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1943
BATTALION LEVEL GROUND COMBAT FOR WWII

 
1 Introduction   [2 Movement]   3 Firing   4 Morale   5 Assault   6 Barrages

Command · Infantry/Cavalry Movement · Vehicle Movement · Transport · Defenses
 

« 2.1 Command Control
Each turn that a unit wishes to move, it must first pass a command test using one six-sided die (1D6). Only if it passes the test may the unit move. If it fails the roll, it must remain stationary at its current position. To test a unit, roll the die and modify the result using the command chart modifiers (see definitions below) located in the combat chart's Command box. Cross index the unit's training value with the appropriate Maneuver or Assault columns on the chart. The modified die roll value must be equivalent to or greater than the value shown. The Maneuver column is used if the unit attempts to move or change its disposition in any way, including standing from prone. Going prone requires no die roll. The Assault column is used for any unit which attempts to assault move or move into assault contact with an enemy unit. Units may use their extra assault movement even if they will not contact an enemy unit. They must however, still use the Assault side of the command chart. Players must declare whether a unit will attempt to maneuver or assault before making the command test die roll.

Contacting the enemy - Units which attempt to assault enemy troops must move all of their component bases forward in an attempt to establish base to base contact with enemy bases. Units may maintain their initial base interval while advancing to contact, or they may compress/expand their frontage as terrain allows. Assaulting units are never obliged to "pack" their formation into a close order unit in the process of moving to contact, although failure to do so may sometimes result in assault contact with more than one enemy unit.

    Command Chart Modifiers
  • Over the Top: Subtract one point from the command die roll if the unit is within small arms range of enemy troops and attempting to move into the open by exiting hard cover or emerging from prone.
  • Each Command (HQ) Hit: Subtract one point from the command die roll for each damage point presently on that unit's regimental command base.
  • Each Consecutive Assault Move: Subtract one point from the command die roll for each consecutive assault move or assault move attempt which that unit has previously conducted. Note that units do not need to contact an enemy in order to conduct an assault move.
  • Pinned or Withdrawn: Subtract two points from the command die roll if the unit withdrew during the previous turn and/or is currently pinned down.
  • Demoralized: Subtract four points from the command die roll if the unit is in a demoalized state.

« 2.2 Infantry and Cavalry Movement
Infantry and cavalry movement allowances are indicated on the Movement portion of the combat chart, and are subject to the modifiers shown. Each allowance indicates the total distance which each unit may move during the course of one turn. Infantry and cavalry bases may move forward, sideways or backwards as part of their normal movement rate. They may not move sideways or backwards into assault contact with enemy bases (e.g. - units may only initiate assault contact using the front edges of their component bases). Definitions of the infantry movement categories are as follows:

Prone - Troops are laying down and using local terrain to create extra cover. A unit may go prone or stand once during each of its own movement phases. A unit may not stand from prone, move and then go prone again. Prone units may assault move (and move into assault contact) while remaining prone. Prone engineers may clear minefields while remaining prone, but no prone units may dig field entrenchments (foxholes, hasty dig-in, etc.) while prone.
Manhandling - Any towed cannon or mortar being moved without the aid of motorized transport.
Walking - Normal movement rate for infantry. Troops are considered to be moving upright, at a brisk pace.
Rushing - Troops are considered to be alternating between prone, and bursts of running, usually in a "leapfrog" pattern with some troops supply covering fire. Units may not use rushing movement to establish assault contact with an enemy unit.
Heavy Weapon - Maximum movement rate for heavy weapon bases such as machine guns and light mortars.
Cyclist - Rate of movement for bicycle mounted troops. Note that cyclists are considered wheeled troops, and so their cross country performance is poor compared to their road performance, which is the mode for which they were designed.

Wagon/Limber - Even though they are horse powered, wagons and limbers count as wheeled transport, and are subject to wheeled transportation movement modifiers. Like cyclists, their best mode of travel is by road.

Cavalry Functions - Cavalry units may not use assault movement if they will enter woods, water obstacles, or buildings during the turn. They may mount/dismount their horses at a cost of 1/4 of their move on any turn in which they have not conducted assault movement. Dismounted status is indicated by adding separate dismounted troop bases to the game board adjacent to the horse bases. One base should be withdrawn to function as "horse holder." The original cavalry bases are then employed as markers to show the location of the horse herd while the cavalry troopers are dismounted. While herded together, dismounted cavalry's horse bases count as packed targets. Dismounted cavalry trooper bases operate in all respects as infantry.

If horse herd bases are lost while their cavalry unit is dismounted, the dismounted bases may continue to operate on foot, but may not remount unless a corresponding number of dismounted bases are lost. (I.E. - Remounting bases must match the number of horse herd bases). Cavalry units may not abandon dismounted bases which do not have remounts available, although such immobilized units may be reassigned to local formations in order to allow a higher cavalry formation to maintain its mobility.


« 2.3 Vehicle Movement
Vehicles must always face in their direction of movement (e.g. - they may not move sideways) and must move a minimum of 100 yards in order to be considered to have moved. Vehicles which move less than 100 yards are considered to be tactically stationary, and may be fired upon as if they were stationary. Any vehicle base which moves backwards more than 100 yards must turn around and face its direction of movement.

Dangerous Terrain - The Tracked column in the movement section of the combat chart indicates dangerous terrain types which may cause immobilization. This is indicated by an I and a die roll range shown on the line for the corresponding terrain type. A vehicle must roll two six-sided dice (2D6) for each turn that it moves within one or more of the listed dangerous terrain types. A result within the range shown causes immediate immobilization. Vehicles passing through more than one dangerous terrain type must roll for each one as it is encountered.


« 2.4 Transport and Towing
Transporting Infantry - Infantry stands may be carried inside vehicles so designated in the vehicle charts. Infantry bases pay half of their movement for the turn to mount/dismount a vehicle. The vehicle also pays half of its turn's movement for the unit to mount/dismount. Infantry stands share the fate of their transporting vehicle; if the vehicle is damaged/destroyed, all stands being carried by the vehicle are damaged/destroyed.

Example: A truck which can carry two infantry bases is damaged. Both infantry bases will also be damaged, resulting in one being lost as Killed upon dismounting.

Infantry as Riders - Each tank class vehicle listed as large target may transport one stand of infantry on its hull so long as the vehicle does not move into a building or water obstacle, or into woods not along a road. Russian T-34 tanks and related vehicles may also carry infantry in the same fashion. The cost for infantry to ride a vehicle is 100 yards of normal movement allowance to mount/dismount, and 200 yards of the vehicle's movement allowance for the turn.

As noted above, infantry share the fate of the vehicle on which they ride. If a tank carrying riders suffers immobilization as a result of combat, the riding infantry is attacked on the Area Weapons Chart and, if they survive, they immediately dismount next to the tank without cost to movement. Russian infantry may become riders in any game set in 1942 or later; all other nationalities may become riders in scenarios set in or later than 1943. Riders and passengers in half-tracks (only) may fire from the vehicle by using the moving modifier on the Small Arms Chart (exception: MG/mortar stands may never fire while being transported).

Towing weapons - Weapon sections which require towing (see Formation and Equipment) need jeeps, trucks, tractors or prime movers for their mobility. Those vehicles capable of towing weapons will have that fact noted in the transport vehicle lists along with the largest gun class which that vehicle is capable of moving.
The limbering and set up time for each gun class is shown below. Limbering and unlimbering costs the towing vehicle a certain portion of its movement. Once unlimbered, a transport vehicle may then depart (if under fire it will want to do so quickly) and leave the gunners to set up their pieces. Weapons may not fire on any turn in which they expend all of their time limbered or being set up. If half or three quarters of a turn is spent setting up, a weapon will suffer the Moved modifier. If less than a half turn is expending in unlimbering and set up, the weapon does not suffer the Moved fire modifier.


Weapon Size/Gun Class Limber - Unlimber Cost
(in turns of movement)
Set-up Time
(in turns of movement)
Small
1 through 4
¼ - none none
Medium
5 or 6
½ - ¼ ¾
Large
7 or larger
1 - ½ 1
For Example: A Russian 76mm anti-tank gun (gun class 5) is towed into position by its truck, which moved half of its available movement before stopping to unlimber. It takes one-quarter of a turn to unlimber, so the Russian gun crew may begin setup, which takes three-quarters of a turn. They will spend the last quarter of this turn setting up, and since they will complete their set up in the middle of the following turn, they will be able to fire, but with the appropriate Moved modifier. If the truck had remained stationary (i.e. - not moved at all), the Russian crew could have unlimbered and set up all in one turn, still preventing them from firing that turn, but allowing them to fire at full effect the following turn.

A towing vehicle may move at only three quarters of its original maximum movement rate and will have all terrain movement penalties doubled. No gun type may fire while limbered, the only exception to this being the German 88 flak gun which may fire while limbered (if stationary) with the Moved fire modifier.



« 2.5 Defenses
Digging-in - Infantry units and heavy weapon bases which do not require towing may expend their movement allowance to prepare their own fieldworks (defenses). Units preparing defenses count as having moved and take six turns to complete a hasty dig-in or 20 turns to complete foxholes. Individual engineer bases may dig-in infantry, heavy weapons sections and towed heavy equipment within the same aforementioned time frame.

The digging in of tanks and vehicles must be done using available Setup Sheet defenses at double normal usage. For example: A vehicle with a 100 yard frontage would consume 200 yards of trench-line in order to be considered entrenched.

Minefields- Minefields use the same markers as artillery barrages, except they are red instead of black, and they remain in position throughout the game. For each base which passes through any portion of each minefield during its movement, roll for loss or damage on the same Area Weapons Chart as artillery barrages without applying die roll modifiers. Each minefield marker has an effective radius of 120 yards. Artillery barrages and passage of troops do not "thin out" minefields, an effect which is outside the scope of this game. Players wishing for such events should include them in the scenario design.

Each engineer base may clear a path through a minefield by moving at the appropriate reduced speeds (rough for standing, double rough for prone engineer bases) and marking the cleared channel behind them using white game markers. Units may then move along these cleared "lanes" without checking for mine damage. The unit bases must remain centered on the cleared lanes in order to avoid mine hit rolls. The engineer bases conducting mine clearing may do so while prone or standing.

 
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