Draft house rules for the use of Reserve units in TSK

The wise and bold use of reserves could be crucial in a late XVII century battle: launching a few fresh battalions in the cauldron at the right moment might win you a battle. These house rules are intended to provide TSK players with rules for the use of reserves that hopefully overcome the infamous “1000 feet general” syndrome, whereby players are fully aware of their opponents’ reserves and thus never able to deploy them by surprise (as happened many times in reality).

Selecting and placing the reserves

Each player can select infantry or cavalry units to be a reserve force. Players can have 1 unit in reserve for each 5 units in their army (including artillery). So if my army is 12 units, I can have up to 2 units in reserve: if its 25 units, I can have up to 5 units in reserve.

Reserve units are placed on the table only when their general commits them to battle. Players will need to note down whether the reserves will wait behind the left, center or right wings of their army: these positions we call Reserve Areas (RAs). All reserves must be in one single RA. These troops are hidden from the enemy by first lines troops, the smoke of the battle and/or natural or man-made obstacles.

When do the reserves deploy?

The players will announce the deployment of reserves at the beginning of their movement phase, when moving the generals but before moving the troops already on the table. If only some reserve units are called to deploy, the player will need to write down which ones.

The arrival of the reserves on the field will depend from which RA they start in and from where they are called to deploy. A unit in reserve behind the left flank would quickly deploy in support of the left wing, but would obviously take more time to deploy on the right wing!

To simulate this, reserve units will need to move from RA to RA behind the lines, until they reach the RA from which they will deploy. It takes one turn to move from one RA to another. The unit will join the battle the turn after it reached the desired RA. Figures will be placed on the table at the end of the movement phase.

To avoid confusion and ungentlemanly behavior, the player deploying the reserve will place a chit on the table for each turn in which the reserve is moving, so that each movement will be accounted for. If you forget to place the chit, it means you reserve units got stuck somewhere and they will just deploy one turn later than you planned for…

For example. Let’s say I have a reserve unit behind my center and, on turn 5, I decide it needs to deploy in support of my right wing. At the beginning of my movement phase on turn 5, I announce the deployment of reserves and place a chit on the table. The unit is still in the center RA but is now moving towards the right.

On turn 6, during my movement phase, I place another chit on the table. My reserve unit is now into the right RA and is getting into the specific position for getting into action. The unit is still behind the lines and thus still invisible to the enemy (except, possibly, if you use the optional rule I see you, see below).

On turn 7, my reserve is finally in position in the right RA. I discard my final chit and the reserve troops are deployed on the table at the end of the movement phase.

Where exactly are the reserves deployed?

Normally, the reserve units must be placed in support of the troops already in the field on a specific wing. Reserves can be:

• Placed to plug gaps in the existing battle lines;

• Placed alongside the battle line to extend it, providing flank support;

• Placed as a second line (or third, etc.) to give rear support;

• A mix between all of the above (if more than one reserve unit is available).

Note that, on the basis of this rule, units would basically materialize at a distance far higher than a normal move. This represent the sudden emergence from the smoke of a hitherto unseen unit, a sight which disconcerted many an infantryman.

The exception to the above deployment rule is if the whole wing which the reserve is supposed to support is routed, or if any enemy unit(s) is closer to the RA than any friendly unit already deployed. In these cases, the reserve will not be able to join the battle line, either because it doesn’t exist anymore or because its path would be menaced from the advanced enemy unit(s). The reserve will then be placed on the table between the enemy unit(s) and the RA, at 1 move distance from the enemy.

Optional rules

Sneaky bastard!

A good general might be able to bluff his reserve deployment to scare his opponent into deploying his own reserves prematurely. Thus, each player will have one fake deployment chit for each Command point of his general-in-chief. He may announce reserves deployment by expending one of those chits. He then can continue the bluff by expending other fake deployment chits in the following turns, pretending to be moving reserves around, or he may save them for another bluff.

I see you

A good general might also be able to guess or spot the enemy’s hidden reserves movements. If this rule is used, each time a deployment chit is played the opposing general-in-chief throws a Morale roll adding his Command quality. For each successful throw, he will gradually get the following information:

1^{st success} In which RA the moving reserve units currently are, and if they are moving towards left or right or getting ready to enter the field;

2^{nd success} How many units are moving, and if there is cavalry;

3^{rd success} If any of the reserves are large or small.

Note that, if the Sneaky bastard! optional rule is used, a bluff would be uncovered at the first success (as no reserve units would actually be moving). The bluffing player would not need to reveal where his standing reserves are.