Now that we've worked out the draft ratings for the various infantry unit counters, which will of course be subject to modification in playtesting, it's time to design the artwork. Below are the draft images for the four types of orc infantry, which are not drawn to scale. The purpose is to visually convey the higher Attack Factor and Defense Factor of the higher-level units, as the values will range from 9-3-4-70 for a Fit Elite unit to 5-0-4-35 for a Fit Conscript unit.

In game terms, orcs have higher attack factors and lower defense factors, with average movement factors and lower morale than the norm. For the goblins, we're fortunate in being able to draw from the examples provided by the forthcoming A THRONE OF BONES comics. And yes, there will be goblin wolfriders. Of course there will be goblin wolfriders!

 As I was working on deepening the magic system for WARLEADER and increasing the number of available spells, it suddenly occurred to me that the game could be just as reasonably described as tactical Master of Magic as fantasy Advanced Squad Leader. This conceptual breakthrough will not only aid in the development of the rules, but should make the game more marketable as well.

 From the WARLEADER rulebook:

6.3  ATTACK RESOLUTION:  Melee combat attacks are resolved by adding together the total number of AF belonging to all attacking units in the hex.  This total is then modified by the Attack Facing modifier, when applicable, to determine the final AF strength of the attack.  Subtracted from this final AF strength is the total number of DF belonging to all the defending units in the hex being attacked, modified by any applicable Defense Facing modifier.  Make a DR, add any applicable DRM from the effects of terrain, spells, leadership, or other combat modifiers, then cross-index the adjusted DR with the applicable AF-DF column on the CRT to determine the results of the attack.  The attacker uses the rightmost column of the CRT containing a number that does not exceed the AF-DF number of the attack.  Any extra AF have no effect and are lost.

6.31  #CAS:  As many defending units as the number indicated (#) take Casualties, (defender’s choice); all other units in the attacked hex must take a Morale Check equal to the number of casualties indicated.  

6.32  NMC:  Normal Morale Check. Each defending unit must attempt to pass a Morale Check by making a DR less than the Morale of the unit, best leaders first; those which fail take Casualties.  A unit which rolls exactly the number of its Morale suffers a Pin/Retreat result instead.

6.33  #MC (1,2,3,4):  Same as the NMC, but ten times the number preceding the MC are added to the DR.

6.34  NPR:  Normal Pin/Retreat Check. Each defending unit must attempt to pass a Pin/Retreat Check by making a DR less than or equal to the Morale of the unit, best leaders first; units that fail this DR must Retreat if the NPR was a result of being attacked in melee combat.  Units which fail an NPR as a result of a ranged combat attack are Pinned.  

6.35  #PR (1,2,3,4): Same as the NPR, but ten times the number preceding the PR are added to the DR.

In the interest of comprehension, I'll include a sub-section from the next section. 

7.13  CASUALTIES (CAS):  Casualties are considered to be automatically failed MCs.  A Casualty is a negative one level change in a unit’s status, progressing downward in four levels for GC: Fit, Shaken, Broken, and Fleeing.  It takes four Casualties to completely eliminate one Fit GC.  Since there are only two status levels for IC: Fit and Broken, it takes two Casualties to eliminate one Fit IC. 

The objective here is to simulate the degradation of the unit's fitness for combat, which is ultimately more related to morale and a willingness to hold its position than the mere number of dead and wounded. One thing that rapidly becomes clear from reading military histories is that it was much more common for defeated armies to fade away than be slaughtered in their ranks; the dreadful lethality of Cannae was a rare exception, not a rule. In Machiavelli's History of Florence, he records many battles between thousands of soldiers in which the dead could be counted on two hands.

This system also allows for fairly rapid counter updates without requiring any additional counters being added to the stack, with the exception of the Pinned state.

Nearly two decades ago, I began designing Warleader, a tactical fantasy game inspired by Advanced Squad Leader. While I never finished the design, the world I created for it turned into Selenoth, which served as the backdrop for the Arts of Dark and Light novels, including Summa Elvetica and A Throne of Bones.

Now that we're working on both computer and board game editions of Divine Right, I had a great conversation with Glenn Rahman concerning a tactical adaptation of Divine Right, tentatively called Divine General. He was enthusiastic about the concept of combining ASL-style tactical combat with his world of Minaria, which led me to the idea that Warleader could be converted from a single world setting into a generic tactical combat system for which modules dedicated to different fantasy worlds could be created. The idea is to start with the board games and VASSAL adaptations, then eventually make the transition to full-blown computer games.

It's an idea, anyhow. Here are sections 2 and 3 from the Warleader rules, which addresses the components and the sequence of play.

2.  COMPONENTS

Four 8”x11” full-color mapsheets

Four sheets of cardboard playing counters

One 30-page rulebook

One 8”x11” page of charts

Two ten-sided dice

2.1 MAPBOARDS:  The geomorphic mapboards represent the terrain.  Each mapboard is divided into hexagonal sections called hexes.  Each hex represents a piece of land approximately fifty yards across.  The various images shown on the mapsheets represent different terrain elements which can effect line-of-sight, movement, and combat results. 

 2.11 HEX COORDINATES:  On each of the four mapsheets, every hex is marked with a unique alpha-numeric identifier.  If the mapsheet is placed lengthwise, the upper-leftmost hex will be marked A1 and the lower-rightmost hex will be marked K20.  These hex coordinates are used for unit placement and reference purposes.

2.2 COUNTERS: The cardboard counters representing troop formations, individuals, and creatures are known as units.  Other counters used to provide information during the game are known as markers.

2.21 CLASSES:  Units are divided into five classes: Infantry, Cavalry, Artillery, Individual, and Creature.  These classes are divided further into specialized types based on Allegiance.

2.22 INDIVIDUAL COUNTERS:  Counters representing Leader, Hero, and Magic-User units are known as Individual Counters.  (IC).  Counters representing Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery Counters are known as Group Counters.  (GC).  Units of the Creature class may be represented by IC or GC, depending on the specific unit.  

2.3 UNIT INFORMATION:  Each unit counter is marked with several numbers and symbols that convey specific information about the unit.

2.31 QUALITY:  Elite, Veteran, Green, and Conscript.  Units which have a Quality rating consisting of a number instead of a letter are considered to be Veteran units if the number is greater than three, otherwise they are considered to be Green.

2.32 ATTACK FACTOR:  The leftmost of the three numbers across the bottom of a unit counter is the unit’s Attack Factor, (AF), which represents the unit’s ability to attack in combat, prior to any modification.

2.33 DEFENSE FACTOR: The middle of the three numbers across the bottom of a unit counter is the unit’s Defense Factor, (DF), which represents the unit’s ability to defend in combat, prior to any modification.

2.34 MOVEMENT FACTOR:  The rightmost of the three numbers across the bottom of a unit counter is the unit’s Movement Factor, indicating how many Movement Points may be spent by the unit in one turn.

2.34 MORALE LEVEL:  The number on the right side of the counter is the unit’s Morale Level indicating the unit’s ability to perform as a combat unit.  There are four Morale Levels, Fit, Shaken, Broken, and Fleeing.  When this number is exceeded during a DR due to a Morale Check, the unit is considered to have taken casualties and its status is decreased by one level.

2.36 RANGED ATTACK CAPABILITY:  Each unit counter is marked with numbers and/or symbols that convey information about the unit's ranged attack capabilities.

2.37 LEADERSHIP:  Each unit counter is marked with several numbers and symbols that convey information about the unit's ability to rally itself without the benefit of a Leader counter.

2.38 MAGICAL CAPABILITY:  Each unit counter is marked with several numbers and symbols that convey information about the unit's magical capabilities.

2.4 BLOOD AND BONE DICE:  The ten-sided red die is henceforth referred to as the Blood Die.  The ten-sided white die is henceforth referred to as the Bone Die.  The significance of these distinct identities will be explained later in the rulebook.

2.41 THE DOUBLE-ZERO:  A roll of the Blood and Bone dice resulting in a matched pair of zeros equals zero, not one hundred.  The highest possible unmodified roll is a ninety-nine.  However, the double-zero is a special roll that may lead to some unique results. 

3.  SEQUENCE OF PLAY

3.1 PLAYER TURN:  Each Game Turn is divided into two Player Turns.  The player who controls the current Player Turn is designated the Attacker for the duration of the Player Turn; the other player is designated the Defender.

​ 3.11 ORDER PHASE (OP):  Broken and disrupted troops are rallied.  Spell point counters are distributed.  Prayers are made. Existing spells are updated. Supernatural beings make Planar Checks.

​ 3.12 SKIRMISH PHASE (SP):  Attacker’s magic users may cast spells. Attacker’s range troops may fire. Attacker’s cavalry may declare charge.

​ 3.13 MOVEMENT PHASE (MP):  Attacker’s magic users may cast spells. Attacker’s cavalry charges executed. Attacker may move troops. Attacker may build field defenses.  Defender’s range troops may fire.

​ 3.14 DEFENSE PHASE (DP):  Defender’s range troops may fire. Defender’s magic users may cast spells.

​ 3.15 BATTLE PHASE (BP):  Melee combat resolved. Attacker’s magic users may cast spells.  Defender’s magic users may cast spells. Attacker’s range troops may fire

​ 3.16 RETREAT PHASE (RP):  Broken troops must retreat. Fleeing troops must flee.  Units marked with a Retreat counter must retreat.  Supernatural beings removed from board

​ 3.17 ADVANCE PHASE (AP): Attacker’s Fit troops may advance one hex into adjacent, open hexes in their Front facing.  Attacker’s non-Broken troops may rotate one hexside.

3.18 SECOND PLAYER TURN: Upon completion of the Attacker’s Advance Phase, the first Player Turn is ended.  The Attacker now becomes the Defender, the Defender becomes the Attacker, and a new Player Turn begins, repeating the above sequence.  Upon the completion of the second Player Turn, the current Game Turn is ended and a new Game Turn begins.