Here is a combat example from my Bull Run supplement. As always,click on the image to get a larger image. I assume a passing knowledge of the rules for this example to make complete sense :D.
A Combat roll is with a 20 sided die.
A Hit placement roll is with an 8 sided die.
Morale Check and Depletion rolls are 2 six sided dice added together.
It is the Union player's turn and he draws a card, which is a supply card.
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| At Start |
The Union plays the Hunter movement card and supply to initiate an attack on Henry Hill. At the moment, only Porter and Burnside are in this attack, as he only had a Hunter movement card. If he'd had a McDowell movement card both Divisions could have been included in the attack.
The Confederate player decides to block the move with Evans (he can choose to not block and give up the terrain). To Strengthen this defense, he plays by a supply card to move Jackson over from the stone bridge . Note that usually a brigade must either have a cavalry component or be in their division's Active zone (neither of which applies to Jackson) to make this move, but Jackson has this ability (as noted on his card).
Even though the Stone Bridge map is now unoccuppied, he knows the Union player does not have any other cards, he can't iniate an attack against it this turn (indeed, it will take at least 2 turns to have the cards to do so).
The Union player plays his last supply card to include one of Heintzelman's brigades (Wilcox) in the combat.If he'd have had a Heintzelman movement card (or 2 supply cards), he could've included both of his brigades.
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| The combat s initiated |
Both sides take their 8 target chits and assign them to the available cards. The Confederate player decides that since Jackson is the stronger brigade, he will get more target chits put on him, hopefully ensuring he will take more of the hits than the weaker Evans. The Union player opts to spread the markers out more evenly.
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| 1st blood is inflicted |
The defender gets to roll 1st, so the Confederate rolls his D20 combat rolls:
Evans has a strength of 8 (adding the infantry + cavalry + artillery strengths). He rolls a 14, which is a miss.
Jackson has a strength of 9. He rolls an 8 which is 1 hit. Jackson rolls a D8 to determine where the hit is placed, and rolls an 8, which places the hit on Wilcox.
Since at least 1 attacking unit took a hit, every unit must take a Morale Check.
Wilcox rolls an 8, but adds 1 to this because of the hit he took. With the roll of 9 he fails (his morale is 8), so is considered to have cowered. He must make a depletion check for his artillery. He rolls a 9, which depletes the artillery (he no longer has use of that strength value).
Porter and Burnside roll 5 and 6 respectively, so continue the attack.
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| The Union response |
Porter and Burnside get to make their combat rolls. Wilcox is out of the combat.
Porter has a strength of 9 (10 minus 1 for attacking a hill). He rolls an 8, which is a hit. He makes a hit placement roll of 8, which puts it on Jackson.
Burnside has a strength of 9 (10 minus 1 for attacking a hill). He rolls a 6, so he hits also. His hit placement roll is 3, so Jackson gains another hit.
The Confederate player must make Morale Checks, since at least 1 defender took a hit.
Evans rolls a 9, and since his morale is 9, he passes.
Jackson rolls 7 + 2 (for the 2 hits he took) = 9. His morale is 9, so he passes.
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| The End result |
If Evans and Jackson had cowered (or routed due to taking too many hits to their resilience), the Union would've captured Henry Hill.
Each side totals up the damage points each inflicted on one another.
The Union player score is 2 (for the 2 hits).
The Confederate player score is 2 (1 for the hit, 1 for making a brigade cower).
Since the attacker has at least as many damage points as the defender, there is a chance to gain the advantage in that battle-zone. If the defender has more damage points than the attacker, and the attacker has the advantage in that zone, they have a chance to lose that advantage (e.g. it would go back to neutral).
Even though the a player does not capture the terrain map, if the game goes down to a Standard Victory Check, the advantage player would get the die roll modifier benefit of that terrain they had ocuppied it.
If a side gains 2 advantages in a battle-zone, he captures that terrain card (as if he had removed all enemy units from that Front zone) unless.:
1. It is on the enemy baseline
2. The terrain is obstacle terrain (note that Jackson, as noted on his card, counts as obstacle terrain as long as he is still in the battle-zone at the end of the combat).
Both sides roll 2d6 and add their damage points. The Confederate total is 8, while the Union player total is 9. The Union player gains the advantage in that zone. If he can gain another advantage in a future turn (and Jackson is not present), he captures that terrain card and is 1 step closer to the Confederate baseline.
The end result is a slight Union edge in that battle-zone at the cost of Wilcox taking damage and being able do nothing until he rallies, and will be without his artillery strength for the remainder of the game. Jackson has taken a lot of damage, (having only 3 resilience left), but he has held Henry Hill.
I hope this has been enlightening on how combat is performed in DSROHG. There are a lot of permutations that can occurr, depending on the action and unit cards available to each side. Each battle can be very different, which allows for great replayability and the "If I only had done THAT I'd have won the game" feeling to it.
