The (Unofficial) Great Battles of History
Or, Just How Many Mores Rules Do I Have To Learn, Anyway?
Last Update: 15-Jul-97
I've submitted the following article for the SPQR Player's Guide. I hope you find this preview, and the information therein, useful. [DPT]
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Having learned SPQR, you can easily step into the other games of the Great Battles of History series, right? That depends on where you want to go.
The modern-era series games, Lion of the North and Samurai, share many of their basic concepts with SPQR, but they've got enough differences that you're better off dropping your preconceptions and just trying to learn the rules from whole cloth.
But the other ancient-era games, Deluxe Alexander and Caesar, are very similar to SPQR. Not similar enough, unfortunately, that you can just open the box and begin playing.
And that's the point of this article. I've listed all of the rules differences necessary to move from SPQR to either of the other games. There are more differences than I'd like to see (and some of them are downright nitpicks), but going through this listing is better than scanning a 32-page rulebook for the changes.
The rules are tagged with a C or an A to show which game has the change, followed by the rules reference number from that game. Don't worry if the numbers within the section vary, as corresponding rules have sometimes been renumbered.
C 4.1 Change+Addition: Strategy Ratings are printed on subordinate commanders (though not Tribunes). Note the new Heroic Charisma rating on Caesar.
C 4.2 Addition: Command Hierarchy. Pass with your lower-echelon leaders enable your Section Commanders to move large chunks of your army at the same time.
C 4.3 Change: Line Composition determined solely by command range [not spacing and facing].
A 4.3 Change: Line Composition depends on unit type (Inf/EL vs Cav) [rather than line type (rigid vs ragged)]. No spaces allowed. Cav lines must be within half of leader's range.
C 4.33,4.34 Addition: Legion Commands are similar to Line Commands.
A 4.34 Change: Subordinate commanders issuing LCs while not in OC's range roll vs their own strategy rating [not OC's]; no +1 drm if any unit of line in ZOC; subordinates using OC range to issue LC can't try for Momentum.
A 4.37 Change: Command restriction words apply to LCs only, not orders.
A 4.64 Change: No leader replacement.
C 4.43 Addition: SCs [in addition to OCs] can replace tribunes/praefects.
A 4.62 Change: Leader Orderly Withdrawal uses normal movement rules [not just 1-3 hexes owner's choice].
A 4.5 Addition: Wing Commanders have some special activation rules.
C 4.5 Addition: Aquilae are informational markers, but don't let them be captured.
A 5.22(5) Addition: Macedonian leaders may use IOs to activate Contingent Commands.
C 5.17 Change: "Passed" tribunes aren't Finished, and can still receive Section Commands.
C 5.21 Addition: Unrestricted SCs can activate their all tribunes via a Section Command.
C 5.22 Addition+Change: IO or LC lets a cohort enter or leave testudo formation; restricted leaders can only rally, remove cohesion, replace a killed leader, and/or enter/leave testudo.
A 5.33(1) Change: Momentum dieroll of 9, followed by another 9, results in Crisis of Faith [not end of turn].
A 6.14 Addition: (Optional) Hellenic Law of Inertia. HO/HI units underway keep going, and going, and going....
C 6.27,A 6.29 Change: The Movement Charts for each game contain many small -- but important -- differences. A small sampling:
A 6.29 Change: SK take no hits entering woods; Cavalry take two hits going into broken(rocky) terrain and one hit going up a level; going down a level has a +1 MP cost.
C 6.27 Change: Vet/Rec CO, LI, SK take no hits entering broken terrain; salt marsh is different than SPQR/Alex marsh; going down a level gives cavalry, LI, and SK a hit.
A 6.43 Change: MA/PH take no TQ hit for the front-to-flank manuever.
A 6.5 Addition: (Optional) Drift to the Right: HO/HI would rather go right than left.
C 6.52 Change: Foot units always make TQ check after OW [rather than take a hit or TQ check based on type].
A 6.72 Change: Foot/CH get one hit, not a TQ check. SK approached from flank don't suffer the flank/rear hit. All OW units take TQ check for an additional hit.
A 6.75 Change: OWing mtd archers get +1 drm for moving fire (this seems a logical inference for SPQR/Caesar, too, but it's never explicitly mentioned, and the Missile Fire table specifically refers to movement during an Order, which OW needn't be).
A 6.81 Change: Only HI/PH with TQ 6+, commanded by OC, LC-capable, or MCC leader.
C 6.59 Change: PW restricted as to elevation changes.
A 6.83 Change: No PW into rough hexes.
C 6.61 Addition: Antesignani can stack, similar to cohorts.
C 6.64 Change: Antesignani, even though two units, move with a single order.
A 6.92 Change: The stacking are more harsh: a non-SK unit forced to end movement stacked routs, while stationary unit takes a TQ check with a minimum of one hit. SK just take a TQ hit and keep moving.
A 6.94 Change: PH and HI can move through other units (unless routing) or be moved through.
A 6.61 Change: No MP cost to change to/from column formation.
C 7.12 2nd bullet Change: Only BI (of non-Roman infantry) pay 1 MP per vertex change.
A 7.15 Change: CH only change facing one vertex/hex except start or ending hex.
C 7.15 Change: Units using Reaction Facing Change use an unmodified dieroll vs TQ [instead of using MA difference as a drm] and failure only inflicts dr - TQ hits [instead of routing the unit].
A 7.21 Change: Missile No foot SK retain their frontal ZOC.
C 7.22 Change: ZOCs don't extend across a fortification hexside.
C 7.23(2) Addition: SCs (in addition to OCs) may order Tribunes out of ZOCs.
A 7.25 Change: Units in enemy ZOC may change facing if in only one ZOC and either it has Close Missile Volley capability, or it doesn't move out of the hex that phase.
C 8.14 case 6 Addition: Units in friendly fortifications and not in enemy ZOC never run out of missiles.
A 8.15 Addition: Like EL, chariots take 2 TQ hits for every missile hit.
A 8.14 Change: Archers are not excepted from the "units block missile LOS" rule.
C 8.16 Addition: Walls, ramparts, towers, and berms block LOS.
C 8.17 case 3 Change: CO get a +1 drm [vs a +3 awarded by SPQR and Alex to HI/PH].
A 8.17 Change: Javelins are Missile No on 7-9, not 6-9.
C 8.33(4) Change: If all attackers and defenders rout from Pre-shock TQ checks, the defender retreats, the attacker stays in place, and all units remain routed.
C 8.33 Exception #1 Change: Vet/Rec CO attacked frontally by LI don't have to take a Pre-shock TQ check.
A,C 8.36 ONE Exception Change: LI (and LP) that are Missile No aren't DS vs cavalry.
A,C 8.36 THREE Change: Killed leaders only affect the shock resolution dr by -(charisma) [not -(charisma + 2)].
A 8.34 Change: Leader casualty dr of 0 negates charisma for subsequent shock (no matter what the subsequent casualty dr is).
A 8.37 Addition: The Push of Shields: after shock, any unit w/3x the hits of any enemy unit get two more hits.
A 8.38 Change: On Collapse checks, a dr=TQ is safe [but causes rout in Caesar and SPQR].
A 9.13 Change: No EL pass-through avoidance. EL that attack (anyone, not just infantry) do in fact pass through at the conclusion of the shock combat as per the SPQR pass-through avoidance rules.
C 9.13 Change: Tower Riders (the Javelinists atop the EL) fire with a +2 drm.
C 9.17 Change: Cavalry entering EL flank/rear don't suffer the 2 TQ hit penalty. Non-BC Cavalry have darts (not noted on the counter) for use solely against elephants.
A 9.17 Change: Units defending against EL suffer a +1 drm to Pre-Shock TQ check.
C 9.25 Change: HI attacked by LI do need a Pre-Shock TQ Check.
A 9.62 Change: Double Depth formation is only useable by the Macedonians, and can be ordered by MCCs given orders by the OC (as well as by the OC). The top unit always takes the odd hit from Shock [instead of the bottom unit taking the odd hit if attacked from the rear].
A 9.63 Addition: PH Square formation is a good last-ditch defense to prevent flank attacks.
C 10.26 Change: The first cohort of a legion never is depleted.
C 10.33 Addition: Routing units inside a friendly camp forced to move outside the camp are eliminated, and routed units inside the camp are counted as eliminated for Army Withdrawal purposes.
C 10.37 Change: Rally range can't be traced through fortified hexsides, across rivers, or through woods (though into woods is OK). [SPQR's only terrain restriction is "not Rough."]
A 10.27 Change: Rally only in 1 MP hex (ignoring elevation).
C 10.38 Change: Rally in same hex is automatic, else roll vs Charisma + 1 [SPQR: Initiative + 1].
A,C Change: The Rally Tables for each game are slightly different than SPQR.
A 10.31 Change: Cavalry must be in Charge Formation to pursue, and will pursue even if the defender is routed as a result of a Pre-Shock TQ check.
A 10.32 Change: Check for pursuit by rolling with a +2 drm, pursue if dr > TQ. If no pursuit, cav unit isn't Finished.
A 10.33 Change: No pursuit off the edge of the map.
A 10.34 Change: After pursuit, cav unit will attack all enemies in ZOC, if possible.
C Change: The Pursuit Table is slightly different than SPQR.
A 10.42 Change: SK are worth 1 RP, SK* are worth 2.