ROUGH WOOING

Wargame Rules for the 16th C

by Ross Macfarlane

inspired by Joseph Morschauser (4 Feb 2009)

Amended 26 September 2009

PREPARING FOR BATTLE

These rules, inspired by Joseph Morschauser’s 1962 book, How to Play Wargames in Miniature, are designed for playing
wargames set in the 16th Century Europe with a slight bias to the British Isles. The original version was co-authored by Rob
Dean, changes since are my fault.

A) Organization & Definitions:

1) Company: The game is played with ‘companies’ of troops which consist of a number of figures glued to a stand. The
size of the stands is not critical but should be the same on both sides. My own 40mm figures are based on 60mm square
stands with 4 foot, 3 swordsmen or levies, or 2 cavalry or other light infantry. Artillery may need a bigger base with 3
gunners and a gun. If using differing numbers of figures it is recommended that you use the above as the number of hits
that a base can take.
2) Battle or Regiment: A Battle (early 16thC) or Regiment (mid 16thC) is composed of one Commander and a number of
companies, usually but not necessarily, all infantry or all cavalry. When designing a scenario or setting out a pickup
game, all companies must be assigned to a commander for the duration of the game. At the end of each turn, each battle
must consolidate any partial hits onto a company of the same type so that only 1 company of each type has hits. If for
example there are 3 companies of shot with 2 hits each then 1 company is removed and 1 company is marked with 2 hits.
This variously represents the overall loss of morale and effectiveness from a slow drain of casualties, reinforcements
being fed forward and subordinate commanders pulling back outlying detachments and regrouping them. A Battle which
loses ½ of its original companies is SHAKEN.
3) Group: A group is composed of 1 or more companies of the same Battle with their bases touching and aligned. Groups
should form with the same number of companies in each rank as much as possible.
4) Infantry and Cavalry. Where these terms are used without an adjective, they are taken to mean all troops on foot or all
mounted troops.
5) Troop Types: The following company types are used in the basic game:
(a) Commanders. Command stands control companies assigned to them. They are mounted as and fight as any other
troop type. The commander of a battle or regiment is called a Captain. By the end of the 16th Century, the term
Colonel was coming into use and this might be a better term for these sub-commanders but I like the sound of
Captain which has a slight Shakespearean ring to it for this era. Each army will normally have one overall
commander who is the General. The general may also be the Captain of a Battle. Allied armies may have more than
1 general who only affect their own troops. Each player must select one commander as himself. One player must be
the General, Captains may be non-player commanders. For non player commanders, roll 1 die to establish their
personality.
6 = Rash
5 = Indecisive
3, 4 = Bold
1, 2 =Cautious
(b) Foot. Infantry equipped for close combat and trained to fight in dense formations. If all of a company are wearing
helmet plus breastplate and tassets or better then they will count as armoured.
(i) Pikes: infantry primarily armed with pikes backed with other polearms.
(ii) Bills: infantry equipped mainly with bills and halberds as well as Galloglaich with 2 handed axes.
(iii) Jannisaries: Elite Turkish infantry, armed primarily with firearms and sabers.
(c) Light Infantry. Infantry operating in a looser formation and fighting as individuals in melee or relying primarily on
missile fire. Missile troops will normally operate as skirmishers or from cover or form on the flanks of heavier
infantry. Many light infantry will wear some light armour.
 (i) Crossbows: Light Infantry equipped with heavy crossbows
(ii)Shot: Light Infantry equipped with firearms
(iii)
Bows: Light Infantry using bows.
(iv)Swordsmen: Light Infantry equipped with sword and buckler or two handers and relying on individual combat
skills. Some swordsmen were quite heavily armoured, (for example dismounted gendarmes during a siege)
these lose 1 die of movement but count as armoured.
(v) Levies: Poorly equipped soldiers such as revolting peasants and some Turkish volunteers, also pioneers.
(d) Horse. Cavalry whose main tactic is to charge.
(i) Gensdarmes. Elite, fully armoured knights on barded horses, Gentlemen Pensioners etc.
(ii) Lancers. Armoured lancers in plate on unbarded horses such as English demi-lancers and the best Turkish
Spahis in chainmail.
(iii) Reiters. Armoured pistoliers operating in a dense mass.
(e) Light Cavalry. (Border Horse, Mounted Arquebusiers, Horse Archers) Lightly armoured cavalry with lances,
javelins, crossbow, bow or arquebus.
(f) Artillery. Split between heavy artillery with large immobile guns and light artillery of various types which could be
manhandled.
6) Troop Quality. Some companies may be of better or worse quality. Experienced troops may be classed as veteran. Some
troops may be classed as impetuous if having a reputation to charge whether ordered or not. Troops who were more
effective or less effective than usual for their types may have their melee score increased or lowered. Troop capabilities
should be adjusted accordingly when designing a scenario.
7) Aspect. A group’s front is an arc extending out 45 degrees from the front left and right edges.
B) Markers. Markers are useful to indicate casualties as well as groups that must take a control test.

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 PLAYING THE GAME
A) SEQUENCE OF PLAY. Place 1 card per Battle into a deck and draw them 1 at a time. A battle is activated when its card is
drawn. Take control checks as needed and move and shoot with companies, enemy companies react if charged. Once all battles
have been activated, resolve all melees.

Variants: If desiring more control, use ordinary playing cards, assign players a colour and draw one card per turn, when a
player’s colour comes up he may choose 1 Battle to activate. To speed multiplayer games or if desired by all parties, instead of
drawing cards, each side rolls a die at the start of each turn and the side with the highest score chooses to activate all of their
Battles one at a time or let their opponent do so.

B) CONTROL CHECK. Groups may not always act as a player wishes. Test by rolling 1 die as follows:

1) Test upon ACTIVATION if:

a) Isolated: A group is not within 12” of their Captain or their Captain has been killed or wounded.
b) Detached. A Non-player Captain is not within 24” of his general and is not a player’s personal figure.
The result, modified by his personality will apply to all groups within his control.
2) Test when REACTING if a group of pikes which has been charged wants to form hedgehog before combat.

COMMAND & CONTROL CHECK

NORMAL DIE MODIFIERS
Troops must advance at least ½ move unless
able to shoot or defending cover or an obstacle
5,6 Excited: and may do so in any case. Gendarmes, lancers +1 Rash Captain testing
and impetuous troops will charge enemy if
possible.
3,4 Steady: Obey orders +/- 1 or 0 Bold Captain or if group of veterans testing
No advance, may retreat or stand, including
1,2 Wary: facing the enemy. A group may reform on the -1 Cautious Captain testing
lead company

C) MOVEMENT. Groups move an amount of inches equal to the score of 1 or more dice as shown. Mixed groups move at the
speed of the slowest company. A company may not be moved more than once per turn except as an allowed reaction to enemy
action or due to morale failure. Terrain may modify the distance moved.
1) Single Stands: A single company may pivot any number of times per turn and may move up to its maximum move. It costs
½ of its move to join a group. As long as it has the movement to touch, after paying the formation change penalty, the joining
company gets a free shift so that it is properly aligned. Single stands of light infantry may pass through friends or be passed
through.
2) Groups: Groups consisting of 2 or more companies, may wheel and may fall back ½ move facing the enemy. If they wish to
change formation or rearrange the position of companies, this will take a whole turn. Companies that begin as a group do not
have to do the same thing but companies that move away are no longer part of that group. Companies that move to join a
group that has not yet moved cannot move again. Groups of 2 or more companies may pass through single stands of light
infantry.
3) Hedgehog or Square. A group containing pikes and which is as deep as it is wide may form a hedgehog facing out in all
directions. It takes a whole turn to form a hedgehog or to reform ready to move. A hedgehog has no flanks but cannot move.
4) Fire and Move: A company other than artillery may move and then shoot or shoot and then move as long as they do not
charge and did not begin the turn in melee.
5) Artillery: It takes a turn to limber or unlimber artillery. Artillery may only fire if unlimbered. Heavy artillery may only move
if limbered except to turn in place which takes a whole move. Light artillery may be manhandled at ½ speed but may not
move and shoot.
6) Enemy: A company starts, or moves to, within 3” of an enemy company must halt, retreat or move directly towards the
enemy. If a company has been charged before it moves, it loses its move. If a unit is in a drawn melee, it may retreat a full
move when next activated but cannot shoot during the turn it does so. A unit in a drawn melee may not change formation or

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 detach companies except that companies that are in contact with an enemy to the flank or rear may turn to face. and
companies may be moved up to replace casualties.

MOVEMENT CHART
ROADS
LINEAR
TYPE MOVE WOODS HILLS (1 company
OBSTACLES
wide)
Foot 2d6” x½ x½ x½ x 1.5
Light Infantry 3d6” No effect No effect No effect x 1.5
Gensdarmes 3d6” Imp x½ x½ x 1.5
Other Horse 4d6” Imp x½ x½ x 1.5
Light Cavalry 5d6” x¼ x½ x½ x 1.5
Wagon/Light 2d6” Impassable x½ x½ x2
Gun
Heavy Gun 1d6” Impassable x½ x½ x2
Commander as troop type as troop type as troop type as troop type as troop type

7) Charges. A charge is a move to contact enemy which is to the unit’s front. A group cannot move into contact with the enemy
without declaring a charge.
a) Once the charge is declared, a company may wheel then must move directly towards the target of the charge and attempt
to contact it. Once in contact, there is a free move to align opposing companies. To charge an enemy in the flank, a group
must be outside of the 45 degree frontal arc of the target group at the beginning and end of the charge.
b) Artillery, engineers and wagons cannot charge. Infantry cannot charge cavalry.
c) Shaken companies may not charge.
8) Charge Reactions. In some situations, units that have been charged may react out of turn. This is a free, extra move even if
they have already moved but does stop them from moving if they have not yet been activated.
a) Single stands of cavalry and light infantry may choose to immediately about face and retreat to evade a charge, 3d6 if
light cavalry, 2d6 if horse or light infantry. The charger may halt on the position originally occupied by the evader,
continue moving in an attempt to catch them, or redirect the charge to hit another enemy.
b) Cavalry may counter charge 1d6” or ½ way to if charger, which ever is less,
c) Foot and swordsmen may counter charge 1d6” or ½ way to if charger, which ever is less, if charged by infantry,
d) Infantry, reiters, horse archers and artillery may stand and shoot,
e) A group containing pikes may form hedgehog if they take a control check and get a result of “Steady”.
D) SHOOTING. Roll 1 die per company that shoots. Hits may be reduced by cover, armour or if dispersed (see Saving Throws).
1) A company that shoots must have a clear line of sight to the target which must also be within an arc of 45 either side of
straight ahead except that horse archers may shoot all around. A company which is in melee cannot be targeted by shooting.
2) If arquebusiers or reiters are formed at least 2 deep, ½ the companies in the 2nd rank may shoot if they do not move more
than ½ speed. This represents arquebusiers and reiters firing by rotation/caracole.
3) Rapid fire. A group of at least 2 companies of infantry archers that does not move may fire twice. They may not rapid fire as
a charge reaction. Single companies are assumed to be skirmishing and not letting fly massed volleys.
4) Deep Targets. If artillery fires at a target which is 2 ranks deep, roll 2 dice instead of 1.

SHOOTING CHART
1 die per company: 4,5,6 to hit
SHOOTIN
FIRING COMPANY G SPECIAL
RANGE
Arquebus 12” No armour saves
Crossbow 12” -1 to armour saves
Bow 12”

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Pistol 3” No armour saves
Light Artillery 36” +1 die vs deep formations
no armour saves
Heavy Artillery 48” +1 die vs deep formations
no armour saves
-1 to cover saves

E) MELEE. A melee is combat between companies in contact with each other (edge to edge or corner to corner). All melee combat
is simultaneous.
1) Companies in contact must resolve melee. A company which is beside a friendly company which is in melee can also fight. It
may not lap around and count as flanking. Normally roll 1 die per company in contact. In some cases companies may get
extra dice.
2) Troops normally use their frontal value but use their flank value if fighting against an enemy to the flank or rear.
3) Pike Bonus: If pikemen are charging or counter charging, ½ (rounding up) of the companies in the 2nd and 3rd rank and
behind a company in melee may roll as if they were in contact unless charging cover or across an obstacle. If pikes are
fighting cavalry to their front only, roll 2 dice per company in contact.
4) Lance charge. Cavalry with lances roll 2 dice per company when charging unless attacking pikes frontally or charging over
an obstacle or against cover.
MELEE CHART
FRONTAL FLANK SPECIAL
TYPE
TO HIT TO HIT (See relevant rules for details)
Pikemen 4,5,6 6 Pike bonus
Billmen 3,4,5,6 6 -1 to enemy armour saves
Swordsmen 3,4,5,6 6
Jannisaries
Shot, Bows, Crossbows 5,6 6
Light Cavalry 5,6 6 Lancers get charge bonus
Gensdarmes 3,4,5,6 6 Charge Bonus
Other Horse 4,5,6 6 Lancers get charge bonus
Levies/Pioneers/Wagons 6 6
Artillery 6 6 No armour save if attacked frontally
Commander as troop type As troop type +1 die in melee.
5) Melee resolution. Once a round of Melee is fought, any group which suffered more hits than it inflicted from melee and
reaction shooting combined has been defeated and must check morale unless all enemies were destroyed. If the number of
casualties is even then the 2 sides are locked in combat and will fight again next turn unless one retreats.
6) Pursuit. If a unit charges and all of their opponents are destroyed or forced to retreat, it may immediately move 1d6” if
gensdarmes or foot, 2d6” if light infantry or other horse, 3d6” if light cavalry. This move may be a charge. There is no
reaction to a pursuit charge. The melee will be resolved during the next melee phase with the pursuing unit counting as
charging.
F) SAVING THROWS. In some situations, companies may avoid taking casualties by making use of cover , armour, dispersed
formation or by maneuvering. If any of the following that apply, roll 1 die per hit, each successful save cancels one hit. If more
than 1 save applies a player may use the best one.
1) Cover: Troops in cover get a saving throw against shooting and in melee. Troops in fortifications or buildings save on a
4,5,6, troops in partial cover save on a 5,6. Troops defending an obstacle or a steep hill save on a 4,5,6 in melee only.
2) Armour: Gendarmes and Armoured Foot save on a 4,5 or 6. Reiters and lancers save on a 5,6 only. This may be reduced by
some weapons as noted in the charts.
3) Skirmishers & Cavalry: A single company of light infantry or cavalry saves on a 4,5,6 against shooting.
G) MORALE. If a group lost a round of melee or if a shaken group not in melee suffered any hits from shooting, roll 1 die on the
morale chart.

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 MORALE CHECK
DIE MODIFIERS
Recoil 1d6” facing the enemy except that Gendarmes, Swiss, Janissaries or
4,5,6: STEADY +1
hedgehogs will stand and artillery is destroyed Veterans
Retreat a full move facing the enemy except that
1,2,3 WAVER hedgehogs will stand and artillery is destroyed.. -1 Levies
The unit may not charge on its next move.
0 BREAK Flee the field of battle (remove from table) -3 Shaken
H)
I) RISK TO COMMANDERS. A commander is lost if his stand is removed due to hits. A commander who is not part of a group
may only be shot at if he is the closest target. If a commander fights in melee, roll an extra die for him with the score based on his
troop type, if the die roll is a 1 then he has been wounded. Roll again, on a 2nd 1 he is permanently removed otherwise he is out
of action for 1 turn, his troops will count as Isolated next turn and he cannot use his influence or fight in melee that turn.
J) TERRAIN. Terrain is considered open unless one of the following applies.
1) Roads. If a group 1 company wide begins its move on a road, it may use a road bonus while following the road and may
follow any curves or turns in the road without penalty.
2) Woods. Artillery, wagons and Horse cannot enter woods. Foot moves ½ speed and Light Cavalry moves ¼ speed, Light
infantry are unaffected. No company may shoot through woods. A company on the edge (within 1”) can shoot and be shot at
but count as in cover. Woods do not provide cover in melee.
3) Hills. Gentle hills do not affect movement. Troops except light infantry climbing steep hills move at ½ speed. Troops behind
a hill or on the reverse slope cannot be fired at. Companies defending a steep hill in melee get a saving throw as if in cover.
4) Linear Obstacles. Unfordable rivers may only be crossed by boats or bridge. A ford may be crossed as normal going but
without any road bonus. It costs ½ a move to cross fordable streams, low walls or hedges for all except light infantry. Major
obstacles such as high walls may only be crossed if pioneers spend a turn to make a gap 1 company wide. They may not work
if in melee.
5) Towns. Only infantry can enter or charge buildings though any troops may follow a road through a town unless the buildings
are occupied by enemy. It takes ½ move to enter or leave a building. No company may shoot through a town. Infantry on the
edge of a town may shoot out and be shot at but count in cover.
6) Fortifications. Earthworks are treated like towns except that artillery may be placed in them. High walls cannot be attacked
unless storming parties are equipped with ladders or the wall is breached. Normally breeches are created by siege before the
game starts but old fashioned walls may be breeched by a heavy gun within 12”. 3 hits are required. Troops defending a
breach still count as in cover but the approach counts as good ground. Only single stands can escalade with ladders.
K) WINNING AND LOSING In the absence of other victory conditions, if all of an army’s battles are shaken or ½ of them have
been destroyed then it has lost the fight and must retire.

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