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    Operation: World War Two Page 1 of 185

    OPERATION:

    WORLD WAR TWO

    By Massimo Torriani

    Version 1. 303 - 30/04/07

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    I would like to thank Valentino Del Castello, Andrew Carless, Umberto Bonomi,

    Il Presidente, Giacomo Gixx Peroni, and Dennis Peroni.

    We would also like to thank the playtesters from all over the world and on the forum

    www.forumfree.net/?c=112651 for their excellent and constant support.

    Copyright 2007

    All rights reserved.

    No part of this document may be reproduced by any means, be it mechanical or electronic, without prior

    written permission from the author. You may download and print the document for personal use.

    For updates: www.alzozero.com (English) or www.alzozero.it(Italian)

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    INTRODUCTION

    OPERATION: World War Two is a wargame for two players set during the Second World War that allows you to

    simulate skirmish level battles using model infantry and tanks. Dice introduce that element of luck which in real-life

    is the difference between success and a terrible failure. But luck is not enough to win; every bit of information in the

    tables is the result of careful study and is as realistic as any game will allow. Remember that some terms will be

    clarified later on in the rules, so we advise you to start by reading the rules for infantry battles, play a few games,

    and then read the part that covers vehicles. More expert players are advised to read the whole rulebook at least once

    before playing.

    Game PhilosophyUnlike other wargames, the game-mechanics ofOperation: World War Two are based on the use of Order Cards

    rather than the players choices. In real-life, the perfect soldier that always obeys all of his orders to the letter does

    not exist... If you read battle accounts you will discover that even the best trained troops hesitate when facing the

    enemy and sometimes they refuse to obey orders. For the same reason a good number of shots fired never had a

    clear target, but mostly they were fired at a presumed presence - noise and nervousness had a big impact on the

    number of shots fired In an attempt to recreate this aspect of war we invented the Order Card system. You will

    only be able to move, fire or assault if you have the right Order Card. The use of Order Cards also gives the game

    some other advantages. In many games the turns alternate from one player to the other in the so-called IGOUGO

    (I go, You go) system, when first Player A moves then Player B and so on. This method seriously limits the action

    and prevents us from recreating that imponderable factor called chance. Will my squad get across that stretch of

    road before the enemy machine gun interrupts their movement and cuts them down? In a classic game the result is

    fairly predictable. With the Order Card system there is no way of knowing for sure until you try to cross that road.Each order also has a value called its Priority that defines the speed with which that order is applied. The lower

    the order number, the faster it is implemented. When assigning orders you must also take this variable into account

    as the enemy has the possibility ofINTERRUPTING orANTICIPATING the action by playing an Order Card with a

    lower priority. Obviously the deck does not only contain Priority 1 cards (the fastest) and so you will have to

    manage your army with the cards that you have available and construct a winning strategy.

    The last difference between this game and the more classic ones is the concept ofAwareness. Too often it is

    assumed that what the player can see is what the models can see. This is obviously unrealistic. For example you

    know, as a player, that there are no enemy soldiers behind that wall but in real-life your men may not be aware of all

    the enemys movements. In order to avoid the use of too many markers that would represent the units that have beenspotted, we have developed a system based on the type of unit and the last action that they performed. It is easy to

    see a tank that is advancing and firing, but not as easy to see an infantry unit that is moving slowly through a house.

    A simple table has solved the problem.

    While playing your first few games you may be surprised by the fact that every turn you MUST play an order for

    every unit. Sometimes this will force a hidden unit to fire, (thus giving away their position in terms of awareness),even without a target. Maybe they are nervous, maybe a trigger-finger slipped As you will have guessed, this may

    be frustrating but it creates realistic situations. Try to put yourself in their shoes... are you certain that there are no

    enemy troops in those woods, in that house, behind that wall? Are they your friends? There is no doubt that the rule

    shoot first, ask questions later was fairly common. From game to game you will find out how to minimise these

    situations and with time you will manage to build an army that satisfies your strategic requirements.

    Remember that this simple game is a simulation of war, and so nothing is left to chance. Even with the worst luck

    in the world the best player will always win.

    Compatibility with Operation OverlordThese rules are the result of four years of comments and suggestions received from players all over the world; in

    these pages we have collected the basic rules as well as those contained in Paratrooper Attack, Upgrade Vehicle and

    Berlin 1945, which have all been thoroughly revised and corrected. Even seasoned players of the original gameshould read through these rules at least once to discover all the new additions. Considering that the mechanisms are

    very similar, the scenarios that have already been published are perfectly compatible with this edition but you should

    use the values and characteristics indicated in this new version when using the new tables.

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    GAME COMPONENTS

    Apart from this rulebook you will need some other game components to play Operation: World War Two. They are

    described below.

    Dice: The only dice used is a ten-sided dice where the 0 is considered a 10. During play you will often be

    required to roll a dice to see what happens. Mostly the result that you have to roll must be equal to, or greater than,

    the number shown.

    If the Training number is 3+ you have to roll at least 3 (or more) to avoid your unit panicking; a

    roll of 1 or 2 will be a failure.

    Sometimes you will apply some modifiers to the result and in this case you should add or subtract them to obtain the

    final result.

    This ten-sided dice will also be used to define the deviation of indirect fire that misses the target; the new point of

    impact will be decided by the direction that the dice is pointing in and the number rolled.

    Tape measure: All measurements in the game are made in centimetres. Movement, weapons range and burst areas

    are all measured with a simple tape measure. Remember that you are allowed to measure before performing any

    action and before making any declaration whatsoever. Checking whether youre within close range, within the

    awareness distance of the enemy, whether your unit is in cohesion and much more will always require a quick

    measurement

    Order Card Deck: This game includes two identical decks of 40 cards each: one for the Axis player and one for the

    Allies. Each player will give orders to his units who will act faster or slower depending on the priority of the Order

    Card. These cards are divided into 5 types: FIRE, MOVEMENT, ASSAULT, AMBUSH and SUPPRESSION FIRE.

    Further on in the rules you will find a detailed explanation of each type of order.

    Tables: We have grouped all the tables together in a separate booklet to ease their consultation.

    Models: Plastic or metal miniatures of men and vehicles allow you to represent the army that you will move around

    the table and lead into action. Every man must be based on a 2cm diameter disc. The bases of the models cannotoverlap for any reason whatsoever during the game. No bases are required for the vehicles. You should ensure that

    each model is armed as shown in the Army Lists and is identified by a letter and number (e.g. A1). This will help

    you identify the units and ensure that they dont get mixed up when playing with large armies (Unit A, Unit B,

    Model 1, Model 2, etc. )

    Markers: During play you will use various markers to show the state of some units in special situations. These

    markers will be explained in full in the various paragraphs that follow.

    Templates: The game uses four types of circular templates with different diameters; 3, 5, 8 and 10cm.

    Flamethrowers require the use of a triangular template. Generally if the base of an infantry model or part of a

    vehicle is within the borders of the template then that model has been hit.

    Vehicle template: To help you identify the front, rear and sides of a vehicle we have also included a vehicle

    template that also shows 22 and 45 firing angles. Use this when you have any doubts.

    Wargames table: This is a wargame so you will play your games on a specially made table that simulates a

    battlefield. The number of scenery elements that you should use will depend on the type of scenario that you want torecreate. For a countryside setting just a few houses, some walls and a few woods will suffice, while you will need

    lots of buildings for urban combat. Generally the battlefield should be balanced and should not favour either of the

    two players. A good system is to allow one player to set up the table and then allow the other player to choose the

    side he will deploy his troops on. You can play on a table measuring 120cm x 120cm but we suggest bigger tables

    (at least 160cm x 120cm) for games using 4,000 point armies. There are various scenarios based on historical events

    to help you out and which can be downloaded from our web-site at www.alzozero.it .

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    DEFINITION OF UNITS AND MODELS

    When reading these rules and during the description of the various phases of the game you will often find the terms

    infantry and vehicle together with the terms model and unit.

    For game purposes infantry, artillery and stationary motorbikes are considered to be infantry.

    For game purposes a tank, an armoured car, a half-track, a truck, a car and a moving motorbike are

    considered to be vehicles.

    Model: This term identifies a single man, a tank, a vehicle, a gun.

    Unit: This term identifies the basic formation that can perform an order. Specifically it can consist of a single

    model, such as a tank, or more than one model in the case of infantry units. When an order is given the entire unit

    performs that same order even if it comprises more than one model.

    Going into detail, the models can be subdivided into the following categories:

    Infantry: Men in general, unloaded vehicle crew, gun crew, mortar crew, etc.

    Artillery: Guns in general from anti-tank to anti-aircraft guns, from howitzers to rocket-launchers (for

    awareness purposes artillery counts as infantry).

    Motorbike: Vehicles with 2 or 3 wheels, including special vehicles such as the German Kettenkrad and the

    Sidecar.

    Car: Four-wheeled vehicles that can carry up to 4 men.

    Truck: Vehicles that can carry infantry units, they can have 4, 6 or 8 wheels and sometimes even have

    tracks.

    Half-track: Vehicles with two front-wheels and rear tracks. These vehicles are classified as armouredvehicles. Some can transport infantry units.

    Armoured Car: Vehicles with 4, 6 or 8 wheels. These vehicles are classified as armoured vehicles.

    Tanks: Tracked vehicles. These vehicles are armoured vehicles and are sub-divided into light tanks,medium tanks and heavy tanks.

    Assault guns, motorised artillery, self-propelled guns and other classifications have been included in the categories

    above to simplify the tables, but their specific nature has been maintained with the use of the characteristics.

    CharacteristicsBoth models and units may have particular specifications that influence various aspects of the game (movement,

    fire, awareness, etc.) In the unit description you will see the characteristics section if your unit has any special

    abilities or penalties. Check the Characteristics Table to find out what they mean.

    Training

    The troops training, their value, their tenacity and their bravery are all summed up in one number: Training. Alltests (Panic, Driving, Assault, etc.) are made using this number. Given that to pass a test you need to get equal to or

    better than this number, this implies that the lower it is, the better the Training.

    A unit of American paratroopers, with Training 3, is better trained than a unit of American

    Riflemen with Training 4.

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    THE GAME TURN

    In order to rationalise the various actions that occur during the battle it is sub-divided into a series of turns which

    are, in turn, sub-divided into a series of phases. Normally a battle will last 6 turns during which the units follow the

    orders given to them. In every full game turn all units that are not panicking MUST be assigned an order.

    BASIC TURN SEQUENCE

    1) Order Card Re-fill2) Panic Recovery3) Initiative4) Order Sequence

    A) Order assignment and declaration of intents of the player that won the initiativeB) ReactionsC) Counter-reactionsD) Execution of Orders according to their Priority

    The other player then repeats the sequence

    and so on until all the units have received and executed an order. When both players units have

    performed an action then the turn is over and a new one can begin.

    5) Turn ends

    Draw Order CardsAt the start of the first turn the player must draw 5 cards + 1 card for every friendly unit in the game . This means

    that if the army consists of 10 units then the player will draw 15 cards (5+10). These cards represent the differentorders that can be given that turn. To simulate the varying efficiency of the chain of command the following variants

    apply:

    German Army: Draws 7 cards (instead of 5) + 1 for each friendly unit.

    American Army: Draws 5 cards + 1 for each friendly unit. Every turn after drawing his cards the player can replace

    one card by discarding one and drawing a new one.

    Russian Army: Draws 5 cards + 1 for each friendly unit.

    British Army: Draws 5 cards + 1 for each friendly unit. Once per game, after the re-fill, you can replace up to 3

    cards, discarding the unwanted ones and taking 3 new ones.

    Order Card Re-fill

    At the start of each new turn the player must have 5 cards for his basic hand (7 for the Germans) + 1 card for each ofthe un-panicked units he has on the table; draw a number of cards depending on the number of units you have. At

    the end of each turn the cards that have been played or discarded are shuffled back into the deck. Un-played cards

    that are left in your hand are carried forward to the next turn and count towards the new hand.

    Mario has a German Army and at the start of the second turn he has 5 cards left in his hand.During the re-fill phase he will draw 2 cards to complete his basic hand (7-5=2) + 1 card for each of

    the un-panickedunits he has on the table.

    Panic Recovery phaseFrom the second turn onwards you may have to recover panicked units. In this phase all panicked units that are in

    the open must move as fast as possible towards the closest cover without moving closer to the enemy. When they

    reach cover they throw themselves to the ground and arePinned!Panicked units that are alreadyPinned! and in cover can try to recover by taking aMorale Test. If they pass the test

    then they are no longer in panic; stand all the models up. They may not do anything else this turn, so place a Unit

    has Movedmarker next to the unit (whatever the distance they have covered) making sure its the right colour (white

    for even turns, black for odd turns). If they were already in cover the turn before, place a Unit was Stationary marker

    next to them (white for even turns, black for odd turns). These markers help when defining awareness of the unit(see the rules below).

    If the unit is reduced to only one man after losses, even if he is not Panicked, he must perform a Morale Test every

    turn. If the model passes the test then he can carry on fighting, but if he fails the test remove the model.

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    Initiative

    The player that wins the initiative for the turn will play the first Order Card. To decide the initiative both players

    choose a card and place it face-down on the table. They turn them over at the same time and compare the priority

    numbers. Whoever has played the lowest priority number has won the initiative; the Order type has no relevance

    here. The cards used to bid for the initiative are discarded and cannot be used to give orders this turn. If the priority

    numbers are the same then it is a draw, and both players must play another card. If it is still a draw after the fifth

    card then both players draw a card from the deck and compare numbers until a winner is found.

    Order Sequence

    The player that won the initiative chooses a unit and gives them an Order. Show the card to the other player anddeclare the intentions of the unit and thepriority shown on the Order card.

    The opponent may react by giving one of his units an order with a lower priority, by declaring theirintentions and

    thepriority oftheircard.

    At this point the first player can counter-reactby assigning another order to another unit, as long as that order has a

    lower priority than the last card played by his opponent, again declaring his intentions and the priority. This

    sequence continues until one of the players selects a Priority1 order or passes. In both cases now proceed to the

    Order Execution phase, starting with the lowestpriority up to the highest.

    Mario won the initiative and gives a Fire5 order (Fire Order, Priority 5) to a Grenadier unit that

    fires at an American unit which is standing in the middle of the road. Massimo reacts by playing an

    Assault3 card on the threatened unit and declares that they will Assault the Grenadiers that want to

    fire at them. Mario counter-reacts and plays a Fire1 card on the machine gun squad on the other side

    of the road to block the assault. Given that Massimo cant counter-react (there arent any cards less

    than 1) the players proceed to the Order Execution phase. First of all Mario fires with the machinegun. If the Americans survive both the enemy fire and any eventual Morale Testthen Massimo can

    complete the assault and Mario, with any survivors, will be allowed to fire at the American squad

    with his Grenadiers.

    Once the orders have all been completed the units will be given the right marker, of the right colour, to indicate that

    they have performed an action that turn. Once this phase has been completed the player without the initiative

    (Massimo, in this example - no matter whether he reacted or counter-reacted) chooses a unit and gives them an

    order, declaring their intentions. Obviously it will be possible to react and counter-react just like the first example.

    When ALL units have performed an action and all units have a marker the colour of the current turn, the turn is over

    and the players start again from the card re-fill phase.

    Remember that once you have assigned an Order card and declared the intentions of a unit you cannot change your

    mind for any reason whatsoever.

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    ORDERS

    The Order Cards are the heart of this game system. When you give an order to a unit you must declare your

    intentions to the other player, i.e. explain precisely what actions you intend to perform. This declaration will allow

    your opponent to react, playing a card with a lower priority. In this case, too, the player must declare theirintentions

    to allow a counter-reaction which, in turn, may provoke a further counter-reaction. This sequence is only interrupted

    when one of the players plays a Priority1 card (a card with a Priority of 1) or if he passes.

    DECLARATION OF INTENTS

    Depending on the order given, the declaration may include different elements;

    Movement: You must declare the direction, type of movement (slow or fast), destination and any eventual exposed

    models.

    Assault: You must declare the direction, type of movement (slow or fast), destination and any eventual exposed

    models. You must also declare your target, as well as any eventual close combat or ramming. Fast movement cannot

    exceed the distance shown in the Assault column of the movement table because normally during the Second World

    War weapons were used when stationary; you can assault while moving slowly.

    Fire: Declare the target unit and any eventual exposed models. If you intend to interrupt an enemy unit whilst it is

    moving then you must indicate the exact point when you will open fire.

    Ambush: Declare any eventual exposed models and, if you use the card to fire, the target unit. If you intend to

    interrupt an enemy unit whilst it is moving you must indicate the exact point when you will open fire.

    If you use the card to remainstationary without firingthen you must only declare the unit that receives the order.

    Suppression Fire: You must declare the target and any eventual exposed models.

    ORDER EXECUTION

    You must now proceed to the Order Execution phase which must follow the increasing numerical priority order and

    which must respect the intentions declared beforehand. If there arePinned! models in a unit then they can only stand

    up; the other members of the unit can act according to orders. Once the order has been performed, place a marker(the colour of the current turn) next to the unit that has acted: white for even turns, black for odd turns. This way it

    will always be possible to identify the units that still have to receive an order that turn. Remember that awarenesswill depend on the last action performed.

    Movement: Units that have received this order will move, slow or fast, to the destination that was declared and that

    must be within the maximum distance allowed for that unit. Forawareness purposes, infantry units that moveslowly

    are consideredstationary. Vehicles with this order are always considered in movementfor awareness purposes, even

    if they dont actually move. The engine noise has given their position away.

    Assault: Units that have received this order will move, slow or fast, up to the destination that was declared and that

    must be within the maximum distance allowed for that unit during an assault. If you have declared that you will fire

    at an enemy unit you can fire before oraftermoving as long as when you fire the target unit is in line of sightand

    you are aware of them. Apply a penalty of -1 to hit. If the target has moved thanks to a lower priority, you can

    ignore your original destination and try to follow them moving towards the enemy unit up to the maximum distance

    allowed during an assault.

    For awareness purposes you should consider this order as a combination of a Movement Order and a FireOrder. If you fire after moving then the unit is considered moving until it fires. Remember that the unit will fireeven without a valid target; you can postpone fire but you cannot avoid firing. Imagine that a man has fired a shot

    accidentally, or that your men, who havent got your view of the battlefield, have fired at a point on the battlefield

    where they think the enemy is to be found.

    If the order is played to react or counter-react YOU MAY NOT delay your fire to obtain better conditions by

    interrupting enemy movement.

    Fire: A unit that receives this order may fire at a target of which they are both aware and in line of sight. If played

    to reactorcounter-reactyou can delay fire and interrupt enemy movement waiting for the best conditions. Declare

    the point at which you will fire. You are allowed to reactorcounter-reactby firing at a unit of which you were not

    aware or which was not in line of sight as long as both conditions are satisfied when you fire. For awareness

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    purposes the unit has fired even if it does not actually fire at a unit. Imagine that a man has fired a shot accidentally

    or that your men, who havent got your view of the battlefield, have fired at a point on the battlefield where they

    think the enemy is to be found.

    Ambush: A unit that receives this order may fire at a target of which is aware and which is in line of sight. If the

    target is within the Close range of the weapon used then you have a +1 to hit. If this card is used to reactorcounter-

    react you may delay fire and interrupt the enemys movement to obtain the best conditions possible. Declare the

    point at which you will fire. You are allowed to reactorcounter-reactby firing at a unit of which you were not

    aware or which was not in line of sight as long as both conditions are satisfied when you fire. For awareness

    purposes units that receive this order are only considered to have firedif they actually fire at an enemy unit. If youdecide not to fire then the unit is considered stationary (including vehicles)

    Suppression Fire: A unit that receives this order can fire at a unit that is in line of sight even if they are not aware

    of the target; for this reason you always have a -3 penalty on the Damage Table for any successful hits. For

    awareness purposes the unit has fired even if it does not actually fire at a unit. Imagine that a man has fired a shot

    accidentally or that your men, who havent got your view of the battlefield, have fired at a point on the battlefield

    where they think the enemy is to be found. If the order is played to reactorcounter-reactYOU MAY NOT delay

    your fire to obtain better conditions by interrupting enemy movement.

    TO ANTICIPATE OR TO INTERRUPT?

    In order to avoid any confusion we want to explain the difference between these two terms. You can Anticipate with

    any order, but you can only Interrupt with Fire and Ambush orders.

    In game terms, the player that anticipates wants to play their action before the opponent, while he who interrupts

    allows the opponent to perform part of his move before intervening.

    Mario won the initiative and plays an Assault 3. In the declaration of intents he states that the

    squad will jump over the wall that they were hiding behind and assault a Grenadier unit inside the

    house.

    Massimo is lucky and has two cards with a lowerpriority. He looks at his choices:a) He could play an Assault 2, anticipating Mario. In this case he would hit with an 8 (a basic 7

    and a penalty of 1 for the Assault) and would kill with a 7+ due to the medium cover given by

    the wall.

    b) Or he could play an Ambush 2, interrupting the move. In this case logic suggests that he opensfire only once the unit has come over the wall. Being at Close range when firing, he would hit

    with a 6 (a basic 7, with a bonus of +1 for the Ambush) and would kill with a 3+, given that the

    models are out in the open without any cover.

    Obviously Massimo chooses the second option.

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    INFANTRY

    MOVEMENT

    Classification: Fast or slow

    Units move across the battlefield when given Movement orAssault Orders. In both cases consult the Movement

    Tableto find the maximum distance allowed for that type of unit. There are two possible speeds: fast or slow. In the

    case of an Assault you can still choose the sort of movement that the unit will perform but part of the movement will

    be sacrificed when firing. A man with a Movement Order can move fast up to 20cm but in Assault he only moves

    15cm. Note that 15cm is greater than the 10cm which would classify the movement as slow. The movement type is

    an attempt to recreate the situation on the battlefield: if a unit is moving slowly we assume that they are being

    careful, attentive to noise and ready to use all the cover available; a unit going fast is trying to cover the maximum

    distance possible in the least amount of time possible, and so is less careful about their surroundings.

    Cohesion

    Units from the same unit must stay in cohesion amongst themselves during play. Cohesion means that the maximum

    distance between two models must be 10cm. You can create a sort of chain or a compact group but you must always

    respect the limit of 10cm from base to base.

    If the distance becomes greater after losses then the unit must regroup and re-establish cohesion as soon as they

    receive aMovementorAssault Order. Units that are not in cohesion will have a penalty in theirMorale Test.

    As we have already specified, the declarations must always indicate the destination; if the unit comprises more thanone model then move the men one by one ensuring that, at the end of the turn, the unit is in cohesion and at least one

    model is standing at the declared destination.

    Terrain Table

    Some types of terrain may limit or prevent movement. The Terrain Table shows the limits or bonuses that should be

    applied.

    Key:

    -5/-10: The model must sacrifice 5/10cm to even partially move on this sort of terrain. In the case of hedgesor walls, a model next to the obstacle can move over it by sacrificing 5cm for low hedges and walls, and

    10cm for high ones; in these cases the model is placed on the other side of the obstacle after spending the

    extra cm required.

    +5: the model can move 5cm more than normally allowed as long as the entire movement is performed onthis type of terrain.

    Slow: Only slow movement is allowed on this type of terrain Impassable: The model cannot move over this type of terrain.

    BicyclesBicycles are anomalous infantry units and require some explanation. Like with vehicles, models spend 5cm

    movement to mount or dismount and this can only be done with slow movement. Even if models on bicycles move

    slowly they are not consideredstationary, due to the fact that they have to keep a high profile to pedal. Weapons

    that need an assistant can only be fired if the firer and the assistant do not move and are next to each other when they

    fire.

    Slow movement: 15 Fast: 25 Assault: 20

    If a model dismounts he must leave a bicycle model behind him; like transport vehicles, you can leave them

    somewhere and collect them later. If rider-less bicycles are in the burst area of an explosion then they areautomatically destroyed. If you do not have models of bicycles without riders then once dismounted the bicycles are

    lost. This rule helps prevent un-sportsmanlike players from using bicycles in an improper way. Bicycles use the

    Terrain Table as if they were motorbikes.

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    FIRE!

    Valid targets

    In order to fire at an enemy unit, you must give a Fire, Ambush, Suppression Fire orAssaultOrder but that isnt

    enough. You must also fulfil another two requirements: line of sight and awareness. Without one of these two

    elements you cannot fire. There are two exceptions to this rule; Indirect fire and Suppression Fire. Both will be

    looked at below. When you have line of sightand awareness then the enemy unit is defined a valid target. Artillery

    (guns, howitzers etc.) must aim at the target, or line up their barrel in the direction of the enemy model. If they cant

    aim at the enemy unit then they cant fire.Infantry units can fire at a valid target even if not all the of its models can fire. Normally you cannot split your fire

    onto several targets but if the firing unit has a heavy weapon (rocket-launcher, etc) then you can choose two

    different targets: one for the small arms and another for the heavy weapons. The target for the heavy weapon must

    be a vehicle.

    Line of sight between infantry models

    Considerline of sightas a straight line that joins the firing model to the target model. If your model can completely

    see the target then the line of sightis considered free; if the target can be seenpartially he is in cover. Models from

    the same unit do not block line of sight. When deciding the line of sight you must also take into account the

    properties of some scenery elements.

    Scenery

    Even the most detailed wargames table cannot reproduce every wall, piece of furniture or tree on the table; for thisreason, strange situations can arise where concepts like line of sightare too dependent on the models position. For

    this reason we have introduced some general rules.

    Low walls and hedges: Models at ground level can extend their line of sightup to a maximum of 10cmbeyond low walls and hedges. Models ignore low walls and hedges that they are next to.

    High walls and hedges: Models at ground level may not extend their line of sightbeyond high walls andhedges (over 2.5cm). Infantry models next to high walls can throw grenades over them if they are aware of

    enemy models within 5cm of the wall. With high hedges, infantry models next to the hedge can fire and

    throw grenades beyond the hedge if they are aware of enemy models within 5cm of the hedge.

    Woods: These elements limit the line of sightwithin their perimeter and are defined as areas of cover. Theline of sight extends up to a maximum of 5cm into this element. Models beyond this distance cannot be

    considered valid targets as they are out of the line of sight. Single trees or portions of woods that are

    smaller than 5cm wide are considered small woods; the line of sightdoes not go further than the normal

    5cm.

    Buildings and ruins: These elements limit the line of sightwithin their perimeter and are defined as areasof cover. The line of sightextends up to a maximum of 5cm from a window, gap or door on the side of the

    building that you are firing at. Models beyond this distance cannot be considered valid targets as they are

    out of the line of sight.

    Firing levels: Models in the upper floors of a house or on a hill can ignore low walls and hedges but notwoods, buildings and ruins that are in the line of sight. In houses measure the vertical distance to move

    from one floor to another. For high hedges and walls use the real line of sightand common sense. If the

    players disagree, roll a dice to decide.

    AwarenessA sniper in a bell-tower or a camouflaged gun are certainly more difficult to spot than a tank that is moving and

    firing and in the confusion of battle it is almost impossible to know the enemys real position if they remain

    stationary but if they fire or run towards you, they are much easier to see. In game terms, and to ensure that the

    model that wants to fire is aware of the presence of the enemy model, you must take two factors into account: what

    the enemy model did last time they received an order and if they are in cover. The first condition depends on the last

    order received, and the second depends on its position on the battlefield compared to the firing unit.

    To decide whether you are aware of an enemy model you must measure the distance between your model and the

    target. Looking at the Awareness Table where you will find the minimum distance, in cm, at which you can see a

    model depending on the type, the conditions and the cover.

    If the distance between the two models is less than or equal to the distance shown then you are aware of them. In a

    unit with more than one model, it suffices that one model is aware to extend that awareness to the entire unit.

    Type of target: Infantry, Vehicle Target conditions: Stationary, Moved, Fired Cover: In the open, In cover

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    Cover

    When the line of sight between the firing model and the target model is partial (part of the model is hidden), the

    target model is considered to be in cover. This is a simulation and even the most realistic scenery does not

    correspond to real-life; to speed the game up and to avoid representing every brick or tree on the battlefield we

    consider that woods, buildings or ruins provide cover to any model within their boundary. These elements are called

    areas of cover.

    A model beyond a wall or hedge is in cover if this is on the line of sight.

    There are three types of cover: Light, Medium and Heavy. If they are hit, models will take different degrees of

    damage according to the level of cover they are in.

    Fire Sequence

    Once you have ascertained that the firing unit is in line of sight and is aware of the enemy model follow these

    phases:

    Positioning Range Rate of Fire Fire Damage

    Lets look at these phases one at a time.

    Positioning: Infantry models normally have a firing arc of 360. During this phase the men can be rotatedon the spot so that they are pointing at the enemy model or unit. Models that do not have valid targets maynot fire. Artillery (guns, howitzers, etc) can turn a total of 45 (22.5 right and 22.5 left) to aim at the

    target.The gunner, behind the gun carriage, must have a clear line of sight. For mortar units it is enoughthat one member of the unit sees the target and is in cohesion.

    Range: In this phase you must verify which, and how many, weapons are within range, referring to thecorresponding Weapons Table. The table shows three range values in cm: Close range, Normal range and

    Extreme range.

    You cannot fire at a target beyond Extreme range (the third number).

    For infantry models the range is measured from base to base. Vehicles measure the distance from their

    weapon and it suffices to reach any part of the perimeter of a vehicle to fire at them.

    If the distance between the firing model and the target is less than or equal to the Close range and you are

    using anAmbush Order, then you get a +1 to your roll to hit. With an unit comprising more than one model

    it is enough that at least one be within Close range to get this bonus.

    A model armed with a Thompson gets the bonus if the enemy model is at 7cm or less.If the distance between the firing model and the target is less than or equal to the Normal range there are no

    modifiers (except in the case above or if they are within 5cm).

    If the distance between the firing model and the target is more than Normal range but within Extreme range

    you get a penalty of 2 to hit.

    A model armed with a Thompson M1 sub-machine gun can fire up to 28cm (Extreme range)

    but will only avoid the -2 penalty to hit if the target is within 14cm.

    Rate of Fire: In this phase you must check how many shots are fired at the target by checking the WeaponsTable. Cross-reference the weapon and the Rate to find the number of dice you will roll.

    The American Thompson M1 sub-machine gun has a rate of 3 and so it rolls 3 dice wesay it rolls 3d10. To speed the game up we suggest you roll all the dice for each sort of weapon

    at once.

    Fire: Once you have determined the number of dice that must be rolled you must check what value youneed to roll. Cross-reference the weapon used with the type of target to find the minimum roll needed.

    Remember to apply all the modifiers to theRoll to Hitthat apply to each single model (these can be found

    at the end of the book);models in the same unit may have different modifiers ( two models within 5cm of

    the target and the others further away). All rolls that are equal to or greater than the number needed are

    considered to be hits.

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    If an American solider armed with a Thompson M1 sub-machine gun fires at a German

    trooper he must roll a 7 or more to hit him.

    If, instead of a number, there is an NE (No Effect) then you cannot damage this target with this type of

    weapon.

    Damage: Roll 1d10 on the Damage Table for every hit. Here there are different modifiers that must beapplied (again, they can be found at the end of the book). The hits are applied by the player that owns the

    target unit, starting with the worst results. Only models in line of sight can suffer the effects of a hit. If

    the number of hits is more than the number of models that can be hit then the excess hits are lost.

    The American player has rolled 5 hits on a German unit of 3 men. He rolls for Damage andgets 3 KIA and 2Pinned! The German player removes the three models; the other results are

    lost.

    If a unit comprising several models that are already Pinned! is fired upon again, damage must first be

    assigned to standing models and only afterwards to the Pinned! ones. This may mean that you have to

    remove some support weapons such as machine guns, mortars, rocket-launchers etc; just assume that the

    weapon is jammed, has run out of ammunition or has even been damaged by a shot.

    If a unit of 12 Germans has 9 Pinned! men and 3 standing, and is hit and must remove 4

    dead, the first 3 to die will be the standing models.

    If a unit of 12 Germans with 6Pinned! and 6 standing is hit and takes 4 KIA and 4 Pinned!,he must choose the 4 KIA from the standing models andPin the other 2 (the 2 excessPinned!

    results are lost).

    If the firing unit also uses Burst Area Weapons, first resolve the burst area weapon damage and then

    resolve the Small Arms Fire.

    Mixed infantry models

    Sometimes during a battle the models from a players different units can get mixed up. If there are less than 5cm

    between the models from two different infantry units, consider them as a single target for direct fire purposes. The

    player that is fired at will split the damage amongst models in his units respecting line of sightand awareness.

    Friendly infantry models in the firing line

    If the line of sight between the firing model and the target passes closer than 5cm from one or more friendly

    models that are not in the firing unit, they may be hit. Check each hit separately with a Precision Test (without

    modifiers).

    Precision Test (1d10)

    If the dice roll is equal to or more than the units Training number then the model has hit an enemy model. If the dice roll is lower than the units Training number then the model has hit a friend.

    Models in the firing unit cannot be hit.

    Losses are removed, as normal, by the player that has suffered them.

    Troops partially in cover or in mixed cover: differentiated targets

    If the target unit has some of its models in cover, it is in a situation where it is subdivided by different types of coveror partially inside a position or a bunker, the firing player must decide how many shots will be aimed at each

    section, applying modifiers separately. Obviously, hits in one section cannot be assigned to the other.

    A German unit is partially in woods (light cover) and partially behind a wall (medium cover). The

    American player decides to fire at them with an infantry squad; in this case he can split his 22 dice

    amongst the two sections as he wishes, but must declare it before rolling the dice. He must also roll

    the dice separately when rolling for damage as the result may be different depending on the cover in

    each of the two sections; a man maybe Pinned! behind medium cover or die in light cover (with a

    roll of 6 on the Small Arms Damage table).

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    If the target unit was partially in a trench and partially outside, only the section in the trench will

    benefit from the -1 to be hit.

    You may not split the fire from the same weapon.

    The 7 dice from an Mg34 must all be aimed at the same section; this does not prevent other models

    from the same unit from firing at the other section.

    Line of sight through walls, doors, windows, gaps

    In order to trace a valid line of sightthrough the outer perimeter of a building there must be at least one window, gap

    or door between the firing unit and the target unit; in this case all models within 5cm of the opening can fire or be

    chosen as targets. You can only throw grenades through a door, a window or a gap.

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    THE WEAPONS TABLE

    The weapons tables are sub-divided into nationalities and provide statistics for all types of weapons. The weapons

    tables are also sub-divided into sections for Small Arms and Heavy Weapons. When you have to check for damage

    use the corresponding section of the Damage Table.

    A 75mm gun will roll on the Heavy Weapons section of the Damage Table. A rifle will roll on the Small Armssection of theDamage Table. Specific rules to be applied to certain weapons are mentioned on the table itself.

    The tables also specify if you are firing with direct or indirect fire. This classification defines the difference

    between a shot in a straight line and one with an arched trajectory. A direct shot means that the trajectory follows a

    straight line to the target. An indirect shot means the trajectory traces a curve that goes up into the air and then

    comes back down again. With the latter you can fire upon units that are not in line of sightas long as you receive a

    communication that tells you where to fire. We will look at this later. Cross reference the type of weapon with the

    type of target and you will see a number. That is the number you must roll (after applying any applicable modifiers)

    to hit the target.

    The range is in centimetres (cm) and shows three numbers: Close Normal Extreme. If the distance is equal to

    or less than the Close range and you are using an Ambush Order then you get a +1 to hit. If the target is beyond

    Normal range but within Extreme range then you can fire but you have a penalty of -2 to hit. You cannot fire at an

    enemy that is farther than the Extreme range (the third number). Grenades do not have a Close range as they cant bethrown less than 4cm. For shaped-charge weapons we have only shown normal range, as they do not apply the

    bonus for Close range nor the penalty for Extreme range.

    The rate indicates the number of dice that you roll to hit. Sometimes instead of a number there will be an A with a

    number in brackets or an L. In this case it is a Burst weapon. This will be looked at later on.

    THE DAMAGE TABLE

    This table shows the damage to be applied after any successful hits. Given that this section of the rules only treats

    infantry units lets look at the results you can obtain. The player that takes the damage can choose how to apply thedamage, starting with the highest values. Excess hits are lost.

    KIA: One model is removed from play. Pinned! : A model is laid on his side. He has thrown himself to the ground to avoid being hit. The next

    time his unit is given an order, all he can do is stand up; he may do nothing else.

    Pinned! if LMH/KIA: If the model is in light, medium or heavy cover then he is Pinned!, otherwise he isKIA.

    Pinned! if MH/KIA: If the model is in medium or heavy cover then he isPinned!, otherwise he isKIA. Pinned! if H/KIA: If the model is in heavy cover then he isPinned!, otherwise he isKIA. NE: No effect. The shot bounces off a helmet, makes a hole in a uniform, whistles by, just a few

    millimetres from your model.

    Main weapon: The artillery has been destroyed.

    Modifiers

    Every roll may be subject to penalties or bonuses. Check the relevant section (at the back of the book) to see which

    will apply. After rolling the dice, add or subtract the modifiers to the result; if there is more than one modifier then

    apply one after the other to get the final result.

    An infantryman receives an Assault Order and moves to within 5cm of the enemy before firing.

    The modifiers to the roll to hit are: -1 for the Assault Order and +3 because he is 5cm from the

    enemy, for a total of +2 to the roll.

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    Suppression Fire

    One of the fundamental aspects of this game system is tied to the fact that in order to fire you must be in line of sight

    and aware. Historically however, sometimes large amounts of fire were aimed at an area to prevent any possible

    reaction, despite the fact that there was no certainty of the enemy actually being there at all. With the Suppression

    Fire Orderyou can fire at enemy units in line of sight but of which you are not aware. Considering that the fire is

    very vague and is used to saturate a general area, apply a 1 to hit (since the firers are not aware of the target) and a

    -3 on theDamage Table.

    WEAPONS WITH ASSISTANTS

    Some infantry support weapons require one or more assistants to use them properly.

    Light machine guns: Can only fire when moving if another model in the squad is in base contact with themachine-gunner when they fire. If there is no one in contact with the machine-gunner then the weapon rate

    is halved (rounded up) and the weapon can only fire if the model doesnt move. With a tripod it has a firing

    arc of 180 (90 right, 90 left), and it cannot move and fire in the same turn.

    Medium and Heavy machine guns: Can only fire if another model in the squad is in base contact with themachine-gunner. If there is no one in contact with the machine-gunner then the weapon rate is halved

    (rounded up). This weapon has a firing arc of 180 (90 right, 90 left), and it cannot move and fire in the

    same turn.

    Infantry rocket-launcher: Can only fire when moving if another model in the squad is in base contact withthe model armed with the rocket-launcher when they fire. If no one is in contact with the model armed with

    the rocket-launcher, it fires in alternate turns and only if the model does not move.

    Light mortars: Can only fire if another model in the squad is in base contact with the man armed with themortar. If no one is in contact with the model armed with the mortar then the weapon can only fire inalternate turns. This type of weapon cannot move and fire in the same turn. Mortars cannot fire from within

    an undamaged building.

    Medium and Heavy mortars: Can only fire if another two models in the squad are in base contact with theman armed with the mortar. If only one model is in contact with the model armed with the mortar then the

    weapon can only fire on alternate turns. If no one is in contact with the model armed with the mortar theweapon can only fire every three turns. This type of weapon cannot move and fire on the same turn. This

    weapon has a firing arc of 180 (90 right, 90 left) and cannot move and fire in the same turn. Mortars

    cannot fire from within an undamaged building.

    Artillery (guns, howitzers, multiple rocket-launchers): Can only fire if another two models in the squadare in base contact with the gunner. If only one model is in base contact with the gunner then the weapon

    can only fire on alternate turns. If no one is in contact with the gunner then the weapon fires every three

    turns. This weapon has a firing arc of 45 (22.5 right, 22.5 left), and it cannot move and fire on the same

    turn.

    During Order Execution, the assistants cannot do anything elseif they are helping with the weapon.Pinned! models

    cannot act as assistants since all they are allowed to do is to stand up.

    If the weapon must fire in alternate turns, every three turns or has the slow re-loadcharacteristic, place one or more

    reloadingmarkers next to the model to remind you when the weapon will be ready to fire again. At the end of every

    turn that the weapon does not fire and the model stays stationary, remove a marker.

    German Mg34 and Mg42 machine guns

    The moderate weight and innovative characteristics of these machine guns allowed their use as either light or

    medium machine guns. If bought without a tripod they are considered light, and if bought with a tripod then they aremedium. If no choice is given, like in machine gun platoons, they are always medium. This abstraction allows their

    use in a way that approaches reality in as much as their use as section support weapons had an impact on the amount

    of ammunition carried, the roles and the command structure. If mounted on a vehicle, despite the fact that they get

    the +3, they are never considered medium.

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    ArtilleryIf you fire at a piece of artillery then the target will be the gun, the multiple rocket-launcher or the howitzer. In this

    case, if you hit, apply the effects by rolling on the artillery column. When using direct fire against an artillery unit,

    you must take the protection allowed by a possible shield into account.

    If the gun does not have ashield, then consider all the assistants to be in light cover. If the gun has theshieldcharacteristic, then roll 1d10 for each hit on the assistants:

    1-4: the shot has been deflected by the shield, No Effect;

    5-10: consult the Infantry column of the Damage Table, considering medium cover but only if the shot

    comes from the front of the gun, otherwise consider light cover.

    If artillery assistants are behind a wall or in an area that gives better cover, then apply the better cover. The shield

    will in any case continue to deflect fire.

    A gun with ashieldis in a bunker; apply heavy cover. If an assistant is hit roll 1d10 to see if

    the shots are deflected.

    If the crew is not in cohesion with their gun because they have voluntarily abandoned it, or after a failed Morale test,

    models roll for damage on the infantry column, without considering the cover given by an eventual shield.This rule

    also applies to the crew of destroyed guns. If the man that is armed with the artillery piece dies, another assistant can

    become the gunner. Unlike support weapons (machine guns, mortars etc), the artillery piece is only destroyed if the

    Main weapon result turns up on the Damage Table.

    BURST WEAPONS

    You may find a letter A with a number in brackets in the Rate column of the Weapons Tables; this means that it

    is a burst weapon. The Rate is 1 (i.e. you roll 1d10) but the effects are applied to all models (both enemy and

    friendly) whose base is even partially within the template that is placed over the point of impact. There are 4 types

    of template; A3 (radius 3cm); A5 (radius 5cm); A8 (radius 8cm) and A10 (radius 10cm). Unlike the standard

    procedure, when using a burst weapon you must declare the exact point of impactwhich is the point that you are

    aiming at. The point of impact must be a specific model. If it is a unit consisting of more than one model you must

    still choose one model who is within range and in line of sight. Each template shows the centre of the explosion that

    must be placed over thepoint of impact. Burst weapons apply all modifiers. When damage is caused, hits are applied

    by the player that suffers them and starting with the worst results, but are only shared amongst the models whose

    base is under the burst template (even partially).

    Artillery and burst weapons

    If you fire at a piece of artillery then the target will be the gun, the multiple rocket-launcher or the howitzer. If you

    hit then the centre of the burst area will be placed on the artillery piece itself: apply the effects by rolling on the

    Artillery column.

    If, after the deviation of indirect fire, the gun is only within the burst area, do not use the Artillery column.

    Obviously in both cases the gun-crew within the burst area may be hit normally using the damage shown on the

    infantry column in both cases. Consider the cover given by the shieldonly if the point of impact is in front of the

    gun, so the shield is between it and the assistants.

    Burst Weapons in buildings:Direct fireAs already specified, line of sight penetrates up to 5cm inside buildings to simulate furniture, indoor walls and other

    furnishings that are not represented in the game. When firing a gun at a unit inside a building it is hard to aim

    through a window, but rather the building is aimed at. The explosion and debris from a successful hit occupy whole

    areas of the building, and sometimes even hit models that are not in sight. For this reason burst weapons apply their

    template starting from the outside wall closest to the target model. A 150mm shell, for example, will extend the

    explosion 10cm inside the building from the outside wall.

    Hand grenades are a different matter. This is the only case that the burst area inside a building is measured from the

    target model. Grenades can only be thrown through doors, windows and gaps.

    Light and Heavy Flamethrowers use their own template but can only fire through doors, windows and gaps.

    Burst Weapons in woods:Direct fire

    Line of sight extends 5cm into woods to simulate trunks and vegetation that are not shown in the game. When a shothits a model in the woods the trees explode producing hundreds of lethal splinters; this is why burst weapons use

    their template from the target model. A 150mm shell, for example, will apply its 10cm burst area inside the woods

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    starting from the target model; much more than the 5cm of visibility. Light and Heavy Flamethrowers use their

    template.

    Deviation ofDirect Fire with Burst Weapons

    When a burst weapon uses direct fire against a target and misses, do not calculate the deviation but treat the shot as

    NE. This prevents strange situations where the shot may deviate in improbable directions compared to the line of

    sight. When using this rule imagine that the shell flies over the unit or explodes nearby without causing any damage.

    The only exception are grenades thrown by hand and satchel charges.

    Hand grenadesIn the Weapons Table you will have noticed that grenades are classified as direct fire (with an *) and also indirect

    fire. In game terms considerdirectthrows as indirect fire: if you miss, they deviate.

    This rule simulates the fact that a hand grenade can be deviated back onto the model that threw it. Treat this as if the

    enemy had picked the grenade up and thrown it back, or as if it had slipped from the throwers hand in the midst of

    the battle.

    Interrupting movement to fire with a Burst Weapon

    If you interrupt the movement of an enemy unit to fire with a Fire orAmbush order, identify the point at which you

    will fire. If you use a grenade or another burst weapon to interrupt the movement and then hit, you will have hit

    1d10 models (remember to apply the modifiers below). If the number obtained is greater than the number of models

    in the unit then the excess is lost. If the burst weapon misses, consider the result as NE and do not apply deviation. Ifsome models arePinned!, place at least one model on the exact point where movement was interrupted and the other

    Pinned! men in cohesion with the first Pinned! man. Remember that this rule only applies if you interruptmovement. It would be difficult to define the exact position of each model at the time the explosion occurs so it is

    easier to trust to a dice roll to establish the number of models involved.

    Modifiers to the d10 roll

    If the burst weapon is an A(3), then subtract -5 from the roll (a minimum of 1 model is hit in any case).

    If the weapon is an A(5) then apply the result without modifiers.

    If the weapon is an A(8) then add +3 to the roll.

    If the weapon is an A(10) then add +5 to the roll.

    Light and Heavy FlamethrowersWhen using a light or heavy flamethrower, instead of placing the template over the target model place the

    flamethrower template with the point next to the firing model to show the area that has been affected. This way itwill be easy to see who is caught in the template and who is not. Unlike other burst weapons, roll 1d10 for every

    model touched by the template to see if they are hit; then check for damage on the models that have been hit by

    looking at the Small Arms Damage Table (for the light flamethrower) or the Heavy Weapons Damage Table (for the

    heavy flamethrower) and ignoring all cover.

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    Satchel chargesEngineer units often carried satchel charges to destroy buildings, bridges, anti-tank obstacles, barbed wire and even

    enemy vehicles. These weapons can be used immediately if used like a grenade; in this case the model just throws

    the charge, and you check the table to hit. If a model with satchel charges spends an entire turn stationary and next

    to an obstacle, an armoured door, a bridge or a section of barbed wire, he can prime a charge and places the relative

    marker. He can move away during the next turn. In the following turns (not necessarily the next one) the satchel can

    be detonated by the model as his only action. Roll 1d10 and consult the table below; the rest of the unit can act

    normally with any order. To destroy a bridge the procedure is the same but you will need at least 6 satchel charges

    before pressing the button (only 1 roll, with a +3 bonus). If it is destroyed then all soldiers on the bridge at thattime are killed and all vehicles are destroyed.

    Satchel charge Damage Table (1d10)

    1: NE. The satchel charge doesnt work.

    2-4: Remove the scenery element if it is barbed wire.

    5-6: Remove the scenery element if it is a steel anti-tank obstacle or barbed wire.

    7-8: Remove the scenery element if it is a steel or cement anti-tank obstacle, an armoured door, or

    barbed wire.

    9 -10: Remove the scenery element.

    Buildings:

    When a charge is detonated next to or inside a building roll 1d10 on the Building Demolition Table with a

    penalty of -2.

    Satchel charges: Cost +50 points each. Close range: n/a. Normal range: 5cm. Extreme range: 10cm. One use only. If

    you roll 1 or 2 while throwing the satchel charge it explodes and the throwing model is removed as KIA. Place the

    template on the model. You can move and throw a satchel charge. Template A(3).

    Multiple rocket-launchers

    Some weapons fire using their whole arsenal in one salvo. Russian Katyusha rocket-launchers and German

    Nebelwerfers are the best examples. The number of templates available persalvo is the number shown in brackets.

    If you decide to fire a salvo, declare the target. Roll 1d10 to see whether you have hit or if the shot deviates. Check

    for the deviation of the remaining templates starting from the actual impact point of the first shot. One use only.

    Compact Groups of artillery, multiple rocket launchers.

    When building your army you can attach artillery or multiple rocket launchers of the same type and from the same

    platoon/section, as long as this is declared at the start of the game. The models of artillery or multiple rocket

    launchers in the compact group must remain in cohesion with the others (10cm) and will perform the same action:

    they only get one Order Card, and they all fire at the same target etc. If the battery takes losses you can spread them

    amongst the units as you prefer, but if they are hit by a burst weapon then losses can only be applied to modelswithin the template. If the enemy gets a Catastrophe! result only one unit is destroyed. The Compact groups Panic

    Resistance is equal to the sum of the single RPs. Once the group has been formed the units cannot go back to acting

    singly.

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    Shaped charge Weapons (HEAT)

    In the Weapons Tables you will have noticed that there are four sorts of ammunition: High-explosive, armour-

    piercing, smoke and shaped charges. While a solid shell uses mass and velocity to penetrate a target, a shaped

    charge only needs to detonate on contact to develop the necessary heat reaction. In game terms, shaped charge

    weapons do not get a +1 to hit at Close range with an Ambush Order, but nor do they have the -2 when firing at

    Extreme range: for this reason in the Weapons Table we have only shown Normal range. Sandbags and Schurzen

    are very effective against these weapons. As well as the anti-tank function, these weapons can also be used againstinfantry hiding inside buildings, in ruins or behind walls, in so far as we consider that the shell explodes against the

    obstacle. You cannot fire at infantry units in other locations (in a wood, in the open, behind a hedge, etc.).

    If you hit, use the template for the weapon used. If you miss, consider the shot as NE.

    German WeaponsPanzerfaust: Does not require an assistant. Can move and fire. If it hits an infantry unit inside a

    building, a ruin or behind a wall, use an A(3) template. Characteristics: Shaped charge, slow re-load.

    In this case it isnt actually a re-load but rather the man that is preparing another Panzerfaust to fire.

    Panzerschreck: Can only fire when moving if another model in the squad is in base contact with the

    model armed with the rocket-launcher at the moment it fires. If no one is in contact with the model

    armed with the rocket-launcher, it fires in alternate turns and only if the model does not move. If it

    hits an infantry unit inside a building, a ruin or behind a wall, use an A(3) template. Characteristics:

    Shaped charge.

    American WeaponsBazooka: Can only fire when moving if another model in the squad is in base contact with the model

    armed with the rocket-launcher at the moment it fires. If no one is in contact with the model armed

    with the rocket-launcher, it fires in alternate turns and only if the model does not move. If it hits an

    infantry unit inside a building, a ruin or behind a wall, use an A(3) template. Characteristics: Shaped

    charge.

    Can use white phosphorous shells paying the extra cost: in this case the template is A(5). (Optionalrule).

    British Weapons

    Piat: Can only fire when moving if another model in the squad is in base contact with the model

    armed with the rocket-launcher at the moment it fires. If no one is in contact with the model armed

    with the rocket-launcher, it fires in alternate turns and only if the model does not move. If it hits an

    infantry unit inside a building, a ruin or behind a wall, use an A(3) template. Characteristics: Shaped

    charge, silent weapon, slow re-load.

    Can use 2 mortar shells which have an A(5) template and characteristics: Silent weapon, slow re-

    load.

    Russian WeaponsRPG-1 or Panzerfaust: Does not need an assistant. Can move and fire. If it hits an infantry unit

    inside a building, a ruin or behind a wall, use the A(3) template. Characteristics: Shaped charge,, slow

    re-load. In this specific case it isnt a true re-load, but the rule simulates the fact that the soldier must

    prepare a new RPG1 or Panzerfaust for firing.

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    Indirect fireSome models have the indirect fire characteristic. These weapons can fire with an arched trajectory (which describes

    an arc, going up, reaching the top of the arch and then returning to the ground); this type of fire can be very useful in

    some cases. The best example is firing from hidden positions (behind a wood, a house etc) without exposing

    yourself to enemy fire. Obviously if the firing unit does not have line of sight then someone will have to

    communicate the exact position of the enemy unit. The methods used to make a communication are shown below.

    Deviation of Indirect fire

    When an indirect fire shot misses the target, the shot will deviate. An indirect shot may fall somewhere in the area,

    independently of the line of sight. Roll a dice: the direction the dice is pointing in and the number rolled indicate the

    direction and the distance of the new point of impact. This distance will increase depending on the distance between

    the firing model and the target:

    Up to 30cm = result on the dice in cm (A 1 or 2 means a dud; treat as NE) Up to 60cm = result on the dice in cm x2 (A 1 or 2 means a dud; treat as NE) Up to 120cm = result on the dice in cm x3 (A 1 or 2 means a dud; treat as NE) More than 120cm = result on the dice in cm x4 (A 1 or 2 means a dud; treat as NE)

    If the firing unit is not in line of sightthen increase the modifier by +1 (e.g. 25cm = dice roll x2)

    Example of deviation

    The shot will deviate in the direction that the arrow is pointing in, and for 6cm multiplied by a factor

    that depends on the distance separating the firer from the target.

    If, when applying all modifiers, the required number to hit is 11 or more, then indirect fire cannot be performed; the

    chance of success is so remote that the shot is not even attempted. Under no circumstances.

    Indirect fire on a unit on the top floor of a building

    When using indirect fire the shot will arrive on an arched trajectory; if the building still has a roof over the target

    model, measure the explosion from the roof. If the building is damaged then measure from the floor where the target

    model is standing and not from the roof.

    Burst areas in woods: Indirect fire

    As for direct fire, when a shot hits a model in the woods measure the explosion from the target model.

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    Communications for indirect fire

    Only HQ units can send communications to units (infantry or vehicles) with guns, mortars or multiple rocketlaunchers. There are three types of communication: radio, voice, and runners. Lets look at them here:

    Radio: Some units have a radio operator. During the declaration of intents phase, no matter what

    order is used, the radio operator can try to communicate (about an enemy model of whom a model in

    their unit must be aware and in line of sight) with another radio operator. You must specify to which

    radio operator you are trying to send the enemy coordinates to. During the Order Execution, the radio

    operator will use his action to roll 1d10 to see if the communication has been successful: 1-5 notsuccessful; 6-10 communication successful.

    Voice: Infantry HQs can perform voice communications to units within 10cm. During the declaration

    of intents phase, no matter what order is used, the leader can state that he is performing a

    communication (an enemy model of whom the HQ must be aware and in line of sight) to a unit with

    an indirect fire weapon. You must specify to which unit you are trying to communicate the enemy

    coordinates to. During the Order Execution the Leader can use his action to roll 1d10 to see if the

    communication has been successful: 1-4 not successful; 5-10 communication successful.

    Runners: Units with runners and a Leader can communicate with a unit with an indirect fire weapon .

    During the declaration of intents phase, no matter what order the unit has received, the leader can

    declare that he will give the coordinates of a unit of which he is both aware and in line of sight,

    stating to which unit they are destined. During the Order Execution phase, as his sole action the

    leadergives those coordinates to a runner. Every turn, during the Order Execution phase, no matterthe order given to his unit, the runner will run towards the friendly unit that he has to take the

    coordinates to. The turn that he reaches his destination, during the Order Execution phase roll 1d10 to

    see if the communication has been successful: 1-4 not successful; 5-10 communication successful.

    Next turn, no matter the result, the runner runs back to his own unit. Once he reaches them he will

    follow standard rules until he has to deliver another set of coordinates.

    When a communication is successful, place an indirect fire coordinates marker on the specified target model.

    When a unit that receives a communication gets a Fire, Ambush or Assault Order they must fire at the coordinates

    received unless they decide to fire at another unit which is in line of sightand of which they are aware, or receives a

    communication to cease fire. A new successful communication cancels preceding coordinates. Different units can

    have different coordinates.If a target moves, the marker remains where it was; not having a specific target to fire at, the basic roll to hit the

    coordinates is a 7.

    When rolling to hit remember to use the penalty of -1 for not being in line of sight and/or aware when the order isgiven.

    The 1 rule

    After applying the various modifiers you may find that you cannot actually miss the target. Roll the dice anyway: if

    you roll a natural 1 (i.e. without modifiers) then you have missed (the shell does not explode or explodes without

    causing any damage)

    Snipers

    The snipers main task is to kill enemy officers and, in special circumstances, to slow an enemy advance by

    harassing action that tends to demoralise the enemy. There are two types of snipers: TheLone Sniperand theSniper

    team(observer-sniper).In the first case the sniper works on his own and always has the infiltrator characteristic in addition to the other

    standard ones. In the second case, while both men have a rifle, one acts as observer and the other as the sniper, so

    when the unit fires they only fire one shot (and not one per model). Since they are both trained as snipers, the roles

    are interchangeable.

    If the sniper has a semi-automatic rifle he can fire two shots;

    If he only fires one shot then everything is as normal and he fires using all of his characteristics; If he fires two shots, and both are aimed at the same model, he loses the accurate shotcharacteristic; if he

    fires two shots, each at a different model, he loses the accurate shotandsightcharacteristics.

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    With a team, both models can fire at the same time, but you automatically lose the sniper characteristics for

    awarenesspurposes.

    Snipers do not apply the rule about Solitary models.

    Infantry units attached in Compact GroupsSome units have the text Compact group in theircharacteristics. In this case, when choosing your army, you

    can attach several infantry units from the same platoon together. All models must stay in cohesion and they

    will act as the same unit: they will only receive one order card, they will fire at the same target etc. Models

    with heavy weapons can choose a different target (but only one, no matter how many heavy weapons thereare in the group). The groups Panic Resistance is equal to the sum of the single RPs. The units cannot

    separate once the group has been formed.

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    CLOSE COMBAT

    Close combatWith the term close combatwe mean hand-to-hand combat. A unit can only initiate close combat with an enemy

    unit by using theAssault Orderand bringing his models into base-to-base contact with the enemy. We also consider

    base-to-base contact for models separated by a low wall, a window or any other sort of negotiable obstacle. Close

    combat is a last-ditch attempt to overpower the enemy forces and always occurs after you have fired. If there are still

    models in contact after the firing phase then close combat will ensue.

    Close-Assaulting Infantry models

    During the declaration of intents phase the unit that has been given theAssaultOrder declares their target unit for

    close combat and if they intend to fire before or after moving. You are allowed to declare an Assault on a unit for

    which, before movement, you did not have line of sight and/or awareness but in this situation you obviously cannot

    fire before movement. During the Order Execution phase all models in the unit will move to contact an enemy

    model within the limits imposed by the Movement Table and any modifiers that apply from the Terrain Table. Each

    attacking model must be assigned a different enemy model within range. The excess attacking models can gang up

    on models within their movement range (and get a bonus) or they can engage in close combat with models from

    other units. Models must follow the shortest path during the charge and engage enemies starting with the closest

    man as far as the farthest one. Always remember that you must fire before or after moving so it can happen that,

    despite your well-laid plans, no models are actually in contact after you have moved, at which point the close

    combat does not occur. Models with the Trained with the bayonetcharacteristic are the only ones that can decideNOT to fire in order to be consideredstationary. A unit in close combat can receive any order, including movement,

    but if it fires then it must fire at the unit with which it is engaged.

    Close Combat Procedure

    All models in base contact with an enemy model roll 1d10 and apply the Close combat modifiers. The model that

    gets the higher result has hit the other and rolls 1d10 on the Small Arms Damage Table to check for damage. In

    close combat we do not consider any cover on theDamage Table. Close combat damage is applied to the model that

    took the hit. Losses in close combat may lead to both sides needing to perform a Morale Test

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    MORALE TEST

    Heroes or Cowards?Soldiers undergo incredible stress during battle. Seeing your companions cut down by a machine gun or blown apart

    by a mortar shell is certainly not an easy experience to go through and can make even the most hardened veteran

    flee. For this reason, when a unit suffers a number of losses that is equal to its Panic Resistance, it must undergo a

    Morale Test.

    TrainingThis term aims to describe the units tactical and military preparation and is used to check both their resistance to

    events (Morale test when friends die, bravery, etc.) as well as their knowledge of the equipment/vehicle they are

    using (Driving test, etc.). In game terms you must roll equal to or higher than this value to pass the test.

    Panic ResistanceEvery unit has a Panic Resistance value (RP) in their statistics. This number shows the number of losses (KIA) that

    the unit can take before performing a Morale Test. Normally infantry units have an RP of 3, which means they must

    test when every third man dies. The Morale Test must be repeated every time a multiple of the RP dies (e.g. a unit

    with RP:3 will test after the third, sixth, and ninth men die and so on). These losses dont necessarily have to be

    taken in the same turn, nor do they have to be caused by the same enemy unit. It can occur that a unit takes two

    losses in one turn and another the following turn; after the third loss they must test their Morale. If the losses are a

    multiple of the RP value then multiple tests are made.

    If a unit with RP:3 loses 6 men it will perform 2 Morale Tests.

    An American unit (RP:3) suffers 7 losses; it must perform 2 Morale Tests (3+3 KIA).

    Morale Test

    Every unit also has a Training value in their statistics. When a unit has lost a number of men equal to their Panic

    Resistance, you must roll 1d10 and, after applying all modifiers, obtain a value that is equal to or greater than their

    Training value.

    An American infantry unit (Training: 4+) must roll at least a 4 to pass the test.

    If the dice roll is less that the value required then the unit has failed the test and panics. If you have to take multiple

    tests, just one failure is enough to make the unit panic.

    An American unit (RP:3, Training: 4+) takes 7 losses and must perform 2 Morale Tests (3+3KIA); the player rolls 2d10 and gets a 5 and a 1. One test has been passed, but the other is a failure:

    the unitpanics. Place a Panic counter next to the unit.

    Panicked unitsUnits that fail their Morale Test and that panic cannot receive Order cards until they recover their morale. During the

    Panic Recoveryphase, all models that are not in cover must move as fast as possible towards the closest available

    cover without moving closer to the enemy (place an appropriately coloured Unit Moved marker next to the unit).

    When they get to some cover they throw themselves to the ground and arePinned!

    If part of the unit is in cover and part is in the open, move the other models under cover even if that movement

    moves them closer to the enemy. Units already in cover throw themselves to the ground,Pinned!, immediately.

    A unit with some of its models inside a building takes some losses and fails their Morale Test. Themodels outside the building will enter the house even if they move closer to the enemy.

    Panic Recovery

    During the Panic Recoveryphase all units that are all under cover andPinned! can perform a new Morale Test. If

    the roll of 1d10 (applying all modifiers) is equal to or greater than the Training value, then the unit recovers. Standall the models up and remove the Panic counter. If they fail the test they will remain in panic; next turn they can

    test again. The unit CANNOT receive any orders on the turn that they recover; the men are still too shocked to

    return to battle. To help remind you that the men cannot perform any other actions remember to place the right

    coloured marker next to them.

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    Management ofPinned! models and Panicked units

    Sometimes a unit withPinned! models will fail a Morale Test and panic. In this case the panic overrides the Pinned!

    condition

    An American Infantry unit is fired upon by a Grenadier Squad while crossing an open area. After

    having checked the number of hits and rolled on the Damage Table, the Americans suffer 3KIA and 2

    Pinned! Given that the RP of the American unit is 3 they must take a Morale Test. A roll of 1d10

    gives a 3: a fail (Training 4+). Panic takes precedence over the Pinned! result so stand the models

    up nextPanic Recovery Phase they will move towards the closest cover.

    Consider these Pinned! models as scared by enemy fire. Their only real aim is to try to avoid enemy fire by lying

    flat. Most likely their companions death will make them think they are not safe enough lying down and so they will

    run away with the others!

    Panicked models without an escape routeThe rules for panicked units require fast movement towards the closest cover without moving towards the enemy. In

    the chaos of battle, when some enemy units are deeply behind enemy lines, the second part of the rule may become

    impossible to apply. In this case the panicked unit will move towards the cover that does not imply their movement

    towards the enemy, even if it is not the closest. With this rule you may find a panicked unit changing direction more

    than once from turn to turn, zigzagging in terror across the battlefield.

    Solitary models

    A unit that has been reduced to one model must perform a Morale Testevery turn, before the Order Card Refill

    Phase. If he fails, he is removed from the battlefield and you do not receive the corresponding card. If you pass thetest then the unit receives an Order Card as normal.

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    VEHICLES

    General NotesThe unstoppable advance of a tank, half-tracks transporting motorised infantry, jeeps that speed across the

    battlefield all these things make our games even more exciting. When reading this chapter you will learn the basic

    mechanisms related to the use of vehicles. Just like Infantry, each unit gets one order per turn even though it may

    happen that when performing some orders, some crew members remain inactive.

    Tests: Driving, Steady Nerves, etc.During the movement or firing phases a unit may have to pass a Test. All tests use the Training number: roll 1d10

    and if the value rolled is equal to or greater than the Training number then the test has been passed. If you fail (and

    roll less) then apply the results shown in the various tables. No modifiers are applied to these Tests.

    Do NOT confuse these tests withMorale tests which are only taken when the unit has taken losses that are equal to

    or greater than its Panic Resistance (RP)).

    Crew and DutiesIn order to act at all, vehicles need a crew. Each vehicle in the Army Lists includes details that show the number of

    men in the crew and the duties that can be assigned to them. During the game the crew members can perform any

    duty and change that duty from turn to turn. Sometimes the application of this rule may lead to some stretched

    situations but for reasons of playability we preferred this solution rather than resorting to countless markers to

    highlight the single crew members and their duties.

    List of duties. Anti-aircraft: This duty allows the use of an anti-aircraft weapon on a support. The target does not

    necessarily have to be an airplane, it can also be a ground unit. Normally whoever uses this sort of weapon

    will be exposed.

    Gunner: This duty allows the use of the main weapon or the coaxial weapon mounted on support withwhich it is coupled.

    Commander: This duty allows you to expose a man to direct the vehicle, to move fast and to exploitawareness distances without any limitations. The radio operator, machine-gunner or driver can only pop

    their heads out if the commander is dead (and in that order).

    Radio operator: This duty allows the use of the radio for a communication. Driver: This duty allows the vehicle to be driven. Assistant (loader): This duty allows the use of the gun without any delays and the choice of high-

    explosive or armour-piercing shells. If the assistant is missing for any reason then the weapon can only fire

    in alternate turns. Use the re-loading weapon markers.

    Machine-gunner: This duty allows the use of the machine-gun on support. Normally this is a Seco