Sword & Spear

Wargames Rules for Ancient & Medieval Battles

FAQ & Errata
This document incorporates answers to questions that have arisen on the Sword & Spear forum since the release of
the rules.

Errata
Effect of protection (page 22): Heavy Armour cannot change a losing paired dice roll into a winning one. So if the
opposing dice is one higher, it cannot be reduced by two.
Supporting unit in combat (page 21): Where it refers to the defending unit, it would be better worded as enemy
unit. Both sides in the combat get extra combat dice for extra units in contact, not just the activated unit.
Table Size (page36): Should read 15 20 base widths, or 30 40 DU.

Frequently Asked Questions

General
Q Is pre-measuring allowed ?
A Yes, you can measure distances at any time.
Q If a commander is attached to a unit is its discipline improved by one for all purposes ?
A Yes, it is improved (i.e. reduced in value by one) for all purposes rallying, activation, discipline tests. However,
this does not apply if the unit is elephants.
Q What are the effects of a unit being in difficult terrain ?
A Unless the unit is light foot, its movement rate is reduced, its discipline is one worse (higher value) and its base
combat dice and shooting dice are reduced to two. No unit can move and shoot it if ends its move in difficult
terrain.
Turn Sequence
Q How many action phases are there ?
A There are multiple action phases, continuing until all action dice have been drawn from the bag.
Q If a unit defers what happens to its action dice ?
A At the end of the action phase it is put to one side (to be put back into the bag at the end of the turn). The unit
can be allocated an action dice and then activated in a subsequent phase of the turn.
Q What happens to action dice that cannot be used ?
A These are put to one side and are put back into the bag at the end of the turn.
Q Is the eligibility of a unit to utilise an action dice evaluated when the dice are placed, or when the unit is
activated ?
A When the unit is activated. This rarely makes any difference, but it means, for example, if a unit is in command
when dice are placed, but events mean that the unit goes out of command before it is activated, it might not now
be possible to activate it (depending on the dice allocated to it).

Q Can an action dice showing a 1 ever be used ? What about a 2 ?

A A 1 can never be used. A 2 can only be used by a D3 unit with a commander attached.
Q If a unit has been activated and is then charged later in the phase by an enemy unit, can it get impetus in the
combat?
A Only if the unit has carried out an advance, in which case it may get impetus (as long as it is not excluded from
getting impetus by the reasons in the list on page 20). If it has carried out any other action it will not get impetus.
Q When a unit is activated should its action dice immediately be turned to show a 1 ?
A Although the rules say to do this at the end of the phase, in practice you can do this immediately after you have
activated the unit, except in cases where the unit may get impetus later in the phase if charged by an enemy unit.
So if the unit has carried out an advance, and there is an enemy unit nearby which could contact it this phase, leave
the dice as it is. Otherwise you can turn it to show a 1 immediately.
Bonuses from Action Dice
Q How can a unit get multiple bonuses ?
A Assuming you have a camp or resupply, you get multiple bonuses by allocating multiple action dice showing the
same number. A double 6 or triple of any other number (that is higher than required to activate the unit) would give
two bonuses. If you do not have a camp or resupply, each unit is limited to one bonus each turn.
Q Can multiple bonuses be used in different ways ?
A Yes. For example, if a unit has a double 6 allocated, it could use one bonus for movement and one for combat or
shooting. Or it could use both in the same way.
Q Can a unit use a bonus combat dice if it doesnt have impetus ?
A No, bonuses in combat are part of impetus.
Q If a unit is allocated a 6 and it carries out at advance but does not use the bonus for movement, can it use the
bonus in combat if it is charged later in the same phase ?
A Yes, as long as it has impetus.
Movement
Q Can I shift in charge if the forward move is less than 1 DU ?
A Yes.
Q There is a unit directly in front of my unit, but I dont want to charge it. Can I shift to charge a different unit ?
A No. You can only shift in a charge if it is necessary to contact an enemy unit.
Q Can my skirmishers charge non-skirmishers ?
A Yes. It might not be wise, but you can do it.
Q My skirmisher unit evades from a charge. Is it free to choose how far and in what direction it moves ?
A It has to end as far from the charging unit as possible, before the charging unit moves. Normally this will involve
turning and moving directly away from the charging unit. If its evade is a manoeuvre, it must abide by the normal
restrictions on manoeuvres in front of enemy troops (so if it started in front of the charging unit and within normal
charge range it must also end its movement directly in front of the charging unit).
Q Does a flank charge have to start from a certain position relative to the target unit ?
A If the charging unit contacts the side edge of the target it doesnt matter where it starts from. It is only if the
charging unit contacts the front corner of the target unit at an angle that its starting position matters, as this
determines whether it conforms to the front or side.

Shooting
Q How does moving and shooting work ?
A Skirmishers can either move then shoot or shoot then move. Non-skirmishers can only move then shoot. You can
only do this with an action dice that exceeds the units discipline.
Combat
Q Can a unit get impetus in combat if it has previously fought this turn ?
A No. If it has already fought this turn it would have an action dice beside it showing a 1. This is to indicate that it
cannot be activated again this turn and does not get impetus in any subsequent combat.
Q If a supporting unit contributes a dice to a combat can it then be activated later in the turn ?
A Yes. Contributing a dice for support does not count as activating the unit.
Q How does a unit in corner-to-corner contact (often known as an overlap in some rules) contribute to combat ?
A There is no corner-to-corner contact in these rules. Units do not line up when they charge (and if they are lined
up they must be shifted so that they arent lined up).
Q Do units lose combat effectiveness when they suffer hits ?
A Generally no. They still have the same base number of combat dice. However some units (cavalry, large units,
spears, pikes) suffer negative consequences when they are not fresh.
Q My unit carries out an advance but does not contact an enemy unit. Later in the same phase it is charged by an
enemy unit. Does it get impetus ?
A Yes, unless it is a foot unit that was then charged by a mounted unit. This is why you dont turn the action dice to
show a 1 until the end of the phase (in practice though, if the unit does anything except an advance or defer, you
can turn the action dice to a 1 immediately, as it would not then be able to get impetus).
Q My light foot charge an enemy unit of medium foot in the flank. The medium foot are already fighting one of my
units to their front. How many dice does each side get ?
A The light foot get four dice (strength 2, +1 for flank contact, +1 for extra unit in contact). They do not get
impetus, so even if they had bonuses from action dice they could not get extra combat dice. The medium foot get 3
dice (strength 3).
Q Can a unit suffer damage when it charges an enemy unit in the flank or rear ?
A Yes. Combat is resolved normally.
Q Can a unit get impetus when it has an enemy in contact with its flank or rear ?
A Yes, if resolving combat against a unit to its front it may get impetus against them, even if it has a unit in contact
with its flank. However, if the opponent activated the flanking unit first, it would not get impetus against either.
Q When can light foot get impetus ?
A Light foot armed with any missiles except javelins never get impetus. Light foot armed with javelins may get
impetus against other light foot.
Q Can a unit carry out multiple pursuits and combats ?
A Yes, there is no limit to the number of pursuits and subsequent combats a unit may carry out. Remember that
neither unit gets impetus in a combat as a result of pursuit.
Q Unmatched dice are deemed to face a dice roll of 2. Are any such 2s reordered or do they go at the end of the
line of ordered dice ?
A They go at the end, facing the lowest of the opposing top four dice. See the example on page 24.
Rallying
Q Can a unit rally more than one hit in a turn ?
A Yes, it can rally one hit when activated (if not in combat) and one in the End Phase at the end of the turn.
3

Q Can a unit rally a hit it has suffered this turn ?

A Yes.
Q Can two commanders move to join a unit in the end phase to rally it ?
A No. A unit can only have one commander attached.
Q My D5 unit of heavy foot has suffered 3 hits. How can I rally it ?
A You cant. With a general attached the unit becomes D4. To rally you need to exceed this by the number of hits,
so you would need a 7 or more on the dice.
Q Is there any point in allocating an action dice to a unit if you know it is going to fight and will not get impetus due
to its situation ?
A Yes, there can be, to avoid having to take another dice from the bag.
Victory and Defeat
Q My losses have reached one third of the total army value. Do I take an army morale test every turn, or just one
test immediately.
A You take a single army morale test in the End Phase of the turn in which your casualties reached one third of the
total army value.
Q Does a camp count its strength towards army value ?
A Yes, a camp is treated as a normal unit for all purposes.
Q Both armies reach their demoralisation level in the same turn. What happens ?
A It is a draw. Both armies withdraw, having suffered too many casualties to continue.
Army Lists and Points
Q What is the maximum amount of each unit type I can have ?
A Make sure you download the Army Lists Guide, from the Army Lists page of the website.
Q Why are there no minimums in the lists ?
A At least half of your units have to be core troops, so this effectively creates a minimum requirement.
Q Why is a heavily armoured unit the same points cost as an armoured unit ?
A Because a heavily armoured unit has a 1 DU movement reduction.
Q Why are chariots less points than cavalry, and camels the same points as cavalry (when they get the advantage of
causing a discipline check on cavalry).
A Chariots and camels do not get the bonus combat dice for being fresh that cavalry get.
Q Is a general compulsory ?
A No. You can just have captains if you want.
Mark Lewis 2014
http://polkovnik.moonfruit.com/
http://polkovnikproductions.freeforums.org
Updated 6/12/14