Once the marker is recognised we need to deploy the forces. All units, less those on flank movements, are deployed. Their location should be in a logical battle formation driven by their objectives.

It is fairly simple to spread a WWII platoon, less so a Norman army. However we are trying to reproduce forces which are coming into sight for the first time. Perhaps weather has played a part in such confusion or the natural contours of the landscape. As I’ve mentioned before it’s your game and it is fun in itself to think about how we’ve arrived at the current situation.

Deployment

This can take place in either the phase of the player, when they move in line of sight of the marker, or that of the AI for the same reason.

When deploying it must be shaped by the objectives. This means that “cautious” deployment is to take advantage of natural cover or defensive positions. The “bold” approach is focusing on speed of advance and will negate potential safety. “Measured” falls between the two.

Troop Quality and Action Test

Once deployed, and if you choose to do so, you will need to identify the quality of each unit. The reason for this is that the AI must take an Action Test each turn as to whether it will continue to follow its initial objective. This is not to suggest poor discipline, although it might be the case, but a logical reaction to circumstance.

For example – an infantry section is about to move within sight of a bunker. We take a test which exceeds its quality type. As a result it drops one level – bold to measured, measured to cautious. Cautious troops will not move but can shoot in this phase. As a result a “bold” unit detects a bunker and elects to advance into cover, rather than at full speed in the open.

A unit will only remain in this state for that and will revert to the original objective in the next turn, but will continue to test each turn.

When will units fire?

Cautious units will always fire when in range, following an Action Test.

Measured units will always fire at close range, and always at any range if they have failed and Action Phase (from Bold) this turn. Alternatively they will move if a target does not present itself, or if achieving its objective is clear and obvious.

Bold units will always move, only firing at close range unless their movement has previously been blocked by the enemy (such as from a morale test). At that point a bold unit will fire at any range in order to be able to continue to be on the move until objectives are achieved.