8 D6 D8 Page 23 of 59

24 Terrain Victory Points Town (# = Fortified) VPs Allied Controlled Paris # 8 Verdun # 6 Amiens 4 Brussels 4 Reims 4 Ypres 2 Lille 2 Calais 2 Boulogne 2 Arras 2 Ostend 2 Toul # 2 Nancy # 2 Antwerp # 2 Namur # 2 Mauberge # 2 German Controlled Liege 2 Metz # 4 Thionville # 4 Strasbourg # 6 # Denotes Fortification Page 24 of 59

25 16.2 Sequence Decks German Western Front Sequence Card Number in Sequence Deck Characteristics Hits 2 Opportunity Pips 3 Close Assault 3 Card Divisor 3 Deploy 3 Sapper Difficulty Die D8 Heroic Moment 2 Class IV Terrain Die D8 Hunker Down 1 Other Difficulty Die D10 Infantry Move in Difficult 3 Aircraft Recon Dice D6 Infantry Move in Open 3 Notes Infantry Target Acquisition 3 Elite Target Acquisition 1 Officer Check 3 Tactical Artillery Move 3 Cavalry/Bicycles move in 3 open Sapper Phase 1 Re 2 Aerial Phase 1 Allies Western Front Sequence Card Number in Sequence Deck Characteristics Hits 1 Opportunity Pips 3 Close Assault 3 Card Divisor 3 Deploy 3 Sapper Difficulty Die D8 Heroic Moment 2 Class IV Terrain Die D8 Hunker Down 3 Other Difficulty Die D8 Infantry Move in Open 3 Aircraft Recon Dice D6 Infantry Move in Open 3 Notes Infantry Target Acquisition 3 Elite Target Acquisition 1 BEF regain Target Acquisition on an Elite Target Acquisition card. Officer Check 3 Tactical Artillery Move 2 Add an Uncontrolled Advance Card to the Allied Deck. Cavalry/Bicycles move in 3 open Sapper Phase 1 Re 2 Aerial Phase 1 Page 25 of 59

26 16.3 France - Lists German C in C Moltke C in C C in C 1 st Kluck Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 2 nd Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 3 rd Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 4 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 9 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 3 rd Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps 4 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D10 D8 D4 2nd Bulow Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale Guard Infantry Corps D12 D8 D6 D8 7 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 10 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D8 Guard Reserve D12 D6 D4 D8 Infantry Corps 7 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps 10 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D10 D8 D4 Page 26 of 59

27 3 rd Hausen Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 11 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 12 h Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 19 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 12 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps Heavy Artillery D4 D10 D8 D4 4 th Albrecht Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 6 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 8 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 18 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 8 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps 18 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D10 D8 D4 Page 27 of 59

28 5 th Crown Prince Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 5 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 13 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 16t h Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 5 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps 6 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps 2 nd Landwehr Corps D10 D4 NA D4 Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D10 D8 D4 6 th Rupprecht Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 21 st Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 1 st Bavarian Infantry D10 D8 D6 D6 Corps 2 nd Bavarian Infantry D10 D8 D6 D6 Corps 3 rd Bavarian Infantry D10 D8 D6 D6 Corps 1 st Bavarian Reserve D10 D6 D4 D6 Infantry Corps Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D10 D8 D4 Page 28 of 59

29 7 th Herringen Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 14 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 15 th Infantry Corps D10 D8 D6 D6 14 th Reserve Infantry D10 D6 D4 D6 Corps Metz/Strasbourg D8 D6 D4 D6 Mobile Fortress units Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 Page 29 of 59

30 French C in C Joffre C in C C in C 1 st Dubail Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 7 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 8 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 13 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 14 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 21 st Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 2 nd Castelnau Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 9 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 15 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 16 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 18 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 20 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 2 nd Groupe de D10 D6 NA D6 Divisions de Reserve Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 Page 30 of 59

31 3 rd Ruffey Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 4 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 5 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 6 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 3 rd Reserve Corps D10 D6 D4 D6 D Armee Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 4 th Langle De Gary Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 12 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 17 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 Corps Colonial D12 D8 D4 D8 Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 5 th Lanrezac Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 1 st Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 2 nd Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 3 rd Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 11 th Corps D Armee D10 D8 D4 D6 Reserve Corps D10 D6 D4 D6 D Armee Reserve Divisions D8 D4 NA D6 Cavalry Corps D6 D6 NA D6 Sordets Cavalry D6 D6 NA D6 Corps Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 Page 31 of 59

32 6 th Manoury Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale Reserve Corps D10 D6 D4 D6 D Armee Reserve Corps D Armee D10 D6 D4 D6 9 th Foch Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale British BEF French Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 1 st Corps D12 D8 D4 D8 2 nd Corps D12 D8 D4 D8 3 rd Corps D8 D6 - D8 BEF Cavalry D6 D4 - D6 Heavy Artillery D4 D8 D6 D4 Notes. The 3 rd Corps initially only consisted of a single division. Page 32 of 59

33 Belgium King Albert Co Unit Combat Factor Effective Long Morale 1 st Corps D10 D6 D4 D6 2 nd Corps D10 D6 D4 D6 3 rd Corps D10 D6 D4 D6 Belgium Cavalry D4 D4 - D6 Notes The Belgium army was not organised in Corps but that have been organised as such in line with the scale of play. Page 33 of 59

34 17. Galicia Game length: Turn 1 is 18 th August to 6 h September (10 turns). Each turn represent 2 days. Determining Victory: The game ends immediately in a Russian Victory if they capture Lemberg and Przemsyl. The Austrians win by capturing Chelm and Kovel.. At the end of the game if either side has more than twice the Victory Points of their opponent they can claim a tactical victory or if by 50% more they may claim a marginal victory. Any other result is a draw. Elite Reload Cards: The Russian Grenadier and Guards Corps may in, addition to the Infantry target acquisition card, also regain target acquisition on an Elite Target Acquisition card. Austrian 2 nd : On Turn 4 add a Stratagem card to the Austrian deck. When it is turned the Austrian 2 nd army starts to arrive. On the first, and each subsequent, Cavalry/Bicycle movement card, a single unit may arrive entrained at either the Ushok Pass (destination Sambor) or Lusa Pass (destination Stryl). After reaching these destinations the Austrian Player may continue the rail movement to other destinations. The 2nd Commander arrives on the first Officer Check Card. Kovess Group: The Austrian 12 th Corps of the 2 nd formed the Kovess Group. This starts the game on board in square E3 and is out of command. Russian 9 th : On Turn 6 add a Stratagem card to the Russian deck. When it is turned the Russian 9 th army starts arriving on board at Square A6 on the first, and each subsequent, appropriate move card. Page 34 of 59

35 17.1 Deployment Deployments Austrian Map Reference 1 st B6 2 nd Arrives 3 rd D3/E3 4 th C5 Deployments Russian Map Reference 3 rd C1 4 th A6 5 th A4 8 th E1/F1 9 th Arrives Fortifications Terrain Close Effective Long Morale Type Assault Przemsyl 4 D10 D8 D6 D10 Terrain Victory Points Town VPs Austrian Controlled Przemsyl 6 Lemberg 4 Debica 4 Stanislau 2 Stryl 2 Rava Ruska 2 Brody 2 Russian Controlled Krasnik 2 Lublin 2 Chelm 6 Kovel 6 Sokal 2 Luck 4 Page 35 of 59