D3 Ancient Rules

D3 Punic War Rules

This ruleset is a variant on Neil Thomas’ One-Hour Wargames Ancient rules. They use D3 dice (1,1,2,2,3,3) and an army activation mechanism.

Units Types

The game is geared towards the 2nd Punic Wars and uses the following units types:

• Heavy Infantry

• Warband (Gauls)

• Light Infantry

• Cavalry

• Elephants

• Catapults

• Veteran Heavy Infantry

The units need to be consistently based. I have been trying large base widths of 8 inches on a 6x4 foot tabletop. This base width naturally limits the ability of units in formation to move around easily except when positioned on the flanks.

I have been playing games with 8-12 units per side using the army lists in Ancient & Medieval Wargaming by Neil Thomas as a guide to an army's make up.

Sequence of play

Each player takes a turn to move, shoot & melee with their units in the following sequence:

1. Movement

2. Shooting

3. Combat

4. Morale and Eliminating units (& berserk elephants)

The game ends after 15 turns or when an army fails its resolve.

Movement

During the movement phase a player can move their units. A unit may move up to the distances listed below:

• Heavy Infantry - 6”

• Light Infantry, Veteran Heavy Infantry, Warbands & Elephants - 9”

• Cavalry & Commanders - 12”

• Catapults - cannot move, but are allowed to pivot on the spot.

Turning - Units turn by pivoting on their central point. They may turn at the start and/or the end of their move. Units must be able to freely turn without being impeded by other units or impassable terrain.

Retiring - Units do not need to pivot to move directly backwards. However, they are not permitted to pivot at the end of their retirement move.

Interpenetration - Only light infantry and commanders may pass through other friendly units. Any unit moved through cannot charge in the same turn.

Retreated Units - Units that were forced to retreat in combat, can move but cannot charge.

No moving and shooting - Units that have moved or turned may not shoot.

Terrain

Terrain has an impact on a unit’s movement and combat.

Woods - Only light infantry & warbands can enter

Towns - No effect on movement & treat as broken ground for combat

Marshland & lakes - Impassable to units

Rivers - Can only be crossed at bridges & fords

Broken Terran (e.g. Rocky, Fields & Streams) - Only infantry may enter. Provide cover to Light Infantry and Warbands in melee, but no cover against shooting.

Roads - Units moving all their move on roads add 3” to their move distance, but cannot charge.

Hills - Units defending hills are treated as being in cover.

Charges

Charges are resolved by moving the attacking unit into contact with its target. They are subject to the following restrictions:

• Elephants. Cavalry may not charge elephant units as they become spooked.

• Turning. A charging unit may turn once, at the start of its move. This evolution may not exceed 45 degrees.

• Limited Engagement. Only one attacking unit may contact each face of the target (these being Front, Left Flank, Right Flank, and Rear).

• Fighting. Combat is resolved during the Combat phase.

Shooting

Only light infantry and catapults can shoot. The procedure for shooting is as follows:

• Units may only shoot at a target within their frontal facing.

• Light infantry have a range of 12” & assess the number of hits by rolling a D3-1.  Subtract 1 hit when the target unit is: in cover, heavy infantry, or elephants.

• Catapults have a range of 24” & assess the number of hits by rolling a D3-1. (There are no modifiers.)

Combat

Units only inflict hits during their own player turn. To assess the number of hits:

• Heavy Infantry - D3+1

• Warband (Gauls) - D3+1

• Light Infantry - D3-1

• Cavalry - D3

• Catapults - cannot attack in combat situations

• Elephants - D3 (regardless of unit type - no subtracting of hits)

Modification to the number of hits:

• Subtract 1 hit when attacking heavy infantry and elephants, units in woods or defending a river.

• Add 1 hit if attacking the flank of an enemy unit.

• Add 2 hits if attacking the rear of an enemy unit.

Artillery - Any artillery unit engaged in melee is automatically eliminated.

Turning Within Combat - Units may turn to face an attack upon their flank or rear if they are not simultaneously being frontally engaged. 

Disengaging From Combat - All units may disengage from combat by moving directly backwards.

Morale and Eliminating Units

Units are routed & removed from play once they have taken 9 or more hits.

When an elephant unit is eliminated, check to see if it goes berserk. Roll a D3 and:

• On a score of 1 the elephant immediately charges the nearest friendly unit with 12” & inflicts D3 hits. After which the elephant unit is removed from play.

• On a score of 2 the elephant immediately charges the nearest enemy unit with 12” & inflicts D3 hits. After which the elephant unit is removed from play.

• On a score of 3 nothing happens & the elephant unit is removed from play as any other unit would be.

Morale Checks and Retreats - If a unit has taken hits and has not been eliminated, it must test for morale. A unit with 1-4 hits must roll a 2+ to pass, and a unit with 5-8 hits must roll a 3+ to pass. Any unit that fails must retreat a minimum of 6” or its full movement allowance, the owning player’s choice.

A retreating unit must retire directly backwards. Any friendly units in the way are pushed back unless the retreating unit is light infantry which can pass through friendly units. If a unit cannot retreat due to impassable terrain or enemy units, then it is eliminated.

Veteran Heavy Infantry - Veteran units never have to take morale checks.

Army Resolve

Before the game starts, calculate the army’s resolve by counting the number of units multiplying the total by 2. Reduce the score for the following:

• Subtract 2 each time a unit is eliminated.

• Subtract 1 each time a unit fails a morale test.

• Subtract 3 when a unit of veteran heavy infantry are eliminated.

When an army’s resolve is 0, the army is considered spent and all its units will retreat.