or: The Phantom Crown.

Maximilian Rules! - Rules for wargaming the Maximilian Adventure

by Mark W. Shearwood
These rules originally appeared in Wargames Illustrated 160, (December 2000). Many thanks to Mark for his
permission to reproduce them here.

THE BACKGROUND
I found the need to write a set of rules for the Maximillian Adventure following an impulse purchase at the
"Warlords" a couple of years ago when 50 assorted Mexicans and French troops jumped out shouting "Take me
home". From this my interest in this strange war developed, but I could not find any rule sets that fitted the period.
There is a great diversity in troop type and weaponry in this campaign, from Republican militia armed with out-ofdate smoothbore muskets to Republican units equipped in American uniforms and with modern repeating titles. The
French and Imperialist units started the war with a great advantage in French left with their rifles and cannons.
The backbone of this set of rules is the morale class of the troops. The morale class dictates the number of actions a
unit can make in a turn, how it fights and if it stands.
If at any time there is a dispute about the rules roll a dice to decide. Dice needed are a D6 and several D10. N.B. 0 on
the D10 is read as 0 not as 10.

GENERAL NOTES

One figure = 20 men

One Stand = One company (between 2 & 5 figures)

One Battalion = 3 to 8 stands

ACTIONS
Movement is alternate with the attacking player going first. The Order of Play is:

CHARGE DECLARATION

ACTIONS

MELEE

MORALE

Units may perform actions (Moving /Firing/Loading etc) in any order they wish.

MORALE CLASS
All actions are dependant on the class of the troops and there are five classes. Elite troops are only to be used in
special scenarios. At the end of the rules there is a system for generating troop types if you are not using historical
units.
CLASS
Milita
Poor
Regular
Veteran
Elite

ACTIONS
1
1
2
3
3

FIRING
+2
+1
0
-1
-2

MELEE
+1
0
0
-1
-2

MORALE
+2
+1
0
-1
-2

MOVEMENT
All movement in inches
TROOP TYPE
NORMAL
INFANTRY
1D6+4
CAVALRY
1D6+10
HORSE
1D6+8
ARTILLERY
FOOT ARTILLERY
1D6+4
SIEGE
1D6
ARTILLERY
WAGONS
1D6+2

CHARGE / ROUT
+1D6
+2D6

ROAD
+1D6
+1D6

MANHANDLE
N/A
N/A

+1D6

+1D6

4 in

N/A

+1D6

3 in

N/A

+1D6

2 in

N/A

+1D6

2 in

TERRAIN EFFECTS
Foot/Horse
Cavalry
Skirmishers
Artillery
-1D6
NONE
-1D6
-1D6
-1D6
-1D6
NONE
NONE
-1D6
-1D6
-1D6
-2D6**

Infantry

Siege
Artillery
-1D6
N/A
-1D6
N/A

Wagon

Hill
-1D6
-1D6
Gully
-1D6
N/A
Stream / Ford
-1D6
-1D6
River
-2D6*
-2D6**
Scrub / Light
NONE
NONE
NONE
-1D6
-2D6**
-2D6**
Woods
Thick Woods
-2D6
-1D6
-1D6
-2D6**
N/A
N/A
Walls
-1D6
NONE
NONE
N/A
N/A
N/A
* If dice rolls are more than the movement dice, the difference is the number of men drowned.
** A negative score means that the unit is stuck: It can move 1" only per turn for each additional stand helping
(e.g. a regiment of 4 stands helps a stuck gun so it can move a 4" per turn.) .
Normal movement applies when the whole of the model base is out of the terrain.
NONE means no movement penalty

N/A means no movement allowed

ACTIONS
All actions have a cost and, depending on the morale class of the unit, this will affect what that unit can do in a turn.
A typical turn for a regular unit with twoactions would be Move (one action), Fire (one action) on the next turn Reload (one action), Fire (one action).
A Veteran unit with three actions could Move (one action) Fire (one action) and Reload (one action) or Fire/ Reload!
Fire,
Repeating files can fire three times before they need to Reload

FREE ACTIONS; charge bonus, road bonus, rout

DOUBLE ACTIONS, Limber/unlimber siege guns.Change formation

SINGLE ACTIONS. All other actions including loading muskets/rifles

N.B. - A UNIT CAN ONLY MOVE ONCE A TURN

FIRING (INFANTRY/CAVALRY)
All firing is by stand (if a stand has one figure left it can still fire). Units that fire one stand in two or three round up.

ROLL
1D10
CLOSE
MEDIUM
LONG

TO HIT TABLE
OPEN
SOFT
COVER
0,1,2,3
0,1,2
0,1,2
0,1
01
0

Militia
Poor
Disordered
Firing Mounted
Firing at Gun Crew

HARD
COVER
0,1
0
-1

Dice Modifiers
+2
Rested Weapons
+1
Firing at Flank
+1
Firing at Cavalry
+1
Firing at Limbered
Guns or Wagons
+1

-1
-1
-1
-1

Veteran
Elite

-1
-2

Example: A Militia unit of 4 stands fires at a French cavalry unit in the open at long range.
The Militia unit needs a 0 or 1 and it's modifiers are: Militia +2, Firing at cavalry -1, giving a end modifier of +1 to
the dice.
They roll 1, 4, 0 & 1, these are modified to 2, 5, 1 & 2 so only 1 casualty is scored.
CLOSE
0-4
0-6
0-4
0-8

WEAPON TYPE
Smoothbore Musket
Rifled Musket
Carbine
Rifle

MEDIUM
4-10
6-12
4-10
8-16

LONG
10-16
12-20
10-16
16-24

Soft Cover: Scrub, light woods,

gullies, Class 5 buildings
Hard Cover: Stone walls, other
buildings, prepared defenses,

ARTILLERY
Artillery is divided into the following types:

Horse (up to 8 pdr)

Foot (up to 20pdr)

Siege(over 2O pdrs)

(Foot and Siege guns can be Cannons or Howitzers)

Howitzers Ignore cover except buildings.
If guns start the game limbered, they are unloaded.
TO HIT TABLE
ROLL
OPEN
1D10
CLOSE
0,1,2,3
MEDIUM 0,1,2
LONG
0,1

SOFT
COVER
0,1,2
0,1
0

HARD
COVER
0,1
0
-1

If a modified dice score of -2 or below is rolled

then 2 casualties are inflicted instead of 1.
Dice Modifiers
Disordered
Firing at skirmishers or
gun crew
Firing at mounted cavalry
or limbered guns

WEAPON TYPE
Horse Gun - Ball
Horse Gun - Canister
Foot Gun - Ball
Foot Gun - Canister
Siege Gun - Ball
Siege Gun - Canister

+2
+1

Rifled cannon
Foot Gun

-1
-1

-1

Siege Gun

-2

CLOSE
0-8
0-4
0-8
0-8
0-10
0-10

Horse gun
Foot gun
Siege gun

MEDIUM
8-24
4-8
8-24
8-12
10-30
10-14

LONG
24-36
N/A
24-42
N/A
30-60
N/A

Normal
crew
3
4
5

DICE
2
3
4
5
5
6

Minimum
crew
2
3
4

Each gun counts as a unit. If the number of crew falls below the minimum number, all actions cost double.
Crew can be replaced by regular or veteran infantry as long is at least one original crew member left.
Artillery with a morale result of retire one move may retire gun; retire 2 moves or worse and they will leave the gun.

MORALE
A unit must take a Morale Test for any one of the following:

Each stand lost

Rout in sight within 24"
Officer / General killed

Charging
Being charged
First casualty (Militia only)

Non-Militia Infantry do not check for routing Cavalry.

Units do not test for lower morale~class units routing.

0, 1, 2, 3
4, 5
6, 7
8
9
10+

Normal Test
OK
Hold
Hold Disordered
Retire 1 Move
Retire 2 Moves
ROUT

MORALE TEST
Being Charged
OK, Fire at close range
OK, Fire at medium range
OK, Fire at long range
Hold Disordered
Hold
ROUT

Charging
CHARGE
CHARGE, 1/2 Charge Bonus
CHARGE, No Bonus
Hold
Hold
Hold Disordered

Dice Modifiers
Receiving Breakthrough
Charge
General killed
Rout within 12"
Charged in rear

+3

Charged in flank

+1

For each 2 whole stands

-1

+2
+2
+2

Each stand lost

Disordered
Charged by cavalry
For 2nd and subsequent
tests

+1
+1
+1

In hard cover
Veteran
General attached

-1
-1
-2

+1

Elite

-2

Militia

+2

Officer killed

+1

Poor

+1

Rout within 24"

+1

Officer attached

-1

Under artillery fire

+1

General within 12"

-1

Infantry charging into

flank or rear
Cavalry charging into
flank or rear

-2
-4

A unit with over 60% casualties cannot charge

A unit with only one stand lefi must retire to hard cover or leave the field
Artillery treat each figure as a stand for morale purposes.

MELEE
CHARGING
All units entering melee must charge into
contact
1. Charging units test morale and apply
result
2. Receiving units test morale and apply
result
3. Receiving unit may fire - only if
loaded at the end of last turn
4. Charging unit makes contact: Melee
takes place

MELEE - Each side rolls one D1O

For each whole stand
-1
Target behind cover
(i.e.walls)
Infantry charging
-1
Poor
Lance (First Turn Only -1
Target in stone
cover (i.e. building)
Veteran
-1
Disordered
Cavalry charging
-2
Militia
Elite
-2
Charging into rear
-2

There can be a maximum of four rounds of Melee (i.e. 2 fillI turns)

+1
+1
+2
+2
+2

The difference in the scores is the number of figures killed (the maximum number killed is equal to the number of
stands in the winning unit.*)
Example: A 7 stand Mexican unit charges a 4 stand French unit.
The Mexican unit rolls an 8, -1 for charging, -7 for number of stands, +1 for Militia: Score = +1
The French unit rolls 0, - 4 for number of stands: Score -4
Therefore the French unit wins, but as they only have 4 stands they can only inflict 4 casualties.
If two units are engaged in mielee it counts as a single melee. Take the morale & melee bonus of the unit with the
greater number of figures, if equal take the higher result. Split casualties 50/50.
UNITS THAT CHARGE BUT FAIL TO CONTACT ARE DISORDERED
* If the winning uni charged the rear of a unit that turn they can cause a maximum of two casualties per stand
(against the unit charged in the rear) instead of the normal one.
FRONT / FLANK
/REAR ATTACKS
Frontal Attack
If any part of the
attacking unit is in
front of the defending
unit's front line this is
a frontal attack: e.g.
Figures 1 & 2.
Flank Attack
Figure 3 is a flank
attack as unit B started
it's move behind unit
A's front line but m
front of it's rear line.
Rear Attack
Figure 4 is a rear attack as unit B has started it's move behind unit A's rear line.
Units in a Frontal / Rear attack fight with all stands.
Units in a Flank attack: Attackers fight with all stands. Defenders fight with stands in contact for the first turn. After
that they may move other stands into contact.
Breakthrough Charges
A breakthrough charge can only happen when a unit charges a target that routs in it's morale check and there is a
second target in range. The unit receiving a breakthrough charge must make an immediate morale check.

ROUTING UNITS
Routing units move without taking movement penalties into account and move immediately after the morale result.
They will not move again in their next turn.
If an Officer or General is within 2" thyey can attempt to rally on the second and subsequent turns.

Units rally on a 0, 1 if an Officer is present.

Units rally on a 0, 1,2 if a General is present.

Units that have rallied must spend one full move stationary and end the turn disordered.
Units that fail two rally attempts cannot be rallied and is lost for good.
A unit in rout or tryrng to rally cannot do anything else, if contacted in melee or receiving casualties it will be lost
for good and cannot rally.
A unit that rallies from rout suffers a permanent +1 to all dice throws.
If a unit is routed twice then it cannot rally.

OFFICERS
Under normal conditions all Officers & Generals are the same and with have the same effect, but for scenarios they
may be given a bonus of -1, 0, +2, or +2.
Intervention and Imperial Forces
One Brigade officer per 2/3 units and one General.
Republican Forces
1861-64: One General for the first 4 units, plus one officer for every additional 3 units.
1865-67: One officer for every 3 units, plus one General.
Killing Officers or Generals
Attached to a unit:
On a D10, roll equal or less than the number of casualties taken by the unit this turn:
(eg. If a unit received 3 casualties in a turn a roll of 3 or less will kill an attached Officer / General).
Detached Officers:
Firing: Treat as long range, hard cover.
Melee; if contacted an Officer is captured/killed.
If an officer stand has more that one figure, dice for who is killed.

BUILDINGS
Before the game all buildings must be classified
as one of the following:
CLASS 1 = Permanent stone
fortifications / Solid stone buildings.
CLASS 2 = Poorly repaired stone
fortifications / Stone buildings / Good
field fortifications.
CLASS 3 = Average stone buildings /
Old town walls etc / Poor field
fortifications.
CLASS 4 = Poor stone buildings / Good
wooden buildings.
CLASS 5 = Poor wood or mud
buildings.

SIEGE
GUNS

FOOT
GUNS

HORSE
GUNS

CLASS
1

HARD
4*

HARD
6

HARD
N/A

CLASS
2

HARD
3

HARD 4

HARD
N/A

CLASS
3

HARD
2

HARD
3

HARD
6

CLASS
4

SOFT
2

HARD
2

HARD
4

CLASS
5

OPEN

SOFT
4

HARD
4

* This is the number of casualties needed to destroy the building's cover: Hard cover becomes soft cover & soft
cover becomes open. You can inflict a casualty on the building without inflicting a casualty on the men inside by
rolling the building's class or less. Siege guns get a -2 modifier.
If in doubt about a building roll an average dice.

RANDOM MORALE UNIT GENERATION

YEAR
1861-64
1861-64
1865-67
1865-67
1861-64
1861-64
1865-67
1865-67

TYPE / CLASS
Regular Line
National Guard
Regular Line
National Guard
Line Cavalry
Trooper Rurales
Line Cavalry
Trooper Rurales

Republican Regular Units

POOR P POOR N REGULAR N
N/A
9-6
5-1
9-7
6-4
3-0
N/A
9-7
6-2
9
8-6
5-1
9-8
7-4
3-1
9-7
6-3
2-0
N/A
9-6
5-3
9
8-5
4-1

VETERAN N
0
N/A
1
0
0
N/A
2-1
0

VETERAN R
N/A
N/A
0*
N/A
N/A
N/A
0
N/A

YEAR
1861-64
1865-67
1861-64
1865-67

Irregular Units
TYPE
MILITIA C MILITIA VP MILITIA P
Militia Foot
9-7
6-4
3-1
Militia Foot
9
8-7
6-5
Irregular Cavalry 9-8 (L)
7-6 (L)
5-3
Irregular Cavalry N/A
9 (L)
8-7 (L)

C = Close combat weapons only no firing

VP = Very poorly armed one base in three can fire
(round up)
P = Poorly armed, one base in two can fne (round up)

MILITIA N
0
4-3
2-1 (L)
6-5 (L)

POOR N
N/A
2-1
0 (L)
4-1 (L)

REG N
N/A
0
N/A
0

N= Normally armed, each base can fire

R = Repeating rifles: * Only one unit may be armed with
repeating rifles
(L) = Lance
Regular Veteran

Intervention Units
1861-62

French Line

Rifled Musket

9-0

N/A

1863-65

French Line

Rifled Musket

9-2

1-0

1866-67

French Line

Rifled Musket

9-1

1861-67

Chasseurs

Rifled Musket

9-8

7-0

1861-67

Zouaves / Turcos

Rifled Musket

N/A

9-0

1861-67

Foreign Legion

Rifled Musket

8-0

1861-67 African Light Infantry Rifled Musket

9-3

2-0

1861-67

Naval Troops

Rifled Musket

9-1

1862-67

Contra~Guerillas

Rifled Musket

9-2

1-0

1864-67

Austrian Legion

Rifles

9-7

6-0

1865-66

Belgian Legion

Rifles

9-6

5-0

1863-67

Egyptian Battalion

Rifled Musket

9-3

2-0

1861-67

French Artillery

Artillery

9-4

3-0

1861-67

Chasseurs d'Afrique

M/L Carbine

9-5

4-0

FIGURE INFORMATION
My figures are from the following manufactures and are all in 25/28mm:
Wargames Foundry: Maximillian range, Franco-Prussian range
Guernsey Foundry: Old West Mexicans
Kitney & Co: They do some nice French and Austrian figures
Dixon Miniatures: they do some nice Mexican peons
Snapdragond do a great range of Mexican buildings, they are on the large side and so are ideal for small action or
skirmish games.
THE END (OR IS IT?)
All being well I hope to follow this article with a second part on the Maximilian Adventure covering the all troop
types in more detail as well as Imperial Troops: There is also as stated an addition to these rules for the 1859
campaign against the Austrians.
I must thank Stuart Parkin, John Stanion and Mait Oats of the Derby Wargames Society for putting up with play
testing these rules.
The best two books to start with are;
Osprey Men at Arms 272: The Mexican Adventure, 1861-67
Frei Korps Campaign Booklet No 2. The Maximillian War, 1861-1867 (This was printed in 1984 and is a little
goldmine.)