Advanced Terrain Rules

The Advanced Terrain Rules are meant to widen the variety of terrain possibilities so players may spice up their battlefields with different terrain types.

Hills/Slopes. Impose no penalties on the movement of troops. All units can move over hills and slopes so long as they are not especially steep, rugged, or otherwise difficult – such features must be stated before the game. Overall footprint of the hill models, including slopes block line of sight. Infantry and artillery stands positioned on a hill are defended against any units charging or shooting from lower positions.

Shallow rivers/Streams. This terrain only blocks the movement of Chariots and Artillery/Machines. Infantry can be defended along the river’s edge against enemy charging from within or across a stream. Streams and shallow rivers don’t block line of sight.

Broken/Marshy Ground. This includes areas that are hard going for whatever reason; for example: treacherous ruins, entangling scrub, irrigated or excessively muddy fields, soft marshy ground. This terrain type counts as dense and doesn’t block line of sight. Infantry stands are defended in broken/marshy ground.

Loose Terrain. Cultivated fields to sand dunes. Rocky ground to fully grown corn fields. This terrain doesn’t necessarily give a defender any advantages, but it isn’t going to do anything to help the chargers advance. Charging units earn no charging bonus when charging a unit within loose terrain. It is also impenetrable to Chariots and Artillery/Machines. Loose terrain doesn’t block line of sight.

Woods and Tall Scrub. These consist of substantial areas of growing trees or tall vegetation. Only Infantry can enter it and stands count as defended when within. Woods and Tall Scrub are dense terrain with visibility of 2 cm.

Villages/Cities and other Built-Up Areas. Distinguishable bordered area consisting of a number of buildings. They will typically have paths and dividing walls as well as areas of garden, pasture, orchards and so forth. The entire built-up area is considered to be a broad terrain type: no account is taken of individual buildings, gardens, and so forth. All units can enter it, infantry and artillery units count as defended when within. All units can be pursued when starting their retreat in this terrain type. Villages/Cities are dense terrain with visibility of 2 cm.

Individual Buildings/Terrain Features. These are significant sight. structures or even densely packed or connected clusters of individual buildings or terrain features such as sole rocks. These are impenetrable to all units and block line of sight.

Rivers/Lakes and other Deep Water. These are impenetrable to all units and don’t block line of sight.

Ravines/Deep pits. These are impenetrable to all units as might reasonably be expected. This type of terrain doesn’t block line of sight.

Sheer Cliffs and Mountains. These are impenetrable to all units as might reasonably be expected and they block line of sight.

Roads and Tracks. These permit movement to units in column formation as for open ground regardless of the type of terrain traversed. A base placed centrally across or along a road is conveniently assumed to be travelling along it despite the road’s width. Infantry placed on a road through dense terrain still count as ‘defended’ stands – other troop types count as ‘in the open’ as usual. If a unit moves its entire distance along a road then the next order will be issued with a +1 to command. Roads obviously don’t block line of sight.

Some players may prefer to move their infantry in marching column along the roads in the same way as cavalry i.e. short edge to the front. This is perfectly possible and the 20cm can be treated as the ‘front’ for the purpose of moving and sight, however it still counts as side when being in combat with all the consequences.

Bridges and Fords. If a river or ravine has a bridge then all troops can cross at that point without penalty. Similarly, if a river has a ford, all troops except Chariots and Artillery/Machines may also cross at the ford without penalty. Bridges and fords don’t block line of sight.

Low Linear Obstacles. These are features such as ditches, hedges, fences, and low walls primarily intended to form property boundaries, divide fields or confine animals. Low linear obstacles impose no restriction or penalties on the movement of Infantry, Cavalry or Monsters, but cannot be crossed by Chariots or Artillery/ Machines. Infantry and artillery stands placed behind a low linear obstacle count as defended. Low linear obstacles don’t block line of sight.

High Linear Obstacles. These are tall features such as high walls and hedged, fenced or ditched embankments primarily intended for defence. These features are impenetrable to all troops except for infantry. Infantry can move over or through a high linear obstacle without penalty. Infantry and artillery stands placed behind a high linear obstacle count as ‘fortified’. High linear obstacles block line of sight.

City and Fortress Walls. These can be found in detail in the chapter Siege & Fortresses.