Command

1. Aside from cavalry charges, a regiment or artillery unit may only enter a ZOC if it is in command.

The armies each have a chain of command starting with the army commander at the top.  Directly subordinate to him are corps commanders (with 3 stars on their counters).  Subordinate to the corps commanders are division commanders (2 stars) that are part of that corps.  Subordinate to the division commanders are the brigade commanders (1 star) of that division.  Regiments are subordinate to their brigade commanders.  Units are marked, and may have corps badges or color codes, to show where they fall in the command structure.

An army’s organization may be different in some games.  An army may, for instance, be a single corps where the army commander has division commanders subordinate to him and no corps commanders.  The command structure of the armies in that battle will be explained in the specific rules for that battle or scenario.

• Commanders from the division up have a Command Value (CV) printed on their counter.  This value may be used to give a DRM in combat, assist in reorganizing disorganized units, and to determine if the commander may place his subordinates in command.  No commander may place his subordinates in command unless he is himself in command.
• Command determination begins with the Army Commander. Unless noted otherwise in the scenario’s rules; he may issue commands if a die-roll is equal to or less than his CV.  An army commander has a command range of 8 hexes (not movement points) and if he passes his Command Roll, he may place any subordinate commander within that range in command.  If he fails his CV roll, all subordinate commanders may only be in command on their own initiative.
• Corps commanders (3-stars) within the command range of their army commander must roll their CV or less to be in command and may subtract one from that die roll.  This represents, basically, whether they accept their orders and do what they’re told, or not.

If they are outside of command range, or their superior is not in command, the die roll is unmodified and must be their CV or less to be in command on their own initiative.

If they fail their roll, they are NOT in command and cannot place subordinate commanders in command.

Corps and division commanders have a command range of 5 hexes.

• Division commanders (2 stars) like corps commanders, must roll to see if they accept their orders and are therefore in command. Again, if they are in command range, subtract 1 from the roll, and do not modify the roll if their corps commander is not in command, or they are outside of his command range.  Additionally, for each shattered brigade and/or brigade in their division that is outside of their command range, one is added to their Command.  For instance a division commander 6 hexes from his corps commander with one of his brigades shattered, and another out of his command range, would add 2 to the Command die-roll to determine if he is in command on his own initiative.
• Brigade commanders (1 star) are in command if they are within 5 hexes (8 hexes for cavalry commanders) of their division commander, if he is in command.  Brigade commanders do not have a Command Value and do not roll to accept orders or for initiative.  If they are out of range of their division commander or their division commander is not in command, the brigade commander is therefore not in command and his regiments may not enter a ZOC.
• Regiments are considered to be in command when they are within the 2 hex command range of their brigade commander (if he is in command) or adjacent to another regiment of its own brigade that itself is in command.

A brigade may span more hexes than the brigade commander’s command range and still be completely in command as each regiment passes the word to its neighbor.

Artillery units are in command if they are in range of any incommand commander in their corps or division, or the army commander.

Some units, such as the US Sharpshooter regiments, fall under the command of any commander of their corps, and do not have to be in the command range of their brigade commander, nor remain adjacent to units of the brigade they are attached to.  The scenario will designate any units this rule may apply to.

Brigade commanders may only put regiments of their own brigade and artillery of their division, or corps in command.

• Brigade commanders must always be stacked with a regiment of their brigade.  If there are none, they are moved to their immediate superior commander’s hex until they manage to recover a regiment from the eliminated units.
• Any commander that is in command automatically places ANY lower ranked commander and any units he is stacked with, in command regardless of command structure and without a die roll.

Therefore, Longstreet (ANV I corps 3-star), if in command and stacked in the same hex with Early (ANV II corps 2-star) would place him in command without Early needing to perform a Command roll.  Any regiments or artillery in that hex are also in command.  Note: adjacent regiments of the same brigade, by virtue of regiments passing command, would then also come under command and so, potentially, the whole brigade could be in command.

Had Longstreet not been in command for whatever reason, Early would still roll for his normal command acceptance if in range of his commander, or his own initiative, if not.

1. Command can be traced through a ZOI, but cannot be traced through a ZOC unless the hex is occupied by a friendly unit.  It can be traced into a ZOC.
2. Command only affects whether a unit may enter a ZOC, ie attack, and nothing else.  You therefore only need to roll and determine command for those units you intend to have attack.
3. When the army commander is not on the map, the highest ranked (stars) commander on the map functions as the army commander at the command range of an army commander (8 hexes); unless the scenario specifies otherwise.  He rolls against his CV to start the command chain just as the army commander normally would.

The lowest numbered corps commander outranks other corps commanders.  If no corps commander is on the map the highest ranked (stars) commander on the map that is the closest to an enemy unit on the first turn acts as the army commander.

Acting army commanders function as such until they are relieved.  They are relieved when they are in the command range of a ranking commander or the actual army commander who then takes over command.

For example: At the start of the battle of Gettysburg, Buford (2 stars) is the ranking Union commander on the map.  Reynolds (3-stars) will take over once Buford is in his command range. Likewise; Heth (2-star III corps) is the acting army commander for the Confederates until his corps commander, Hill (3-star III corps), takes over command.  Ewell (3-star II corps) will take over command from Hill as the lower numbered corps commander, but not until Hill comes under his command range. Until then, Hill will retain command.  When Lee arrives on the map and brings the then acting army commander into his command range, he will assume command of the army.