Warning! This could be a long reply
Ex1:-
This one is straight forward Red has contacted Blue in the flank. Red gets all 8 attacks with the +1 bonus for charging, meaning that the attacks all hit on a roll of 3+.
Blue can only fight back with half of its attacks, so 4 attacks with a -1 modifier to the “to hit” roll because the unit is fighting to its flank.
Roll the dice for each side, then each side rolls the number of hit dice to see if any are saved. Those that are not saved count as casualties and recorded on each side. Deduct the lowest number from the highest number and that is the Combat Resolution. This is the number of casualties that the losing side has lost by and affects the break test. Ordinarily, only the losing side takes the break test, although there is an occasion where that can differ. If the Combat Resolution is zero, then the Combat is a draw. When Combat is drawn, the two sides remain in contact except….
1) If one or both sides involve cavalry – cavalry must always withdraw from combat if the result is a draw. Cavalry retires one full move.
2) If one (or both) sides have reached their stamina level (Shaken) and the combat is a draw, then that unit(s) must take a break test. The unaffected opponent in the drawn combat, if there is one, is not required to take the test, but regardless of the enemy break test result, the combat is still a draw. In other words, if the shaken unit gets a “break” result and is removed from the table, the other side hasn’t won the combat.
Ex2:-
Similar to the first one. The rule about flank and rear attacks is that a unit must always place “at least half of its attacks to its front, regardless of whether it is engaged to the front or not”!
Red units get their full attacks as previously mentioned (+1 to hit for charging).
Blue must place 4 attacks to its front, even though there is no enemy there. The rest of its attacks can be place against either rear or red or divided further and placed against both. The Blue player must declare where he is allocating his attacks before rolling any dice and just as before, the rolls suffer -1 to hit for fighting to flank or/and rear.
Ex3:-
Blue is in square, so fights on all fronts. A square has no flank or rear. It’s attacks are divided up to each facing of the square. First of all, when Red charges the square, each side that can see the attacking unit can shoot Closing Fire at it each side of the square can fire a single shot up to its maximum of 3 (I am assuming that all units are standard units). I would also allow one unengaged side to fire Closing Fire at one of the charging sides as it will expand out beyond the diagonal that marks each facing – that is me and not written in the book and my reason is that Closing Fire, while worked out after contact is made, it is understood to occur at any time during the move into contact. Casualties caused by Closing Fire May cause a break test. However, casualties from Closing Fire are recorded as usual, but do not count towards Combat Resolution. They won’t affect the Combat result but they may affect the break test!
Once contact is made, the number of attacks that the square makes is a quarter of the unit’s total attacks per facing. In this example 2 attacks per facing. There are no negative modifies unless Blue is Shaken and/or disordered, in which case, it would suffer a -1 to hit for either not both.
Over to Red – exactly as before 8 attacks with +1 to hit for charging.
Combat Resolution is worked out exactly as before. However, there are a couple of additions. First of all, Red has a friendly unit in support, so adds +1 to its Combat Result. Basically, if it scored four casualties you add +1 to this number. This is not an additional casualty, it is just a +1 to Combat Resolution – there are still only four casualties.
Because Blue is in square, it counts as having +3 to Combat Resolution. A square cannot be supported by any friendly troops, so it doesn’t matter if any friends are nearby, they don’t count. The +3 is there because a unit in square is imagined to fully support itself while fighting. They were notoriously difficult to shift.
Ok, so after the result is worked out (and let’s assume that Blue lost the combat) Blue takes its break test. The only result that matters to Blue is “Break”! Any other result is ignored and counts as “Hold Ground”.
If Red lost, then break test results count as normal and if the unit at the top facing got a “Break” result, then the unit in support would be forced to take a break test for seeing its friend break from combat.
Ex4:-
Buildings are basically the same as squares. The units within them split their attacks and shooting in the same way exactly. They also count +3 to Combat Resolution (standard or large units). The units attacking the building do not get the +1 for charging because it is negated by the obstacle of the building. The unit in the building enjoys a +2 morale save bonus as well. If it loses the combat (big emphasis on “if”) the unit takes a break test as normal. If it fails and is pushed back (or breaks) only then can the enemy enter and occupy the building. If the defending unit “holds its ground” the combat continues in the next turn, likely with the attackers worse off after casualties.
To be fair, the rules are fairly straight forward and explicit. Reading them or reading this post will take about as long as each other.
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