Pre-committed order pool

Overall Orders such as Grim Advance (1 Flight, 2 Sheaf, 1 Steady Attack, 2 Approaches), Await the Foe, Hasty Assault, Headlong Rush, Defend Position and Draw Enemy (Old Soldiers only) are placed on the Ward Control Sheet. On activation the player picks one counter (Approach, Attack, Archery or a Stratagem) as the ward's current action; once performed it is discarded. Piecemeal approaches and Tired attacks can always be regenerated, but the planned options cannot.

After the tactic has been performed (and some may last a few turns) the tactic counter is discarded, and not used again during the game.

There are five signals: turn 90 degrees right, turn 90 degrees left, deploy column into line to the right, deploy to the left, and engage the enemy. A fleet gets half its squadron count (rounded up) in signals, written down pre-battle per wing. One signal can be given per turn, announced before moving that wing. A signal manoeuvre is extra to normal movement and needs no Manoeuvre test. Meeting-engagement and ambushed fleets cannot use signals.

In the pre-battle phase, each player writes down which signals will be used during the battle and to which wing(s) they are directed.