FAST PLAY ANCIENT RULES

By ATKINS WARGAMES

Justified Ancients
Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................... 5
Scale......................................................................................................................... 5
Ranges...................................................................................................................... 6
Units: Classification...................................................................................................6
Points system............................................................................................................ 7
Set Up.......................................................................................................................... 7
Scenery..................................................................................................................... 8
Sequence of play.......................................................................................................... 8
Orders....................................................................................................................... 8
Actions...................................................................................................................... 9
Reactions................................................................................................................10
Movement................................................................................................................... 11
Combat....................................................................................................................... 12
Firing....................................................................................................................... 12
Close Combat.........................................................................................................12
Results.................................................................................................................... 13
Example of Play.......................................................................................................... 15

Justified Ancients
Introduction
Justified & Ancients came into being after a mighty vision appeared unto me, dressed in
a stinking Black T-Shirt and wearing thick NHS glasses. The Vision did say unto me Lo!
For a calamity hath come to Wargaming, for all the Ancient rules are CrapThou hath
been chosen to right this wrong. Go forth and create a set of rules that rocks bells.
It was the angel of Donald Featherstone and he bore in his left hand a tape measure and
in his right he wielded a D6. Charged with this mission and divinely guided by the
wargaming deity, I offer you gamers these rules. Obey them.
Here are some quick identifying pictures to enable you to filter crowds for suitable
opponents.

The Wargamer

The Roleplayer

Justified Ancients player

Scale
This is a Set of ultra fast play wargame rules that covers the ancient period from bazillion
BC up to just before English longbows mucked everything up.
You can use any scale / base sizes for the army or even just cardboard counters or postit notes with the unit written on it if you are fiscally challenged and would rather spend
money on Warhammer/Beer, as long as it is clear what the unit is. For those who like to
be told what sizes to use, use the following.
.

Unit

2mm

6mm

15mm

25mm

Close Order

2cmx1cm

4cmx1cm

4cmx2cm

6cmx3cm

Open
3cmx1cm
order/skirmishers

6cmx2cm

6cmx2cm

8cmx4cm

Chariotry

6cmx3cm

6cmx6cm

8cmx6cm

3cmx3cm

The Units in this game are Elements. They consist of an undetermined number of the
various troop types. No accounting is taken of individual losses; the important factor is if
the Unit is Depleted, Disorganised or Dispersed. DBA bases will work well in these rules.
Both sides must use the same basing system. Each sides general is represented by an
individual figure / post-it note. This general has free movement of any distance and may
move when other units move. If the general has been with the unit from the start of the
turn, s/he grants the unit a combat bonus.

Ranges
2mm and 6mm measure ranges in CM, 15 & 25 mm measure in Inches. In these rules
Im going to assume inches.
There. Are you happy nowyouve got your precious base sizes?? Oh right! You want a
Time Scale? Ok. Lets say one turn =15 mins. Anyone who disagrees with the scales,
just Change Them. I wont sue you.
Apart from that, all youll need is a D6, (Halve it, rounded Down to get D3), the usual
tape measure and a few coins/matches/ fag butts for disorder/fatigue counters.
Designed for experienced wargamers, these rules are rules light and its assumed that
players know their Cataphracts from their Schiltrons, how to move a unit by wheeling
from the outside edge and all that malarkey.

Units: Classification
So many different troop types exist in this period, Im not going to try and say Ooh, Ooh!
Libyan spearmen are Medium infantry not Light, cos, to be honest, Ive never seen a
Libyan spearman and neither, frankly, have you. Some historical accounts may give a
vague clue to some troop types. Its probably written somewhere, And then Constipatius
did ride in Close Order into the scattered peltasts and they threw down their leather hats,
being the only armour they wore, and Constipatius said Ha, look they have become

disordered! Assign traits to units as you see fit. Here are some of my Guidelines, based
as they are on watching the film Spartacus when I was 12.
Basic Types
All units must be one of the following types
Foot
Horse
Chariotry
Elephantry
Baggage
Armour
Classify the unit by the armour it wears. If it is light or heavy this makes a difference in
game terms, so be sure to note this down.
Light: (Numidian horse, Cretan archers)
Medium: (Macedonian Pike men, Viking bondsman)
Heavy: (Roman Principe, Byzantine cataphract)
Order
Close Order (CO): Spartan hoplites, Roman Hastati.
Loose order (LO): Briton War band, Scottish err..Umm
warband...Gallic...err...warband
Skirmishers (SK): Thracian Peltasts, Roman velite
Training
Untrained: Fyerd, Peasant mobs
Trained: Silver Shield Pike men, Companion cavalry
Missile: Pyrrhic horse archers, Trojan bowmen.
Special traits
Some lesser rules have stuff like superior or fast. They are wrong.
High Morale:(Rare in practice, available to troops like Praetorians and Spartan
Hoplites)
Poor: (Peasantry, militia)
Phalanx: Not just Spearmen. Spearmen trained to keep formation and use
momentum.
Berserker: (cannot be trained) Viking Berserkers, Islamic Shaheed
Testudo: Trained only. Can un/form during orders. If contacted in testudo, they
become disordered.
Javelin: All skirmishers are Javelin (or similar equipped). Other non skirmishers
might carry em. Like Roman legionarys. Javelins can fire and receive, but not
fire otherwise.

So technically you could have Light/ CO/Untrained/ Elephantry /Missile capable. But
probably you wouldnt. I want a unit of Bears. Bears with Laser beams for eyes! Man that
would be so Frikking AWESOME!

Points system
No Space here for a points system! Just use what youve got in your army box or do
historical line-ups.

Set Up
Put the models on the table. Roll a dice to see who sets up first. If you want to put a bit
of effort into this you can, like if its the battle of Cannae, then you can argue to get a +1
for Hannibals mob, cos historically it was a ambush. Or you can just say that the
Romans in that case set up first. To be utterly honest, I dont give a damn. Just get the
ruddy models on the table already.

Scenery
Scenery is an important part of a battle. Here are the rules for setting it up:
Each player rolls a dice and if they are wearing a Snorkel parker adds +1. If any player
stinks of BO due to poor hygiene add +2 and if, in their last game they argued over a
charge angle because it was 1mm out, add +3. Total the scores. Now regardless of the
total, each player throws bits of scenery all over the table until its got a good covering on
it. Unless its supposed to be a desert. In which case throw less, (and dont throw rivers).

Which one of you gits stuck the Ice creams on me head?

Sequence of play
OK. By now you have a couple of armies set up and rearing at the leash. Youve cracked
open a few beers and youre wondering how to get this show on the road.
Wonder no further. The game is split into segments of activities, which I shall call Turns.
In a Turn each player gets to Do Stuff. This stuff is done in the following order. Repeat
turns for the first Player then the second then the first etc, until someone squeals for
mercy or your Girlfriend/Wife/Husband phones you and tells you to get some shopping
before the supermarket closes.
Decide upon who shall be first player...

1. Orders & Movement. Chargers move, fire and receive results applied, then
other actions are carried out in any order.
2. Combat . Roll dice & total results, Apply results making any push backs, adding
counters, pursuing with winners. Remove fatigue counters then apply fatigue to
chargers.
3. Repeat and alternate players.

Orders
Generals are rated for their command ability. (Command).
This is a rating of the Generals real-life tactical ability and respect/ leadership skills.
The argument that a wargame is supposed to portray a gamers skill not some virtual
representation of a long dead commander is a valid one. Im not getting into a debate
about it, so feel free to just assume both generals have average command ratings.
POOR GENERAL

-1

(Example: Darius. (not the pop idol))

AVERAGE GENERAL -0

(Pyrrhus)

SKILLED GENERAL

+1

(Hardrada)

EXCEPTIONAL GENERAL

+2

(Scipio, Hannibal)

The Acting Player may choose to issue orders to any of his units.
To issue an order to a unit, Roll D6, Add the modifiers below & Compare to score
needed for the action. (Note: Most units, assuming no modifiers its a 1+ to move, so a
game isnt bogged down with rolling for each unit, just the crappy ones
For example, a poor Briton General tries to order some Trained chariotry to reform. They
are 10 away. Rolls a D6, scores 4. -1 poor general/-1 range >6/ trained +1 Equals 3.
Score needed is 4+ so the chariotry remain where they are

MODIFIER

ACTION

Untrained

-1

Reform

4+

Ordering Poor troops

-1

Charge

2+

Range from general >6 (& per

extra 6)

-1

Reface

3+

Generals command rating

Move

1+

Trained

+1

Form/unform Testudo.

5+

Wheel >45degree

3+

Actions
Charges are announced and rolled for. Charging units are moved first in the order
chosen by the acting player. Other movement and reforms /facings are rolled for and
carried out in any order.
Below is a description of each action and how it is preformed. Once in combat no
Actions can be taken. i.e., no refacing etc, the combat rules will dictate further movement
until contact is broken.
Charge. This action allows the unit to move up to their maximum move distance into
base to base contact with an opponents unit. You can make a charge without a valid
target if you want to move your troops faster, but bear in mind that they are gonna get
fatigued. A Charge order unit that fails the command roll remains stationary and cannot
move at all this turn. Only charging/pursuing units can move into base contact. The Unit
must have the target unit within 45 degrees of its front edge corners. Dont start arguing
over a few millimetres out of range. If your opponent has moved into a flanking position
and charges, whap the unit in. Dont whine like a geeky rules lawyer. You didnt see
Hamilcar crying Ooh, Ooh, that was out of arc! did you? Well, maybe he did, but you lot
dont do it OK. Once the unit touches the target, conform the front to the targets nearest
side & the target decides on a reaction.
Move. Pretty simple, just move the unit by wheeling or direct ahead movement. Moves
cannot bring a unit into contact with an enemy, nor deliberately interpenetrate friends.
Flee. All units can flee. Its like an evade for Loose order/Close Order troops. The Unit
does not fire. It moves a full move away from the charger as per evade. Obviously if they
plough through a friendly unit then it takes the relevant disorder/pushback result. (See
interpenetrating later on).The chargers move up their remaining move & may contact the
first unit in their path as per pursuing an evading unit. The fleeing unit receives a fatigue
counter. As you can see, fleeing is a pretty desperate plan.
Reform: Allows the unit to face any desired direction whilst remaining on the spot. If the
unit is disordered, the counter is removed. If the reform command roll fails the unit
remains in place & cannot move this turn.
Reface: The unit to face any desired direction whilst remaining on the spot. If the reface
command roll fails the unit remains in place & cannot move this turn.

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Further to these actions, a non-active player must on being charged, choose a reaction
for the target. These are:

Reactions
Receive. All units can receive. Heh, yeah, even slingers, if you want em wiped out. The
unit remains in place and melee begins in the combat phase.
Evade. Only Skirmisher units may evade. Bit complex this to describe. Put your logic
hats on. All skirmishers have short range missiles & fire at this point at the chargers.
Resolve this now. If the target suffers effective fire or worse result then they are pushed
back and halt their movement. The charge has failed. They do not fight in melee. Oh
dear me. Now, regardless of firing the unit moves directly away a full move. They may
move through friendly troops and if they finish their evade on top of friendly troops, move
them directly behind those troops. Since evaders are always skirmishers, the
interpenetrated troops are not disordered. Theyre used to seeing that sort of thing. The
chargers now continue towards the evaders with any remaining movement. If they
contact the evaders, then its not going to be pretty. They cease moving & a round of
melee is fought in the combat phase.
If the Chargers contact a fresh unit, say for example like a unit of formed spears, then
they conform to that unit and fight in the combat phase. They count as charging. The
fresh unit can only receive, even if they are Missile or Javelineers.
Receive & fire. It is, rather unsurprisingly, a receive option combined with a fire as per
above. Just the evading bit doesnt happen. If the Firing stops the charge then happy
days. If it doesnt tough. This is an option for Missile or Javelin units only or for units with
a missile capable unit in direct support. i.e one that is conforming to its rear base edge
with its front edge and unengaged. This italic bit here is a posh way of saying the bows
are behind the spears. Note that Javelins cant fire whilst in direct support, cos they
would bloody nail their own mates. ROFLMAO!!!

Victory to Rome!! Now get me the hell out of this stuff.

Movement
At some point you might want to move some of your troops. It makes the game more
interesting. A unit that fails its command roll for movement cannot move or take other
actions this turn. The table below gives the maximum distances a unit can move.

Type

Move

Type

Move

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Foot

Elephantry

Horse

Baggage

Chariotry

Uphill

-1

Heavy (not elephantry)

-1

Charging /fleeing (not

+1

Cant move

evade)

LO or Skirmishers

+1

So A Heavy Infantry unit on the charge uphill moves 1.

Light horse skirmishers normal move 5. You get the drill. Its not rocket science.

CO troops moving into or through difficult terrain are disordered.

Units moving uphill receive a fatigue counter at the end of their turn.

Horse half basic speed in woods

Chariotry cannot enter woods/streams. Half basic speed in difficult.

Fatigued units cannot Charge, Flee or Evade.

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Combat
Well, youre finally in combat. All your movements done, charges have gone in & some
have contacted. Its time for all those missile troops who didnt Fire & receive or Evade to
shoot at a target of your choice. Dont get too excited. In this period shooting was pants.
Notice that these rules dont include artillery? Thats cos ancient artillery did sod all in
real battles. There, now go burn your Ballista models & thank me for educating you.

Firing
Unengaged Missile units may shoot at any unengaged units within 3 & within 45
degree of their front (all bows are the same range) To resolve missile fire roll D6.
7+

WITHERING FIRE: The target is Depleted and is

disorganised & pushed back 1 base depth.

5+

EFFECTIVE FIRE: The target is disorganised. If LO or

Skirmishers: Pushed back 1 base depth.

Modifiers:

Target in Testudo or Cover 1

Target Heavy -1

Target Chariotry / Horse (non-cataphract) /

Elephantry +1

OMFG! CATAPHRACTS!!

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Close Combat
All that stone flinging is over now its time for the REAL stuff. Each unit in base to base
contact rolls:

Add the following points

Foot & Horse 1
Chariotry 2
Elephantry 3
Baggage 0

^*Charging 1

Pursuit 2

CO Generals unit 1

Disorganised 1

Formed CO vs. LO 1

Formed phalanx fighting to front vs. horse/chariotry/elephantry 2

Non- phalanx attacking Phalanx to front -1

Attacking Flank 2

*Attacking Rear 3

Enemy are Skirmishers or Missile only Troops 2

Chariotry in second round or charged or in difficult terrain2

^ Chariotry charging formed foot 1

Skirmishers vs. Elephantry 3

Skirmishers in difficult terrain 1

Horse vs. foot 1

Elephantry vs. Formed foot 1

Light vs. Heavy 1

Vs Baggage 4

Depleted 1

Poor -1

All units in combat only roll once but apply the modifiers relevant to each opponent. E.g.,
a unit attacking on front and flank applies the modifier of 2 to the flank attacked
opponent but not to the frontally attacked one. Bah, put the models on the table and try
it.
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I am upper caste, I look down on him...

Results
Highest is winner. Resolve all combats simultaneously.

Equal Scores- Desperate struggle: units conform to each others fronts and will
continue combat next turn. Foot Units with non-skirmisher friends in direct
support behind push non supported foot one base depth back.

Win by 1- The Enemy waver! Losers pushed back one base depth & are
disorganised if Close Order. A pushed back unit pushed into friends in support
causes those units to be pushed back in turn, the winners conforming to their
front. If any unit is pushed into friends not in support, they interpenetrate them,
see later for this effect. Enemy may conform to front even if they have no move
remaining or theyre not the active players.

Win by 2-3-Chase them down like Curs! Losers flee full move away from the
unit that had the highest total out of the winners. They are Disordered and
Depleted. Winner may pursue a full move with the unit that had the highest total
in the combat directly towards the losers, contacting any fresh troops as if
charging (the fresh unit cannot fire and receive) and will fight as charging in the
next turn. If remaining in contact with original opponents they fight in the next
phase as pursuing.

Win by 4 - VICTORY! Losers flee full move as above, (winners may pursue full
move as above) then losers Disperse (that means remove the unit from the
game).

Units that cannot be pushed back or flee due to terrain disperse as above.
Fleeing units may wheel as part of their fleeing to avoid contact with enemy;
those that contact a non fleeing enemy unit are dispersed.

If a Unit causes its opponent to withdraw or rout, but itself is pushed back or
forced to flee by a separate unit, both units will push back or flee as required.

Units taking 2 depletions disperse. (Units classed as High Morale disperse after 3
depletions). Note any unit dispersing is removed regardless of depletion.

^Cumulative. (IE charging Chariotry vs. formed foot =2)

*These factors are not used in a pursuit.

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At the end of the combat phase any Active Players units with a fatigue marker and not in
melee remove the marker. Then any Units which charged, fled or evaded this turn
receive a fatigue marker. These handy markers show if a unit is fatigued. I use glass
beads of a certain colour. You can use whatever you dammed well like just spare me the
details. Im trying to write a set of rules here, not pander to your demands for minutia.
Notes:
LO troops cannot be disordered. They do however have Charge arcs, Flanks and Rear.
Skirmishing troops have no flank or rear or facing. All skirmishers carry missile weapons
that are short ranged and, therefore, can only be fired in a fire and receive manner at
units charging them.
Units may not deliberately interpenetrate. Interpenetration occurs as a result of fleeing or
being forced by missile fire to withdraw. Interpenetrating friendly units disorder C.O and
deplete L.O. Units overlapping on top of friendly units at the end of movement are
moved to the opposite side of the unit they interpenetrated and retain their facing.
Berserkers: Gain an extra +1 when charging. Must move towards and charge nearest
enemy if possible, always follow up and pursue when allowable, +1 to order roll when
being ordered to charge.

Example of Play
Some of you people will be incompetent enough to require an example of play, when
everything is really crystal clear. Bah, well, here is the example. It is the Gauls turn:
Orders phase: The Gaul general first moves his main battle line forward. The line is 4
units of War bands, all untrained troops. To move a unit needs a 1+. The war bands
need 2+ except the last which needs 3+ as it is more than 6 from the General.
Rolling 2, 3, 5, and 2 the three war bands can move but the last one fails to receive its
orders, or mucks them up, or just skives off. Of the Gauls other units, The Noble Cavalry
are ordered to Charge into the flank of the Britons Chariotry General Unit. The Nobles
are 10 away but they are not untrained. Theyre not trained either. Charge needs 2+ >
6 away means its 3 +. Rolling a 4, the cavalry charge.
Next up the Gaul general must Order his Berserkers to charge the Briton head-hurlers.
Sighing at the blatant computer game rip-off unit reference, he rolls the dice. The
Berserkers are Untrained. They however have a special rule that gives them + 1 on
being ordered to charge. Rolling a 4 -1 for untrained +1 special rule -1 for > 6 away
from general =3. Its 2+ for a charge, therefore the Berserkers go in.
All orders have been issued, Its time to carry em out.
Movement: Chargers move first. The Nobles are 3 away from the Chariotry's flank. The
Chariotry is missile capable and chooses a Receive and Fire reaction. The Head hurlers
are skirmishers and so choose Evade.
The chargers are moved. Nobles are Loose Order Charging horse, so can move 6.
They are moved the 3 into contact

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The Berserkers are Loose Order foot charging uphill. Thats 3. They move 2 into
contact. Both contacting units are conformed to their opponents fronts. Now all war
bands are moved except the one which failed its orders.
Combat
Its the end of movement! Its time for combat.
FIRING
Now fire from missiles is resolved.
The Chariotry although now out of arc for firing, were not when the Nobles charged. So
they fire. Rolling a 4 + 1 for target being Horse (non-cataphract) the Total is 5: Effective
fire. The nobles are Close Order troops so become disorganised. If they were loose
order troops they would have withdrawn 1 base depth from contact, and therefore their
charge would have been stopped. If the fire had been withering and Depleted the unit,
they would have withdrawn regardless of their original order.
The head-hurlers fire, hurling their cranium based missiles at the Berserkers. Rolling a 2
they miss totally and immediately flee their full 3 move through the two Briton war bands
behind them, they dont need to reverse facing, cos skirmishers dont actually have a
facing! The war bands arent disordered. The hurlers were skirmishers, retreating is what
theyre supposed to do. The Berserkers pursue their remaining move which is 1,
smacking into the war bands. The war bands cannot react to this. They are counted as
charged, even though the original target was the Hurlers.
MELEE
The following units are engaged.
1. A Unit of Gaul Nobles charging a Briton Chariotry Generals flank.
2. A Unit of Berserkers charging two Briton war bands simultaneously.
3. A Unit of Gaul chariots in the second round of combat with a Briton spear unit.
1: The Nobles roll D3 Scoring 2. To this they add +1 Horse +1 charging +2 Flank =6
The Chariots roll D3 scoring 2. To this they add +2 Chariotry +1 General
Chariotry charged -2 =3
The Nobles win by 3
2: The Berserkers Roll D3 Scoring 1. To this they add +1 foot +1 charging, +1 Berserkers
in a charge. =5
The First Briton war band rolls D3 scoring 2. They add +1 foot = 3
The second Briton war band rolls D3 scoring 1. They add +1 foot = 2
The Berserkers win by 2 against the first and 3 against the second.
3: The Gallic Chariots roll D3 scoring 3. They add +2 Chariotry, Non Phalanx attacking
Phalanx to front -1, Chariotry in second round -2 = 2
The British Spears roll D3 scoring 2. They add +1 Foot, Formed phalanx fighting
Chariotry to front +2 =5
The Spearmen win by 3.
RESOLUTION:

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1: The British Chariotry change their facing to away from the Nobles, they flee their full
move of 6 they pass through a friendly War band depleting it as it is loose order. (If it
was Close Order it would have disorganised) The Chariotry received a Depleted marker.
They then receive a second Depleted marker for interpenetrating friendly troops and
therefore disperse.
The Nobles pursue a full move of up to 5 contacting the freshly Depleted war band.
They will fight this in the next combat phase and count as charging.
2: The more badly beaten War band change their facing to away from the Berserkers,
they flee their full move of 4 they deplete at the end of their movement.
The less badly beaten war band withdraws a base depth the Berserkers conform to their
front. The Berserkers cannot pursue the first war band, even though they really, really,
really want to, cos the other one is in the way.
3: The Chariotry change their facing to away from the spearmen, they flee their full move
of 6.This takes them into the unit of Britons Head hurlers. Since the Head Hurlers
evaded rather than fled from the Berserkers, the Chariotry is dispersed as soon as it
contacts them and is removed from the table. The Spearmen choose not to pursue.
Now any fatigue counters are removed, and then units which charged or evaded or fled
receive a fatigue counter.
Thus ends the Gaul turn. The Briton general becomes the active player.

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