The rules of the game can be found as a PDF through the Help menu. Note that it may take a little while for your PDF viewer to pop-up and show the rules. Be patient.
This page contains some comments on the workings of the module, and how that reflects the rules - especially how to perform some manoeuvres etc. with the module.
When you start a new game, the module will automatically show you a Scenario Preferences dialog where you can enable or disable optional rules or methods. These are
See also below for more.
Note that the choice of optional rules are automatically frozen after the initial Setup phase, regardless of whether the choices in the dialog are frozen or not.
These can be accessed through File→Preferences, in the Battle of Agincourt tab.
These preferences can be changed at any time and will take effect immediately.
The use of the turn tracker interface in the toolbar is important for the use of this module. Various automatised operations are performed at different steps of the game, and are driven by the turn track interface. Even if automation has been turned off (see Module Preferences above), some actions are only allowed in some phases.
Thus, it is paramount that the turn tracker is used.
To progress to the next phase, press the + button on
the turn tracker interface in the tool bar, or press
Alt-T
.
Note, because some automatic steps are performed in the background, it may take a while (a few seconds) before the module changes to a new phase. Please be patient.
When stepping through a log (such as the tutorial), please note that
you may need to press the log step-forward button or key
(Page-Down
) several times because of this automation.
Please be patient.
In this special initial phase, you can:
If you loaded the Example set-up, or any other save
file, you may not need set-up the English and French units. Otherwise,
units should be dragged from the factions’ OOB (the tool-bar button or
Alt-B
) to the main
board. See also the rules for set-up restrictions.
The English faction should set-up units first, and only then should the French set-up its units.
When you leave the Setup phase (through the turn tracker interface or by pressing
Alt-T
), all optional rules will be frozen and
cannot be changed.
In this phase, the faction in turn may move as many units as it desires within the movement restrictions.
The module does not enforce movement rules.
To change facing of a unit press Ctrl-[
or
Ctrl-]
or choose from the Rotate sub-context menu
(Mouse-2
click on unit). Each step is 60° either clock or
counter-clock wise.
If a French cavalry unit moves 3 (exactly) in a straight line during the movement phase, then the module will automatically detect that the unit is performing a charge, and calculate in the die roll modifier when declaring a battle.
It is important that the move is done atomically (in one go). That is, the unit should not touch down on intermittent hexes. Pick up the cavalry unit and move it exactly 3 hexes in a straight line, and drop it next to an English unit to perform the cavalry charge attack.
The two combat phases Missile phase and Mêlée phase share a number of features.
Combat between units are declared by selecting both
attacking units and the defending unit, and then pressing
Ctrl-X
, pressing the
tool-bar button, or select Declare combat from the context
menu. The module will add battle markers to all belligerents of the
combat.
Note, the rules stipulate that only one unit may be attacked at a time, and that attackers may only attack over their front hex sides. These first restriction is not enforced by the module, the latter is, except the module does not disallow a cavalry unit to attack in its left front hex (as the rules disallows).
If the preference Calculate Odds on battle declaration is enabled, then the module will automatically
Alt-A
),Alt-A
), including
The module will then place an odds marker ( ) on the defending unit, including an
indication of the DRM. In the example below, the French attackers get a
-1 DRM because of the adjacent leader unit.
To resolve the battle, select the odds marker and press
Ctrl-Y
, the tool-bar
button, or select Resolve from the context menu.
If the preference Resolve battle results automatically is enabled, then the module will automatically
Alt-A
) to get
the combat result.
If the result is E
, then the defending unit is
automatically eliminated, and the attacker may advance
one unit into the defended hex.
If the result is M
, then a Morale Check
(MC) is automatically performed.
The module will calculate all applicable DRMs for the MC:
The module will also ignore MCs if
If the MC succeeded, then possible counter attacks will be enabled.
If the MC failed, then the unit is automatically routed
If the result is -
, then a possible counter attacks
are enabled.
Thus, the only actions that need to be done by the defending faction when resolving a combat is either
The attacking faction may need to advance an attacking unit.
Battle, odds, and result markers can be clear at any time by
selecting one of the battles markers and press the tool-bar button, pressing
Ctrl-C
, or selecting Clear from the context
menu.
Important: Do not clear battle markers before performing a possible counter attack, or you will not be able to do that counter attack.
Combat in the missile phase proceeds as outlined above. However, counter attacks are not possible in this phase.
Note, the range of missile units is enforced, and if the optional rule Missile range modifier is enabled, then an appropriate DRM will automatically be calculated.
It can be useful to use the Line-of-Sight (LOS) tool ( or
Alt-L
) when planning missile
attacks. The module does not enforce LOS rules.
After a combat has been resolved to either
then, the defending faction has the option to counter attack, if possible by the normal rules of combat (i.e., only over front hex-sides).
Note that the module automatically determines if a counter attack are
possible, and only enables the Counter Attack action (in the
context menu or by Ctrl-Shift-X
) in that case.
For the defending faction to counter attack, it must
select one of the attacking units,
declare a counter attack against that unit (Counter
Attack from the context menu, or Ctrl-Shift-X
).
The module will then
To resolve the counter attack combat, do as for regular combats: -
Select the odds marker - Select Resolve in the context menu,
press the tool-bar button, or
press
Ctrl-X
.
Just like for regular attacks, the module will apply as many results to the attacking (the counter attacked) unit.
In this phase, a faction may attempt to rally any of its routed units.
If the preference Resolve battle results automatically is enabled, then the module will automatically resolve a Morale Check (MC) for each routed unit. The module will automatically determined DRMs for these MCs:
If the English king, Henry V, has been eliminated, then no rally attempts are made for routed English units (total demoralisation).
Routed English units have no facing, and thus cannot be backed-up by other friendly units and thus MCs are done for those units.
Also, the French Regicide unit cannot be backed up by friendly units, and if that unit is routed, an MC is also performed.
If any MC fails, then the module will give a friendly reminder to retreat those units as far as possible. The module does not enforce that retreat.
If any MC succeeds, the module automatically flips the unit to its good-order side, and prints a friendly reminder that a new facing may be chosen at will.
The below tables are also accessible via the charts window
(Ctrl-A
).
With a regular 1d6 (X), the probability for the different die roll outcomes are given by the Probability Mass Function (PMF)
X P(X) % 1 1/6 16.7 2 1/6 16.7 3 1/6 16.7 4 1/6 16.7 5 1/6 16.7 6 1/6 16.7
That is, all outcomes are equally likely - the distribution is a uniform discrete distribution between one and six, both inclusive. The mean and standard deviation of that distribution are 3.5 and 1.71, respectively.
When we add two such die together (X+Y) - i.e., 2d6 - we get the PMF
X + Y P(X + Y) % 2 1/36 2.8 3 1/18 5.6 4 1/12 8.3 5 1/9 11.1 6 5/36 13.9 7 1/6 16.7 8 5/36 13.9 9 1/9 11.1 10 1/12 8.3 11 1/18 5.6 12 1/36 2.8
which is a discrete triangular distribution with mid-point 7 and end points 2 and 12. The mean and standard deviation of that distribution are 7 and 2.42, respectively.
With this, the probability for given combat outcome, given particular combat odds, are
Odds P(M) % P(E) % 1:4 1/18 5.6 1/36 2.8 1:3 5/36 13.9 1/36 2.8 1:2 1/4 25.0 1/36 2.8 1:1 7/36 19.4 1/12 8.3 3:2 1/4 25.0 1/6 16.7 2:1 5/9 55.6 5/18 27.8 3:1 1/2 50.0 5/12 41.7 4:1 1/3 33.3 7/12 58.3
and for a successful Morale Check
MR P(X + Y>=MR) % 3 35/36 97.2 5 5/6 83.3 6 13/18 72.2 7 7/12 58.3 8 5/12 41.7
In both cases, we assume no DRMs.
If the optional rule Loaded dice is used, then the PMF of each die (X’) is changed to
X’ P(X’) % 1 1/12 8.3 2 1/6 16.7 3 1/4 25.0 4 1/4 25.0 5 1/6 16.7 6 1/12 8.3
which is also a discrete triangular distribution with end-points 1 and 6, inclusive, and mean and standard deviation 3.5 and 1.38, respectively.
Adding two such dice (X’+Y’) gives the PMF
X’ + Y’ P(X’ + Y’) % 2 1/144 0.7 3 1/36 2.8 4 5/72 6.9 5 1/8 12.5 6 25/144 17.4 7 7/36 19.4 8 25/144 17.4 9 1/8 12.5 10 5/72 6.9 11 1/36 2.8 12 1/144 0.7
which is somewhere in-between a triangular and normal distribution. The mean and standard deviations are 7 and 1.96, respectively. Thus, the variation of the loaded outcomes (1.96) is much smaller than that from standard 2d6 (2.42).
With the loaded 2d6 (X’+Y’), the probability of different combat results, given particular odds, are
Odds P(M) % P(E) % 1:4 1/36 2.8 1/144 0.7 1:3 7/72 9.7 1/144 0.7 1:2 2/9 22.2 1/144 0.7 1:1 7/36 19.4 5/144 3.5 3:2 43/144 29.9 5/48 10.4 2:1 2/3 66.7 11/48 22.9 3:1 9/16 56.2 29/72 40.3 4:1 53/144 36.8 43/72 59.7
and for a successful Morale Check
MR P(X’ + Y’>=MR) % 3 143/144 99.3 5 43/48 89.6 6 37/48 77.1 7 43/72 59.7 8 29/72 40.3
Again, in both cases, assuming no DRMs.
Putting the combat result probabilities (in percentage) side by side
Odds P(M) P(E) P(M) P(E) 1:4 5.6 2.8 2.8 0.7 1:3 13.9 2.8 9.7 0.7 1:2 25.0 2.8 22.2 0.7 1:1 19.4 8.3 19.4 3.5 3:2 25.0 16.7 29.9 10.4 2:1 55.6 27.8 66.7 22.9 3:1 50.0 41.7 56.2 40.3 4:1 33.3 58.3 36.8 59.7
where the two right-most columns are for a loaded dice, illustrates the differences. For example, the probability of a E result below odds 1:1 are vanishingly small with loaded dice, while at larger odds the probabilities are not changed that much, except, perhaps, the probability of an M result is enlarged a bit.
Note, in most cases, a DRM of -1 is equivalent to raising the odds one step. Thus, a combat with odds 1:1 with DRM -2 is equivalent to a combat with odds 3:1 but with no DRM. Or, a missile attack at odds 3:1 at a range of 6 (DRM=+5, assuming the optional rule), is the same as a missile attack at odds 1:3. Thus, combat DRMs have significant impact on the probability of combat outcomes.
For Morale checks, the comparison, in percentage, is
MR P(X + Y>=MR) P(X’ + Y’>=MR) 3 97.2 99.3 5 83.3 89.6 6 72.2 77.1 7 58.3 59.7 8 41.7 40.3
Here, we see very little change. Note, a DRM of +1 effectively lowers the MR by one, while a DRM of -1 raises MR by one.
The combat odds 1:3 and 1:4 are not really possible. The units with the least attack factor (AF) are the French missile units with AF=3. The English units with the largest defensive factor (DF) are the headquarter units with DF=6 and this can never be doubled. The English missile units have DF=2 which can be doubled to DF=4.
Thus the worst possible combat odds are 3:6 - or 1:2.
The columns 1:3 and 1:4 are therefore superfluous and could be removed. It is kept, however, of historical (game) interest. Of course, if DRMs are converted to column shifts, then those, and additional, columns may be needed.
The tutorial of the module was prepared pretty early on the development of the module, and bugs and problems have since then been detected and corrected. This means the tutorial is not completely up to date (these notes reflects the current state of things).
However, the tutorial is still valid and it is still recommended to go through that before starting a game.
The tutorial should be updated, and eventually it will be. However, since VASSAL has no good way of upgrading a log file, it means that the tutorial will have to be completely redone. Not impossible, but a bit of a task.
For now, accept my apologies.
This VASSAL module was created from LATEX sources of a Print'n'Play version of the The Battle of Agincourt game. That (a PDF) can be found at
https://gitlab.com/wargames_tex/boa_tex
where this module, and the sources, can also be found. The PDF can also be found as the rules of this game, available in the Help menu.
The original game was release by the Game Designers’ Workshop in 1978.
Though the game The Battle of Agincourt is deceptively simple, the same can not be said about the VASSAL module.
Game elements, such as
seem simple pretty simple on paper, but to implement them in VASSAL actually is far from straight forward.
Through some gymnastics, I managed to implement all of these things so that the module has a very high level of automation. It took some code and a tad of thinking, nonetheless.
This work is 🄯 2025 Christian Holm Christensen, and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
or send a letter to
Creative Commons PO Box 1866 Mountain View CA 94042 USA