1.0 Introduction

VITAL GROUND is a minigame on the only SS (and therefore, German) counterattack conducted in Normandy on June 7th, 1944, at 1300. The only German unit defending the Caen area was the 25th SS regiment of the 12SS Pz division. The Canadians had advanced quite far, reaching Franqueville by 1300. Its 27th Tank Battalion, armed with light tanks, found itself alone there with no infantry. The closest infantry was at Authie along with the M4 6th tank battalion. As the rapid advance of the Canadians continued, the 25th SS regiment near Bitot observed, waiting for the perfect moment to strike with the 2SS and 3rdSS battalions and some 50 PzIV's. The counter-attack lasted for six hours and had forced the Canadians to retreat several miles to Villons les Buissons. A minor success but it would delay the Allies for a month. The Canadians lost 242 men, 128 POW and 21 tanks. The 12SS lost 300 men and 9 tanks.

2.0 Definitions

Each hex represents 100 yards. Each turn represents 30 minutes of real time.

The 4th, 8th, and 11th SS units are Heavy Weapons units.

Definitions:

AT strength= the strength used when firing against enemy armor units.

Blast strength= the strength used against all other types of targets.

Firepower(FP)= the same as a combat strength when attacking enemy units.

Range=The number of hexes from the firing unit, excluding the hex occupied by the attacker, to the target, including the hex the target occupies.

Indirect weapons are: any mortar, off board artillery, and 75mm IG gun. To fire indirect, these must be spotted for. Direct weapons are all other types and must see their target. The 75mmIG may fire direct or indirect.

IMPORTANT: There are no supply rules in the game. Units are always in supply. There are no Zones of Control in the game.

2.1 Sequence of Play

Each turn is played using a series of steps with the player having the initiative going first, followed by the second player. Once both have completed the sequence, a new turn begins. The sequence of steps is

1. Initiative Roll : Both players roll a single die, The higher roller is the first player for this turn.

2. German/Canadian artillery barrage phase: spotted enemy units may be barraged. Indirect fire weapons may attack in this phase, incl. Off board artillery.

3. 1st player selects a units to move, conduct an attack, or enter a prepared position. Roll for morale. If the unit chosen passes morale, it may conduct any one action.

4. If movement is chosen, the 2nd player may conduct OP FIRE (The unit chosen to fire must pass a morale check first. Otherwise, it cannot OP FIRE).

5. 1st Player units completes the chosen action. Place an action marker on the unit once the action is completed to indicate the unit has moved/acted in this turn and cannot be selected again during the turn.

6. 1st Player repeats steps 2-4 any number of times until no further units can be selected or until he chooses to stop.

7. The 2nd Player now becomes the active player and conducts actions 2-4 any number of times until all of his units have been selected or until he chooses to stop.

8. Pin Removal: Eligible units may become unpinned if within range of an HQ . If not, they remain pinned.

9. New Turn

3.0 Movement

Movement is the process of expending movement points from a unit which travels across the map. As the unit moves from hex to hex, movement points are expended; the expenditure may vary depending on the terrain costs to enter a specific hex.

3.1 The ability for a unit to move six movement points depends on whether the unit passes morale checks, is within HQ range, or has a leader present. All units have a universal movement allowance of 6 movement points per turn. Units which are not within HQ range in the same hex have only 3mps to move with. If a unit does not pass its morale check, it may not move even if it is within HQ range .

4.0 Morale

All German SS units have a morale of 5. All Canadian units have a morale of 4. These values never are reduced. Morale checks are done at the instant the active player elects to move or attack. A single die is rolled per unit or per stack. Any modifiers are applied. If the unit or units pass the check, the unit or units may elect to move or attack, but not both. If the morale check fails, the unit may not do anything until the next turn.

Below are modifiers which are applied to the morale check roll:
If parent HQ is within range, or leader is stacked with unit -1
If unit is pinned +1
If unit is routed +2
If HQ is pinned and is in range +1

4.1 Units which are already pinned or routed do not need to roll for morale since they cannot move .

5.0 Combat

Combat between enemy units is voluntary. Units are never forced to attack. A unit may only attack once per turn; however, one attacking unit may direct any or all of its FP's upon any target within range or at separate targets, firing and resolving the attack on each target separately. Friendly units may combine their strengths with other units attacking the same target, if all attacking units pass a morale check. A defending hex may only be attacked once per turn. The act of firing Opportunity fire does not count as an action, so units may fire OP FIRE in the enemy's initiative phase and still conduct an attack during their initiative phase. Cross reference the unit type firing with the target range. The units weapons strengths listed below which are direct fire with a LOS may fire. Indirect weapons may not (unless they they are within 3 hexes of target).

During an attack, when resolving combat between infantry units, simply total up the number of FP's firing at the target hex, note any defense modifications and locate the correct FP column on the INFANTRY COMBAT chart . Roll a die and apply the result. When firing armor versus armor, total the firing AT strengths and subtract the AT strength of the defender, finding the difference. Locate the column on the AT chart corresponding to the difference and roll a die. When armor fires at non-armor units, use the armor’s blast strengths in the same manner, then locate the column on the infantry table.

5.2 Blast and indirect fire strengths can be directed at infantry types. AT strengths may only be directed at armor type units. Direct fire weapons may be directed at either type. AA unit types are direct fire units.

5.3 All units may suffer two hits. Upon receiving the 2nd hit, the unit is destroyed. When a unit suffers a hit, place a "1" markerunder the counter. When pinned, place a PIN marker and when routed, place a ROUTED marker. Units which become pinned may not move but may fire. If a pinned unit receives another pin, it is ROUTED. Routed units may immediately retreat in any direction five hexes away from the closest enemy or into the closest town hex. ROUTED units may not do anything while in this state. A unit which has suffered one hit suffers no additional effects while being routed.

A routed unit which suffers any # result while in this state is destroy-ed. Routed units which suffer a "pin” result do not become pinned; the result is treated as no effect.

A pinned unit ceases to be pinned during the removal stage if a HQ from the same battalion is within range or a leader is in the hex. Rout-ed units use the same criteria to cease being routed except that an additional die roll is taken: A roll of 1-3 must occur to cease to be routed. On a die roll of 4-6, the routed unit remains routed.

6.0 Stacking

There is no stacking allowed in the game. Units may not be stacked with other friendly units in the same square after movement . Units may freely pass through a hex occupied by a friendly unit during movement or retreat. If stacking does occur, the violating unit must immediately be displaced to an adjacent hex chosen by the player owning the unit.

7.0 Line of Sight(LOS)

A LOS is simply a line from the firing unit to the defending unit. If a hex occupied by a friendly unit or town is in this LOS, the LOS is considered blocked for direct fire. Indirect fire is fire that is spotted by a friendly unit from the same battalion as the firing indirect unit. The spotting unit must be within two hexes of the target. The spotting unit cannot be pinned or routed. If a town is between the target and the spotter unit, the LOS is blocked and no indirect fire can be directed into that hex by that spotter unit. Indirect fire would still be possible if some other eligible friendly unit has an unblocked LOS to the desired target.. Direct fire units must have an unblocked LOS to the desired target or they may not fire at that target. Indirect fire units, and off-board artillery are fired indirectly. These units must have the target spotted by a friendly unit. Indirect units such as mortars do not need a spotting unit if the mortar is within 3 hexes of the target and if they have an unblocked LOS to the target.

8.0 Headquarters

Headquarter units have a command radius of five hexes. Units from the battalion that the HQ is from, and which are within the command radius, receive morale check modifiers. Only one modifier can be applied to a roll even if more than one HQ is present. HQs can spot for friendly artillery. THe 25SS Leader applies on any SS unit.

9.0 Artillery/Rockets

Only the German initially has artillery support. The Canadians had advanced beyond their artillery support and no allied air support was available to them. The German has 50 artillery points to use per turn.They have unlimited range. Artillery units attack in the same manner as infantry units and use the infantry combat results table.

Artillery may only conduct barrages in the barrage phase, and only upon targets which are spotted. Any number of artillery units may barrage a hex, each unit being used once per turn. Artillery barrages are subject to scatter. Once the target is chosen and artillery units are selected to fire, roll for scatter. A roll of 1-2 indicates direct impact. A 3-6 indicates that the barrage scatters one hex. Roll on the scatter diagram for direction. German units are subject to Allied artillery attacks only if they move past a horizontal line extending across map 2 from Villons to Le Mesnil . If spotted while beyond this line, the Germans units are then subject to attack on the 14-22 column of the infantry combat table in the barrage phase.

10.0 Prepared Positions

A unit may enter into a prepared position at any time during its player turn. The player simply elects to enter the position and places a marker on it the unit. Units entering a prepared position cannot attack or move in the same turn. Entering the position does count as being activated for the remainder of the turn. A unit may leave the position only by moving out of the hex on a subsequent turn. When the unit moves, remove the prepared position marker. Units must pass morale checks to enter a prepared position; pinned or routed units may not enter prepared positions. Units in prepared positions may spot for indirect fire weapons but may only spot adjacent enemy units.

Anti-Tank Combat Table
Die Roll	-1 or less	0 to +1	+2 to +4	+5 to +6	7 to +10	11+
1	1	1	1	de	de	de
2	-	1	1	de	de	de
3	-	-	1	1	1	de
4	-	-	-	1	1	1
5	-	-	-	-	1	1
6	-	-	-	-	-	1
# = Armor suffers number of hits.

Infantry Combat Table (FP factors)
Die Roll	1 - 6	7 - 13	14 - 22	23+
1	1	1	de	de
2	P	P	1	de
3	-	P	1	1
4	-	-	P	P
5	-	-	P	P
6	-	-	-	P
P= pinned # = step loss

Modifiers:
If Defender in Town = +2
Prepared positions = +1
Defender is only armor = +1
Defender is routed = -2
If tanks and infantry attack the same hex and all attackers are adjacent to Defending hex: = -1 (this does not apply if units are firing from non-adjacent hexes)

Modifiers are cumulative.

11.0 Scenario and Map Set-Up

There is only one scenario, the historical. On the map set up the opposing units as shown on the map, either in the hex or adjacent. Reinforcements which enter the map or are activated move for free and may also attack. They do not conduct a morale check. The game begins at 1300. The game ends on turn 10.

German

The units of the 2nd SS PG Battalion are: 5th Company, 6th Company, 8th Company, 7th Company. These units begin in/adjacent to the 2SS set up hex.

PzIV/7Pz Company units set up in/adjacent to the hex marked 7th Tank Company.

Note: There is the 7th/2SS infantry company and the 7th Pz Company; these are not the same unit.

Entering turn 1: 6th Pz Company enters south edge hex 1034. All units of the 3rd SS PG battalion (9th, 10th,11th,12th companies) enter 1733.

The 2nd SS PG battalion on on the map may not move (but may attack) until the town of Authie is occupied by Germans. Once this happens, the 2nd SS may begin to move. If 1300 hrs arrives and Authie has not been taken, the 2nd SS may move.

Turn 5: 5th Pz Company enters south edge hex 1133.

Turn 6: 1st SS PG, 8th Pz Company may begin moving.

Turn 7: 9th Pz Company enters along map 3 edge.

Canadian

ALLIED: One M4 tank company/6th Tank Battalion at 2321, map 2

All units of the Royal Ulster (labeled RU) in/adjacent to Cambes , map 2.

All units of the Kings Own ( labeled KO) in/adjacent to Le Mesnil and Anisy.(thisBattalion may not move until turn 6)

All tanks of the 27th Tk Battalion in/adjacent to Franqueville, hex 1331

Company C/NNS in/adjacent to Authie. Company A/6th tank Battalion in/adjacent to 1427,map 1

CoA/NNS in/adjacent to 1626,m1. Company B/NNS in/adjacent to 1625, m1. Company D/NNS in/adjacent to Buron. Company B/6th Tank in/adjacent to Gruchy.+

Company C/6th Tank in adjacent to 2020, map 2.

12.0 Victory Conditions

The German must capture or be the last to enter Franqueville, Authie, Gruchy, Buron, Galamanche, Buissons, Cambe, and Villions for a minor win. Add Le Mesnil and Anisy to this list for a major win. Any other result is an Allied victory.

Designer Notes

This is a unique moment in history. Unique because of the situation the Canadians found themselves in. Eager to seize the Carpiquet airbase by the 7th, the lead elements of the Canadian 9th Brigade (the Nova Scotia Battalion and 27th Tank Battalion with M5 tanks) were strung out as the game start positions show. Unaware of the impending doom, the SS had gathered and waited their 3rd SS PG battalion and the 2nd SS Panzer Battalion with 30-50 Mk IV tanks. This unit, despite the overwhelming air attacks and naval bombardments arrived near Caen at 10 AM. Its sister unit, the 1st SS Panzer Bn, with 50 Mk V Panther tanks, remained east of theOrne River out of gas.

The 25th SS PG regiment of the 12SS Pz division defended Caen, critical to both sides. Supporting the regiment was most of its divisions' artillery units. Critical because the Canadians were out of range of their artillery and naval guns. Air support was used elsewhere. Amazingly, on June 7th, a spearhead of the invasion force lacked any support!

At 1300, the Germans attacked with the 3rd SS PG bn and the 6th Pz Company. Opposing them was the 27th M5 tanks, and scattered units of the Nova Scotia Battalion. As things went well, the SS tossed in the 2nd PGSS and 7th Tank Company all directed at the Nova Scotia. 1st SS PG and 8th Pz Company attacked toward Cambes. By now, four Mk IV panzer companies and all of the 25th SS regiment were attacking.

The Canadians fell back to Villions, while other units fell back towards Le Mesnil seeking the cover of the artillery guns that could not fire any further.

By dusk, the German counterattack had taken what looks like very little. In reality, it was vital ground, for it would take the Allies another month to recapture what they lost in those few hours. More ironic is the fact that the Allies greatly outnumbered the Germans in tanks, by at least 115 AFV in the 2nd Canadian tank brigade at Pierrepont. For some reason, none of these were released to help the Nova Scotia Battalion !

Movement Chart
Clear, town 1 mp
Road 1/2 mp

SS Infantry
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6+
Rifle	3	3	3	2	1	-
Automatic	8	8	5	4	4	-
AT	4	2	1	-	-	-

SS Heavy Weapon
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6+	7+
HMG	8	8	8	7	6	5	4
81mm mtr	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
75mmIG	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
20mm	2	2	2	2	1	1	1
75mmAT	4	4	4	4	4	4	3

SS Armor MkIV
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6+	7-9
AT	6	5	5	5	5	4	4
Blast	3	3	2	2	1	1	-

Tank HQ
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6+	7-9
AT	2	2	2	2	2	1	1
Blast	1	1	1	1	1	-	-
Auto	8	8	5	4	4	4	2

Canadian M5 tank
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6-9
AT	3	3	3	2	2	1
Blast	1	1	1	-	-	-

M4 Sherman
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6-9
AT	5	4	4	4	4	3
Blast	2	2	2	2	1	1

M4 Firefly
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6+	7-9
AT	7	7	7	7	7	7	6
Blast	3	3	3	3	2	1	1

Infantry
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6+
Rifle	4	4	3	2	1	-
Automatic	4	4	4	2	2	-
AT	1	-	-	-	-	-

Canadian Heavy Weapons
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6-9
AT	3	-	-	-	-	-
Auto	6	6	6	5	4	2
Mtr	6	6	6	6	6	6

Infantry HQ
Range	1	2	3	4
Rifle	2	2	1	-
Auto	2	1	1	-

Tank HQ
Range	1	2	3	4	5	6-9
AT	2	2	2	2	2	1
Blast	1	1	1	1	-	-

Key:
Auto=automatic weapons (direct fire)
Rifle= rifle (direct fire)
Mtr=mortars (indirect fire)
AT=anti-tank (direct fire)
Blast= Strength upon non-tank units (direct)
ATG=anti tank gun(direct fire)
20mm= Direct fire
IG= Infantry gun (indirect fire or indirect)

Game Turn
1 1300
2 1330
3 1400
4 1430
5 1500
6 1530
7 1600
8 1630
9 1700
10 1730

Note: MagWeb.com does not include the map or counters--contact the SGS directly. --RL.