Getting Started

The following points cover the basics until more detailed help and tutorials are available.

New Game

Start a new game from the File menu and you are given a dialog box to define the basic properties of the game. Pressing OK straight away will create two armies each with a sing unit called Untitled. So it is best to use the Define button to detail all the units in each army. It is possible to import an army definition from another game using the Import button. This will save you having to redefine your army for every game.

Defining Units

Units are assumed to consist of one or more square based miniatures arranged in rank and file, in a single block.
The following properties define a unit:

Unit Name

This is the units unique name.

Troop Type

This is the game system's name for the troop type.

Description

The description can be used for anything, such as equipment carried, special rules etc.

Label

The label is used to identify the unit on the battle plan. If you do not specify the label yourself then it will be chosen automatically

Points

This is the number of points for the unit as a whole and not per model.

Models

The number of models in the unit.

Files

Each unit is arranged by rank (rows) and file (columns). Only the number of files can be specified. The number of ranks are calculated automatically based on the number of models and number of files.

Base Size

Choose from the list of popular base sizes, or select custom to define your own. All bases are assumed to be square in this version.

Color

Units are automatically given their the color of their army. It is possible to select an individual color for any unit.

Turn Control

Battle Chronicler displays one turn at a time.

The current turn is displayed in the top left of the table. Underneath that is the turn control that allows you move between turns. The turn control fades away when not being used. To activate it just move your mouse over it.

There are two special turns at the start of each game.

Terrain Turn

The first turn is to lay out the terrain pieces on the table. Terrain can only be selected and moved during the terrain turn, in all other turns it is locked. To place a piece of terrain on the table, first select it in the Terrain list and the click on the table where you want it to be placed. Once placed on the table a terrain piece can be moved by drag and drop with the mouse. To rotate a piece of terrain, firstly select the piece with the mouse, then hold the Alt key down and then click on the table in the direction you want the terrain to face.

Deployment turn

In the deployment turn the units from each army can be placed on the table in one of three ways: Double click on the unit in the list. Select the unit in the list then click on the table where it should be deployed. Select the unit and un-tick the 'In The Box' field.

Unit movement

To move a unit drag and drop it with the mouse. The unit will automatically turn to face the direction of movement. The way a unit moves and turns is effected by pressing the following keys with the mouse.

Mouse move

Move and Turn

Mouse move + Ctrl key

Move Only

Mouse move + Alt key

Turn Only

If you find this combination annoying then change it with the Preferences dialog box.

Define one turn at a time

Each turn of the game is recorded independently. When you select the next turn a copy of the previous turn is made, which you can then manipulate. It is possible to go back to any previous turn and make changes, however these changes will not then be copied into later turns as these are already defined. If you get into a mess it is possible to reset turns either one by one or several at once. Use the options on the game menu

Unit Properties

In The Box

Units are either on the table or they are back in their box. Ticking this field will remove a unit from the table

Embedded

Not implemented yet

In Combat

Green flag indicates engaged in combat

Shooting

Blue flag indicates engaged in shooting

Charging

Red flag indicates a charge manoeuvre

Routed

Yellow flag indicated a routed or broken unit.

Destroyed

Skull denotes a unit totally destroyed. This is indicated on the table by reducing the units opacity giving it a faded look. It is often better to show a unit as destroyed in the turn it happened in, rather than removing it from the table straight away.

Models

This is the number of models in the unit remaining in the current turn

Files

The formation of the unit can be changed in each turn.