READY AIM FIRE
by Ian Milnes
INTRODUCTION
Two player Card game depicting Napoleonic era warfare.
THE DECKS
There are 3 decks:
The Battalion decks cards as noted in the list.
The Tactics deck.
The Commander Deck as noted.
The Tactics deck has 1 of each card in the list, and 2 of each Terrain card
SETUP
Optional Thoth setup:
Deal 13 (Thoth deals automatically, open the external hand window) cards and
place in starting positions as noted below.
Guard and Heavy Cavalry cards can be discarded and alternate cards drawn.
Any cards that cannot be used are discarded.
Reshuffle the deck and draw 5 cards.
Commence play.
Each player chooses a Battalion deck.
Each player forms a line of 5 stacks of cards, starting maximum as noted.
The opposing lines face each other.
These stacks are called:
Stack: Start Max Card Limit Game Max Card Limit
Left Flank 2 5
Left Centre 3 6
Centre 3 6
Right Centre 3 6
Right Flank 2 5
Place Battalion cards up to the starting maximum card limit face down in each stack.
Line Infantry and Artillery may be placed in Centre stacks.
Cavalry, Light Infantry and Horse Artillery may be placed in any stacks.
Shuffle the appropriate Commander Deck, deal yourself 6 cards, and add
them to your Reserve deck.
Shuffle your Reserve Deck, and deal yourself a hand of 5 cards.
Once both players have completed above, turn cards in your stacks face up.
They will remain face up for the first turn only.
After the first turn, all cards are played face down, representing the “Fog of War”.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
The first player to be routed from 3 of his 5 forward positions loses.
Or (Optional) The Army Morale point is reached.
TURN SEQUENCE
Players take turns.
Each turn has 6 phases:
Draw Phase
Terrain Phase
3. Reinforce Phase
4. Attack Phase
5. Morale Phase
6. Discard and Redraw Phase
DRAW PHASE
Thoth - Draw 2 Cards from either your Reserve Deck or the Tactics Deck or
a combination of the two.
Draw 2 cards from your Reserve Deck.
If the deck runs out, shuffle the discard and draw from it.
The maximum hand size is 7. Cards in your hand over the maximum do not have
to be discarded until the Discard/Redraw Phase.
TERRAIN PHASE
You may play a Terrain card onto an appropriate stack.
Terrain cards remain in effect for the entire game
REINFORCE PHASE
You may move any or all battalions from your hand to any of your stacks.
All reinforcements from your hand go to the bottom of the stack they reinforce.
Prior to the above, you may reorganise one stack, and move one card from
a stack to an adjacent stack.
You may move any card in a stack (You are not limited to the top one)
ATTACK PHASE
You may make up to 3 attacks per turn.(or, each stack attacks, with one extra
attack from any stack except the reserve)
Your battalions are the attackers.
Your opponent's battalions are the defenders.
To attack, flip the top card of one of your stacks face up.
Your opponent flips the card in his line opposite to it over.
Both players roll one die. These are called the Attack rolls.
Add troop modifier to die roll and compare the difference between the 2 rolls.
Apply the result as follows:
(Attacker to Defender)
Difference: Result:
+4 or greater Defender eliminated, morale check for other battalions in stack
+3 Defender eliminated, morale check for other battalions in stack.
EXCEPT Austrian Line & 2nd Rate, and Prussian 2nd Rate Rout
+2 Defender Routs
+1 Defender Shaken
0 Both Battalion cards take immediate morale check.
Battalion Shaken if test failed
-1 Attacker Shaken
-2 Attacker Routs
-3 Attacker eliminated, morale check for other battalions in stack.
EXCEPT Austrian Line & 2nd Rate, and Prussian 2nd Rate Rout
-4 or worse Attacker eliminated, morale check for other battalions in stack
NOTES
Card eliminated - remove card from play Thoth - place Morale Check above stack.
Card Routs - place card in discard pile
Card Shaken - turn card through 900 Card now fights with -1 modifier
Thoth - add Shaken marker to card.
SUPPORT
One battalion in the same stack as the attacker/defender can provide support to
the battling card. Add +1 to the respective die roll. If the supported card
is eliminated, the supporter routs. If the supported card is routed, the supporter
is shaken. A Shaken card cannot offer support.
INFANTRY VS CAVALRY
Infantry cannot attack cavalry. Both cards are placed at the bottom of their stacks,
and the attack counts against the number of attacks that turn.
FORMING SQUARE
When cavalry attack infantry, before the combat is resolved, the infantry must attempt
to form square. This is accomplished by the infantry rolling less than their morale
value (e.g. for a line infantry card to form square, it must roll a 7 or less.).
If the infantry form square, they fight the combat at +3. If they fail to form
square, the cavalry fight the combat at +3.
The cavalry have a chance to abort the attack if the infantry from square by rolling
less than their morale value (e.g. for a Lt. Cav Regiment to abort an attack on a
square, it must roll a 7 or less). If this roll is achieved, they can “ride around”
the square and not attack it. This counts against the number of attacks that can be
made that turn. If the cavalry fail this roll, they must attack the square.
CAVALRY
Cavalry are considered Blown following an attack, or after defence against
opposing Cavalry. Place a Blown marker on the card (Thoth). The Blown status
remains until removed by a successful Morale Check. The first opportunity for a
Morale Check to remove Blown status is the Morale Phase in your next turn, i.e.
not your current turn
ARTILLERY
Infantry and Cavalry cannot use any positive modifiers in combat with
artillery batteries. This includes Terrain modifiers and Tactic
cards EXCEPT when flanking, or defending a hill (+1 for “reverse slope”)
Artillery cannot be eliminated, routed, or shaken when ATTACKING Infantry and
Cavalry, ie, ignore all -ve combat results.
HORSE ARTILLERY
As artillery EXCEPT attacking Lt Cav, Lancer, and 2nd Rate Cav can use positive
combat modifiers against Horse Artillery.
LIGHT INFANTRY
Light Infantry ignore Terrain modifiers for Hills, Woods, and River.
NOTES
Destroyed battalions are removed from play.
Surviving battalions are placed face down on the bottom of their stack.
Tactics cards that modify the Attack roll are played before the roll is made.
Tactics cards are discarded immediately when played (to the discard pile).
FLANK ATTACKS
If you destroy all the cards in one of your opponents stacks, the battalions in
your stack facing the empty stack get to flank attack the enemy stacks adjacent
to the empty stack.
Battalions making Flank attacks are +2 to their Attack roll and may attack
the enemy reserve stack.
Cavalry battalions making Flank attacks are +3 to their Attack roll and may
attack any enemy stack.
Artillery cards do not gain the +2 bonus, although they may Flank Attack.
MORALE PHASE
(Similtaneous)
Every time you destroy an opposing battalion all other Battalion cards in the
stack must take a morale check by rolling 2D6.
Normal moral is 8 plus any Battalion card modifier, e.g. the Guard have a moral
value of 10, while Second Rate units have a moral value of 7. To pass a moral check,
the player must roll the units moral value or less. Any card that routs is placed in
the Discard Pile. Any card that routs as a consequence of a failed moral check results
in a further +1 to the moral check of any remaining cards in the stack who have yet
to test. This modifier is cumulative.
Morale checks are done in stack order, ie top card first, then next down, etc, etc.
If the Guard are eliminated, any adjacent stack (in addition to the normal moral
check for the elimination of a unit), must take a moral check. If the Guard are
routed, the stack from which they routed must take a moral check.
Shaken cards can be “revived” by a successful morale check
(turn them back through 900). All shaken cards can test in this phase.
Optional: a Shaken card can only be “revived” in the presence of a Commander card.
DISCARD AND REDRAW PHASE
One card in the players hand can be discarded.
The Players hand is then either made back up to 7 cards by drawing from the
deck, or reduced to 7 by discarding cards.
BATTALION CARD LIST
Troop Type (Value): France Britain Austria Prussia Russia
Guard (+2) 1 2 - 1 1
Elite (+1) 3 3 4 3 3
Line 9 9 8 6 7
Light 3 3 3 3 3
Second Rate (-1) 2 3 3 6 3
Heavy Cavalry (+2) 1 1 1 1 1
Dragoon (+1) 1 1 1 1 1
Light Cavalry 2 2 2 1 1
Second Rate Cav (-1) - 1 - 1 1
Lancer (+1 vs Infantry) 1 - 1 1 1
Artillery 4 2 4 3 5
Horse Artillery 1 1 1 1 1
Note: Austrian and Prussian Second Rate need a result of +4 or greater to be
killed; Austrian Line need a result of +4 or greater to be killed.
COMMANDER CARD LIST
There are 11 commanders available to each army as follows:
(Att/Def)
Value French British Austria Prus. Russian
0/1 1 0 2 1 1
1/0 1 1 2 1 2
1/1 4 4 3 5 3
1/2 1 4 3 3 2
1/3 0 1 0 0 0
2/1 3 1 1 1 3
2/2 1 0 0 0 0
The 11 cards are shuffled and 6 drawn for the commanders of the army at that
particular battle. The player assigns his Army Commander and Divisional Generals, or
you can live dangerously and do it randomly.
DIVISIONAL GENERALS
Each General is assigned 2 numbers relating to attacking phase or defending phase.
These numbers relate to the number of re-rolls the general can make in the
corresponding combat or morale phases. E.g. a general with a value of 2/1 can
make 2 combat re-rolls, or 1 combat and 1 morale re-roll, or 2 morale re-rolls on
his players turn, and 1 re-roll either in the combat or morale phase during his
opponents turn. These re-rolls can be made for any card in the stack the general
is placed.
Generals are always played face up, and to the side of the stack they relate to.
Each re-roll made endangers the general. If he makes one re-roll, he is eliminated
on a die roll of 6, two re-rolls, he is eliminated on a roll of 5-6, 3 re-rolls 4-6
and so on. This roll is made after each re-roll in either the combat or morale phase.
If the general is the only card in a stack, he is eliminated automatically if attacked.
If the Divisional General is killed, the stack he is with takes a morale check.
ARMY COMMANDER
The Army Commander is placed behind the front stacks. He has 2 numbers assigned like
the Divisional General, but uses them in the morale phase only after all re-rolls
have been completed by the Divisional Generals. He doesn’t have to roll to see if he
is killed as a consequence of these rolls.
The Army Commander can take over a stack if the Divisional General is killed.
He is then subject to all the rules pertaining to Divisional Generals.
The Army Commander moves onto a stack in the reinforcement phase.
This move does not count against the number of reinforcements the player may make.
If the Army Commander is killed, the entire army takes a morale check against
their moral -1. Any cards in the front line that fail, are eliminated
(they quit the battlefield) rather than go to the reserve stack.
Any further morale checks for the remainder of the battle are checked against
the card morale -1.
TACTICS CARD LIST
Card Name Effect:
Square Formation Line Infantry automatically form square
Second Volley Defending Infantry battalion rolls 2 dice and picks best
Fire at Will Get 1 extra attack
Sabers & Pistols Attacking Cavalry battalion gets 1 extra attack
Rapid Deployment Draw 1 extra card.
Forced March Draw 1 extra card, OR retrieve 1 Infantry card from Discard pile.
Infantry Charge Attacking Line Infantry get +2 to their attack roll.
Socket Bayonets Line Infantry get +1 to their attack roll.
Counter Attack Defending Cavalry get +2 to their attack roll.
Broken Square Infantry defending against Cav automatically fail to form square.
Limber Draw 1 extra card, OR retrieve 1 Artillery card from Discard pile.
Grape Shot Defending Art get +2 to attack roll (Cannot be used against Art).
Canister Shot Art get +1 to their attack roll (Cannot be used against Art).
Cannon Ball Attacking Artillery get +2 to their attack roll.
Fusillade Infantry battalion gets 1 extra attack
Sniper Cause a stack to make a morale check in its Morale phase.
Column Get +1 Reinforcement move.
Overrun Morale check at +1.
Take Prisoners Routing battalion is eliminated.
Fighting Withdrawal Defender gets +1 to attack roll.
Difficult Terrain Opponent gets one less attack this turn.
Enfilade fire Get +1 to attack roll.
Indirect fire Attcking art get 1 extra attck vs nextcarddown in opposition stack
Confusion Opponent draws no cards this turn.
Advance Get +1 attack this turn.
Scouts Look at opponent's hand
Rifles Light Infantry get +1 to their combat roll.
Probe Get 1 extra attack with any Light Infantry in any of your stacks.
Rearguard Action Draw 2 extra cards.
Cavalry Reform Draw 1 extra card, OR retrieve 1 Cav card from the discard pile
Woods (x2) +1 to defending infantry
Cavalry cannot attack Infantry in woods
Reduce Stack limit by 1
Can only affect 1 card in stack
Remains in play
Hills (x2) +1 to defending card (including vs artillery)
+1 to attacking artillery
Remains in play
Redoubt (x2) +1 to defending Infantry only
Cavalry cannot attack redoubt
Can only be used by 1 card in stack
Can be played on a hill (modifiers can be combined)
Stack limit reduced by 1
Remains in play
River (x2) +1 to all defenders EXCEPT vs attacking artillery
River affects either flank and next stack in (eg River is played
against right flank and right centre)
Remains in play
Bridge (x2) Negates effect of river for 1 attacking Infantry or Cavalry card.
Remains in play
OPTIONAL - ARMY BREAKPOINT
Each card has a Breakpoint value of 2 plus any card modifier, i.e.:
Guard 4
Elite 3
Line 2
Light 2
Second Rate 1
Heavy Cav 4
Dragoon 3
Lt. Cav 2
Lancer 2
Second Rate Cav 1
Artillery Battery 2
When a card is eliminated, note down its Breakpoint value.
When an Army passes its National Breakpoint value, it is defeated, and the
opposition wins the battle. Cards in the discard pile count towards this value until
they are removed from the discard pile by either the discards being shuffled when
the Reserve Deck runs out, or by an individual card being removed from the discard
pile as a consequence of a Tactic card.
National Break Point Values:
Nationality Army Breakpoint
France 31
Great Britain 31
Austria 30
Prussia 29
Russia 30
(the above Breakpoint value is the total Breakpoint value of the Battalion cards
times 50% This can be adjusted as required)
ATTACKING EMPTY STACKS
If an empty stack is attacked, the attacker has the option to either flank attack
the adjacent stack, or to force his opponent to eliminate a Battalion card in his
discard pile (opponents choice).
CARDSET
Click here to download cardset.
