IMPORTANT: To play Cowpens you need to print the rules etc on this page plus the American Legions game system rules.
9.1 Victory Conditions (Back to Table of Contents)
The British win if, at the end of turn 7, two out of the three American regiments are either routed or permanently eliminated. (Skirmishers do not count as a regiment for this purpose.) The Americans win if, at the end of turn 7, three out of the four British regiments are routed or permanently eliminated. Any other result is a draw.
9.2 Phase Marker placement on Turn One (Back to Table of Contents)
Mutual Fire Phase of British Turn
9.3 Friendly Map Edges (Back to Table of Contents)
British: South
American: North
9.4 British Regiments (Back to Table of Contents)
Army Commander: Tarleton
Legion Infantry: Cochrane
Legion Cavalry: Tarleton (filling in for Major George Hanger)
71st (Fraser's) Highlanders: McAers: Newmarsh
17th Dragoons: Captain*
Royal Artillery: 2 Regular artillery companies
*Because the British 17th dragoons represents a detached company, its leader steps are marked (in descending order) Captain, Adjutant, Coronet.
9.5 American Regiments (Back to Table of Contents)
Army Commander: Morgan
Continental Line: Howard
Militia: Pickens
3d Continental Dragoons: Washington
Skirmishers: McDowell*
*Skirmishers under McDowell are a regiment for determining "in command" status and firing only.
9.6 Set Up Restrictions (Back to Table of Contents)
One (and only one) company of Legion Dragoons is placed in hex 0804. Four American skirmisher companies are placed in each of the following hexes: 0708, 0808 and 0908. Hold the Georgia Militia (type "M") and two North Carolina Militia companies off the map. (Neither the North Carolina militia company marked with an asterisk (*) nor the British regimental leader "Major Hanger" are used in the standard game.)
9.7 Special Rules (Back to Table of Contents)
9.71 Skirmishers (Back to Table of Contents)
9.711 Stacking & Recombination (Back to Table of Contents)
More skirmishers may not be created during the game, but skirmishers may recombine into their original militia companies. Skirmishers may stack with other skirmishers up to the normal stacking limits. They may not stack with any other type of company. Skirmishers may pass through "R" or "M" type companies without disordering them. Whenever 4 skirmishers are stacked in the same hex, they may be replaced immediately with one of the militia companies in the "Broken Down Into Skirmishers" Box. (When reconstituted, they become part of the militia regiment under Pickens; they are no longer affected by the McDowell leader or these special rules: see below).
9.712 Orders (Back to Table of Contents)
Individual skirmish companies can both move and fire in a player turn without orders (although if a skirmisher moves more than half its movement allowance in a movement phase, it is flipped to its "No Fire" side and it may not fire in the following Mutual Fire Phase). To do anything, skirmishers must remain within the command radius of the McDowell regimental leader.
9.713 Fire Combat (Back to Table of Contents)
Skirmishers are always fired individually, however, all the skirmishers on the board are considered a separate regiment for order of firing during mutual fire phases; a player may not fire some of his skirmishers, then fire with an infantry regiment, and afterwards return to his previously unused skirmishers to fire them. Even though they fire individually, they must all fire at the same point in time during the mutual fire phase. A skirmisher can never combine its strength with any other company, including other skirmishers.
9.714 Effect of Combat Results On (Back to Table of Contents)
Skirmishers are permanently eliminated by a "D" result. For every four (4) skirmishers eliminated, one militia company in the "Broken Down Into Skirmishers Box" is also permanently eliminated (and placed on the militia regiment track).
9.715 Morale Checks (Back to Table of Contents)
Skirmishers never roll for morale checks in response to "D" or "K" results (they are either eliminated or unaffected).
9.716 Vulnerability To Shock Combat (Back to Table of Contents)
Skirmishers can never initiate shock combat, and if they are in the front hex of a charging enemy company at the end of any shock combat phase, they are permanently eliminated (no need to roll.)
9.8 Optional Rules (Back to Table of Contents)
9.81 Free Deployment (Back to Table of Contents)
9.811 American Set-Up (Back to Table of Contents)
The American sets up first, anywhere outside of the British Deployment area marked on the map. Every company in a regiment must adjacent to at least one other company in the same regiment. For each militia company broken down in to skirmishers (maximum of three) the American player may deploy four skirmishers. If no skirmishers are taken, the McDowell leader is not used.
9.812 British Set-Up (Back to Table of Contents)
The British player then sets up within the boundaries of the British Deployment Area. Every company in a regiment must be adjacent to at least one other company in the same regiment, with the exception of the Royal Artillery, the 17th Dragoons, and one company of British Legion cavalry.
9.82 Availability of Major Hanger (Back to Table of Contents)
Presumes Major Hanger was healthy and capable of serving as the regimental leader of the Legion Cavalry. Deploy him stacked with the British Legion cavalry.
9.83 Secret Deployment of 3d Dragoons (Back to Table of Contents)
The American cavalry were hidden behind the knoll in the center of the map. To reflect this, the American player may set up the 3d Dragoons anywhere behind the xx14 row of hexes after the British player has finished setting up.
9.84 Additional Militia (Back to Table of Contents)
Nobody will ever know how many short-term militia were actually at the battle of Cowpens. Most came, fought and left swiftly with their share of the loot. The counter mix reflects a high-average of estimates of the number of short term militia at the battle. For those who want the maximum, the North Carolina militia company marked with an asterisk (*) may be included in the initial set-up.
