Sieges

A siege takes place only when at least 2 combat units of one side are in the same region as an enemy fortified structure (unfortified structures are automatically captured).

When the game reaches the siege phase, the siege list window opens… See Illustration 17.1.

The window is similar to the battle list window, showing the locations where sieges are to be solved. The player is free to select them in any order, but all must be processed to be allowed to move to the next phase.

A / Siege Window

For each of the selected sieges to be processed, a specific siege window for the location opens after clicking on the arrow in the siege list. See Illustration 17.2 below.

• The top of the window tells which structure (city, fortress) is the object of the siege 1,
• and the image of the besieged structure is presented immediately below, 2
• Under the image there is information concerning the surrender level of the fortification or structure (the higher the level the higher the chance of surrender) and all the modifiers that are currently pertaining to the ongoing siege, 3 (which will adjust dynamically with the play of cards) and, if relevant, those units that are currently sheltered inside the structure 4. (NB: this also changes if there are modifiers that are applied, as shown in excerpt below)

• On the right-hand side, a place is reserved to drag and drop the siege-relevant cards that both sides can play, the top one 5 for the besieged side, and the bottom one 9. for the besieger.
• A reminder is made of the side who is besieging, 6, as well as the besieging units currently outside of the concerned structure, land 7,
• When the besieger has unit(s) providing siege bonus, such as engineers, artillery or bombers, those units are shown after the besieging combat units (you can scroll through it) 8,
• Last, the siege start dice-looking button 10, will allow to start rolling for the current turn siege result which will be then displayed (see next)

B / Siege Resolution

Siege is resolved automatically and there are only two possible outcomes for now: success or failure. See Illustration 17.3 below.

Reminder: following movements or combats in the field, if at least 2 combat Units are in a region with an enemy fortified structure (a.k.a. fortress), those units will effect a siege.

The siege test consists in getting a modified die-roll result which is below the surrender level (including modifiers) of the besieged structure, as shown in the siege window. The list of the modifiers is the following:

• -1 for each siege-able heavy artillery unit present (they display a big S letter in white on their counters)
• -1 if one or more artillery units or Bombers are present
• -1 for every 5 steps of combat units sheltered inside the structure (this is called overcrowding)
• -2 for the siege bonus of the besieging leader, if there has one ((they display a big S letter in white on their counters)
• +2 for the siege bonus of the besieged leader, if there is one.

Success: the fortress surrenders, all units and leaders inside are eliminated.
Failure: the fortress keeps on resisting, nothing else happens, siege continues.

C / Sieges, Blockade and Supply

Units inside a besieged fortress are always in supply, even if the region is isolated or cut from supply sources or lines. Units outside the fortress still follow the normal supply rules.

NB (not in version 1.00 of this game) : In some scenarios, fortresses that are also ports can only be besieged if they are at the same time suffering from a blockade. That means that the siege test only takes place if a naval stack friendly to the besieger and/or enemy to the besieged structure owner is present in the sea region where the port of the structure exits (it twill also, via the blockade, cut the normal supply lines via port – see above).