Clash of Armor

(WWII Rules)

by Bill Rutherford

Pub. by David B. Reynolds, these rules allow one to game WWII brigade and division-level actions. Scales are 20 minutes per turn, 66 yards per inch, and one vehicle troop/platoon per model/stand. The basic tabletop force is the formation, normally a battalion. Company Maneuver Elements (ME's) make up formations. Platoon Units make up ME's. ME's come in a variety of morale and experience levels which affect how they perform on the tabletop. Play is a series of interwoven rounds with initiative alternating between players. The player with initiative attempts to activate ME's, which are assigned activation numbers, within a single formation, by foiling the activation number or less on 1D10.

Each prior activation by the ME reduces the ME's activation number for future activations that round. Once the formation has suffered two failed activations, the formation loses initiative. The player continues to activate other formations until all formations have lost initiative. The other player gets the initiative and repeats the process. ME's may move, fire, load/unload, and perform other functions as activities. ME's may coordinate activities by attempting to activate an entire formation at once. Likewise, multiple formation activations may be attempted. The player without the initiative may attempt to activate ME's to execute opportunity fire or return fire, and may change facing or fall back in response to enemy movement.

ME's performing activities may accrue fatigue points which decrease their activation numbers for future activation attempts. Spotting is deterministic. Fire combat looks complex at first, but executes simp

ly. The attacker's fire value is cross-referenced with a the roll to give a fire effect number, which, divided by a defense value based mainly on target and terrain type, gives the number of hits on the target. Antitank fire compares penetration versus armor values to see whether hits cause damage. Units suffer morale penalties for hits and are eliminated after three hits.

Artillery works similarly, but is subject to all of the constraints of calling fire by activating ME's that are FO's. Morale is treated simply but effectively. ME's and formations check morale for losses. Morale loss is stepped and irreversible, eventually resulting in the elimination of ME's and formations. Close combat is resolved by rolling dice on a chart based on relative combat strengths and applying hits to one side or the other. ME's can attempt to remove fatigue points and hits. Pregame recon, digging in, engineering, air power, etc., are covered in varying degrees of detail; all work simply and well.

Equipment data charts, play charts, and basic divisional charts for the USA, Germany, and the USSR complete The Clash of Armor. David takes player feedback seriously -- at Historicon '92 he gave me seven pages of additional rules and errata, based on player feedback since the rules' original publication last year. They include some neat leadership rules allowing a formations HQ unit to modify activation the rolls and generally add a bit of chrome to the game. I recommend these rules for their elegant treatment of command control and mof ale - they wofidl They're available for $12 from your local game store or directly from the author at 507 York Ave., Lansdale, PA 19446.

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