PIP Phase
General Discussion
As described above in the Sequence of Play section of the rules, the PIP Phase is the one in which the moving player rolls dice each turn to get PIPs (command points) for the Divisional generals in his Corps and then spends those PIPs to do things with units: moving/pivoting, changing formation, limbering/unlimbering, firing, and charging. Firing and charging are resolved in the two phases that follow the PIP Phase, namely the Firing Phase and the Charge Phase.
Allocation of PIP Dice
Each Corps’ PIP dice are rolled together; once rolled, they are then allocated to the Divisional generals in that Corps. The allocation follows this procedure:
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For each Corps, decide at the outset if the Corps will begin by operating with a Plan or without a Plan. (You can change this later; see below.)
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If the Corps Commander has a Plan, the Divisional generals are ranked (when the Plan is formulated, at the start of the game or subsequently) as to which gets the highest, second-highest, third-highest (etc.) PIP die on any turn. This represents the carrying through of a prepared plan.
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Reinforcements: a Divisional general arriving on the battlefield with reinforcements may be inserted anywhere in the Plan’s ranking of Divisional generals at no cost, for the first turn after the turn of their arrival on the battlefield.
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If the Corps Commander does not have a Plan, average all the PIP dice for that Corps that turn, rounding down: this is the number of PIPs available for each Divisional commander in the Corps that turn.
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To shift from having a Plan to not having a Plan, or to having a different Plan (with a different ranking of PIP dice within the Corps), a Corps Commander spends one turn forfeiting all PIPs for all Divisions under his command. The intention to do this must be expressed before the roll for PIP dice.
Divisional Generals and PIPs
Once PIP dice have been allocated, following the procedure above, apply the following modifiers to the die-roll for each Divisional general:
-1 for a bad divisional general
+1 for a great divisional general
-1 for every unit in a division that has been destroyed or routed off the map
-1 if the Corps Commander has been lost
Corps and Army Commanders
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Each turn, each Corps and Army commander may contribute one additional PIP to a Divisional general who is within a 9” ride that does not pass through woods. The Divisional general can receive this even if he is attached to a unit, since it represents help offered by the Corps and Army Commander to other units.
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Bad Corps and Army commanders have the effect of reducing any subordinate’s PIP die roll of 1 to a 0 instead, with no opportunity that turn to contribute an additional PIP to anyone.
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If the Corps or Army commander is attached to a unit, he cannot contribute 1 PIP to a subordinate Divisional general, but the effect of a bad general's turning his subordinates 1's to 0's still applies.
What to Do with PIPs
Movement and Formation
1 to move (or pivot) a unit
0 to move a general
1 to limber or unlimber artillery
1 to enter or exit square (once per turn only)
Firing and Charging
1 to get a unit to fire (place a Firing marker on the firing unit)
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Note that this is in addition to any PIP cost for moving the unit into position
1 to get a unit to stop firing (remove the Firing marker)
1 to get a unit to charge (place a Charge marker on the charging unit)
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Note that this is in addition to any PIP cost for moving the unit into position
2 to spike guns
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This can only be done by a unit in contact with silenced artillery.
Other
2 to rally a routed unit (mark it as Shaken)
2 to restore silenced artillery (mark it as Shaken)
x2 to each action if Divisional general killed, attached to another unit, or more than a 9” ride away that does not pass through woods.
Using Several PIPs For One Unit
You can only move/pivot once, but you can do any number of other things too. For example:
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a unit of artillery could stop firing (1 PIP), limber up (1 PIP), move (1 PIP), unlimber (1 PIP), and start firing again (1 PIP), for a total of 5 PIPs.
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a routed unit could rally (2 PIPs) and go into square (1 PIP), for a total of 3 PIPs.