Morale represents a unit’s willingness to risk its life and continue fi ghting the enemy. A unit can have one of four diff erent Morale Levels, which may change over the course of the game. The Morale Level for each unit is shown by adding red Morale Markers to the Unit Flag. The more markers, the worse the unit’s Morale Level:
• Normal (0 Morale Markers)
• Hesitant (1 Morale Marker)
• Shaken (2 Morale Markers)
• Panicked (3 Morale Markers)
A unit’s Morale Level aff ects its ability to fi ght, and may restrict the orders that you may assign to that unit:
Normal
A unit at the Normal Morale Level has no modifiers and acts normally.
Hesitant
A unit with 1 Morale Marker is Hesitant. A Hesitant unit suffers these penalties:
• -2 Attack Value;
• -1 Defense Value; and
• -1 Fortitude.
During the Morale Phase of each turn, every Hesitant unit must make a Fortitude Test. If the unit passes the test, it becomes Normal (remove the Morale Marker from the Unit Flag). If it fails this test, its Morale Level does not change.
Hesitant units may be given orders normally.
Shaken
A unit with 2 Morale Markers is Shaken. A Shaken unit suffers these penalties:
• -3 Attack Value;
• -2 Defense Value; and
• -2 Fortitude.
During the Morale Phase of each turn, every Shaken unit must make a Fortitude Test. If the unit passes the test, it becomes Hesitant (remove 1 Morale Marker from the Unit Flag) and can be given orders normally. If it fails this test, its Morale Level does not change.
Shaken units will move during the Retreat Step of the Execution Phase, starting in the turn that the unit became Shaken. The unit will execute the Flee order every turn, as long as it remains Shaken (see Flee). This order is executed automatically, and is not listed on the Unit Card.
If a Shaken unit is engaged in melee combat, and fails any required Fortitude Test before combat (such as being assaulted on a Flank side), it becomes Panicked before the fi ghting begins. If it fails a Fortitude Test because of casualties it has suff ered, it becomes Panicked after the fi ghting for the turn.
Panicked
A unit with 3 Morale Markers is Panicked. A Panicked unit suffers these penalties:
• Its Attack Value is reduced to 0;
• Its Defense Value is reduced to 0; and
• -3 Fortitude.
During the Morale Phase of each turn, every Panicked unit must make a Fortitude Test. If the unit passes the the Unit Flag) and must be given the Flee order. If it fails the test, its Morale Level does not change.
Panicked units will move during the Retreat Step of the Execution Phase, starting in the turn that the unit became Panicked. The unit will execute the Panic order every turn, as long as it remains Panicked (see Panic).
This order is executed automatically, and is not listed on the Unit Card.
If a Panicked unit is engaged in melee combat, and fails any required Fortitude Test before combat (such as being assaulted on a Flank side), it immediately surrenders – before the fi ghting is resolved – and is removed from the game board (the unit is treated as destroyed). If the unit passes the test, it continues to fight, but with the penalties listed above.
If a Panicked unit suffers any casualties during melee combat, it immediately surrenders and is removed from the game board (the unit is treated as destroyed).
The unit does not get to make a Fortitude Test to avoid surrendering.
Commander Abilities
In addition to the abilities explained in the Basic Rules, a unit with a Commander gains a +3 bonus to its Fortitude.
Melee Combat Modifiers
The orders assigned to the attacker can increase or decrease the unit’s Attack Value. The defender’s orders can increase or decrease its Defense Value
(see Orders).
If the attacker has an Honor Marker, it receives a +1 bonus to its Attack Value (see Honor).
The attacker’s Attack Value may be modifi ed by the unit’s Morale Level. The defender’s Defense Value may also be modifi ed by its Morale Level.
If a unit with the Assault order attacks an enemy from the Flank or Rear, it receives the bonuses listed below.
Flank Assault
If a unit with the Assault order attacks an enemy from a flank side, it receives these benefits:
• The defender must immediately make a Fortitude Test with a -3 penalty. Note that this penalty is applied to this test only.
• The attacker receives a +2 bonus to its Attack value, +1 to its Defense value, and +1 to its Fortitude.
Rear Assault
If a unit with the Assault order attacks an enemy from the rear side, it receives these benefits:
• The defender must immediately make a Fortitude Test with a -5 penalty. Note that this penalty is applied to this test only.
• The attacker receives a +3 bonus to its Attack value, +2 to its Defense value, and +2 to its Fortitude.
Combined Assaults
If a unit is assaulted from both fl anks, or from the flank and the rear at the same time, it must make 2 Fortitude Tests (1 for each attack).