Huzzah!

Rules for Napoleonic wargaming First edition, version 1.11

Book 1: Rules oozlum games

www.oozlumgames.co.uk
www.oozlumgames.co.uk
Release
Release date:
date: 8/4/06
8/4/06
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Introduction to Huzzah!

Huzzah! has taken more than two years to develop – and happens when units close, Huzzah! also simulates a variety
that’s just in its recognisable form. The game’s origins are of possible outcomes without recourse to number-crunching.
even earlier, originally manifesting as the The Red, White and There are no written orders in Huzzah! This is partly
Blue, a system that had a clever mechanic for which I just because I believe gamers have better things to do with their
couldn’t get the numbers right. What turned it into Huzzah! time, partly because the orders system itself decides whether
was an inspired idea by my friend Robin Coutts about a an officer reacts in time to a changing situation, and partly
bonus move card for his solo games. This Huzzah! card not because I believe players who want to change their plans
only provided the title for my own game, but led me to create should be given enough rope to hang themselves.
a Napoleonic wargame that relies on morale and effect to The orders system is intentionally simple. Drill books were
produce a believable result. Robin and regular opponents cast aside in battle in favour of simple, achievable orders and
Mike Lewis, Andy Finkel and Jon Matthews have good- formations, because complicated manoeuvres or orders
humouredly conspired in the development of Huzzah!, offering invited disaster. Huzzah!’s system for issuing orders and the
suggestions that I have considered, if not actually adopted. restrictions on movement and manoeuvre are intended to
Huzzah! models the vagaries of the battlefield by using make gamers think about their initial deployments and get
variable movement and an orders system that depends on the them right, because changing a faulty deployment or
skill of an army’s officers. This way, armies such as the untangling intermingled commands is very hard indeed during
French are easily characterised and differentiated from their a battle. The orders system gives players a choice of making
divided enemies, such as the Austrian, Prussian and Russian strategic or tactical decisions as appropriate; only the
armies of the early Napoleonic wars. Although there is some outcome of the battle ultimately decides which was the best
distinction between the quality of the troops in all these decision.
armies – ultimately, Huzzah! has only six grades of troop As I detest working out fiddly angles or watching gamers
quality – the rules assume that the main difference between squeeze units through tight gaps with no thought of the
armies is related to their officer corps, because it is command consequences on order, Huzzah! uses simple, easy to define
decisions and indecision that lead to an army’s success or straight-line movement and threat zones. These provide
downfall. The men simply do what they can with the officers sophisticated results because of the way they are applied.
they have: even the armies that wargamers traditionally All sorts of odd events happened on a battlefield, from
regard as mediocre, such as the Spanish and 1806 caissons exploding at key moments to elite, well-disciplined
Prussians, could and did fight valiantly when well led. units getting out of control. Huzzah! reflect these extremes by
Huzzah! assumes that action is continuous and so it relying on die rolls that are weighted to producing the
dispenses with artillery and musketry phases. Instead of expected result, yet which also allow for upsets. This is simply
working out the results of firing, what is important in Huzzah! achieved using two ordinary six-sided dice.
is whether units succeed or fail when they advance through a Huzzah!, I regret, relies on players having some familiarity
hail of shot towards the enemy. Hence Huzzah! has a threat with wargaming terminology as well as with the history and
system, which tied to unit and command group morale allows the armies of the Napoleonic wars. There is undoubtedly a
the cohesion of units and the armies to be tracked. Once a need for a book explaining the basics for newcomers and for
unit starts to lose order and morale, it tends to lose more debunking the myths of Napoleonic warfare that persist in
cohesion with time; when a unit breaks, the brigade begins to wargaming circles. One day, I may write one.
suffer, and when brigades break the division in turn is
affected. Ian Marsh
By modelling the effect and not the minutiae of what Freshwater, Isle of Wight, December 2003

Huzzah! is © Ian Marsh and Oozlum Games 2001, 2003 Author: Ian Marsh

Write to: Oozlum Games, Green Butts, Colwell Road, Playtesters: Robin Coutts, Andy Finkel, Nathan Finkel, Mark
Freshwater, Isle of Wight PO40 9SL Hartman, Mike Lewis, Jon Matthews, Bill Rafferty
Web: www.oozlumgames.co.uk
Email: ian@fighting15s.co.uk Thanks to the following gamers on the Huzzah_UK
Yahoogroup: http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/Huzzah_UK Yahoogroup for suggestions, additions, error spotting and
running demonstrations: Peter Anderson, Michael Craighead,
Cover: 1806 Prussian cavalry tempt disaster by charging John Crouch, Enrico Dotti, Jim Getz, Jeff Hudelson, Steve
French squares. And yes, the French are in 1812 uniforms Irvin, Cam Millar, John Mumby

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HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Basic concepts

What is Huzzah!? Dice

Huzzah!, apart from being the name of the game, is a roll of All die rolls in Huzzah! are made using two ordinary six-sided
double one (“snake eyes”) on two ordinary six-sided dice. Roll dice. A roll of double-one is a Huzzah!; a roll of 11 or 12
a Huzzah! and you may lose an engagement, but your men always fails for orders, tests and engagements.
will retire in good order and bloody the opponent’s nose in the
process. Roll a Huzzah! and you may lose the skirmisher Measurements
battle, but you’ll affect the enemy’s ability to win that roll in All measurements in Huzzah! are given in centimetres and an
subsequent turns. Huzzah! is the roll that gives you a chance equivalent in bands so that the game can easily be scaled to
no matter what the odds are against you. suit different scales of figures and different sizes of gaming
table (Scaling the game, page 6).
Nature of the game
Huzzah! is a move-countermove game – but one that is Figure scale
unpredictable and that has no shooting phases. It uses Huzzah! suits common figure sizes including 6mm, 10mm,
command rolls to order troops and permits multiple moves, so 15mm and 25mm. Unit sizes depend on ground scale and
the actual distance over which troops will move is uncertain. therefore the figure ratio varies from 1:25 to 1:50.
Troops may move many times in one turn, or they may refuse
to move over several turns because of unlucky die-rolling. Ground scale
The effect is intended to simulate a host of battlefield factors Huzzah! is written to work with one of two basic ground
such as orders going astray, officers being sullen or scales: 1mm equals 1 metre or 1mm equals one pace. The
disobedient, unexpectedly awkward terrain, or officers seizing game is scalable to work at different ground scales.
the moment to perform great feats, yet still leave the
command decisions in players’ hands. Players decide what Time scale
they want to do; the dice decide whether they can do it based Turns represent periods of variable length in which each
on the quality and skill of their officers. Even if orders fail, player has a chance to influence the outcome of the battle.
players will at least get the chance to decide what they want Such an approach is essential given the potential for multiple
to do and roll the dice. actions within a turn. In this respect, Huzzah! views the timing
Armies at the peak of their power have better officers and of events from the perspective of individuals on the battlefield.
are more likely to issue orders successfully. Nations whose
armies are rotten through and through may have appalling Recording information
officers in charge of valiant men, and therefore be less able to Huzzah! uses counters to mark the status of units. Although
co-ordinate attacks and urge troops into contact. For your first they detract from the look of a battle, counters clearly indicate
games, therefore, play with armies that are capable or well the status of units. Huzzah! standardises on the following
balanced, such as Anglo-French conflicts in the Peninsula or colours:
central European action in 1813 between France and Austria,
Prussia or Russia. After a few games, give the poorer nations Colour Significance
a try: winning with the early Spanish, Prussian, Austrian or Yellow Staggers (temporary disorder levels)
Russian armies against a peak-period French one can result Red Kills (permanent disorder levels and casualties)
in a real sense of achievement. Blue Bombardment markers, forced orders, command
checks
The language of Huzzah! Green Cavalry blown markers, smoke markers
Huzzah! is a must and can game, not a may game. May has White Quality of units
a vaguely permissive meaning, whereas must and can have
definite, strong meanings. If a rule says must, then it is Coloured micro-dice make excellent status markers. Not only
mandatory, so when the rules say routing units must attempt does the colour indicate the nature of the counter, but the
to rally, players are compelled to make the attempt and do not number on the uppermost face of the die can be used to
have the option to just let them run. If a rule says can, it is indicate the degree of effect. Hence a unit marked with a
optional. Infantry, for example, can form line, column or yellow die showing 2 and a red die showing 3 has two
square – it is able to form any of these formations and it is up staggers and three kills. A white die can be used to indicate
to the player to decide when. The rules occasionally and unit quality by adding four to the value, hence a white die
deliberately use the word may, usually for conditions that are showing 4 indicates a Trained unit (usual quality 8).
uncertain. Casualty figures are a more attractive alternative to
In some tests, Huzzah! uses the condition “more than” or counters. Place a wounded casualty figure by a unit to
“majority”. It means exactly what it says: more than is not the represent a stagger and a dead casualty figure by a unit to
same as equal. represent a kill. Similarly, place an aide de camp (ADC) figure

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

by units or officers to mark forced orders and command maintain the same relative frontages between units and for
checks; track bombardment with extra, single artillery crew both sides to use the same basing and mounting scheme.
figures, and show blown status by a dead horse. Huzzah! is intended to work at one of two scales: 1mm
By all means use a roster or other means of recording equals 1 metre and 1mm equals one pace. Approximately. It’s
status if you prefer. a game of relative proximity and relative order or disorder, not
a game that measures the impact of individual casualties or
that expects artillery and musketry ranges to be precise to the
Unit sizes and organisation metre. Provided that unit frontages are roughly in proportion
with the rules and, more importantly, equal between opposing
Huzzah! was written with a particular ground scale in mind armies, then the rules will largely work.
and unit sizes were chosen to suit the frontage of infantry The game can be scaled (page 6) to suit different battlefield
battalions, cavalry regiments and artillery batteries at that sizes and ground scales so that movement distances and
scale. Unit frontages are flexible because variations in drill threat ranges remain relative.
books and the measurements themselves – each army’s pace
was its own unique standard of measurement – mean there Stands
are few consistent points of reference. What matters is to Huzzah! mounts figures on stands. A stand is a base with one

Suggested basing schemes

Huzzah! universal tactical and grand tactical basing (use 15mm figures and 1mm equals 1 pace)

Stand width Stand depth Figures per stand Stands per unit (tactical)
Infantry 40mm 40mm 8 4
Open order infantry 40mm 40mm 4 4
Cavalry 40mm 40mm 2 6
Battle Cavalry 40mm 40mm 3 6
Artillery 40mm 40mm 1 gun/4 crew 2

15mm scale figures at 1mm equals 1 metre (Huzzah! original basing)

Stand width Stand depth Figures per stand Stands per unit
Infantry 30mm 15mm 3 or 4 4
Open order infantry 30mm 20mm 2 4
Cavalry 30mm 30 or 35mm 2 4 or 6
Artillery 30mm 40mm 1 gun/2 crew 2

15mm scale figures at 1mm equals 1 pace (Huzzah! original basing)

Stand width Stand depth Figures per stand Stands per unit
Infantry 30mm 15mm 3 or 4 6
Open order infantry 30mm 20mm 2 6
Cavalry 30mm 30 or 35mm 2 6 or 8
Artillery 30mm 40mm 1 gun/2 crew 3 or 4

20/25mm scale figures at 1mm equals 1 pace

Stand width Stand depth Figures per stand Stands per unit
Infantry 40mm 40mm 4 4
Open order infantry 40mm 40mm 2 4
Cavalry 40mm 40mm 2 4 or 6
Artillery 60mm 60mm 1 gun/2 crew 2

Inch-based basing (use 15mm figures and 1mm equals 1 metre)

Stand width Stand depth Figures per stand Stands per unit
Infantry 25mm 25mm 4 or 6 6
Open order infantry 25mm 25mm 1 or 2 6
Cavalry 25mm 25mm 2 8 or 12
Artillery 50mm 25mm 1 gun/4 crew 2

The different sizes of cavalry regiments represent compact and full deployment. Standardise on one and use it for all regiments in the game. Units that use
compact deployment will suit many other sets of rules.

At 1mm equals 1 pace, artillery batteries comprising three stands are six-gun batteries; those comprising four stands are eight-gun batteries.

For the 15mm basing schemes suggested above, infantry is mounted three or four wide and 1 deep; in 25mm they are based two wide and two deep.

Inch-based basing is for infantry and cavalry figures mounted on stands that are about one-inch square.

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HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

or more figures mounted on it, and several stands together Small groups of cavalry would form a second line as a
form a unit. Common widths for stands are 30mm and 40mm reserve, halving this frontage; other nations even formed their
in 15mm figure scale, and 40mm or 50mm for 25mm figures. cavalry three ranks deep, reducing it by a third; and against
Depths are a matter of personal preference because the infantry squares it was not uncommon to form squadrons into
figures themselves have depths that are out of scale with their column to match the frontage of the target. It was not
frontages. Gamers who use 6mm or 10mm figures can simply unknown for regiments to field less than their full complement
take a stand size recommended for a larger scale and fill it of squadrons, with one remaining at the depot.
with as many figures as they like. The number of figures on In theory, a typical three-squadron or four-squadron cavalry
each stand is a matter of personal preference; the number of regiment should have a frontage at least half as much again
figures is secondary because Huzzah! concentrates on as an infantry battalion: 180mm at 1mm equals 1 metre;
frontages, not specific figure ratios. 240mm at 1mm equals 1 pace. Six stands 30mm or 40mm
It is possible to play with units comprising figures that are wide respectively will do the job. If you prefer formations that
mounted individually by dividing the individuals into groups reflect factors such as a range of tactics, national variations,
that become notional stands. campaign strengths, use of reserves and the absence of
depot squadrons, use four stands to represent cavalry
Frontages and unit sizes regiments, each 30mm or 40mm wide.
The basic infantry unit is the battalion. Infantry battalions on Units with more stands look more impressive and are more
campaign were typically from 500 to 600 strong – even unwieldy in line. They provide a strong impression of how
massive Austrian battalions quickly fell to this strength as men difficult it was in reality to move such formations on a
conscripted to fill the ranks fell by the wayside. battlefield.
Infantry battalions were expected to maintain a certain The Army Lists also have guidelines on handling units that
frontage where possible, and in combat the rear ranks of a are far smaller or larger than typical units.
unit were used to this end. Therefore unit frontage rather than Most playtesting was carried out using 15mm scale figures
an exact figure to man ratio is important, and Huzzah! uses organised into 16-figure battalions, eight-figure cavalry
standard sized units accordingly. regiments and two-gun batteries to a ground scale of 1mm
With its men arrayed in three ranks and gaps between equals 1 metre, and it is this structure that is predominantly
companies, the frontage of a battalion was around 120 to 130 illustrated in Book 3: Diagrams and FAQs. The author’s
metres. This represents anything from 160 to 180 paces preferred organisation for small-scale actions, however, is 24-
depending on whose standard for a pace is used and which figure battalions, 16-figure cavalry regiments and three or
drill book is used to determine the space between men in the four-gun batteries at 1mm equals one pace.
ranks. These distances correspond to frontages of 120 to
130mm at 1mm equals 1 metre and 160 to 180mm at 1mm Huzzah! universal basing system
equals 1 pace. Since the tactical version of Huzzah! was written, work has
To match these frontages, an infantry battalion can been progressing on a a grand tactical system that uses the
conveniently be represented by four stands of figures, each brigade as the base unit. The grand tactical rules use
30mm or 40mm wide. Using four stands allows lines, columns identically sized square bases for infantry, cavalry and
and squares to be easily and clearly represented. Equally, artillery. The grand tactical basing system is equally usable
using paces as the scale, a battalion can be represented with the tactical rules, and Book 3 contains diagrams showing
using six 30mm-wide stands. the arrangement of bases for formations using this system.
Artillery batteries were typically six or eight guns strong, The recommended size of square bases is 40mm by 40mm
and when unlimbered were deployed with about 9 to 10 for 15mm figures, using a ground scale of 1mm equals 1
metres between each piece. The frontage of an unlimbered pace. Square sabots can be used with figures that are based
artillery battery is therefore 60 to 90 metres (80 to 120 paces), differently.
or around half to two-thirds that of an infantry battalion in line.
An artillery battery can be represented as two stands 30mm Historical organisation of units
or 40mm wide at 1mm equals 1 metre; if you use paces, you Huzzah! is not over-concerned with representing individual
can represent them as three stands 30mm wide for a six-gun companies or squadrons within units because this has no
battery and four stands 30mm wide for an eight-gun battery. If effect on the game. Historical organisations of battalions and
you prefer 40mm bases, then at 1mm equals one pace simply unit strengths don’t always suit specific figure ratios, and the
use three 40mm-wide stands for batteries. need to represent each company tends to be a hang-up of
Cavalry is the most complicated arm. Squadrons typically Napoleonic gamers who must represent minutiae irrelevant to
formed up in two ranks, but not all of the squadrons in a the scale of game.
regiment were necessarily committed at the same instant. If a chosen basing system doesn’t suit historical
Although cavalry was organised in regiments of three, four, organisation, simply use centre company and command
five, eight and even ten squadrons, it was usual to commit the figures to make up a unit. Stands of grenadiers can be used
number of squadrons deemed sufficient for a task, rather than to make up combined grenadier battalions for those nations
send in a whole regiment, and to hold a reserve. In theory, a that used them.
regiment of cavalry is from 400 to 600 men strong; in two
ranks such a unit would have a frontage of anything upwards Basing of officers
from 180 metres (240 paces) – half as much again as an Command radii are always measured from the centre of an
infantry battalion, and even up to twice as much. Terrain officer’s base (in effect, his head), so the size of bases for
restrictions on the battlefield, however, mean that a cavalry officers is unimportant. This allows for some creativity when
regiment can seldom form all its squadrons in one line and be basing these figures.
manoeuvrable. Officers can be based according the level of command at

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

which they act, using a single figure for brigade officers, a pair and the order immediately afterward receives a Down 2
of figures for divisional officers, three figures for corps officers instead of the usual Down 1.
and a small diorama for the CinC. This might typically require
a single general or regimental officer, a general and ADC, a
general and two ADCs, and a group of generals and ADCs Game size and duration
respectively.
It is easy to ruin a potentially excellent scenario by using too
many units for the time available or for the experience of the
Scaling the game players. Each unit and command group added to a side
creates extra decisions, which in turn slow down the game.
Battlefield size As a guide, for a three-hour game, have no more than 12
The measurements in Huzzah! and the scale of the game units a side, arranged in three command groups: a force that
have been chosen to suit what for some players can be a is equivalent to a weak division divided into three brigades.
luxuriously sized playing surface: 2.4 metres wide by 1.8 With about 15 or 16 units a side and four command groups,
metres deep (8ft by 6ft). A depth of 1.8 metres allows most games have more tactical flexibility and are more rewarding,
gamers to reach into the centre of the table and using the but take correspondingly longer to play: allow nearer four
intended ground scales means that artillery cannot shoot hours. The Points System (Book 2) has examples of armies
across its depth. This leaves room for both sides to set up in that are suitable for this time frame.
safety for an encounter game. Huzzah! is a tactical-level game. Although its command
Depth is therefore a crucial measurement, and if the playing structure caters for potentially huge games, a corps level
surface is substantially smaller the game ideally needs game will take the best part of a day, even a weekend, with
scaling to suit. only one player a side. Corps-sized actions are evidently not
The simple way of doing this is to treat every 5cm in envisaged as a common size for a battle between two
Huzzah! as one band. All distances are in multiples of 5cm, players, though are suitable for multiplayer games. The grand
so each will have an equivalent whole number of bands tactical version of Huzzah!, Huzzah! GT, is intended to deal
(Huzzah!’s tables give equivalent distances in bands next to with corps-level games.
the distances in centimetres). So the 5cm bonus for The duration of a game increases if the opponents start too
skirmisher superiority is 1 band; the 40cm short range threat far apart. Encounter and manoeuvre games, in which both
zone of heavy artillery is 8 bands and the extreme threat zone forces move towards each other, should start with the forces’
of heavy artillery is 16-24 bands. The typical depth of a leading units no further apart than extreme heavy artillery
battlefield in Huzzah! is 40 bands. range (120cm or 24 bands). Assault games, in which one side
Using a depth of 40 bands as a guide, on a four foot deep remains largely stationary in the initial phases of a battle,
table one band is one-tenth of a foot – not the most should start with the attacker’s closest units at long heavy
convenient measurement. But using the near and convenient artillery range (80cm or 16 bands).
measurement of one inch equals one band will scale the
game to suit the size of the battlefield (equally one band
equals 3cm would work). The ground scale therefore Multiplayer games
becomes 1 band equals 50 metres.
Huzzah!’s command structure makes multiplayer games easy
Unit size to organise by giving each player an appropriate command,
Unit sizes also need scaling to suit the ground scale. Huzzah! such as a division of two to four brigades. The rules are
units don’t neatly fit into a scale of bands because they are designed so that one large or two small divisions is a
intended to fit a certain frontage: the frontage of a battalion or comfortable number of units for one player to command. A
a cavalry regiment is typically from two to four bands, and a player can command as little as one brigade, but unless the
battery’s frontage is one to two bands. Units that broadly fit in officer in charge of that brigade is is skilful or excellent, the
with these limits will maintain the same relation between game may not be rewarding. Each player can issue orders as
frontage and distance. appropriate to their level of command while other players on
Scaling the game may have consequences for unit depth if the same side do the same.
fewer stands are used to represent units. The depth of If all players have under their control a number of troops
columns in particular may be out of scale with their frontage, that would ordinarily be sufficient for a two-player game of a
and it is therefore suggested that the lines used to define the few hours’ duration, then a larger scale game is potentially
flank zones (page 8) of such units are measured from the achievable in the same time, subject to the delays and
mid-point of one flank through and beyond the corners of the disagreements resulting from having several players trying to
opposing flank (Book 3, page 9). achieve the same objective.
Multiplayer games benefit most from the Reorganise rule
Scaling options (page 24), which allows players whose commands have fled
Scaling a game results in smaller unit sizes, movement to have a chance of bringing them back into action.
distances and threat ranges. If movement and threat All players, of course, must watch out for their commander
distances seem too small, Huzzah! may flow better using in chief (CinC) issuing orders, because the consequence of
standard movement and threat distances with the reduced the CinC failing is that all his subordinates must immediately
size units, but with a Down 2 for each successive order after stop issuing orders.
an advance or retire order, and a Down 1 for each successive
order after a manoeuvre, deploy, appoint or rearm order. In
effect, each advance or retire is treated as a double move

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HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Common terms

Command Contact
A command, or command group, is a group of units led by an Units that physically touch are in contact. A unit can advance
officer. A command group can also comprise a number of to engage an enemy unit and make contact using its entire
smaller command groups, or sub-commands. In order of front, part of its front or one of its front corners. Units are not
seniority, possible command groups are the army, corps, squared up if they contact obliquely: they maintain their same
division and, lastly, brigade; the composition of each is relative position at the point of contact. A unit’s corner is both
defined in the army’s order of battle. Within a group, units and its front and its flank: its relative position to an enemy defines
sub-commands are either within effective control distance of whether it makes frontal contact or flank contact (Engaged to
the group’s officer or outside that distance: these statuses are flank or rear, page 21, and Book 3, page 22), and therefore
respectively referred to as “in command” and “out of disadvantages itself. Units that meet square on are always
command” (also described as “not in command”). engaged frontally if they contact each other along their front
A unit is in command if it is within or partly within the faces; a unit is engaged to the flank if it its flank face is
command radius of its brigade officer even if that officer is contacted by the front face of an enemy unit.
attached to another unit. An individual unit attached to any
officer is always in command. Disadvantaged
An entire command group is in command if all the individual A unit that is disadvantaged is placed in a unfavourable
units in that group are within or partly within the command position that outweighs any and all favourable circumstances.
radius of the group’s officer. Such units use their disadvantaged morale in tests. Units that
A unit is out of command if it is entirely outside the are not disadvantaged use their full (normal) morale rating.
command radius of the officer trying to issue an order. A
command group is out of command even if only one unit is Flank line
entirely outside the command radius of that group’s officer. A flank line is the line drawn through the two corners of a unit
Within a command group it is therefore possible to have on the same flank (Book 3, page 9). The area in front of a unit
sub-commands that themselves are in command of their between its two flank lines and up to the distance appropriate
respective officers, but out of command with regard to a to its formation is its frontal threat zone.
senior command group’s officer: orders from the senior officer
to his group will therefore not receive the bonus for being in Flank and rear threats
command. It is also possible to have commands that are A unit must satisfy four conditions to exert a flank threat: it
within the command radius of a senior officer but outside the must be within or partly within the flank zone of the target;
command radius of their own officers: orders from the senior more of its threat zone must project on or beyond the flank of
officer will receive the bonus for the group being in command; the threatened unit than on the threatened unit’s front; it must
the individual units that are out of command with respect to face the target; and it must have line of sight to the target
junior officers will be penalised when rallying and reforming. along all of the threatening face.
Command radius (see table, below) depends on command The flank zone is the area between the diagonal lines
level, modified by quality of the officer. Command radius is drawn through and beyond the opposing corners of the target
measured from the centre of the officer figure’s base (in effect, unit’s formation (Book 3, page 9). For deep formations in
his head) to the nearest part of the unit. scaled games, the flank zone can on the agreement of the
Because officers move only after all unit orders have been players be defined by lines drawn from the mid-point of a
completed, troops may go out of command as they advance. flank through and beyond the corners of the opposing flank.
A unit faces the flank if a line drawn perpendicular to any
point on its front impinges on the flank of the target.
Command radii and modifiers A rear threat is therefore a threat from behind that doesn’t
satisfy the requirements for a flank threat (but the difference
Command level Command radius in cm (bands) is immaterial). Anything else is a frontal threat.
CinC 120cm (24) A square cannot be threatened from the flank or rear, but is
Corps 80cm (16)
Division 40cm (8)
disadvantaged by artillery.
Brigade 20cm (4) A unit that is threatened from the flank or rear is never in a
favourable position: it is disadvantaged.
Officer quality Command radius modifier
Excellent +20cm (+4) Kills
Skilful +10cm (+2) Kills are permanent losses of cohesion, morale and
Average/Poor –
Abysmal -10cm (-2)
manpower. They are cumulative and cannot be removed. A
unit whose total of staggers and kills equals or exceeds its full
morale rating is immediately broken and removed.

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Line of communication
After an initial rout or retire move, Huzzah! assumes that Morale ratings
further retrograde moves will be towards the army’s line of
communication. The line of communication, by default, is the Quality Full Morale Disadvantaged Morale
Veterans 10 6
road nearest the centre of the baseline of an army or the Experienced 9 5
centre of the baseline if there are no roads. A player can Trained 8 4
nominate a different line of communication before the game Green 7 4
starts. Certain scenarios may have more than one line of Raw 6 4
communication for an army: one for the main force and one Unreliable 5 3
for a force arriving on a flank.
No unit can be worse than unreliable nor better than veteran.

Line of sight
Line of sight is simply having a clear field of view to a target,
unobstructed by any other unit or terrain feature. Line of sight flanks only if both its flanks are protected by any of these
is blocked if any straight line drawn from the front face of a means. The edge of the table never provides a secure flank.
unit to its target passes through any other unit or terrain A unit that has secure flanks is in a favourable position
feature; it does not matter how many clear lines of sight exist, (page 13).
the fact that one is blocked means that there is no line of
sight to the target. Staggers
Line of sight particularly affects artillery bombardment Staggers are degrees of disorder. They are cumulative but
(Book 3, page 7). It ensures guns have a clear field of fire, can be removed by successfully reforming or rallying. The
and determines whether a threat is from the flank or rear. more staggers a unit has, the more disordered it is. A unit that
Terrain features at the same elevation block line of sight to rallies but does not recover all of its staggers is still in a state
targets that are both beyond and below them. Terrain features of disorder. A unit whose total of staggers and kills equals or
at a higher elevation block line of sight to all targets that are exceeds its full morale rating is immediately broken and
beyond them. Note that troops on the forward slope of hills removed.
are clearly not beyond the terrain feature (the ridge line
determines which troops are beyond the feature). Support
A unit in line or column has support if its rear is entirely
Modifiers: Ups and Downs covered by the threat zone of a single friendly infantry or
On the playsheet and throughout the rules, modifiers are cavalry unit (so a line supports a line it is directly behind, a
expressed in terms of shifts in a unit’s quality rating, such as column supports a column it is directly behind, and a line
Up 1, Up 2, Down 1 and Down 2. These cumulative modifiers supports a column). A unit in line or column also has support
are applied to the descriptive quality of a unit, not the numeric if the threat zone of a single friendly cavalry or infantry unit is
value, because the numeric values are capped or have entirely covered by that unit (so a column supports a line). A
plateaus that a simple +1 or -1 cannot reflect. Hence Trained square has support if any face of the square is entirely covered
troops go Up 1 to Experienced, Up 2 or more to Veteran, or by the threat zone of a friendly infantry or cavalry unit.
Down 1 to Green, Down 2 to Raw and Down 3 or more to A unit that has support is in a favourable position (page 13).
Unreliable before reading off the corresponding numeric value
for morale. For tests that do not involve unit quality, the Ups Unit classes and grades
and Downs equate to a simple plus or minus. Huzzah! rates the expected performance of units according to
one of three grades – Elites, Regulars and Militia – and four
Quality and morale classes, from A to D, giving 12 ratings in total. The grades
Six descriptive quality ratings determine how well units and classes are, from best to worst: Elites A, Elites B, Elites
respond in Huzzah! From best to worst, these ratings are C, Elites D, Regulars A, Regulars B, Regulars C, Regulars D,
Veterans, Experienced, Trained, Green, Raw and Unreliable. Militia A, Militia B, Militia C, and Militia D. The grade and class
Modifiers are applied to these ratings to find a corresponding determine the expected performance of a unit during a
numeric value known as the effective morale. particular period. Elites A includes units such as the Old
Guard; most line infantry is either Regulars B or Regulars C;
Secure flanks poor quality units such as Egyptian Fellahin are Militia D.
Dense or impassable terrain unoccupied by the enemy provides Unit classes and grades are used in the Army Lists to
a secure flank, as does the physical presence of a friendly generate one of six descriptive quality ratings – Veterans,
unit or the threat zone of a friendly unit. A unit has secure Experienced, Trained, Green, Raw and Unreliable.

Unit quality shifts

Down 5 Down 4 Down 3 Down 2 Down 1 Base Quality Up 1 Up 2 Up 3 Up 4 Up 5
Unreliable Raw Green Trained Experienced Veteran Veteran Veteran Veteran Veteran Veteran
Unreliable Unreliable Raw Green Trained Experienced Veteran Veteran Veteran Veteran Veteran
Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Raw Green Trained Experienced Veteran Veteran Veteran Veteran
Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Raw Green Trained Experienced Veteran Veteran Veteran
Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Raw Green Trained Experienced Veteran Veteran
Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Unreliable Raw Green Trained Experienced Veteran

9
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Sequence of play

Who goes first? Sequence

Scenarios will specify which side, and therefore which player,
acts first. For other games, the designated attacker acts first 1 Skirmisher superiority
or players can roll the dice to determine who goes first
(highest wins; a player who rolls Huzzah! can choose who Player 1 is the phasing player:
goes first).
2 Threat tests
Turn sequence l All the phasing player’s units that are in a
Each turn consists of a common phase (skirmisher threat zone must take threat tests
superiority), then five phases for the first player and five for
the second player, as shown on the right: 3 Orders and movement
Phasing player issues orders to:
l Advance
l Retire
l Manoeuvre
l Deploy
l Appoint Officers
l Rearm

Non-phasing player:
l Bombards

4 Move officers
l Officer movement
l Attach/detach officers
l Supersede/relinquish command

5 Engage the enemy

l Resolve all engagements

6 Rally, reform and rout

l Command checks
l Reorganise broken commands
l Remove smoke
l Rally routers
l Compulsory routs
l Reform blown or staggered units
l Compulsory casualties

Player 2 is the phasing player (details as above):

7 Threat tests

8 Orders and movement

9 Move officers

10 Engage the enemy

11 Rally, reform and rout

12 Turn ends

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Skirmisher superiority

Intent respectively. A scenario designer can specify each side’s

The Skirmisher Superiority phase simulates the “little war” – initial skirmishing value in advance, or each player can roll to
the conflict between opposing forces’ skirmishers. An army determine it on the Army Lists before battle commences. For
whose skirmishers are outperforming those of the enemy has mixed forces, use the factor for the largest infantry contingent
an advantage in threats, because the threat zones of its of the army.
infantry units are increased against enemy infantry and
artillery units. This enables the side whose skirmishers have Skirmisher superiority increases the threat zones of infantry
the upper hand to threaten the enemy without itself being against:
threatened, provided its units remain at a suitable distance l Infantry in open terrain; and
from the foe. l Artillery in open terrain.
Skirmish screens – dense clouds of skirmishers whose aim
is to deceive the enemy about the location and numbers of Skirmisher superiority has no effect on infantry threat zones
troops – are not modelled here but in the ability of Skirmish against:
rated troops to form open order in open terrain. l Cavalry in any terrain; and
l Infantry in dense terrain.
Conditions
At the beginning of each turn, both players roll to determine Procedure
whose skirmishers are gaining the upper hand. Modify each army’s skirmish rating as follows:
Each army has a skirmish rating ranging from Abysmal to
Excellent, corresponding to numeric values of 6 to 10 Down 1 if failed previous superiority test
Up 1 if won previous superiority test
Up 1 if skirmish line is reinforced
Explanations
Each player rolls 2D6: if the result is less than or equal to the
Previous test modified skirmisher rating then the army’s skirmish line is
Previous test refers to the Skirmisher Superiority phase of being effective. A roll of 11 or 12 is always a failure.
the preceding turn. Whichever side succeeds by the greatest amount wins the
skirmisher war: that side adds 5cm (1 band) to the threat
Failed previous test zone of its infantry units in open terrain against enemy
A side failed its previous test if it rolled over its modified infantry and artillery units for the rest of the turn. The increase
skirmish rating or rolled an 11 or 12 in the previous turn’s in threat zone is not cumulative from turn to turn: 5cm (1
Skirmisher Superiority phase; its skirmish line is failing to band) is the maximum total increase, even if a side continues
perform adequately. The modifier is not cumulative. to win superiority. Units that do not have threat zones do not
gain a threat zone if their side wins skirmisher superiority.
Won previous test In the event of a draw or if both rolls fail, both sides use the
A side won the previous test if it won the previous turn’s basic infantry threat zone.
Skirmisher Superiority phase. It follows that at the start of
the game, or after a tied turn, no side has this advantage. Huzzah! results
A player who rolls Huzzah! (double one) permanently reduces
Reinforced skirmish line the other side’s skirmisher rating by one for the rest of the
Unstaggered infantry units that have the Skirmish ability battle. The fight has been so hard that one side has taken
(see Army Lists) can be ordered to reinforce the skirmish substantial losses in its skirmish line. Subsequent Huzzah!
line on a successful deployment order. Units that reinforce results will lead to further reductions.
the skirmish line are permanently removed from play: any
such unit that has taken kills is counted as broken for the
purposes of command checks. Infantry units that are
capable of operating in open order but are not able to
skirmish cannot reinforce the skirmish line.
If the number of infantry battalions committed to the
skirmish line is more than or equal to at least twice the
number committed by the enemy, then the skirmish line is
reinforced. It follows that only one army’s skirmish line can
be reinforced.

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HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Threat tests

Intent unit’s final descriptive quality. Modifiers are not applied

Threat tests represent the effects of musketry, artillery fire and directly to the numeric value.
the presence of the enemy on the phasing player’s units.
Procedure
Conditions Modify the quality of the threatened unit as follows:
Any of the phasing army’s units that are in an enemy threat
zone must take a threat test; their ability to pass it depends Down 1 if in more than one threat zone
on their quality rating (Book 2: Army Lists) and their situation. Down 1 if in threat zone of renowned unit
Units use their disadvantaged quality rating if they are: Down 1 if unit is isolated
l Threatened from the flank or rear; Down 1 if bombarded in column
l In march column; Down 1 if at short range
l Routing; Down 1 if any staggers
l Infantry threatened by cavalry while in both open order Down 1 if any kills
and open terrain; Up 1 if in favourable position
l Close order cavalry in dense terrain; or Up 1 if open order troops in open order in dense terrain
l Infantry in square threatened by artillery. Up 1 if bombarded at extreme range
Disadvantaged troops never benefit from the favourable Up 1 if small unit bombarded at long or extreme range
position modifier. Up 1 if any smoke markers on threatening artillery
In all other situations, units use their normal quality rating. Up 1 if officer attached
Regardless of whether a unit uses its normal or Up 1 if inspirational officer attached
disadvantaged quality, no unit can be rated higher than Up 2 if infantry in square threatened by cavalry
Veteran, nor lower than Unreliable. Hence, Veterans with
positive modifiers are treated simply as Veterans; Unreliable The net result of all modifiers is calculated and applied to the
troops with negative modifiers are treated as Unreliable. unit’s descriptive quality rating to obtain the appropriate
Modifiers are applied to the descriptive quality (Veteran, numeric value (the effective morale rating).
Experienced, Trained, Green, Raw and Unreliable) and then The non-phasing player rolls two six-sided dice (2D6) for
the corresponding numeric value is read off according to the each threatened unit. If the result is less than or equal to the

Threat zones
A threat zone is the area immediately in front of a unit between its flank lines. The depth of the threat zone depends on the
type of unit involved and on its formation.

Unit type Depth of threat zone for unit’s formation in cm (bands)

Line/open Column March Column Square
Infantry 15cm (3) 15cm (3) – 10cm (2)
Cavalry 25cm (5) 30cm (6) – –
Light artillery 30cm (6) – – –
Medium artillery 35cm (7) – – –
Heavy artillery 40cm (8) – – –

Only part of a unit needs to be in a threat zone to be subject to a threat test. Whether a unit is within the threat zone of
another is simply determined by placing a ruler along the flank line of the threatening unit. Infantry in square presents a
threat zone from each of its four faces. Open order troops project the same threat as a line. See Terrain (page 27) for the
effects of terrain on threat zones.
A unit’s threat zone stops along its whole front at the point where the closest part of a friendly unit extends into its threat
zone. Threat zones continue past, but not through, enemy units. Engaged units continue to present a threat zone along any
part of their front face that is not in contact with an enemy unit. Units do not project threat zones to their flanks or rear.
Artillery has an inherent threat zone at short range only that can affect multiple targets. Batteries can also threaten single
targets at short, long and extreme range by bombarding them (page 19).
The threat zone for infantry assumes that skirmishers are present. Whichever army has skirmisher superiority for the turn
increases its infantry threat zones against infantry and artillery in the open, but not against cavalry, by 5cm (1 band).

12
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

effective morale rating of the unit, the unit passes the test. Forced orders
If the result is greater than the effective morale rating of the A unit that fails a threat test may receive a forced order, which
unit, the unit fails the test and takes a number of staggers represents a conventional response to a situation.
equal to the difference between the result and the effective Infantry in column that fails a threat test against infantry in
morale rating. Record the appropriate number of staggers line receives a forced order of deploy to form line.
against the unit. A roll of 11 or 12 always fails. An infantry unit with two unsecured flanks that fails a threat
A unit whose total of staggers and kills equals or exceeds its test against cavalry receives a forced order of deploy to form
full morale rating is broken and immediately removed from play. square.
Place a single smoke marker by all artillery units that Forced orders are issued to that unit as the first order
threatened the testing unit or units (see Smoke, below). during the Orders phase and are rolled for using an
appropriate officer’s command rating as usual. The unit takes
Huzzah! results one stagger if the forced order fails. If the player disobeys the
If the unit gets a Huzzah! result (double one), its unflinching forced order by issuing other orders first, the unit takes one
determination unnerves its opponents. Each enemy unit extra stagger for each order issued by their officer before the
threatening the testing unit that is in the testing unit’s threat forced order is issued. Units on forced orders can be marked
zone takes a threat test. with a blue counter or an ADC figure as a reminder.

Explanations: Threat tests

More than one threat zone uphill of an enemy, defending a stream, behind and
Units in more than one threat zone are outnumbered or defending a hedge or wall, having two secure flanks,
outgunned. Infantry in open order in any terrain does not support, being in woods or buildings, troops in open order
suffer this penalty against any number of close order infantry threatened (not engaged!) only by infantry or artillery while
or artillery threats (or combination of such threats). in open terrain, and unlimbered artillery or troops in open
order bombarded at long or extreme ranges.
Renowned units Units gain a single Up 1 regardless of the number of
Units with the Renown ability are defined in the Army Lists. favourable circumstances that are possible.
Infantry in dense terrain (woods and buildings) ignores
Bombarded in column any threat by cavalry, except cossacks in woods; if
Columns are vulnerable to shot ploughing through their threatened by cossacks in woods it benefits from the
ranks (squares and march columns use their disadvantaged favourable position modifier.
morale rating instead). The modifier applies in all artillery
threat zones – short, long and extreme. Open order troops in dense terrain
Troops with the Open Order ability deployed in open order in
Short range dense terrain receive this modifier. If not disadvantaged,
At short range, gunners can use canister ammunition and they also receive the favourable position modifier for being
double-shot the guns. Targets bombarded at short range are in dense terrain.
subject to bounce through; targets threatened by artillery in
the threat test phase itself are not subject to bounce Bombarded at extreme range
through, reflecting canister fire only. This modifier reflects that distant targets are hard to hit.

Smoke Small unit bombarded at long or extreme range

Each time a battery threatens, whether it bombards or it To receive this modifier a small unit must either be
uses its inherent short range threat zone, place one smoke designated a Small Unit (see Army Lists) or comprise no
marker in front of the battery (use cotton wool or counters). more than half the number of stands of a standard-sized
Batteries that threaten several units at once in their inherent infantry battalion at the chosen scale.
threat zone receive only one smoke marker. Smoke markers
are cumulative. In subsequent threat tests, smoke works in Officer attached/inspirational officer attached
favour of units threatened by the guns. Smoke is removed Officers provide a steadying influence; they are attached in a
during the Rally phase. previous turn during the Officer Movement phase. Inspirational
officers provide an extra modifier to reflect their charisma.
Isolated unit
A unit is isolated if it is the only non-routing unit in a brigade. Infantry in square
Square is the ideal formation for dealing with cavalry: it has
Staggers and kills no flanks or rear. Infantry in square threatened only by
Staggers are temporary losses of order and morale; kills cavalry does not suffer the penalty for being in more than
reflect permanent losses of men and morale. Units acquire one threat zone no matter how many units threaten it. Each
staggers and kills from threat tests and engagements. cavalry threat zone, however, still affects squares that try to
move, and the square must stop on entering each new
Favourable position cavalry threat zone. Infantry in square facing combined
Only troops that are not disadvantaged can be in a cavalry and artillery threats uses its disadvantaged morale
favourable position. Favourable positions include being rating because of the artillery threat.

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HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Orders and movement

Intent Conditions
Units, brigades, divisions, and corps require orders to move, The highest command group is the army, progressing
and their ability to act on their orders depends on the downwards through corps, division, and brigade to the lowest,
command rating of their officers. Well officered, well-led the unit. Each command group is also the sub-command of the
troops are more likely to move as desired than poorly command group above it. A unit is typically a single infantry
officered, badly led troops. The command rating of officers battalion, cavalry regiment or artillery battery. A brigade might
depends on both their nation and the year in which a battle is consist of two to six infantry battalions, or two to three cavalry
set, and is determined for all officers before battle regiments, plus supporting artillery, or one or more batteries of
commences. Officer figures are required for every command medium to heavy artillery. A division typically consists of two to
group, from brigade to corps, plus a figure for the commander four brigades. A corps consists of two or more infantry or
in chief (CinC). cavalry divisions and up to one artillery brigade. An army

Restrictions on orders
The commander in chief (CinC) can: l issue orders to any individual unit in his brigade to which
l issue orders to a command group only if he supersedes he is attached.
its officer (Officer Movement, page 20); or
l issue orders to an individual unit in his army to which he If a brigade officer fails a command roll, neither his brigade
is attached. nor units in his brigade can receive further orders that
phase, except for units attached to other officers.
A side’s Orders phase ends immediately if the CinC fails a
command roll. An officer at any level who is attached to a single unit:
l cannot issue orders to any other unit or to any command
A corps officer can: group;
l issue orders to his corps as one group, unless he is l is the only officer that can issue orders to that unit.
attached to a unit;
l issue orders to either divisions or brigades within his A command group that contains a unit with an attached
corps, unless he is attached to a unit; or officer can receive and act on orders as if the unit were not
l issue orders to any individual unit in his corps to which part of the command, but the unit with the attached officer
he is attached. cannot act on them: it is under the attached officer’s
personal command. Attaching an officer to a unit in effect
If a corps officer fails a command roll, no divisions, brigades makes that unit an independent command for the purposes
or units in his corps can receive further orders that phase, of orders (but not for command checks).
except for units attached to other officers.
All officers can issue orders to:
A division officer can: l advance;
l issue orders to his division as one group, unless he is l retire;
attached to a unit; l manoeuvre; or
l issue orders to brigades within his division, unless he is l deploy.
attached to a unit; or
l issue orders to any individual unit in his division to which In addition, provided that he has not superseded an officer
he is attached. or attached himself to a unit, the CinC can:
l appoint a new officer to a command that lost its officer in
If a division officer fails a command roll, no brigades or units a previous turn; and
in his division can receive further orders that phase, except l issue a rearm order to bring up reserve ammunition for
for units attached to other officers. his artillery.

A brigade officer can: Routing units cannot be given orders and never act on
l issue orders to his brigade as one group, unless he is orders given to their command group.
attached to a unit; Only officers that are attached to units move in this phase;
l issue orders to individual units within his brigade, unless all other officers move during the Officer Movement phase.
he is attached to another unit; or

14
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

consists of one or more corps; for small engagements the army

may just consist of several brigades or divisions. Explanations
Orders are therefore issued to high level commands (corps
and division) to get large formations to a strategic or grand Units in a threat zone
tactical objective. Orders are issued to lower level commands Even if a command has only one unit in a threat zone, the
(brigade and unit) to achieve tactical objectives. Officers are whole command receives the penalty. The penalty can be
assumed to be acting according to the plan of the CinC; their avoided by ordering units individually.
ability determines how well or how promptly they enact it.
Because officers are assumed to act on the CinC’s orders, Sub-command
the CinC has no direct command over his army. He can, A sub-command is the command group immediately below
however, supersede officers in the Officer Movement phase to the command group that is being ordered. For example, a
direct a corps, division or brigade, or attach himself to units to brigade is the sub-command of the division, and a unit is
lead them in person. Only the CinC can supersede officers. the sub-command of the brigade.
An officer who fails when issuing an order can give no
further orders that turn. In addition, the player’s Orders phase Broken
ends immediately if the CinC fails an order. Once a player A broken unit is a unit that has been removed from the
issues orders with an officer, that player cannot return to other battlefield. A unit is broken if the total number of staggers
officers that have already given orders. Once an officer issues and kills against it equals or exceeds its full morale rating.
orders to a command or an individual unit he cannot order Units are also broken if they rout or retire off the battlefield.
other commands or individual units to which he gave orders in A broken command is one whose units have all been
the same turn. removed from the battlefield.
An officer who issues orders at one command level cannot
then order units at a different level. Hence a divisional officer Isolated
who issues an order to his division can order only the division, A sub-command is isolated if it is the only sub-command in
not its constituent brigades. A divisional officer who issues a group that is not entirely broken or routing. A unit is also
orders to one of his division’s brigades can issue orders only isolated if it is the only unit in a command; a command
to individual brigades in his division; the whole division cannot group is isolated if it is the only one in a higher command.
be ordered.
Units or command groups can only act on orders given at Failed previous command integrity check
one level of command during the same turn. Hence if a Any command or unit in a command that failed its last
division officer orders either his division or one of its brigades, command integrity check receives this penalty on advance
subsequent orders that turn must only be issued by the orders. There is no penalty on other orders.
division officer: his subordinate brigade officers cannot order
their brigades. Successive orders
The more a group or unit is ordered to do, the more fatigue
Procedure and battlefield confusion increase, hampering the ability of
A player who wishes an officer to give an order must state officers to control it, hence this penalty. The penalty applies
whether the command group or unit is to advance, retire, only to orders given in the same turn.
manoeuvre or deploy. The CinC can also issue orders to
appoint officers or rearm the artillery. Dense terrain
It is hard to deliver comprehensible orders to commands in
The officer’s command rating is modified as follows: terrain such as woods, buildings, ruins and marshes. If any
unit in a group being ordered has one or more stands in
Down 1
if any units ordered are in an enemy threat zone dense terrain, then the whole group suffers this penalty. By
Down 1
for each broken sub-command ordering units individually, it is possible to avoid terrain
Down 1
if isolated sub-command penalties that may apply to the command group.
Down 1
if failed last command integrity check and ordered
to advance Infantry ordered to advance on cavalry
Down 1 for each successive order issued to the same unit or Infantry that is given an advance order suffers this penalty
command group if it is within the threat zone of enemy cavalry, if an enemy
Down 1 if any unit being ordered is in dense terrain cavalry unit is within the threat zone of the infantry, or if an
Down 2 if infantry ordered to advance on cavalry enemy cavalry unit could come into the threat zone of the
Up 1 if all units ordered are in command infantry if it advances on obeying this order (i.e. the cavalry
Up 1 if an officer is attached is within the infantry’s combined move and threat
Up 1 if both the officer is inspirational and the order is to distances). A command suffers this penalty if one or more
advance of its infantry units are so affected.

The net result of all modifiers is applied to obtain the officer’s In command
effective command rating. There is no minimum to the See page 8.
effective command rating, although an order cannot be issued
if an officer’s effective command rating reaches 1. Inspirational officer
The phasing player rolls two six-sided dice (2D6). The order Inspirational officers are defined as such either by the
succeeds if the result is less than or equal to the officer’s Officer Ratings or the Points System.
effective command rating. An order always fails on a roll of 11

15
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

or 12. An order also fails if the player does not state the type the purposes of threats. Units must stop at each and every
of order before rolling the dice. threat zone encountered. Units that encounter a threat zone
If an order succeeds, units in the command group can act are positioned one stand depth within this zone. Units
according to the order given. Units in a command group that entering a threat zone obliquely are positioned so that the
has been given an order to advance, therefore, cannot front edge of the first stand to enter the zone is entirely within
deploy, manoeuvre or retire – they can only advance. If an it (Book 3, page 19). Units that stop on entering a threat zone
order is successfully given to a command group at least one or which begin in a threat zone can move within this zone on
unit in that group must obey it. Provided that one unit acts on a subsequent order.
the order, other units in a command group need not act on it. An advance move can never be used to break contact with
If no unit acts on an order, the order fails and the officer can an enemy. An advance order is the only order than can be
issue no further orders than turn. used to make contact with the enemy.
Units in a command group are moved one at a time; each A unit that advances into contact with an enemy (so the
unit must complete its order before another unit in the units are touching) cannot act on any further orders that
command is moved. Moving units singly can temporarily phase. A unit that contacts the enemy keeps its current facing
deprive them of favourable position bonuses if they are and position – it is not “squared up” with the enemy unit. A
bombarded. unit need make contact with only part of its front, or with one
of its two front corners. A unit that is in contact with the enemy
Multiple orders is said to have engaged the enemy.
Units and commands can receive more than one order from A unit cannot advance to engage an enemy that is outside
an officer each turn. An officer can repeatedly order the same its threat zone unless that enemy is within 5cm (1 band).
unit or command until he either fails an order or moves on to Artillery cannot advance to engage the enemy whether it is
ordering a different unit or command. There is a penalty of –1 limbered or unlimbered.
for each successive order to the same unit or command. The A unit that contacts the flank or rear of an enemy unit with
penalty applies with respect to the units ordered, not the its own flank or rear immediately halts, takes one stagger, and
officer, which means that an officer that moves on to order a cannot act on further orders that phase: it is repositioned one
different, previously unordered unit does so without any stand depth away from the enemy unit, back along the path of
penalty for issuing successive orders. its advance. The enemy unit is unaffected by the contact.
Friendly units that end up touching or that touch during
Huzzah! results movement, unless executing a passage of lines, each take
Any officer who gets Huzzah! carries out the initial order and one stagger because parts of the formations become
can then automatically successfully issue another order of intermingled.
any type to the same command or unit. After completing a An advance order can be used to execute a passage of
Huzzah! order, a group or individual unit can receive no other lines: a unit of infantry or cavalry in line can advance though a
orders that turn. The officer, however, can go on to issue stationary unit of the same arm that is also in line and which
orders to other commands that he has not already ordered. faces the same direction. Units executing a passage of lines
An officer can forgo the opportunity to use the Huzzah! order do not receive staggers. A passage of lines executed in a
and roll if he prefers. threat zone, however, results in the advancing unit stopping
one stand depth into the zone from its stationary colleague:
Effects of officers on movement both units will therefore end up touching and take one stagger
Units move straight through friendly officers. Units that end up apiece. The only safe way of executing a passage of lines in
on top of a friendly officer displace the officer. Officers are a threat zone is to retire the lead unit.
displaced so they are just out of contact with and behind the Open Order units in open order can advance through other
centre of the unit that displaced them. A unit that contacts an units in open order as a passage of lines. Hence infantry or
enemy officer captures him (the figure is removed) unless cavalry in open order can pass through unlimbered artillery,
there is a non-routing friendly unit within his command radius, infantry in open order or cavalry in open order. Units that end
in which case he attaches to the nearest such unit: his figure up touching after the advance order take one stagger apiece,
is moved and placed in contact with the unit. as for formed units executing a passage of lines.

Retire
Orders A unit that receives an individual retire order can move
backwards up to half its full movement allowance. Units in a
Advance group can move backwards only up to half the full move
A unit that receives an individual advance order can move allowance of the slowest unit in that group. Moves must be
forwards up to its full movement allowance. Units in a group made straight backwards without turning, inclining or drifting
at any command level can move forwards only up to the any unit. All units keep the same facing.
maximum move allowance of the slowest arm in that group. A retire move can never be used to bring a unit into contact
Cavalry in the same command group as infantry can therefore with the enemy. A retire move can never be used to engage
move only as far as the maximum movement allowance of the or to break an engagement with an enemy: such an action is
infantry (20cm or 4 bands). Unlimbered artillery is not obliged only decided by resolving the engagement.
to advance and does not limit the movement of units in a Units must stop moving the instant they enter or touch the
command group. Moves must be made straight ahead without threat zone of an enemy unit, even if they ignore the zone for
turning, inclining or drifting any unit. the purposes of threats. Units must stop at each and every
Units must stop moving the instant they enter or touch the threat zone encountered. Units that encounter a threat zone
threat zone of an enemy unit, even if they ignore the zone for are positioned one stand depth within this zone. Units

16
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Movement distances
Movement in cm (bands)
Troops Line Column Open order March column Square
Infantry 15cm (3) 20cm (4) 20cm (4) 20cm (4) 5cm (1)
Cavalry 25cm (5) 30cm (6) 30cm (6) 30cm (6) –
Heavy Foot Guns – – – 15cm (3) –
Foot Guns 5cm (1) – – 20cm (4) –
Horse Guns 5cm (1) – – 30cm (6) –
Officers 60cm (12) – – – –

entering a threat zone obliquely are positioned so that the in open order can pass through unlimbered artillery, infantry in
rear edge of the first stand to enter the zone is entirely within open order or cavalry in open order. Units that end up touching
it. Units that stop on entering a threat zone or which begin in after completing the order take one stagger apiece.
a threat zone can retire on a subsequent order.
Unlimbered artillery cannot retire: the prolongue was used Deploy
only to advance artillery. Limbered artillery that faces toward Units can change from any allowable formation into another
the back of its command can retire with its command: it does allowable formation. Infantry can therefore form line, column,
not need separate advance orders to move “backwards”; it march column, square or go into open order. Cavalry can
also moves at full rate. form line, column or march column. No change of facing is
Friendly units that end up touching or that touch during permitted for infantry or cavalry – this requires a manoeuvre
movement, unless executing a passage of lines, each take order. Artillery, however, can limber and manoeuvre or
one stagger. unlimber and manoeuvre on a deploy order: it cannot
A retire order can be used to execute a passage of lines: a manoeuvre on a deploy order unless it also limbers or
unit of infantry or cavalry in line can retire though another, unlimbers. One stand of an infantry or cavalry unit must
stationary unit of the same arm that is also in line and which remain stationary during deployment to anchor the position of
faces in the same direction. Units executing a passage of the new formation; one stand of an artillery battery must
lines do not receive staggers unless they remain in contact maintain its same relative position after limbering or
after completing the order. unlimbering.
Open Order units in open order can retire through other units A deploy order can never be used to engage the enemy or
in open order as a passage of lines. Hence infantry or cavalry to break off an engagement.

Unit formations
Line March column
A thin, long formation that presents a broad threat zone. A A thin, long formation used to march along roads and
line can only manoeuvre through 45 degrees. Troops in line through narrow terrain, such as bridges and fords. A unit in
are in close order. Unlimbered artillery is in line formation for march column has no threat zone and always uses its
prolongue movement. Treat unlimbered artillery batteries as disadvantaged morale rating if threatened or during
lines for movement and engagements, but as open order engagements. March columns on a road can follow its route
troops for threats. without requiring manoeuvre orders. Troops in march
column are in close order.
Column
A dense, closed-up formation with a frontage of one or two Mob
companies or squadrons intended for assault. Although the Mobs result when a unit routs or when cavalry loses control.
column’s narrow frontage limits its threat zone, multiple Mobs use the movement rate for march column, have no
columns can present a greater threat by virtue of their threat zone and use their disadvantaged morale rating if
superior numbers. Columns are easier to manoeuvre than threatened or engaged. Mobs can manoeuvre freely. Mobs
lines because they are more compact and the smaller are in neither open nor close order.
frontage makes it easier to dress lines. A column can
manoeuvre through 90 degrees. Troops in column are in Square
close order. Infantry squares are an effective defensive formation against
cavalry, but present attractive targets to artillery. Squares
Open order given an advance order can move in any of the four
A dispersed formation typically used by light troops. Only directions that their sides face. Squares cannot manoeuvre.
units with the Open Order or Skirmish abilities (see Army Movement by squares is intended to reflect that the men
Lists) can adopt open order. Troops in open order have the turn to face one direction, advance as a hollow column and
same frontage as units in line. Units in open order can then turn outwards to reform the square. Faster movement
manoeuvre through 45 degrees. Treat unlimbered artillery is only possible by advancing in column and forming square
batteries as open order troops for threats, but as lines for on a deploy order. Troops in square are in close order. In
movement and engagements. woods, a square is assumed to be several rally squares.

17
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Units that enter or touch the threat zone of an enemy unit the CinC doesn’t fail an order and therefore end the Orders
while deploying do not stop on entering the threat zone: they phase.
complete their change of formation. A unit that deploys within If the CinC gets a Huzzah! result, he can also elect to
or into a threat zone must immediately take a threat test on appoint another officer automatically, although doing so ends
completing the change of formation. his Orders phase and therefore that of the army.
Units can change formation in any order the player wishes, The CinC can make as many appointments as his luck
but each unit is moved one at a time. Any friendly units that holds good for, with each appointment counting as a
end up touching or that touch while changing formation each successive order. New officers are placed next to the figure
take one stagger. that represents the CinC. The CinC cannot appoint officers
while attached to a unit or if he has superseded an officer.
Manoeuvre
Units can wheel on an anchored corner through up to 45 Rearm
degrees if in line, open order or march column and through up The CinC can resupply his artillery provided at least one
to 90 degrees if in column. A unit in any formation can about battery in his army has no bombardment counters remaining.
face through exactly 180 degrees. Unlimbered artillery can Roll 2D6: if the result is less than or equal to the modified
only manoeuvre forwards (no backward movement is allowed bombardment factor of the army, then all batteries in the army
by unlimbered artillery). return to their full bombardment allowance.
Alternatively, an infantry, cavalry or limbered artillery unit An army’s bombardment factor is modified as follows:
can forgo the ability to wheel or about face and instead side-
step up to 10cm (2 bands) to the left or to the right while Up 1 if the majority of batteries are depleted
maintaining the same facing. Unlimbered artillery cannot Up 1 if all batteries are depleted
“side-step”.
A unit in square cannot manoeuvre. A battery is depleted if it has no bombardment counters
A manoeuvre order can never be used to engage or to remaining.
break an engagement with an enemy. The majority of an army’s batteries are only depleted if
Units must stop manoeuvring the instant they enter or touch more batteries are depleted than not depleted; if equal
the threat zone of an enemy unit, even if they ignore the zone numbers are depleted and not depleted, then the majority is
for the purposes of threats. Units must stop at each and every not depleted.
threat zone encountered. Units that encounter a threat zone If the result is less than or equal to the bombardment factor
are positioned one stand depth within this zone. Units of only some of the factions of an army, then only those
entering a threat zone obliquely are manoeuvred so that the factions return to their full bombardment allowance.
front edge of the first stand to enter the zone is entirely within If the order fails, the player’s Orders phase ends, although
it. Units that stopped on entering a threat zone or which the CinC can try to rearm again in the next Orders phase.
began in a threat zone can manoeuvre freely within this zone A Huzzah! result increases the bombardment ability of an
on a subsequent order. army by one, to a maximum allowable for a nation, and
Units can manoeuvre in any order that the player wishes, rearms the guns to this level.
but each unit manoeuvres one at a time. Any friendly units The CinC cannot issue rearm orders while attached to a
that end up touching or that touch while manoeuvring each unit or if he has superseded an officer.
take one stagger.

Appoint officer
The CinC can appoint an officer to replace one killed in a Example: Rearm
previous turn. The order counts just like any other order, with
the risk that trying to issue it may result in that army’s turn The CinC of an Anglo-Spanish army tries to issue a rearm
ending immediately if the order fails. The affected command order. The British have a bombardment factor of 4 and the
group must be entirely within the command radius of the Spanish a bombardment factor of 3. He rolls 2D6.
CinC. On a 4 or less, only the British batteries are rearmed; on
Roll 2D6: the appointment succeeds if the result is equal to a 3, the British and the Spanish batteries are rearmed.
or less than the command rating of the CinC. Roll for the On a 5 or more, the player’s Orders phase ends
quality of the officer as usual (officers bought using the points because the order has failed.
system roll using the same modifiers as their predecessors). On a Huzzah!, the bombardment factors of both
The new officer can issue orders from next turn; if the CinC contingents increase to 5 and 4 respectively, and the guns
gets a Huzzah! result, however, the appointment is immediate of each are rearmed to these new levels.
and the officer can issue orders starting this turn assuming

18
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Artillery bombardment

Intent Bombardment fire is never combined. Each bombardment

Bombardment reflects the potential for artillery to halt or threat is worked out separately: a player declares and
disrupt an enemy’s advance, or to soften up a position before resolves one bombardment at a time.
an attack.
Bombardment is in effect opportunity fire for artillery. Each Artillery cannot bombard:
army has a bombardment factor that reflects the efficiency of l engaged units; or
its artillery arm. The factor is simply the total number of times l friendly units.
in the game that an army can fire each battery of artillery
during the opponent’s Orders phases. Sight the guns
Bombardment at long and extreme ranges represents shot A bombarding battery can sight the guns to bombard a unit
and shell; at short range, bombardment also includes canister that is not directly ahead. It manoeuvres up to 45 degrees to
and double-shotted fire. put the target in its short, long or extreme threat zone. It can
sight the guns only once during the opponent’s Orders phase:
Conditions once a battery has sighted the guns it cannot manoeuvre
Artillery can threaten targets at long and extreme ranges only again that phase. A battery cannot manoeuvre unless it also
by bombarding them. Batteries also have an inherent short- bombards a target. A bombarding battery can only manoeuvre
range threat (Threat Zones, page 12) and can also bombard forward; it cannot manoeuvre backward.
at short range.
A battery can bombard a single enemy unit that is directly Bounce through
ahead in its short, long or extreme range threat zones and to Troops that are behind a unit that is bombarded may be hit by
which it has a clear line of sight (page 9). The battery must bounce through fire. If any part of a unit is on a straight line
choose the nearest legitimate target that is directly ahead if a drawn from centre of the front of the battery to the centre of
choice of target exists in its threat zones. Note that other the threatened face of the bombarded unit, then that unit must
enemy units may be physically nearer, but not directly ahead take a threat test if it is also within the bounce through
of the battery – the battery is not obliged to bombard them by distance. Bounce through distance is measured from the
sighting the guns (see below). centre of the side of the unit facing the bombarding battery
A battery on a hill can bombard over any friendly unit that is (i.e. the initial contact point). Units that are beyond extreme
both within its short range threat zone and on a lower elevation range can be hit by bounce through fire. All units hit by
provided that its target is at long or extreme range and at least bounce through fire must take threat tests.
5cm (1 band) away from an intervening friendly unit.
A battery on a hill can bombard over any friendly unit that is Procedure
both at a lower elevation and in a different range band from A battery that bombards a unit immediately forces a threat
the battery’s target provided that the target is at long or test against that unit. Bombardment immediately interrupts the
extreme range and is at the same or a higher elevation than phasing player’s turn, hence a unit that is changing formation
the bombarding battery. can be fired on while in its old formation, and a moving unit
Once a battery has bombarded, it cannot bombard the can be bombarded at any stage in its movement.
same target again during the same turn unless that target Each time a battery threatens a target by bombardment,
acts on another order. A target bombarded in a previous turn one smoke marker is placed in front of the battery (page 13).
can be bombarded again by the same battery in a Track bombardment fire using counters (blue) positioned by
subsequent turn even if does not act on another order in the each battery, taking one counter away each time that
interim. A target can take more than one bombardment threat bombardment fire is used. Alternatively, record bombardment
test if bombarded by different batteries. Artillery bombards fire on a roster, or use a blue die or spare individual artillery
only during the opponent’s Orders phase. crewmen to track bombardments.

Bombardment ranges
Range in cm (bands)
Battery type Short range Long range Extreme range Bounce through
Light 0-30cm (0-6) 30-60cm (6-12) 60-90cm (12-18) 10cm (2)
Medium 0-35cm (0-7) 35-70cm (7-14) 70-105cm (14-21) 15cm (3)
Heavy 0-40cm (0-8) 40-80cm (8-16) 80-120cm (16-24) 20cm (4)

Units that are split between ranges are at the closest of the two ranges.

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HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Officer movement

Intent Supersede/relinquish control

Movement of officer figures allows players to optimise the A CinC who is in contact with another officer can supersede
position of officers for the next Orders phase by keeping their that officer as commander of his formation. Both the CinC and
formations entirely in command. Officers can also attach the officer can move up to their movement allowance so that
themselves to units to enhance the unit’s chances of rallying, the CinC is in contact. The officer is in effect relieved of his
to spur it on in engagements, or to prepare for the next turn to command and the figure representing him is removed. The
give a boost during the Orders phase. The CinC can also CinC can then issue orders appropriate to the command level
supersede an officer to take direct control of a body of men. of the officer that has been superseded, but while he is
superseding an officer he cannot reappoint officers nor issue
Conditions rearm orders.
In this phase an army’s officers can, in any order desired: The CinC can relinquish control to the original officer in a
l Move up to 60cm (12 bands); and subsequent Officer Movement phase, at which point that
l Attach to or detach from a single unit in their command officer is placed on the battlefield next to the CinC.
groups. The CinC can supersede an officer who has been killed
provided that every surviving unit in that officer’s command is
In addition the CinC can: within the CinC’s command radius. If he relinquishes
l Supersede an officer or relinquish control; command, he must still appoint an officer to the command
l Relinquish control and then attach to a unit; or group for it to receive orders at that level of command.
l Detach from a unit and then supersede an officer. A CinC who supersedes an officer uses a command radius
appropriate to his quality for an officer at the level he has
An officer cannot: superseded. Hence, an Excellent CinC who supersedes a
l Detach from one unit and then attach to another; or divisional officer operates with a command radius of 60cm (12
l Attach to a unit that is not in his command group. bands), 40cm (8 bands) as a “divisional” officer plus 20cm (4
bands) for being Excellent.
In addition, the CinC cannot: A CinC who supersedes an officer who is subject to
l Relinquish one command and then supersede another command checks takes those command checks at his own
officer. level of ability, not that of his superseded subordinate. A CinC
who supersedes an officer does not apply the penalty for
Procedure difference in command level when taking a command check
for that officer’s command.
Movement
Officers can move up to 60cm (12 bands) regardless of Officer casualties
intervening terrain or the presence of friendly units. Officers An enemy unit that contacts an officer in the Orders phase
cannot move through enemy troops or through gaps that captures him (the figure is removed) unless there is a non-
would bring the figures representing them into contact with routing unit in his command within his command radius, in
enemy troops. which case he immediately attaches himself to the nearest
such unit.
Attach/detach An attached officer is killed and the figure removed
An officer attaches himself by placing the figure that immediately if the unit he is attached to takes a kill in an
represents him in contact with a friendly unit that is both engagement or is broken.
within his movement allowance and in his command groups. Officers attached to routing units are left at the table edge
Attached officers subsequently move with their unit, not where and when that unit leaves the battlefield. Officers
during this phase. Attached officers can issue orders only to whose commands are broken are removed from the field of
the unit to which they are attached. battle, although they may be able to reorganise their
An officer detaches from a unit by placing the figure that command (Reorganise, page 24).
represents him so that it is just out of contact with and behind The CinC can appoint a new officer to replace one that has
the centre of the unit. The officer can then move up to his been killed or captured by the enemy by issuing the
movement allowance. appropriate order in the Orders phase. If the CinC is ever
captured or killed, it follows that no officers can be appointed
nor any rearm orders issued.

20
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Engage the enemy

Intent In all other situations, units use their normal quality rating.
Engagements represent the telling moment of a conflict, Regardless of whether a unit uses its normal or
either resulting from close-range fire or the real threat of disadvantaged quality, no unit can be rated higher than
melee. One side will typically break and run as its nerve fails, Veteran, nor lower than Unreliable. Hence, Veterans with
or recoil from the enemy and fall back. Engagements can see positive modifiers are treated simply as Veterans; Unreliable
whole units wiped out, representing the effects of casualties, troops with negative modifiers are treated as Unreliable.
captives and cowardice. Modifiers are applied to the descriptive quality (Veteran,
Experienced, Trained, Green, Raw and Unreliable) and then
Conditions the corresponding numeric value is read off according to the
Enemy units that are in physical contact on the battlefield are unit’s final descriptive quality. Modifiers are not applied
engaged. Such units must resolve the conflict during this directly to the numeric value.
phase. Their ability to fight depends on their quality and their
situation. Procedure
Modify each unit’s quality as follows:
Units use their disadvantaged quality rating if they are:
Down 1 if more kills than opponent
l Engaged to their flank or rear; Down 1 if more staggers than opponent
l In march column; Down 1 if small unit
l Cavalry against infantry in square; Down 1 if engaged with renowned opponent
l Blown; Down 1 if not in doctrinal deployment
l Routing; Up 1 if in a favourable position
l Attacking a strong point, fortress wall or breach; Up 1 if open order troops in dense terrain
l Downhill of enemy on a steep hill; Up 1 if leader attached
l Cavalry on a steep hill; Up 1 if inspirational leader attached
l Infantry engaged with close order cavalry while in both Up 1 if battle cavalry
open order and open terrain; Up 1 if pursuit cavalry fighting a disadvantaged enemy
l Cossacks or yoruks engaged frontally with close order
troops in open terrain; or The result of all modifiers is calculated and applied to a unit’s
l Close order cavalry in dense terrain. descriptive quality rating to obtain the appropriate numeric
value (the effective morale rating). A unit receives all modifiers
Disadvantaged units never get the favourable position modifier. due to it according to its situation at the start of the phase.

Explanations: Engage the Enemy

Doctrinal deployment attacking unit that contacts an enemy too obliquely may be
Infantry units are assumed to conform to their nation’s engaged to its flank if it fulfils these conditions. Such a unit
preferred tactics for forming line, column and, against should first manoeuvre to face the enemy if it is to avoid
cavalry, square. Doctrinal deployment varies depending on advancing towards the enemy while exposing its flank.
whether units are attacking or defending. In all instances,
the phasing player’s units are assumed to be attacking and More kills or staggers
the non-phasing player’s units are considered to be Units with more kills or more staggers are respectively
defending. Doctrines for each nation are defined with the smaller or more disordered than their opponents. The actual
national ratings in the Army Lists. number of kills or staggers is not used as a modifier; it is
only used to show which side is in the worst state.
Engaged to flank or rear
A unit is engaged to its flank or rear if the front of an enemy Small unit
is in contact with that unit’s flank or rear and more of the Most artillery batteries are small units and suffer this penalty.
enemy is in its flank or rear zones than in its frontal zone. A If smaller units than the typical sized infantry or cavalry units
unit is also engaged to its flank if the front of an enemy is in are in play, for example, cavalry regiments of one or two
contact along the whole length of that unit’s flank. squadrons or infantry units of one or two companies, such
The front corners of a unit are also its flank corners: the units suffer this penalty in engagements against standard-
corner is therefore both the front and flank of a unit. An sized units.

21
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Players roll 2D6 for each of their own units involved in an Unlimbered artillery that loses an engagement is broken
engagement. and removed.
A unit that rolls under or equal to its effective morale rating Infantry that is not in square or mass and which loses an
inflicts a number of staggers on its opponent equal to the engagement in open terrain involving enemy cavalry is broken
difference between its morale rating and the result on the unless it gets a Huzzah! result.
dice. Although a unit that rolls exactly its effective morale
rating inflicts no staggers on its opponent, that unit wins the Multiple unit engagements
engagement if its opponent fails the roll. Where possible, break engagements into a series of one-on-
Any unit that rolls 11 or 12 or that rolls more than its effective one combats. Two units against two, for example, always
morale rating takes one kill whether its side wins or loses. becomes two one-on-one engagements. Only then resolve
A unit whose total of staggers and kills equals or exceeds remaining multiple-unit engagements.
its full, not disadvantaged, morale rating is broken and Roll for each unit involved. The unit that rolls the greatest
immediately removed. difference between its morale rating and the result on the dice
The unit that succeeds by the greatest amount is the wins the engagement for its side. Only its result is used in
winner, the other side is the loser. The result is a tie if the determining the number of staggers taken by its opponents.
winner breaks as a result of staggers and kills inflicted in the If a side consists of more than one unit, any staggers are
engagement. The result is also a tie if both sides fail to roll divided equally between units. Any odd staggers are first
equal to or under their effective morale rating or if the allocated to any unit that takes a kill: if more than one or no
difference between the results is equal. units took kills, the controlling player decides which unit
In a tie, all defending units hold their ground. Attacking units receives odd staggers.
in a tied engagement retire one move directly away from and All units that roll 11 or 12 or that roll over their effective
facing the enemy. A unit in line that retires can pass through morale rating take one kill even if their side wins the
other friendly units of the same arm in line and which face in engagement.
the same direction without taking staggers for contacting All units obey the results for ties or losing, as for one-on-
them. It does so by executing a passage of lines. one engagements. If the winning unit on one side breaks, the
All losing units rout. Each one forms a mob and then makes result is a tie.
one move at march column rate directly away from the enemy
(typically straight backwards) and facing away from the Huzzah! results
enemy. Routing units move their full allowance regardless of Any unit that rolls Huzzah! inflicts one kill on each opposing
terrain for this initial move, can manoeuvre freely while routing unit in the engagement and ignores all staggers it would take
to avoid impassable terrain or enemy units, and do not stop at as a result of the engagement. In a multiple-unit engagement
enemy threat zones. A unit that cannot rout because it is such staggers are lost, not redistributed.
surrounded by enemy units, and where no gap wider than a A unit that rolls Huzzah! can still lose an engagement if the
mob exists between such units, is broken. difference between the die roll and its quality is less than the
Any friendly unit that a routing unit touches or passes difference rolled by its opponent. A unit that rolls Huzzah! but
through as it routs receives one stagger; the routing unit also loses retires, not routs.
receives one stagger. Subsequent routs are made in
accordance with the procedure detailed in the Rally phase Officers
(page 25). An officer who is attached to a unit that takes a kill or is
Any unit that leaves or is forced to leave the battlefield, broken is himself killed and immediately removed. An officer
even if it only retires, is broken. attached to a unit that takes only staggers but does not break
remains attached to that unit and is unharmed. Officers
attached to units that retire or rout remain attached to the unit
Examples: Engage the enemy and move with it.

A French trained battalion attacks and engages an Cavalry

experienced British line. The French unit has an effective Cavalry that does not rout after an engagement is blown.
morale of 8, the British, 9. The French player rolls 10 (a Mark blown status using a counter (green) or a dead horse.
failure); the British player rolls a 5. The French unit takes 1 Blown cavalry exerts no threat zone. Blown cavalry cannot
kill, 4 staggers and routs. The British unit is unharmed. move until it reforms, unless it fails a recall order (Rally,
Two trained French units in column attack and engage Reform and Rout, page 26). If engaged while blown, cavalry
an experienced British line. Each French unit has an fights with its disadvantaged rating. Blown cavalry takes
effective morale rating of 8; the British, 9. The French threat tests using its full quality rating, unless placed in a
player rolls 10 and 6, respectively a failure and a success disadvantaged position.
by 2. The British player rolls 7, success by 2. The result is Cavalry can try to rally and reform in the same turn that it
a tie. The British unit holds its ground but takes 2 staggers. became blown during the owning player’s Rally phase.
The French units take 1 stagger each (two staggers Cavalry blown during its opponent’s Engagement phase
divided evenly), and the unit that failed also takes 1 kill. cannot rally until its owning player’s next Rally phase; it
Both columns retire. receives a forced order of recall only if it fails that rally
attempt.

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Rally, reform and rout

Intent The officer’s command rating is modified as follows:

In this phase, commands that have broken or routing
sub-commands check to see whether they are affected by Down 1 for each broken or routing sub-command
their losses by taking a command check. After the command Down 1 if failed last command check
check, the phasing player can try to reorganise broken Down 1 for each difference in command level
commands to bring them back onto the battlefield. After this, Down 2 if isolated sub-command
attempts can be made to restore order by rallying routing Up 1 for each sub-command in a favourable position
units and reforming staggered or blown units. Units that still Up 1 if passed last command check
have staggers after this take compulsory losses and routers Up 1 if the officer is inspirational
make compulsory moves. Up 1 if officer seizes the flag

Procedure The result is the officer’s effective command rating.

Carry out the following actions strictly in order: The phasing player rolls 2D6 for each command check. If
the result is less than or equal to the officer’s effective
l Command checks; command rating, that officer passes the command check.
l Reorganise commands (optional); Otherwise the command check fails. A roll of 11 or 12 always
l Remove smoke; fails.
l Rally routing units;
Compulsory movement of routing units;
Explanations: Command checks
l
l Reform blown and non-routing units; and
l Compulsory casualties.
Failed/passed last command check
If the command failed or passed its previous command
Command integrity check check it receives the appropriate penalty or bonus.

Command integrity checks, or command checks for short, Difference in command level
represent the ability of officers to hold their formations together A senior officer can take a command check for a junior
and the confidence that a command has in its leaders. All officer who is dead or captured. All units in the command
command checks must be resolved before rallying, reforming, must be within the senior officer’s command radius and the
reorganising or routing any units or commands. officer must be higher up the chain of command. Hence a
divisional officer can take a command check for a dead or
Conditions captured brigade officer, but a brigade officer cannot take
A command must take a command check if: the command check for another brigade officer. The
command must also be part of the senior officer’s
l Any of its sub-commands broke or routed this turn; command. The senior officer takes the test but at Down 1
l It failed a command check last turn; or for each level of command removed from the officer who is
l It has broken or routing sub-commands and a unit in the meant to take the test. Division, corps and army officers
command is within an enemy threat zone. (the CinC) are respectively one, two and three levels
removed from a brigade officer and accordingly take the
During the turn, mark any officers whose commands must test at Down 1, Down 2 and Down 3. In effect the senior
take command checks as a reminder (use a blue counter or officer dispatches staff officers to keep control of the
an ADC figure). command.
A CinC who has superseded an officer whose command
Procedure must take a command check receives no penalty for the
Command checks are resolved starting at the highest level of difference in command level. He is there in person, rather
command and working downwards. The result of each than acting remotely through his staff.
command check is applied before taking the next check and
as a consequence some commands may be affected by more Seize the flag
than one command check. The officer voluntarily performs a conspicuous act of
If more than one command at the same command level heroism to inspire his men. For an officer to seize the flag
must take a command check, the command with most routing all units in the command must be within his command
and broken sub-commands tests first. If the commands have radius. The officer takes the test at Up 1, but if he fails he
the same number of routing and broken sub-commands, the is killed and immediately removed from play.
command with a unit nearest to the enemy tests first.

23
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

If the command check fails, every unit in the command takes

a number of staggers equal to the number of broken or routing Example: Reorganise
sub-commands in that command. In addition, all non-routing
units in the command must retire one full move facing the A brigade originally consisting of five battalions fails a
enemy (artillery limbers and retires one move still limbered). command check and retires off the battlefield. Of the five
The first such move is made directly away from the enemy units, one broke, one routed and three retired off the
(typically straight backwards); subsequent moves are towards battlefield. The average officer in charge has a command
the line of communication. Units do not stop at enemy threat rating of 8, modified to 6 because two units broke or routed
zones. Any units forced to leave the table are broken. and then up to 7 because more units retired than broke or
The controlling player decides which units move first. routed. The player waits one turn before attempting to
Units in line can retire though other units of the same arm reorganise, taking the final rating up to 8: the roll is a 9 and
in line and which face in the same direction by executing a the attempt fails. After a wait of two more turns, the
passage of lines; all units forced to touch or pass through officer’s effective command rating is now 9; the player rolls
another unit without executing a passage of lines each take the dice, gets a 6 and successfully reorganises the
one stagger. command. The units in the command each take two kills,
Units that are deployed in buildings retire in an allowable one for each attempt made at reorganising them. These
formation of the owning player’s choice. Units in strong points kills are added to any they previously took. If this were
do not have to retire if their command fails a command check enough to break a battalion it would be removed from play
unless the command that retires is the army; the controlling permanently and the brigade would be treated as a
player can choose to retire them or leave them in the strong command that started with a strength of four units. The
point. If the army retires, all units in the army must retire – officer would come on next turn, and the brigade could be
even units in strong points. ordered the turn after that – the fifth turn after the
The line of communication is to a road nearest the centre of command left the battlefield.
the army’s baseline, or the centre of that army’s baseline if
there are no roads. A player can nominate a different line of
communication before the game starts. play. It requires more bookkeeping because the number of
If its officer has been killed, a command automatically fails kills taken by units that have been removed from the
the command check unless a senior officer takes the test battlefield must be recorded.
(Difference in command level, page 23).
Conditions
Huzzah! results A command can reorganise if it satisfies all of the following
A command that gets Huzzah! in a command check need not conditions:
take another command check until another of its sub-commands
breaks or routs. A Huzzah! result means that any sub- l It has a leader; and
commands also pass their command checks for this turn only. l The whole command has left the battlefield.

A command cannot reorganise if:

Reorganise l Its officer was killed or captured and a replacement was
not appointed in time; or
Commands that have entirely broken or routed from the field l The command is the army. A broken army has lost!
can try to reorganise in an attempt to come back onto the
battlefield. As the rule greatly prolongs the length of games, it Procedure
is not recommended when only a few hours are available for Modify the command rating of the command’s officer as
follows:

Explanations: Reorganise Down 1 for each sub-command that broke or routed

Down 1 if the command is a division
More units retired than broke or routed Down 3 if the command is a corps
All units that leave the table are counted as broken. Some Up 1 if more units retired than broke or routed
may retire, however, as a result of failing a command Up 1 for each turn waited
check. They are regarded as having left the battlefield in Up 1 if the officer is inspirational
good order; if the majority of a command consists of such
units, rather than units that broke outright or routed off the The result is the officer’s effective command rating.
battlefield, it has a better chance of reorganising. Roll 2D6. The command reorganises if the result is equal to
or less than the officer’s effective command rating. A roll of 11
Turns waited or 12 always fails.
The longer a player waits before reorganising a formation, If the command reorganises, on the player’s next Officer
the better the chances of doing so. In theory a player can Movement phase, the command’s officer can enter the table
try to reorganise a command on the turn it leaves the at the army’s line of communication, obeying the rules for
battlefield if it does so as a result of a failed command Reinforcements (page 30). He can then issue orders to his
check. Each turn waited either since the command left the command during the player’s next Orders phase.
battlefield or since the previous (failed!) attempt at Units in a reorganised command remove all staggers
reorganising increases the chance of success. against them but keep any kills they accumulated before they
left the battlefield and when they broke. In addition, all units in

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

the command take kills equal to the number of attempts made Modifiers are applied to the descriptive quality (Veteran,
at reorganising the command. Any units that break as a result Experienced, Trained, Green, Raw and Unreliable) and then
are destroyed and are permanently removed; the command the corresponding numeric value is read off according to the
enters without them and its strength is reckoned on the unit’s final descriptive quality. Modifiers are not applied
number of surviving units; units broken in this way do not directly to the numeric value.
count against future orders and command checks.
Procedure
Huzzah! results A unit’s quality rating is modified as follows:
A Huzzah! result immediately reorganises a command. Units
take no extra kills for the number of attempts made at Down 1 if the unit has kills against it
reorganising them and the command’s officer is immediately Down 1 if the unit is routing
placed at the army’s line of communication as for the Down 1 if blown battle cavalry
Reinforcement rules. He can order his reorganised command Down 1 if within an enemy threat zone
in the player’s next Orders phase. Up 1 if in command
Up 1 if in a favourable position
Up 1 if an officer is attached
Remove smoke Up 1 if an inspirational officer is attached

Artillery batteries that threaten units during the enemy’s turn The net result of all modifiers is calculated and applied to the
accumulate smoke markers. The phasing player can now unit’s descriptive quality rating to obtain the appropriate
remove one smoke marker from each unlimbered battery and numeric value (the effective morale rating).
two smoke markers from each limbered battery. Batteries may Roll 2D6 for each unit: it rallies if the result is less than or
not be able to remove all their smoke markers. equal to its effective morale rating. It fails to rally if the result
is higher than its effective morale rating. A roll of 11 or 12
always fails.
Rally and reform Routing troops that rally immediately halt facing the enemy
and assume whichever allowable formation they wish.
All routing, staggered or blown units on the phasing player’s Blown troops that rally immediately lose the blown status.
side must attempt to restore order by rallying or reforming. All They keep their original formation and facing. Blown troops
routing units must try to rally before staggered or blown that fail to rally remain blown and may lose control. They
troops try to reform, because a routing unit that fails to rally receive a forced order of recall and are marked with a blue
may affect other units in its flight. counter or an ADC figure to indicate they have received a
forced order.
Conditions In addition, troops whose roll is less than their effective
Rallying and reforming takes place strictly in the following morale rating reform by removing a number of staggers equal
order: to the difference between the result on the dice and their
effective morale rating. It follows that a unit that rolls equal to
l Rally routing units; its effective morale rating recovers no staggers, although the
l Compulsory movement of routing units; roll is good enough to rally routers or to reform blown cavalry.
l Reform blown and non-routing units; and
l Compulsory casualties. Huzzah! results
A Huzzah! result automatically removes all staggers from a unit.
Rallying or reforming always uses the full, not disadvantaged,
quality rating of a unit. No unit can be rated higher than Compulsory movement: Rout
Veteran, nor lower than Unreliable. Hence, Veterans with Routing units that fail to rally immediately make one move
positive modifiers are treated simply as Veterans; Unreliable towards their line of communication at march column speed in
troops with negative modifiers are treated as Unreliable. mob formation. Routing units obey all terrain effects on
movement, but can manoeuvre freely while routing to avoid
impassable terrain and to avoid enemy units, and do not stop
Example: Rally at enemy threat zones.
Unless otherwise specified, the line of communication is to
A routing Raw cavalry regiment with two kills and two a road nearest the centre of the army’s baseline, or the centre
staggers and within the command radius of its officer tries of that baseline if there are no roads. A player can nominate a
to rally. Its effective morale rating is Unreliable (5) – its different line of communication before the game starts.
base value of Raw (6) is modified Up 1 for being in If a routing unit moves through a friendly unit, both units
command, Down 1 for the kills and Down 1 for routing. If it take one stagger. A routing unit that passes through more
were also out of the command radius of its command than one friendly unit takes one stagger for each unit it
group’s officer, it would remain Unreliable (5), requiring a contacts – if it takes enough staggers it will break. Non-
roll of 5 or less to rally. A result of 4 would rally it and routing units that take staggers in this way must attempt to
remove one stagger; it would then take one kill. A result of reform after every routing unit on the phasing player’s side
3 would rally the unit and remove all the staggers. The has been rallied or moved. Choke points, such as bridges or
unit’s chance of rallying can be improved by attaching an narrow passes, and the approaches to them may potentially
officer in the Officer Movement phase. lead to several units being staggered as a routing unit
blunders through.

25
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

A unit that is forced to rout away from the most direct path rally; other orders can be given first, but cavalry that must
to its line of communication, for example, by an enemy unit recall cannot act on them. If no recall order is given or if an
positioned behind it, takes an additional stagger. A unit that officer fails a preceding order to the cavalry’s command, then
cannot rout because it is surrounded by enemy units or by the recall order fails.
enemy units and impassable terrain is immediately broken. If the order succeeds, the cavalry remains where it is – the
Any unit that routs from the battlefield is immediately broken. recall order has been obeyed, although order has yet to be
restored. The unit is still blown. If it fails to rally during the
Compulsory casualties next Rally, Reform and Rout phase, it will again receive a
Any unit in the phasing player’s army that still has staggers forced order of recall.
against it after attempting to rally or reform takes one kill and If the recall order fails, the cavalry loses control and
retains all its staggers (the staggers are not “converted” into advances one move in mob formation towards the nearest
kills). Its state of disorder is considered such that casualties enemy unit along the enemy’s line of communication,
and a drift towards the rear have permanently affected its automatically manoeuvring as necessary to follow this route.
morale. The cavalry is stopped by threat zones and obeys all terrain
Any unit whose total of kills and staggers equals its normal limitations. If forced by terrain to diverge from the line of
morale rating is broken and immediately removed from the communication, it will take the shortest route around any
battlefield. A unit that takes kills equal to its normal morale obstruction. If it engages an enemy it fights using its
rating is destroyed and permanently removed from play; such disadvantaged morale rating. Cavalry that loses control is
a unit can never return to the battlefield if its command is always blown and therefore has no threat zone. If the unit
reorganised. fails to rally during the Rally, Reform and Rout phase, it
receives another forced order of recall.
Note that cavalry on the non-phasing side that wins an
Forced orders engagement does not test to rally until after its next Orders
phase. It does not receive a forced order of recall unless it
Recall fails a rally roll after that phase. It cannot move (i.e. advance,
Blown cavalry that fails to rally receives a forced order of retire, manoeuvre or deploy) during that player’s Orders
recall (mark affected units with a blue counter or an ADC phase because it is blown; in effect it pays a penalty for
figure as a reminder). A cavalry unit with a forced order of having the attacker decide where and when the engagement
recall can act on no other type of order until a recall order has took place. However, one advantage is that the player is more
been issued and obeyed; it is still blown. A recall order to the able to get officers in place to maximise the cavalry’s chances
cavalry can be issued in the next Orders phase after it fails to of recovering from being blown.

26
 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Other rules

Terrain Gentle slopes halve the movement of all troops except

infantry with the Skirmish ability, which moves at full rate while
Battlefields in the Napoleonic Wars were rarely flat and in open order. Steep slopes halve the movement of all troops.
featureless. Although in Huzzah! most terrain is defined as Hill ridges of isolated hills are assumed to run midway
open ground, such terrain itself could contain surprises: dips along the hill hot-cross-bun style from front to back and from
and folds in the land that armies could use to their advantage one side to the other. Long hills, such as those favoured in
or which unexpectedly hampered a straightforward attack or the Peninsula by the British, however, may have only a single
manoeuvre. The effects of such terrain in part is modelled in ridge running along their entire length.
the Orders phase, where the failure of a command to respond Hill ridges block the threat zones of artillery and cavalry.
to an order can be down to this or a host of other reasons. They have no effect on infantry threat zones, whose
Terrain features make up the rest of the battlefield: hills, skirmishers operate across them.
streams, buildings, woodland, walls and the like. Each type of Artillery cannot threaten troops in dead ground at the foot of
feature and its effect on threat zones and movement is hills, although it can threaten troops in front of and beyond
explained here. dead ground. Dead ground is defined as a 5cm (1 band) band
beneath and round each contour to which artillery is not
General effects of terrain adjacent. Artillery on a ridge therefore has dead ground on
Units that encounter a change in terrain move at a rate each contour below it; on a steep hill with contours less than
appropriate to that terrain for the remaining proportion of their 5cm (1 band) apart its field of effect will be somewhat
move. restricted. Artillery adjacent to the lowest contour (that is, on
Units that span two or more types of terrain present the the edge of the hill) does not suffer from dead ground. Note
least threat appropriate to any of the terrain types and use the that dead ground works uphill as well as down!
worst modifier for position (i.e. if part of the position is A battery on a hill can bombard over any friendly unit that is
favourable and part not, the unit is not in a favourable both within its short range threat zone and on a lower elevation
position). Hence a unit that is partly in buildings and partly in provided that its target is at long or extreme range and at
the open presents a threat zone only equal to its threat zone least 5cm (1 band) away from an intervening friendly unit.
in dense terrain, even in the open, and is treated as if it were A battery on a hill can bombard over any friendly unit that is
in the open, not in a favourable position. both at a lower elevation and in a different range band from
the battery’s target provided that the target is at long or
Open ground extreme range and is at the same or a higher elevation than
Open terrain or open ground is flat, lightly sloping or rolling the bombarding battery.
land with few features, such as pastures and fields of crops. Steep hills disadvantage infantry or artillery units that are
Open terrain has no effect on movement or threat zones. engaged against an enemy that holds higher ground. Steep
Infantry that has the Open Order ability but does not have hills disadvantage all cavalry in engagements, whether or not
the Skirmish ability cannot enter open ground while in open the cavalry holds the higher ground.
order, nor form open order while in open ground. Such troops
must first deploy into a close order formation before Broken ground
advancing into open ground. Broken ground is rocky, irregular terrain. It is impassable to all
troops except infantry in open order, which projects its full
Hills threat zone. Artillery can threaten or bombard units that are in
Hills are either gentle or steep. Represent gentle slopes with broken ground. Broken ground, however, blocks line of sight
a single-contour hill and steep slopes using a two-contour hill. to units that are beyond it and that are on the same elevation.
Steep slopes are not common on battlefields, although
Wellington made use of them in the Peninsula. Woods
Woodland is either light woodland, such as orchards or open
copses, or heavy woodland, with densely packed trees or
Example: Proportional movement heavy undergrowth. Both light and heavy woodland are dense
terrain.
An infantry column moves 10cm (2 bands) in the open up All woods halve the movement of close order infantry and
to an orchard. It can then move up to 5cm (1 band), half its close order cavalry and are impassable to artillery. Light
remaining move of 10cm (2 bands), into the orchard. woodland has no effect on the movement of troops that have
An infantry column moves 5cm (1 band) in an orchard the Open Order ability and are in open order. Cossacks,
before reaching its edge. Beyond is open terrain, through therefore, always move at full speed through light woodland.
which the unit can then advance up to 10cm (2 bands). All troops at the edge of woodland project their full threat
zone into open ground beyond. Infantry, artillery and cossack

27
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

units in the open can threaten units at the edge of woodland Cavalry cannot initiate engagements across hedges unless
but not beyond. such obstacles are designated otherwise.
Cossacks and infantry have a threat zone of 5cm (1 band)
in woods. Skirmisher superiority has no effect on infantry Walls and redoubts
threat zones in woods. All cavalry, except cossacks, has no Walls are substantial raised linear obstacles and are either
threat zone within or into woodland and is disadvantaged high or low. Redoubts are substantial low raised linear
while in such terrain; because cavalry has no threat zone in obstacles – otherwise artillery cannot bombard or threaten
woods, it can advance to engage an enemy only if that enemy from behind them.
is within 5cm (1 band). All units must stop on contacting a wall or redoubt and can
Howitzer batteries (see Army Lists) and rocket batteries on cross only on a subsequent order. All such obstacles are
a higher elevation than light woodland have line of sight to impassable to artillery; high obstacles are impassable to
any unit in that woodland and can bombard such a unit at cavalry. Infantry and cavalry can cross low obstacles and
long or extreme, but not short, range provided the enemy unit move at half rate on a subsequent order. Infantry can also
is more than 5cm (1 band) from friendly troops. Howitzer fire cross high obstacles; they are positioned adjacent to and on
negates the favourable position modifier for being in dense the other side of the obstacle on a subsequent order.
terrain. Artillery can bombard or threaten a unit that is positioned
both behind and adjacent to a wall or redoubt. The threatened
Rivers and streams unit is in a favourable position. Howitzer batteries, however,
Rivers and streams are flat or sunken linear obstacles that negate the favourable position modifier given by a wall or
can be fordable or impassable. Troops can cross impassable redoubt if bombarding such a target at long or extreme range.
rivers or streams only at designated fords and at bridges. Infantry can threaten a unit that is positioned both behind
Fordable rivers and streams can be designated as fordable by and adjacent to a wall or redoubt. The threatened unit is in a
only certain units: all troops, infantry and cavalry, or cavalry favourable position.
only. Walls and redoubts block all threat zones except for infantry
All units must stop on contacting a river or stream. If it is and artillery positioned next to a low wall or redoubt, which
fordable, they can cross on a subsequent order, moving threaten over that obstacle.
through the water at half rate. Infantry and artillery units that are adjacent but at an angle
All rivers and streams block the threat zones of cavalry and to a low wall or redoubt project their threat zone up to and
have no effect on infantry and artillery threat zones. Infantry over the obstacle provided the angle between the terrain and
and artillery cannot threaten troops in a sunken river or the front of the unit where it contacts the terrain is no more
stream unless positioned at the edge of the water. than 45 degrees.
Artillery cannot unlimber in a river, stream or ford, or on a Cavalry cannot initiate engagements across walls unless
bridge. such obstacles are designated otherwise. Redoubts are
assumed to have a sloping front face and therefore cavalry
Hedges can initiate engagements across the front of a low redoubt
Hedges are insubstantial raised linear obstacles and are against units positioned behind the redoubt. Note that
either high or low. redoubts may have deep trenches or wolf pits in front of them,
All units must stop on contacting a hedge and can cross which prevent cavalry from reaching the front of the
only on a subsequent order. Hedges are impassable to fortification.
artillery; high hedges are impassable to cavalry. Infantry and
cavalry can cross low hedges and move at half rate on a Ditches, sunken roads and trenches
subsequent order. Infantry can also cross high hedges, and Ditches, sunken roads and trenches are sunken linear
are positioned adjacent to and on the other side of the hedge obstacles and are either shallow or deep.
on a subsequent order. All units must stop on contacting a sunken linear obstacle and
Hedges block all threat zones except for infantry and can cross only on a subsequent order. Shallow obstacles are
artillery positioned next to a low hedge, which threaten over impassable to artillery; deep obstacles are impassable to
that obstacle. Artillery positioned adjacent to any hedge can artillery and cavalry. Cavalry and infantry move across a shallow
bombard through the hedge at short range only, permanently obstacle at full rate on a subsequent order. Infantry moves at
removing a section of hedge equal to the width of the battery. half rate across a deep obstacle on a subsequent order.
The hedge is removed after the bombardment threat test is Shallow sunken obstacles have no effect on threat zones;
resolved. deep sunken obstacles block the threat zone of cavalry.
Artillery can bombard or threaten a unit that is positioned Artillery and infantry can threaten units in a deep sunken
both behind and adjacent to a hedge. The threatened unit is obstacle only if they are adjacent to the edge of that obstacle.
in a favourable position. Howitzer batteries, however, negate Units moving along, not across, a sunken road can do so
the favourable position modifier given by the hedge if freely provided they are in mob or march column.
bombarding such a target at long or extreme range. Cavalry cannot initiate engagements across sunken roads
Infantry can threaten a unit that is positioned both behind or trenches unless such obstacles are designated otherwise.
and adjacent to a hedge. The threatened unit is in a
favourable position. Difficult terrain
Infantry and artillery units that are adjacent but at an angle Cliff faces, lakes, marshes, wolf pits, and rivers in flood are
to a low hedge project their threat zone up to and over the difficult terrain. They are usually impassable. Terrain with wolf
hedge provided the angle between the terrain and the front of pits is passable to infantry and marshes may be designated
the unit where it contacts the terrain is no more than 45 as passable to infantry, which moves through such terrain at
degrees (Book 3, page 15). half rate.

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 HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Difficult terrain blocks the threat zone of cavalry. Cliffs block Close order infantry adjacent to or partly or wholly within an
all threat zones. Artillery, however, can bombard at long and uncontested building sector can deploy into that sector on a
extreme ranges from the top and edge of cliffs. Deploy order: the stands representing the unit are positioned
on two adjacent sides of that sector. A unit so deployed
Bridges and fords presents a threat zone up to 10cm (2 bands) from the two
Bridges and fords (as opposed to a river that is fordable along edges along which is deployed and benefits from the
its length) are narrow obstacles that can be crossed at full favourable position modifier. In engagements, however, it also
rate only by units in march column. Evidently any unit that suffers the penalty for not being in doctrinal deployment.
crosses in march column projects no threat zone and is Close order units deployed in buildings are treated as
disadvantaged while in that formation. Units in any other disadvantaged in engagements, not threats, if the enemy is
formation cannot cross a bridge or ford; they project threat engaging them from the sides of the sector along which they
zones appropriate to the terrain. are not deployed. Close order troops deployed in one sector
Artillery cannot unlimber in a ford or on a bridge. cannot deploy into adjacent sectors: they must deploy into a
close order formation, advance, and then redeploy.
Roads A town sector is contested if an enemy unit is within or
The rough roads of the time offered no discernible advantage partly within it, or if the front of such a unit touches one face
to any arm, except to provide a convenient, easy to follow of the sector. Units cannot deploy into sectors that are
route. Units in march column can move along a road, contested by the enemy. A unit that is deployed in a building
following its twists and turns without the need for a sector is engaged if the front of any enemy unit touches any
manoeuvre order. face of that sector.

Buildings Strong points

Buildings can represent individual structures, such as farms, Strong points are buildings sectors that represent fortified
or groups of buildings, such as villages, towns and so on. All individual buildings that are notable for the height, depth or
buildings are dense terrain. Buildings are best represented on strength of their walls. Historic examples include the Granary
the battlefield by square sectors. A sector represents one at Essling, Hougoumont and the high-walled farmhouses
large building and outhouses or a group of many smaller typified by La Haie Saint at Waterloo. They are rare features
buildings. The recommended dimensions for a sector are the of any battlefield.
frontage of an infantry battalion in line along each face of the A strong point can contain only one unit. Only infantry and
square. officers can occupy or enter a strong point. Units cannot
Villages, towns and the like have streets through which advance, retire or manoeuvre into a strong point: they can
troops in march column can move. Accordingly, all units in enter it only by deploying into it. An infantry unit positioned
march column move at full rate through buildings representing adjacent to and in contact with a strong point can deploy into
villages or towns. Infantry in other formations moves at half it, as for buildings. Any infantry unit deployed in a strong point
rate in buildings. Cavalry and artillery cannot enter buildings projects a threat zone of 10cm (2 bands) from all four faces.
in any formation other than march column, and cannot A unit deployed in a strong point is in a favourable position
change formation while in buildings. Artillery, therefore, cannot and in dense terrain. Infantry that does not have the Open
unlimber in buildings. Order ability, however, is in a non-doctrinal deployment in any
Infantry units in close order in building sectors but not engagement.
deployed in them have a threat zone of 5cm (1 band) only. Strong points disadvantage all attacking units in an
Buildings block the threat zones of cavalry and artillery, engagement.
though artillery can threaten or bombard a unit that is Infantry in a strong point need not retire if its command fails
deployed in a building. a command check, but it must take the staggers that result
Howitzer batteries (see Army Lists) and rocket batteries on from failing the check. The unit can retire on a failed
a higher elevation than a buildings sector have line of sight to command check if the controlling player wishes.
any unit that is in or deployed within that sector and can
bombard such a unit at long or extreme, but not short, range Fortress walls and breaches
provided the enemy unit is more than 5cm (1 band) from Fortress walls are substantial high linear obstacles. Ordinarily
friendly troops. they are also impassable; in a siege game they are passable
An infantry unit with the Open Order ability and which is to infantry in line or in open order, which is assumed to have
adjacent to an uncontested building sector or partly or wholly the necessary equipment to mount an escalade.
within it can deploy into it on a Deploy order: the stands Assaulting troops must be given an advance order to scale
representing the unit are positioned around the perimeter of the a fortress wall. The advance order is modified Down 1 for
sector. An infantry unit that is deployed in a building presents each level of height, in addition to any other modifiers
four individual threat zones, each extending 10cm (2 bands) according to the situation, such as enemy threat zones. A
from the face of the sector. This threat zone is not modified as fortress wall is typically one level high; citadels and
a result of skirmisher superiority. The unit also gains the gatehouses may be two or even three levels high. Fortress
favourable position modifier and the bonus for open order walls surrounded by trenches also add the depth of the trench
troops operating in dense terrain, where appropriate. Open to their height, typically one extra level, meaning that most
order troops deployed in a building are in doctrinal formation. advance orders to scale a fortress wall have a penalty of at
The unit counts as contesting the building if an enemy unit least Down 2.
attempts to enter the sector. An open order unit deployed in If the advance order succeeds, units reach the top of the
one sector can deploy and move completely into an adjacent, walls and can engage the enemy. The attacking unit is always
uncontested, unoccupied sector on a Deploy order. disadvantaged.

29
HUZZAH! BOOK 1: RULES

Infantry on top of a fortress wall threatens as normal, Reinforcements

except that it never adds the bonus for skirmisher superiority.
Artillery mounted on fortress walls suffers from dead ground Some scenarios may specify that some commands arrive on
equal to 5cm (1 band) for each level in height above the a particular turn. The turn before reinforcements are due, the
ground. Hence artillery on a two-level high wall or on a one- officers of the appropriate commands enter the battlefield on
level high wall above a one-level deep trench cannot bombard the Officer Movement phase, moving up to their full
or threaten into the 10cm (2 bands) immediately below it. movement allowance. The next turn, they can try to order
Units that are outside a fortress wall and within the threat their commands onto the battlefield by issuing an advance
zone of a defending infantry unit that is atop the wall are also order. Officers whose troops are due to arrive on the first turn
always disadvantaged: the defenders have the considerable are placed on the battlefield at the start of the game. A player
advantage of height. who forgets to place officers during the Officer Movement
Breaches are steep slopes of rubble that are passable only phase cannot, therefore, issue orders to the reinforcements
to infantry in line or in open order, which moves at half rate. they control. The officers can be brought on in a subsequent
They may be topped with chevauxs de frise and other Officer Movement phase.
barricades, which act as low walls. Troops ordered onto the battlefield are regarded as in
Breaches may be mined. A mine acts as a one-off command provided that their designated entry point is within
bombardment that forces all units on the slope of the breach the command radius of their officer.
to take a threat test; all such units are disadvantaged. The Unless specified otherwise in a scenario, reinforcements
defending player decides when or if to detonate the mine. can enter a battlefield on a broad front. This front is defined
Defending infantry and artillery units at the top of a breach as any part of the edge of the table that is within the
threaten down the breach according to the rules for steep command radius of the ordering officer. Hence officers close
hills; there is therefore in effect a 5cm (1 band) wide strip of to the point of entry are able to order reinforcements onto the
dead ground as the base of the slope leading to a breach. table on a broad front; officers at the limit of their command
Skirmisher superiority has no effect on the threat zones of radius can order troops onto the table on only a narrow front.
attackers or defenders in a breach. Units advancing or Officers who place the entry point of their troops beyond
attacking up the slope of a breach are always disadvantaged their command radius not only do not get the in command
for threat tests and engagements; the only advantage of bonus but troops can move onto the battlefield only at the
assaulting a breach, rather than a fortress wall, is that the exact, designated point of entry – they must therefore arrive
breach doesn’t penalise orders to advance. one unit behind another.
Units that defend fortress walls or breaches frontally are in A player can choose to delay the arrival of reinforcements.
a favourable position. Each turn reinforcements are voluntarily delayed gives an Up
If a unit defending a fortress wall loses an engagement, on 1 to the orders roll to advance onto the battlefield.
the defender’s next turn other units can be ordered to replace If more than one command is due to arrive on the same
it. Units to either side of the resulting gap can manoeuvre turn at the same point, the player must choose which
sideways, entering the escalading unit’s threat zone and command to order first. If that command fails to arrive, it
stopping one stand width into it. Such units are not regarded blocks the arrival point for any other commands due to enter
as being in contact with the escalading unit (they are there. A player’s choice of which command to bring on first
“separated” by the battlements); to make contact they must cannot be changed on subsequent turns. A command that
then issue a successful advance order to engage the enemy. fails to enter the battlefield can therefore block not only other
The escalading unit, however, is no longer disadvantaged. If reinforcements due to arrive that turn, but also reinforcements
the defender fails to advance on the escalading unit, that unit that are due to arrive on subsequent turns.
always has the option to advance in its own orders phase. Reinforcements that are blocked do not get any orders
An escalading unit that defeats the defender can on its next bonus for their delayed entry – their delay is not voluntary.
turn advance over the battlements to occupy the defender’s Reinforcements that are delayed because a player forgot to
former position. On a deploy order it can form a “march place officers during a preceding turn also gain no bonus for
column” to face either left or right to advance along the wall their delayed entry.
and exploit its success. Although this formation is always Officers can issue orders to reinforcements only if the whole
disadvantaged, it will always encounter a disadvantaged command group at their command level has arrived or is due
enemy, either by contacting it in the flank or by meeting it to arrive on the battlefield that turn. Hence a division whose
head on if it also forms march column. Such march columns brigades are due to arrive on turns 2, 3 and 4 can be ordered
can snake along fortress walls as if they were roads, and as a division only from turn 4; on turns 2 and 3, only the
down steps, ramps or towers to descend the walls. brigade officers can issue orders to their respective
commands, or the division officer can issue orders to
individual brigades.

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