The Seven Years War: Fredericks Gamble (7YW:FG) - Field Battle Rule Book

Extract (May 2016)

The Seven Years War: Fredericks Gamble (7YW:FG) Field Battle Rule Book Extract (May 2016)
This is an extract from the latest draft of The Seven Years War: Fredericks Gamble play-test Rule Book. It has been enhanced with
additional examples of play and a copy of the Field Battle Tables. Yellow color-highlighted text is meant to expedite play-testers
quick reference to key rules and tables.
From GMTs site for 7YW:FG, readers are recommended to first review the games Tutorial and thave a copy of the latest
7YW:FG play-test map for reference in order to best appreciate this text and, it is hoped, be encouraged to place a P-500 order for
the game.

11_ Field Battle Combat

11.1 Combat Sequence
A. SPs/leaders in a Fortress Duchy declare which are inside and which are outside (9.3.1): Only outside of Fortress
playing pieces may engage in Field Battle.
B. Formations declare and attempt all intercept and/or evade battle attempts (10.3.2) Overrun? (11.21).
C. Battle cards are played (Attacker then Defender)
D. Combat resolution rolls (11.2-11.3)
E. Losing army must retreat (11.4)
F. Check for ROUT (11.4.3)
PLAY NOTE: At any step of above sequence (A-F), such as before combat dice rolls, players may play Response
events (6.1.4). When a Power plays a Response, reaction to that play is done in Impulse Track order beginning with
the Power after the one playing the Response.

11.2 Field Battle Combat Resolution

11.21 Force Ratio Modifier: Calculate the sizes of the attacking and defending Formations. The size of a
Formation is its number of SPs. The larger Formation in the battle, and it alone, may receive a modifier to its battle
dice roll. Cross index the sizes of the larger and smaller Formations on the force ratio table to determine the
modifier, if any, for the larger Formation. If the result is Overrun, no battle is fought as the larger Formation has won
an automatic victory. Eliminate all SPs and any Leader(s) in the smaller Formation to the HOW Box. If appropriate,
roll for Loot. The larger Formation may continue moving as if the battle did not occur. Note: this Overrun is also a
Flag Overrun. EXAMPLE: A Prussian army containing 8 SP attacks an Austrian army containing 4 SP. Cross-
indexing a larger army of 8 versus a smaller army of 4 gives a force ratio modifier of +3 to the Prussian combat
dice roll for 2 to 1 odds.
11.22 Superior Leadership Modifier: If an Army is engaged and either Armys commander has a higher tactical
rating than his opponent, that army receives a die roll modifier equal to the difference between his tactical rating and
his opponents. Any leaderless force is assumed to be led by a general with a tactics rating of zero. EXAMPLE:
British Leader Abercromby (0-4)s Army attacks a Montcalm (2-4) led French Army. Montcalms superior
leadership adds 2 to the French battle dice roll.
Combat Rolls: Each Camp rolls three dice and modifies the total result as shown:
+ Possible force ratio modifier for the larger army (either for odds or SP differential)
+ Possible superior leadership modifier for the better leader
+ for Nationality Bonus
+/ for Response events played
+/- for any Battle Cards, if present
+1 for fighting in a friendly-controlled Duchy
+1 to Attacker for each Defender failed evasion attempt

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+1 to Defender if attacked across a Rough

+2 to Defender if attacked across a Pass
+3 to Defender if attacked across a Strait
?? to Defender if attacked across a Sea LOC (see map Tables)
Determining the Winner: The highest modified dice roll total wins with ties being victory for the defending
Formation. This determines calculation of any Combat Losses. Loser must retreat.
Remember: if the results are TIED, the attacker is declared the loser of the Field Battle and must retreat.
Flag Overrun: Unless the Field Battle takes place in an enemy Fortress Duchy (see Siege rules), if all defending
units are completely eliminated, a Flag Overrun occurs, in which case the victorious Formations Flag is placed
on the Duchy or an enemy Flag is removed.

11.3 Field Battle Combat Losses

11.31 Step One - Determine Magnitude of the Field Battle: The magnitude of a Field Battle determines possible
losses to the combatants. To determine this, add together the number of SPs of BOTH SIDES: 5 SPs or less is a
Small Battle (S), 6-10 SPs is a Medium Battle (M), and 11 SPs or more is a Large Battle (L). In the unlikely
event only a Leader is involved on a side, it is not considered an SP. See 11.2.1. and 7.24 for an example.

11.32 Step Two - Determine Any Battle Losses: The dice are not re-rolled for this step. While the modified sum
of each players three dice determines the victor, the unmodified die results determine the combat losses inflicted
by each side. Once the winner and loser have been determined, the players check each of their three die results
under the appropriate column to determine what losses, if any, his army has inflicted on the enemy or possibly on
itself. If more than one Power/Nation of a Camp is involved in a Field Battle, losses must be evenly distributed
between Powers with the Camps Commander choosing how to allocate any fraction. For details see The Field
Battle Resolution Tables on page 5.
Example: For a Large Battle the Prussian player rolls 6, 5, 2 (total 13) and the Austrian player rolls 5, 5, 1 (total 11). For this
example no modifiers apply. The Prussian player wins the Field Battle since 13 is greater than 11. Therefore, the Austrian player
must remove 2 SP (1 SP each for the 5 and 2 Prussian die rolls: note the 2, which generates a half SP loss, is rounded up for the
victor. When the loser inflicts half SP losses, any fraction is rounded down). The Prussian player must also remove 2 SP (1 SP
for each of the two 5s the Austrian player rolled). The Austrian Formation then retreats per 11.4.

DESIGN NOTE: The games combat system models the wide range of historical outcomes while giving the players
the same uncertainty faced by Seven Years War commanders. Most battles during this time were relatively
bloodless affairs compared to the Napoleonic Era to come, but the outcome of any one battle was far from
predictable.

On average, the winning army may remove 2 SP and the losing army 3 SP, but the system does allow for the
occasional Pyrrhic victory, massive defeat with significant loss, indecisive skirmish, or unexpected setback.
Therefore, unless possessing overwhelming force, no player can ever enter a battle assured of victory or know that
regardless of the outcome they will inflict a certain level of damage on the enemy.

11.4 Retreat
Unless the winning Formation was completely eliminated (Overrun), the losing Formation must retreat, to the
closest Duchy free of enemy SPs that either:
Is friendly controlled (including into a Fortress) or
Contains more friendly SPs than the retreating force (if an unfriendly Duchy).
This can result in a retreat of more than one Duchy and is subject to all Attrition conditions (9.44). Players
Note: Beware allowing a Formation having more vulnerability to losses through retreat Attrition than through
the field battle itself.
If eligible Duchies are equidistant, the retreating power chooses which Duchy to retreat to.
A Formation unable to retreat is Overrun with its SP and any Leader(s) placed into the HOW Box. Players

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should then check as to appropriate Loot Resource(s) earned by the victor

11.4.1 Retreat Restrictions for an Attacker:
If the attacker retreats, he must always retreat first into the friendly Duchy from which he entered the battle. If any
Interception Event(s) resulted in Formations entering the battle Duchy from more than one adjacent Duchy, all
attackers must retreat to the single friendly Duchy entered by the attacking Formation which expended a
movement CP to do so.

Should an attacker directly enter the battle Duchy from an unfriendly Duchy or through play of Event Cards 17-
French Descent from the Sea (in India!), Card 103- Eyre Coote to India, or Card 105- William Pitt; lose the battle
and must retreat; the retreat priorities of 11.4 apply.
Example: Montcalms French Army is besieging Boston when a British Army captures and Flags Albany rendering further
siege impossible. Therefore, on the next French Impulse, Montcalms Army departs Boston to attack the British in Albany
(taking Attrition for departing that Fortress Duchy). The French are defeated at Albany and must retreat in this instance to
French flagged Fort William Henry from Albany. The retreating French Formation must suffer another Attrition resolution for
departing British flagged Albany.

11.4.2 Retreat Restrictions for a Defender:

If the defender retreats, he may not enter the Duchy from which the attacker entered the field battle during the full
length of his retreat. This includes all adjacent Duchies attacking Formations used to enter the field battle Duchy
with any Interception Event(s): e.g. Event Card 88- Land or Sea. Players may wish to temporarily mark these
illegal to retreat into Duchies with Move Complete markers to avoid potential confusion. In addition, a retreating
force may not:
Cross a strait connection.
Enter a Non-Friendly Fortress Duchy
Split up to enter more than one Duchy (EXCEPTION: if the Battle took place in a friendly Fortress Duchy, the
retreating Formation may split, with SP and a Leader up to the Fortress maximum capacity retreating into the Fortress.
The remainder of the Formation must retreat subject to these rules.)
End in a space with Non-Friendly SP (e.g. Neutral).
End in a space with Enemy SP.
End the retreat in a space farther from the battle than the closest eligible Duchy to end a retreat in.

11.4.3 Rout: Only after a Large Battle involving Armies (at least one Army of each Camp) concludes:
if the delta in lost SPs is equal to or greater than 4; the Army that inflicted the greater losses receives a
Resource (Loot). Calculation of these losses include any enemy eliminated through Event-related
Attrition related to that Field Battles resolution and/or Attrition retreat from (not to) the Battle Duchy.
Remember: A Battle Resolution is not done until any related retreat is completed.
Example: An Austrian Army under Charles with 8SP crosses the Mountain Pass to enter Zwickau from Eger. A Prussian Army of
8SP under Frederick intercepts into Eger from adjacent Dresden. The Austrians roll of nine dice (1 for Charles and 8 more for
his SPs) resulting in the loss of 2SP to Pass Attrition. A large Field Battle is then fought due to 14 SPs being involved.
The Prussians win the battle with loss of 1SP. The Austrians lose 2SP and prepare to retreat when the British Player, good
Coalition Camp Ally that he is, halts the action by declaring a Response Event, Card 99, Panic. The ensuing Attrition dice
roll eliminates 2 more Austrian SP.

The Prussians then play Response Event 39, Causeway Undefended to avoid sustaining their 1SP loss (that Event could have
negated up to 2SP of Prussian losses: a moot point under the circumstances).

This brings the differential of eliminated Prussian to Austrian SP to 4 and a Rout field battle result. The Prussian Power is
immediately awarded a Resource for Loot.

Charles bedraggled Army, the Leader and 2SP, return to Eger. Note that the 2SP lost through Pass Attrition entering Zwickau
did not count to determining the Routs 4SP.

11.4.4 British Retreat and Naval Lines of Communication. SPs defeated in a Port space may retreat by sea to a

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friendly port provided the British player is allowed naval movement. Example: The British are defeated at Boston, but
have the Naval control level at 7, more than the 5 minimum needed to use the maps Sea Lines of Communication.
The British can therefore retreat to New York or Louisbourg.
ADDITIONAL COMBAT EXAMPLES
Example 1: It is Turn 1 (1757) and no spaces have changed control. The Prussian player plays a 2 CP card and
activates Frederick II (Battle Rating of 4) with 8 SPs and moves him from Dresden to Pirna then to Prag where the
Austrian leader Browne (Battle Rating 3) with 6 SPs is placed. Austria tries to evade battle and fails.

With a Field Battle about to be resolved, its time to check Battle Card Event(s): the Prussians decline to play any, but
the Austrian player commits Event Card #16, Artillery/Siege Train to add +2 to his battle dice roll.

Force Ratio Modifier: Fredericks army size is: 8 SPs. The Austrians have 6 SPs. The odds of 8 vs. 6 is 1:1 (odds must
be at least 2:1 to qualify on this Table, consulting the Larger Army vs. Smaller Army Differential Table nets a +2
differential. The players cross-index a larger Formation vs Smaller Formation indicates that Frederick receives a +2 die
roll modifier. With 14 SPs engaged, this is a Large Battle.

Leadership Modifier: Frederick II has the better Battle rating and receives an additional +1 modifier (Frederick IIs
Battle Rating of 4 Brownes Battle Rating of 3 = +1 for Frederick II)

Nationality Bonus Modifier: Prussians National Bonus is an additional +2 modifier. Austrians National Bonus is an
additional +2 modifier. Note that each Camp gets their respective Nationality Modifier.

Terrain Modifier: The line of communication between Pirna and Prag is Rough: consequently, the Austrians receive
a +1 Modifier.

Fighting in a Friendly Duchy Modifier: this +1 is provided to the Austrians since the Prag Fortress Duchy is
Austrian Flagged.

Failure to Evade Modifier: Since Browne failed his Evasion dice roll, the Prussians gain a +1 Modifier.

Battle Card Modifier: The Austrian adds +2 for play of Card #16, Artillery/Siege Train.

The Prussian die roll modifiers are: +2 (Force Ratio), +1 (leadership), +2 (National Bonus), +1 (Failed Enemy
Evasion) for a total of +6

The Austrian die roll modifiers are: +1 (Friendly Flagged Duchy), +1 (Enemy crossed a Rough LOC) +2 (National
Bonus), +2 (Battle Card #16, Artillery/Siege Train) = +6

Net all modifiers = +6 vs +6 = No Modification to either side.

The Prussian player rolls 3d6 getting 5, 2, and 2 for a total of 9.

The Austrian player rolls 5, 4, and 1 for a 10. Frederick has lost a Large Battle by the narrowest margin.

Combat Result: The Prussian player must remove 3 SPs (2 for the 4 and 1 for 5 no SP loss for a 1), due to the Austrian
players dice roll. The Austrian player must remove 2 SP (1 for the 5 rolled by the Prussian player and 1SP, for the two .05
results caused by two rolls of 2.). All eliminated SP are placed into the HOW Box. The Prussian must retreat back to Dresden.

Example 2: OVERRUN:

A. It is the 1758 Turn: The Prussian Leader Ferdinand (3-8) with 8SP moves across the pass to Austrian Koniggratz which is occupied
by a single Austrian SP. The Austrian Army under Daun (3-8) in adjacent Reichenburg attempts interception into Koniggratz and
fails! The one Austrian SP in Koniggratz then attempts to evade to Brunn but fails to make the needed 9 result. Ferdinands Army
then rolls for Attrition for crossing a pass and loses 2SP. This leaves odds of 6:1 versus the single Austrian SP which is immediately
eliminated by Overrun. A Battle does not occur. Ferdinands Army may continue its Impulse with any remaining CP.

B. It is an invasion of Prussia. The Russian Leader Apraxin (2-4) with 3SP enters the Prussian Fortress of Kustrin, intent to resolve a
siege Assault next Impulse against its 1SP Prussian garrison. A 6SP Prussian Army under Henry (2-6) successfully intercepts into
Kustrin from adjacent Stettin. The Prussians, then announce play of Response Card Event #95, Surprise March. A successful dice
roll allows the British Leader Ferdinand (3-8) and 8 SP to intercept into Kustrin along with an announcement by the Prussians that the

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1SP Kustrin garrison is outside the Fortress after successfully rolling for a coordinated sortie with the arriving Prussian Army. A
British-led Army Group is formed by these successful interceptions. Consequently, there are now 7 Prussian SP and 8 British SP in
the Kustrin Duchy for a total of 15 SP versus 3 Russian SP. The Russian Army is Overrun at 5:1 with its 3SP and Aparxin placed into
the HOW Box. The British player rolls for a possible Loot Resource due to the Apraxin Leaders removal to the HOW Box.

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