I have made some minor changes and additions to the rules and these are available through the Hotz link to those who have purchased the rules in the form of replacement pages.

Here they are:

Battles for Empire 2: Errata and changes

April, 2015

Whole sections of the rules are copied below with changes or additions noted in red text.

Replace section 13.8 with the following:

13.8 MG FIRING AND JAMMING

The early MGs of the nineteenth century were unreliable especially when fired at a high rate by crews under pressure.  When firing an MG the player first decides on the number of fire dice he wishes to throw (3-6 dice) and carries out the normal firing procedures.  Immediately re-roll all “missed” dice.  The MG jams if any of the re-rolled dice result in a “1.”  A jammed MG causes no hits on the target this turn but is ready to fire again next turn (with another risk of jamming!).

Note that more reliable modern MGs like the MG carry the same jamming mechanics.  Since they “hit” more easily their risk of jamming is already less than the older MG types.

Machine Gun Fire Example:

                  A British Gardner gun unit (one stand) fires at a Shaken Dervish foot unit in the open.  The British player decides to roll six D6s in order to maximize the possibility of accruing hits, and needs a 5-6 to hit on each die.  The D6 results are 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, and 6.  The player immediately rolls the 4 “missed” dice; one result is a “1” and the MG jams eliminating the effects of this shot.  Had no “1” resulted the shot would have caused two hits; that equals 2 Kills and a Shaken effect.  The repeated Shaken effect is meaningless. In the next turn the MG may fire again normally, but again with a risk of jamming.

Replace text concerning jamming on QRS with the following:

Jamming: re-roll misses; “1” on any die=jam; no shooting effects this turn  Fire normally next turn, with risk of jamming again.

Replace Section 14.1 with the following (note that only the Procedure sentence is changed):

14.1 CONSEQUENCES OF RAPID FIRE

In contrast to controlled volley fire, Rapid Fire expends greater amounts of ammunition, particularly at ranges where the enemy are especially threatening and the firers excitedly discharge their weapons without restraint.  Therefore, a unit that Rapid Fires, must determine whether it has run short of ammunition. 

Procedure

After rolling the Rapid Fire dice, immediately reroll all “missed” dice.  A unit becomes low on ammunition if any of the dice result in a “1.”

A unit that runs low on ammunition is marked as such (an ammunition box or a chit marked with “low ammo”) and remains low on ammunition until re-supplied by an ammunition mule.  A unit that is low on ammunition may fire but does so with a negative fire modifier. It also suffers -1 in melee.

A firing unit not rendered low on ammunition is unaffected by Rapid Firing.  The unit performs as usual and may Rapid Fire again next turn. 

Native and Boer units:

Native and Boer units may usually not Rapid Fire. However, scenario designers may sometimes give Boer units the ability to Rapid Fire and can apply the effects of low ammunition to any units to suit the situation being represented. 

Imperial and Colonial Recruit Camel mounted units.  Add the Exception to the Charging rules:

16.1 CHARGING INTO MELEE CONTACT

A charge is a move into melee contact.  With the exception of Imperial mounted units, once a unit is in melee contact it may not voluntarily move until the melee is resolved and there is no more contact with the enemy.

Charging with cavalry and infantry:

All mounted units may charge any unit type.

Exception: Imperial and Colonial Recruit Camelry units may never initiate a charge into melee contact.  If charged themselves, they immediately become Shaken.  Apply the marker immediately in the Movement Phase.

Add Boers to the Moving and Firing rules (and the -1 penalty for doing so):

13.1 RIFLE AND MG UNIT FIRING ELIGIBILITY

Only foot units (and dismounted cavalry) armed with firearms may fire; the effects of javelins, spears, and other hand-hurled weapons are represented by melee.  Imperial and Boer mounted units may not fire but may dismount to do so.  See Optional Rules (Sec. 20.0) for Mounted Unit Firing.

Only front rank stands can fire (Exception: Pathan and Boer infantry in skirmish order may fire 2 ranks of stands; see Skirmishing, Sec. 9.1).  The entire frontage of each firing stand (foot or MG) must have a clear path of fire to the target uninterrupted by intervening enemy or friendly troops or terrain. 

Moving and Firing:

Moving and firing is mostly dependent on the kind of firearm being used, but unit training and formation also affect the ability to move and fire.  ALL MG units must remain stationary to fire except they may pivot in-place and fire as ‘moving’ (-1).

Formed and Massed Units

Muzzle-loading smoothbore or rifled muskets:

All Formed and Massed foot units armed with muzzle-loader muskets that remained stationary that turn may fire.  Any movement, including changes of formation, wheeling, or changes of facing, prohibits Formed or Massed foot units and MG units from firing. 

Exception: Skirmishing with muzzle-loaders

Units in Skirmish order armed with muzzle-loaders that are permitted to move (e.g. not Natives) may move up to half their movement allowance and fire with half their number of eligible firing stands applying the -1 modifier for moving and firing.  The movement may include any allowable type of movement (e.g. Wheels, retrograde, change of facing, etc.) as long as it does not exceed half the movement allowance of the skirmishing unit or result in melee contact (e.g. a charge). 

A muzzle-loader unit may change formation to Skirmish order and fire as moving skirmishers as long as no further movement is conducted that turn. This is the only type of fire and movement permitted to most Native units in skirmish order; most Native units may not move while in skirmish order.  Pathans and Boers are exceptions; see Sec 9.1)

Breech-loading rifle:

Drilled Europeans, Colonial Recruits and Boers armed with these weapons may move up to their full movement allowance in any formation and still fire; they fire with a -1 modifier.  The movement may include a change of formation or a change of face, including dismounting.  A unit may not charge and fire in the same turn.