Universal Army/Fleet Rules Module

Original concept by Fred C. Davis Jr. ; this version by Stephen Agar.

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(As used in a number of Diplomacy variants, including Downfall XIII.)

1) Move Sequence

Embarkations are adjudicated prior to simultaneous movement. Disembarkations occur during simultaneous movement and are adjudicated as being simultaneous with and independent of whatever happened to the fleet element of the A/F.

2) Fast Ferry

A convoy as described in the Diplomacy rulebook may still be used, but is limited to the crossing of a single sea space via a single fleet. To avoid confusion with A/F convoys, a regular single space convoy will be referred to as a "Fast Ferry" (FF.). If a fleet attempts to FF. an army, but is unable to disembark the army, then the army remains on board the fleet, and an A/F is formed.

3) Embarkation

An army may embark on to a fleet, before simultaneous movement is adjudicated, and thus a legal embarkation move can never fail. If an army has embarked on a fleet and cannot disembark for whatever reason, it will remain on board as an A/F.

4) A/F Operations

A convoy of more than one sea space can only be undertaken by the formation of a A/F to carry the army on board. In a given move, an army may board a fleet in an adjacent sea space, the Army/Fleet may then move to an adjacent sea space, and the army may then also disembark into a coastal space adjacent to the second sea space. For example, A(Lon) Embark F(ENG) ; A/F(ENG)-MAO, A(MAO) Disembark Por.

An A/F has the same combat value as a single unit, and may attack, support and be supported, but it may not run a Fast Ferry. An A/F may support operations in a coastal province, although it itself may never enter a coastal province.

5) Disembarkations

Disembarkation is simultaneous with other movement. Thus an army may disembark at the same time as the fleet is moving elsewhere or supporting another action. E.g. A(ION) D Tun ; F(ION)-EMS. However, if disembarkation fails, then the A/F remains intact, and any fleet movement will also fail.

It follows that if an A/F is disembarking an army, then the fleet element may use its move to support the disembarkation of the army. E.g. A(BLA) D Sev ; F(BLA) S A(BLA) D Sev, which would displace an unsupported F(Sev).

If an A/F attempting to disembark an army attempts to move or is dislodged then the disembarkation will be unaffected, as it is considered independently of the fleet.

Exception : In order to avoid circular reasoning, there is an exception to the general rule that disembarkations are simultaneous with other movement. The disembarkation of an army from an A/F which in turn would have had to move successfully to be in a position to disembark the army, may not have a direct or indirect effect on the success of the movement of the A/F in question, and if it does so, the disembarkation will fail.

E.g. ENGLAND : A/F(NTH)-ENG ; A(ENG) D Bre ; F(MAO) S A(ENG) D Bre.
FRANCE : F(ENG)-Bre.

The result will be that the French move to Brest succeeds, and that the English disembarkation fails, as otherwise there would be a paradox.

6) Retreats

If an A/F is forced to retreat into any coastal space, it reverts to a fleet, and the army is disbanded. An army on land can retreat to an adjacent fleet in a sea space and create an A/F.

7) Circular Reasoning

In the event that any movement cannot be adjudicated due to circular reasoning, then all units involved will stand in place.