Musket & Saber
Standard Rules Errata & Clarifications as of 12 October 2013. These corrections have been incorporated into the standard rules file.

The following changes have been made to the original M&S standard rules and should be retro-fitted to all folios. A few of the modifications below are actual changes to the rules, to include those made to conform these rules to the M&S QuickPlay (QP) mini-games. Most of the other changes are restatements of existing rules to clarify their meaning. Minor typographic changes, and changes in wording for layout or cosmetic purposes are not included in this file. 

2.2 The Map & Terrain
[Last line of second paragraph modified to read] A hex with any amount of another primary terrain is considered to consist entirely of that feature (but note that a “clear” hexside has a combat effects when adjacent to woods).

2.6 Artillery & Cavalry
[addition] A player may flip a unit to its ineffective side at the beginning of any of his movement phases (this may be useful for units that move faster when ineffective).

[The two following cases incorporate rules from 11.1 and elsewhere. Player feedback convinced me it was advisable to introduce recovery earlier in the rules.]

2.8 Disruption
Any unit may become disrupted for one of several reasons. When this occurs, place a disrupted marker on it. It operates normally except for the following:

1) it exerts no ZOC (6.0);
2) it must roll for its MA (4.4);
3) its CF is treated as parenthesized (2.4 & 7.7);
4) it may not advance after combat (7.12);
5) subtract two from its morale rating (2.4; it passes a morale check on a roll of “1”);
6) if forced to retreat (7.9), it must retreat two hexes. 

2.9 Ineffectiveness
Ineffectiveness applies only to infantry battalions, artillery, and cavalry. The unit is flipped; it operates normally but with considerably reduced values.

Units may recover from both in the same phase; see 11.0 

4.1 The Movement Phase
[add the following at the end of the first paragraph] Units may move off the map at any time; treat it as having routed off the map with an unsafe line of retreat (see 7.10).

[add the following at the end of the case] A unit may attempt to recover from the effects of combat during the movement phase(see 11.0). 

4.2 Moving a Unit 
[add the following] If the owning player desires, a stack of units (5.0) may move together. The stack must start in the same hex and remain together for the entire move. Use the MA of the slowest unit and the highest terrain cost for any unit in the stack.

4.4 Variable Movement Allowance 
[The original determination of variable MA was too harsh to cavalry. Change the second sentence to read as follows.] For each unit meeting one or more of the criteria listed below, roll one die (if the unit’s printed MA is greater than six,add six to the die roll). 

4.7 March Movement
[change in the first paragraph] A unit’s HQ does not have to be active to undertake march movement.

[add a new paragraph] A unit using march movement may recover (11.0).

7.2 Potential Combats
[Add the following to the end of the second paragraph] The FOW may be used to move all units in the triggered hex, or  by one unit to charge or recover. Ignore EZOC for recovery and charge, and the need to move one hex to charge.

7.3 Combat Procedure
[clarification - change step 6 to read as follows] 6) Roll two differentiated dice with one identified as the combat die and the other as the morale die (or you may roll one die twice). Cross-index the combat die roll with the differential to get the combat result (7.8). If necessary, use the morale die roll to make a morale check for the primary unit of the affected side. Apply the results immediately.

7.4 The Defenders 
[clarification - add a new sentence to the end of the first paragraph] Each hex may be the target of only one declared attack (but see 7.13, 8.4, and 12.4).

7.6 Lines of Retreat
[this whole case has been rewritten for clarification]

At any given time, a unit has one of the following.

A Safe Line of Retreat (SLR) consists of a path of hexes from the unit to its active army HQ (12.1), or its active trains (12.2), or its army’s line of communications (LOC hex (12.3 & Exclusive Rules). The path may enter or cross no prohibited terrain, enemy-occupied hexes, or enemy zones of control. For this purpose, an EZOC is negated by the presence of a friendly unit or the ZOC of a friendly unit. 

Unsafe Line of Retreat: This is identical to the SLR but passes through or ends in an unnegated EZOC. 

No Line of Retreat: This exists when no path exists without prohibited terrain or enemy-occupied hexes.

7.8 Combat Results

[rewritten to require retreat of a disrupted unit] Ar or Dr = Attacker retreat or Defender retreat. The owning player has a choice: either the primary unit on the affected side is disrupted (see 11.1) or all units of the affected side retreat (7.9). If the primary unit already is disrupted the retreat must be made. Retreating leaders, battalions, squadrons, and artillery become ineffective (11.3). Victorious attackers may advance (7.12).

[rewritten to conform to QP] Ax or Dx = Attacker loss or Defender loss. The affected unit loses a step (7.7); no advance or retreat is made.

[deleted] Ae or De = eliminated. 

[rewritten to apply only to attacker] Dm = Defender rout check. If the primary defending unit passes the morale check, apply the (parenthesized) result. If it fails, all participating and stacked defending units rout (7.10), victorious attackers may advance (7.12), and the attacking player receives a FOW (see 12.4).

[rewritten to conform to QP] Ex = exchange. The primary unit on each side loses one step (7.7). No units retreat or advance, even if the defender’s hex is emptied as a result of the step loss. Optional Rule. The defender has a choice of retreating or taking a step loss. If the defender retreats, treat the result as Dr (above). If the defender takes the loss, the attacker also takes a loss and no retreat or advance is made.

7.9 Retreat 
[a number of minor changes have been made to clarify the application of retreats depending on the affected unit’s line of retreat; the entire rewritten case is presented here]

A unit forced to retreat must move away from its combat hex. The length of the retreat may be one, two, or three hexes at the owning player’s discretion. The retreat path may pass through and/or end in friendly-occupied hexes, even if overstacked. If the destination hex is attacked later in the same combat phase, the retreated units do participate in the defense.

A unit with a safe line of retreat (7.6) must move along it; if the unit has more than one, the owning player may choose which to follow. 

A unit with an unsafe line of retreat - one that enters an unnegated EZOC or terminates in an EZOC, negated or not – must make a morale check for each EZOC hex it enters. If it fails the check, it routs. If the final hex of the retreat is in an EZOC, the unit must continue retreating until it reaches a hex free of EZOC. If the unit cannot reach such a hex within its printed MA, it routs from the last hex of its retreat (7.10).

A unit with a line of retreat only to a map edge (other than specified LOC hexes) is treated as routing with no SLR (7.10).

A unit with no valid line of retreat of any kind is captured; remove it from the map and hand it to the opposing player.

Any leader, cavalry unit, artillery unit, battalion, or squadron forced to retreat is flipped to its ineffective side; (if already flipped, there is no further effect).

7.13 Choice of Tactics

[a number of minor changes and additions have been made to clarify each tactic; the entire case is presented here]

The standard combat rules may be modified by one or both players through the following tactics. The attacking player always announces his choice first. Once selected, the choice of tactics may not be withdrawn.

1) Skirmish. Any attacking infantry unit with a non-bracketed, non-V Movement Allowance may conduct a skirmish attack. The target of the attack must be either adjacent or two hexes away: if adjacent, the skirmishing unit may not be in an EZOC (due to enemy disruption and/or terrain); if two hexes away, the intervening hex must be unoccupied by either side. In all cases, the skirmishing unit must be able to move into the defender’s hex during normal movement. Skirmishing may not be combined with any other type of combat except bombardment (see 8.4). Skirmishing does count as an attack for purposes of 7.2. More than one unit may skirmish attack the same hex; coordination applies. When calculating the combat differential, use the MA of involved infantry units on both sides as combat factors (ignore their printed combat factors); bracketed or “V” MA count as zero. Disrupted units with a non-bracketed MA skirmish with a strength of “0.” Defending artillery uses its defense factor, defending cavalry uses its combat factor. No terrain effects apply. Treat all A or Ex results as NE; treat all Dx or Dm results as Dr. Ignore all secondary results. Skirmishers never advance after combat.

2) Press Forward. Attacking infantry only; may not be disrupted or ineffective. Add two to the attacking combat factor (total, not per attacking unit). If the defender does not retreat, the attacker loses one step in addition to any other result from the CRT. If the defender retreats, the attacker must advance.

3) Charge. Attacking infantry only (see 9.3 for cavalry charges). The charge must be declared during the preceding movement phase. Charge participants may not be disrupted or ineffective. A maximum of one leader plus one infantry battalion plus one other infantry unit of any size can charge a given defender’s hex. They must start their move stacked and must be coordinated (7.14). The charge may move through friendly units (including into the hex adjacent to the enemy being charged), but may not be overstacked at any time. It may not be made into certain kinds of terrain (see the TEC). The unit/stack must move either one or two MP to reach the hex adjacent to the defender. No artillery support is allowed, and no other units may attack the same defender. Make a morale check for one charging unit before resolving combat. If the unit fails, the charge has not been pressed home; resolve the combat normally, with the CF halved. If the unit passes the morale check, conduct the combat normally. Treat all A or Ex results as Ax. Treat all D results as Dm (Ax). If the defender retreats, defending artillery is captured, and a victorious attacker must advance.

4) Disengage. Either or both players may select this option. Calculate and resolve the combat normally. If the attacker selects disengagement, treat any D, Ex, or Ac result as an Ar; the unit must retreat, it cannot opt to be disrupted. If the defender selects it, treat any A, Ex, or Dc result as a Dr; the unit must retreat, it cannot opt to be disrupted. If both players select the tactic, it is possible both will retreat (defender first). Disengaging leaders, cavalry, artillery, battalions, or squadrons are not flipped to the ineffective sides (if already flipped, they remain so). If this tactic is chosen after the attacker chooses a charge, the attacker suffers no losses regardless of the outcome.

5) Last Stand. Defending infantry and/or artillery only; may not be disrupted or ineffective. This tactic may not be chosen if the attacker has chosen “Disengage.” Add 3 to the defending combat factor. If the attacker does not retreat, the defender loses one step in addition to any other result from the CRT. If the defenders are forced to retreat, defending artillery is captured.

8.1 Artillery Units [change]

[the third paragraph has been rewritten to accommodate the addition of morale factors on artillery units] Artillery units in some folios have no morale rating. They have an MR of “6” when effective, (but, fail a morale check on a roll of “6”), and an MR of “3” when ineffective.

8.3 Artillery Combat
[Add the following paragraph] An artillery unit engaged in combat with an adjacent opponent suffers all combat results except “Ammo” (“Ammo” affects only bombarding artillery). Artillery is captured if forced to retreat by a charging enemy or if it chooses Last Stand (see 7.13).

8.6 Line of Sight
[addition] The maximum LOS during daylight turns is 10 hexes; do not count the observer’s hex, do count the observed hex.

9.2 Cavalry Combat 

[rewritten to clarify]

Cavalry engages in and suffers from combat just like infantry with the following exceptions:

(1) it is affected differently by certain terrain types (see the TEC)
(2) it is doubled when attacking a disrupted or ineffective defender
(3) any defender retreating from attacking cavalry (primary unit or not) is disrupted after applying any other combat result (if already disrupted there is no additional effect)
(4) The CF of bombarding artillery is doubled against defending cavalry.

9.3 Cavalry Charges 

[rewritten to clarify]

A cavalry charge may be made by up to squadron, one leader and any one other cavalry unit; they must be coordinated and are treated collectively as a single unit.  All must be effective and undisrupted. The charging units may be stacked with other units prior to initiating the charge but may not be overstacked. Stacked cavalry units may initiate separate charges. Resolve the charge as follows:

1) The charge must be declared during the preceding movement phase. The unit must move one or two hexes and may enter, cross, and attack into clear terrain only. It may not enter a hex occupied by another friendly unit.

2) No artillery support is allowed. The defender may be attacked by other charging cavalry only. Resolve each charge separately (this is an exception to 7.4).

3) Before resolving the combat, make a morale check for the charging cavalry. If it fails, it is disrupted. If it passes, make a morale check for the target unit unless it is an infantry unit in square (9.5). If the target unit fails, it disrupts. Regardless of the roll, if it is an infantry unit, it may form square.

4) Use the cavalry’s charge factor in lieu of its CF; it is doubled against a disrupted or ineffective opponent.

5) When resolving the charge, treat all Dr, Dc, and Dx results as Dm; if the defender routs, it also suffers a step loss (except artillery, which is captured). Treat any other result – the defender passing the rout check or an Ex, NE, or any A result – as Am (Ar). Resolve the Am in the same way as a Dm result.

6) If the defender routs and the cavalry is still effective, it may advance zero, one, or two hexes and conduct another charge. The new target may be a unit already attacked or still to be attacked that phase. Victorious cavalry may continue advancing and charging indefinitely, as long as the defenders rout and the cavalry remains effective.

7) The charging cavalry is ineffective at the end of a charge unless already ineffective.

9.4 Countercharges
[change] Countercharging cavalry must pass a morale check.

9.5 Squares

[rewritten to clarify and to incorporate minor changes]

An infantry unit may form square at the beginning of its movement or during a cavalry charge (see 9.3). Place a square marker on the unit; it may be removed at the beginning of a subsequent movement phase. Treat all units in the hex as being in square. Only the infantry in square participates in combat. A disrupted unit may form square, but cavalry is doubled when attacking it. 

Units in square may move one hex per movement phase. Roll for disruption if the square enters or crosses any terrain other than clear. If the unit attacks while in square, subtract two from its CF. Add two to the CF of any non-cavalry unit attacking the square. Non-charging cavalry does not receive this bonus.

A unit in square does not make a morale check when charged by cavalry. Add two to the unit’s combat and morale factors when being charged by cavalry.

10.1 Leader Movement & Stacking 
[clarification] A leader may stack with any friendly unit, even one not in his command span and may leave EZOC freely. If at any time other than the movement phase a leader ends up alone in an EZOC, and has an SLR, move him to the nearest friendly unit. 

[changed to conform to QP] He may not enter an EZOC unless the hex contains a friendly unit. He may leave EZOC freely (to include entering an EZOC with a friendly unit in it) and is not limited to one hex movement. 

10.3 Leader Effects
[addition] The leader’s command span indicates the formations over which the leader has authority; an “A” indicates all formations in that army. [clarification] A leader need not start a turn stacked with a unit to assist its recover. 

(Leader Effects on) Movement: [addition] The leader must remain with the unit throughout the movement phase. [clarification] An accompanied unit with a parenthesized combat factor may enter an EZOC.

(Leader) Participation in Combat: [addition] A leader does not affect bombardment and skirmishing. [clarification] A parenthesized or disrupted unit is no longer halved when stacked with a participating leader. If the unit advances after combat, the leader must accompany it.

11.1 Disruption Recovery
[Part of this case was moved to 2.8. The remainder has been changed to ease recovery from disruption. The rewritten section is presented in its entirety] 

If the recovering unit is in an EZOC, it may not recover during that movement phase. If the unit is eligible for March Movement throughout the turn (it may but need not undertake actual march movement) it recovers automatically. In any other circumstance make a morale check for the unit at the end of its move (do not add two to the roll). If the unit passes, remove the marker. If it fails, the marker remains. At night (14.2), a unit not attacking (it may move, march, and/or defend) recovers automatically, without a morale check and regardless of EZOC.

11.2 Step Recovery
[clarification] Step recovery may be done simultaneously with disruption and/or effectiveness recovery. 

11.3 Effectiveness Recovery
[rewritten to clarify] Artillery, cavalry, battalions, squadrons, and leaders flipped to their ineffective sides have the same constraints as disrupted units. They recover effectiveness during their movement phase if they meet the requirements for recovery from disruption (which may occur simultaneously).

12.1 Headquarters
[addition] The HQ may move during any friendly movement phase by being flipped to its inactive side (its MA is printed on that side). The HQ must be flipped to its inactive side at the beginning of the phase if it is to move. It moves like a cavalry unit, but may not enter an EZOC. It always receives its full MA; it never rolls for MA.

[addition] An HQ becomes ineffective whenever it lacks an SLR to its active trains or to its LOC hex.

[change] Ineffective HQs do not make march movement unavailable. 

12.2 Trains
[change] The trains march movement allowance is limited to its printed MA (on its inactive side only). It always receives its full MA; it never rolls for MA. The MA is doubled during road movement.  It may enter only clear, road, and trail hexes and cross bridge and ford hexsides. It must stop after entering a clear hex. 

[addition] If the trains is to be moved, it must be flipped to its inactive side at the beginning of the movement phase. It remains inactive until the end of a movement phase in which none of those conditions exists.

12.4 Fortunes of War

Move a Friendly Unit/Stack. [addition] If the moving unit moves next to an enemy unit that has not been attacked or already has been attacked the moving unit must attack it; if it moves adjacent to more than one unattacked enemy unit, it triggers combats against each.

13.1 Arrival of Reinforcements
[rewritten to clarify and simplify] Reinforcements enter the map after the game has begun. The turn and hex of entry is specified in the Exclusive Rules. Units enter one at a time, though battalions, squadrons, leaders, and HQs may enter stacked with another unit. Each unit pays the appropriate MP cost for the entry hex and moves normally thereafter.

Reinforcements may not enter an enemy-occupied hex, but may enter an enemy-controlled hex (an EZOC). If the entry hex is enemy occupied, the reinforcements may be delayed (indefinitely) until the hex is unoccupied. Alternatively, the hex of entry may be shifted along the map edge from the specified entry hex, at a cost of 1 MP per hex shifted, until reaching a hex not occupied by an enemy unit.