SQUARES - The Civil War Battle Game

Questions & Answers


Player Comments, Questions, Suggestions, Tips, etc.

Send comments, questions, criticisms, ideas, thoughts or whatever to us via electronic mail. SEND EMAIL

Return to: The Gettysburg Campaign Page or Go To: DVGC HOME or the DVGC NEWS PAGE or just ORDER NOW

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1) Does 1 Campaign Turn = 1 Battle Turn?.
No! A Single Campaign Turn has a single Battle Phase for each side. Each Battle Phase will be made up of as many battles as there are cities with opposing forces. Each battle will be fought for a specific number of Battle Rounds; a minimum of 3 and the maximum based on the HQ CVs of the attacker (could be a maximum of 11 rounds). A battle may end before the maximum number of battle rounds is fought, if one side is eliminated or vacates the city (voluntary withdraw or retreat, or involuntary retreat/rout). Once all battles are concluded, the Battle Phase for that side is over for that Campaign Turn. The next Campaign turn may results in numerous other battles being fought.


2) Explain the limits on Non-Controlled Armies (e.g. Army of Virginia, Washington District);
Basically these armies can only move by Initiative Movement and are limited to where they may go. Washington District units may only occupy Washington DC, or any town adjacent to Washington, AoV is limited to Maryland cities and Washington DC (i.e they cannot cross the Potomac River, nor the Mason-Dixon line). Richmond District and AoWV may only occupy cities in Virginia - they may not cross the Potomac into Maryland, nor cross the Mason-Dixon line.


3) Do Forced March stragglers catch up?
In the original rules no. However, in play test, and at the suggestion of the play testers, this is now allowed, at the cost of 1 HQ Command Point per straggler recovered.


4) Can Confederate's draw supply from captured towns?
No. Confederates only draw supply from Supply Wagons.


5) Does Fire ever lower CV?
Not exactly. Fire will only result in hits that cause morale checks. A unit may lose CVs as a result of morale check failures. This is unlike most other block games where a hit equals an automatic step loss.


6) Can more then 1 unit move from the Reserve area on the battle board to the same space?
During a Battle Round Movement Segment, a player may move a maximum of 1 Infantry unit from his Reserve into each of his BLPs using Reserve Movement. A total of 3 units could be moved using Reserve Movement, each unit moving into a different BLP. Note that if the BLP was occupied by enemy units, such a move would have to be made using Assault move. There are no limits on the number of units that may attempt an Assault move (nor a Withdraw Move). Cavalry and HQ movement is not restricted in this manner for Reserve Movement.


7) Can a unit move and join another space with a friendly unit? (on the Battle Board)
Any number of friendly units may occupy a single BLP. That's essential for melee comabt to be successful - overwhelm the enemy!


8) Can Lee activate all sub-ordinate units within range?
Yes - as can Meade once he becomes available.


9) Can Cavalry retreat or move into an un-supplied state?
YES - but so can any other type of unit. There are no supply restrictions on where you can retreat or move. You may isolate yourself. It would be silly, but you are allowed.


10) Can a unit in Reserve be targetted by fire or assault?
No, except when using Pursuit Fire.


11) May Command points be spent during Battle Rounds to move more then 1 unit?
NO!
Command points may be spent at the beginning of a battle to start with more then the maximum deployed units, but once the battle starts, no command points can be spent to increase battle movement capabilities. The intent of the rules sent out were to have no limits on the number of units that could move during a Battle Round Movement Segment. The new rule on limiting Reserve Moves (only) to 1 Reserve Moving unit per BLP, doesn't change this interpretation on spending command points after the battle has begun. A commander's skill is reflected on his ability to plan and coordinate BEFORE the battle begins. Once the battle begins, his primary contribution is in providing morale (while his lower level officers carry out his plans).


12) When withdrawing HQ and Infantry units (and Cavalry opposed by enemy cavalry) during the final battle turn, can you move them from a BLP directly to an adjacent town, or would you have to begin the withdrawal one turn before the final battle turn and move from BLP to reserve, and then to an adjacent town on the final battle turn?
If the maximum number of Battle Turns have been played, then units may withdraw from any BLP, not just the reserve.


13) During a battle turn, must you complete all firing from one BLP (or HQ from reserve) before you begin firing in another position, or could you 'jump' around?
You can jump around, as long as no unit fires more than once.


14) For fire attacks, it seems that if the attacker declares an infantry unit is attacking, that the best choice of unit to defend is cavalry (if available) since it will get a -1 morale modifier. It also seems that if the attacker declares a cavalry unit is attacking, that the best choice of unit to defend is infantry (instead of risking a cavalry unit who is valuable against infantry). Question: does that make sense? Was that an intended effect?
Putting Cavalry into a BLP against opposing Infantry should be done if you wish to use them as a screen. Cavalry are not that plentiful and too valuable to be risked in battle, as your second point makes. If you are going to use Cavalry in a charge attack with enemy Infantry opposing you, you will learn the same painful lessons other Civil War commanders did. Yes, this was intended. Whether or not it makes sense, depends on your interpretation of history.


15) Is it possible for morale modifiers to render a morale check impossible to fail? Ex: one hit by an infantry unit (+1) on a cavalry unit (-1) in a BLP with an HQ (-1). So there is a net modifier of -1; the highest possible die roll is 6, so 6-1 = 5 which is no effect.
Yes, this was intended.


16) Last paragraph of IX.B.2.a.i. Encirclement Move .....those units (in the opponent's reserve area) become disrupted and are immediately moved into their own reserve area. Question: If the units to become disrupted are in the reserve area already, how are they to immediately to move into their reserve area??? and who moves to reserve-the moving units trying to encircle? and if so the one that failed or both?
If an encirclement movement fails, all units attempting to make the move are disrupted and placed in their own reserve area. They are assumed to move by the same rout they used to attempt the move, but for game purposes just move them into the reserve area.


17) May moving units causing an encirclement (as well as units that have already fired) fire during pursuit (pursuit fire)?
Yes


18) Redeployment-You may move units from what was the battle town to adjacent towns. Can you also move units from adjacent towns into what was the battle town?
No


19) Do dummies require supply? If so, and they were out of supply are they eliminated?
Dummy units do not require supply, nor are they eliminated if out of supply. This of course may reveal to the enemy that they are dummy units. The owner has the option of eliminating them for any reason.


20) Are the road limits for Routing in addition to voluntary retreats/reinforcements done earlier in the turn?
No, limits are per Battle Round.


21) I realize that the Gettysburg scenario is for practice mainly, but where does the cavalry HQ go? I assume all other HQs not mentioned are with the Corps that they command.
Union Cavalry HQ may go in any town with Cavalry.
Yes - HQs go with their Corps.


22) If opponent takes one of your BLPs (Left or Right), could your center BLP take his BLP? I guess so and then you would each be giving 'Flank' fire to the other. However, the Flank Fire rule says from an enemy BLP into another enemy BLP but technically you would be firing from an enemy BLP into your own BLP.
You cannot move laterally nor diagonally on the Battle Board, therefore you could not move behind his position (in your Left or Right BLP).


23) Morale check for Assault Move; if the modified roll = 6, I assume you do not take a loss but instead you cannot Assault.
There are no disruption nor CV losses applied for failed Morale checks during an attempted Assault Move.


24) You have units (have won melee) in the ENEMY center BLP and you have HQ in your OWN center BLP. Does the HQ give morale bonus of +1 to the units in the enemy center BLP even though they are in two different BLPs?
HQs must be in the exact same BLP to apply their Morale check modifier, so the answer to this question is "no".


25) For the Morale check for cavalry attempting an Assault MOVE (or cavalry defender in Melee) I assume there is no -1 correct?
The -1 Morale Check modifier for Cavalry receiving an I fire hit does not apply to Cavalry making an Assault Move


26) HQs may attempt to F.M. by themselves, in which case they are a group of 1, and are considered Veteran units for morale purposes. I assume this means if it rolls greater than 9 the HQ will lose a CV? If so, I assume the HQ could spend CVs to regain stragglers.
HQs may recover their own stragglers, but this is a wash - spend a CV to recover a CV.


27) Although the AoV is allowed in non-Blue towns, do they have to initially set-up in a Blue town? Does the RMD have to set-up in a Red town?
AoV must setup in a blue dot town. Rmd must setup in a red dot town.


28) Do you have to designate all units that will attempt a force march before rolling for any, or can you wait to see the outcome of an attempt before designating other units for force marching?
You must designate which units are attempting the Forced March before you roll for the results.


29) When Units are making a Morale check for attempting an Assault Move, is the condition of "(P10 Morale Check Modifiers)...enemy melee CV strength is greater than twice the total friendly CV strength in the checking unit's BLP: +1" in effect?
No, the strength comparison between opposing units only applies to morale checks in the Melee Resolution segment, not for the morale checks made to enter into melee (because the units involved are not actually sharing the same BLP at that instant).


30) It seems like it would be VERY SELDOM that a unit would FAIL Morale while attempting an assault move.
EXAMPLE:
Union has HQ, 3CV Exp. Inf, 3CV Vet. Inf, 2CV Green Inf, 2CV Exp. Cav., 2CV Vet. Cav. in his own Right BLP
Confederate has HQ, 3CV Exp. Inf, 4CV Vet. Inf, 2CV Exp.Cav., 2CV Vet. Cav., 3CV Green Inf, in his own Left BLP
Union does Assault Move Morale Check:

3CV Exp. Inf:
+1 for entering an enemy occupied BLP
-1 for HQ
Highest possible die roll = 6 (net zero modification). The die roll of 6 would normally mean Morale PASSED but unit would take a loss. So the 3CV Exp. Inf unit would not even have to check Morale-it has an auto PASS.

True; hence the benefits of having a HQ leading the charge.


31) Setup: Can Stuart (Cav. HQ) can setup in a town adjacent to a 'Red' town (like Cavalry).
YES


32) Could a Supply Wagon setup next to a 'Red' town also?
No


33) Do Straggler losses count as Inf/Cav CV eliminated at the games end.
YES


34) "Cavalry target receiving hit(s) from Inf OR HQ units get -1". Since hits from an HQ cause automatic Disruption and don't produce a Morale Check why is that mentioned?
Good Point. The rule is essentially superfluous.


35) When making an Assault move, do you have to declare all units which are to attempt an Assault move before moving any, or do you see what happens with one unit attempting an Assault move before declaring that you want to move additional units (This is important for an 'Encirclement' move because if the first unit 'passes' a Morale check, why would you move additional units, since if the other BLP 'Encirclement' move failed, only that one unit in the opponent's reserve would be disrupted (rather than additional units also).
Assault Moves do NOT have to be pre-declared.


36) In Pursuit Fire, HQ's cannot 'pursue', but I assume HQ's CAN BE pursued-correct?
YES


37) The rules say that No unit can Fire and then Move in the same turn. Knowing that: Is Retreat considered Movement?
Retreat is not considered Battle Board Movement for these purposes. The restriction on firing and moving applies to the Fire and Movement Segments of a Battle Round.


38) Can HQ firing from reserve later retreat?
Can Cavalry (P9 2nd col. Middle) fire and later retreat?

Yes. Yes.


39) I presume that Supply units (like Dummy Units) can reinforce into a Battle (to avoid their being attacked and destroyed if they are the only units in a town) but they must remain in Reserve and if their side Routs they will be destroyed.
True

Return to: The Gettysburg Campaign Page or Go To: DVGC HOME or the DVGC NEWS PAGE or just ORDER NOW
copyright 2006, G. Myers, all rights reserved - however read the LEGAL CONDITIONS


"The Gettysburg Campaign" is the trademark of Deer Valley Game Company, Mesa Arizona