These rules are intended to provide a fast, fan game that still rewards tactical thinking. I have tried to balance the rules so that there are no battle-dominating weapons systems. Sound tactics and combined arms are the key to success in this game. Variable turn phases shake things up from turn to turn and keep the players on their toes. These rules are designed for small actions up to the company level. I was not happy with my previous attempt at command and control rules and so I have left them out entirely. Bolt on any system you like or just use common sense (my preferred method!). I have drastically reduced the scale weapons ranges in order to still provide an interesting game of tactical maneuver in 20 mm. I also think that the ranges at which weapons were fired in practice during this period were a fraction of their theoretical capabilities. If you have a lot of covering terrain in your scenarios, you won't even notice the compressed weapons ranges. Playing Aids: Tape Measure 6sided dice 10-card Turn Deck Impact Markers (shell bursts with 2", 3", and 4" diameters) Suppression Markers (anything you like) Morale Markers (optional) The Turn: Each turn is made up of 10 phases. Each phase is written on a card and all the cards together make up the Turn Deck. At the beginning of each turn, the Turn Deck is shuffled. The cards are turned over one at a time. In each phase all units of the type listed may act.
Turn Phase Cards:
German Infantry Move 6" & Fire
French Infantry Move 6" & Fire
German Indirect Fire
French Indirect Fire
German Vehicles Move 4" & Fire
French Vehicles Halt & Fire
German Vehicles Halt & Fire
French Vehicles Move 6"
German Vehicles Move 8"
French Vehicles Move 6"
You will notice that the cards are slightly different for the French and the Germans. The difference gives German motorized units a tactical advantage that I intend to reflect their higher degree of training and proficiency.
Infantry Move & Fire
Infantry units may move and/or fire in this phase. Infantry heavy weapons may only move or fire, but not both. Heavy weapons crews can move their weapon 4" each turn. Apply the 'Firer Moving' modifier only to those figures who move and fire. Suppressed infantry moves at 1/2 speed unless forced to move due to a morale failure. Resolve any morale check caused on enemy units. Friendly infantry units with morale markers may remove them at the end of the phase.
Vehicles Halt & Fire
Vehicles may stop and fire.
Vehicles Move
Vehicles may move without firing.
1/2 Vehicle Movement for:
- Suppression
- Difficult Terrain (woods, hedge, obstacle, etc.)
- Turning 90 degrees or more/ Reverse
- Unloading/ Unlimbering
German Vehicles Move & Fire
All German vehicles may move and/or fire. Because this phase represents a hurried shot, the 'Firer Moving' modifier is applied to any firing, whether or not the vehicle moved. All movement modifiers still apply.
Indirect Fire
Any indirect fire weapon with an eligible target may fire.
End of the Turn:
Remove 1 Suppression Marker from any suppressed unit. Remove Impact Markers. Shuffle the Turn Deck for the next tam.
Guns and Armor:
I have tried to devise a simple system of resolving vehicle combat by categorizing vehicles according to 4 armor classes, and anti-tank capable weapons according to 6 weapon classes. All vehicles are given an armor rating ranging from -1 for soft skins to +2 for heavy tanks. Most vehicles of this period did not have great variations in armor protection between different parts of the vehicle.
For this reason, I have given each vehicle a single armor rating. Heavy weapons are given a rate of fire between 1-3 and a gun modifier from +2 for grenades to -3 for large cannon. Almost all French tanks are restricted to a rate of fire of 1 because the tank commander was often also the loader and gunner. This system provides a quick and streamlined method of calculating the effects of weapon hits on vehicles. I usually transfer the vehicle and gun data onto an index card to reference during the game.
The table below gives many of the more common types of AFV's and guns used in Zut Alors.
| Unit | Armor Class | Armament | Gun Modifi er | Rate of Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sdkfz. 13 | 0 | 1 LMG | - | - |
| Sdkfz. 221 | 0 | 1 LMG | - | - |
| Sdkfz. 222 | 0 | 1 20 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Sdkfz. 232 | 0 | 1 20 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Sdkfz. 251 | 0 | 1-2 LMG | - | - |
| Pzkw. I | 0 | 2 LMG | - | - |
| Pzkw. II | +1 | 120 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Pzkw. III | +1 | 1 37 mm, 2 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Pzkw. 35 t | +1 | 1 37 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Pzkw. 38 t | +1 | 1 37 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Pzkw. IV | +1 | 1 75 mm, 2 LMG | -2 | 2 |
| Pzjg. I | 0 | 1 47mm | -1 | 2 |
| Stug. III | +1 | 1 75 mm | -2 | 2 |
| Gun Modifier | Rate of Fire | |
|---|---|---|
| German Guns | ||
| ATR | +1 | 2 |
| 20 mm AA | 0 | 3 |
| 37 mm AA | -1 | 3 |
| 37 mm AT | 0 | 2 |
| 75 mm IG | -2 | 2 |
| 88 rum AA/AT | -3 | 2 |
| German Artillery | ||
| 5 cm mortar | +2 | 2 |
| 8 cm mortar | 0 | 2 |
| 105 mm how. | -2 | 1 |
| 150 mm how. | -3 | 1 |
| Unit | Armor Class | Armament | Gun Modifier | Rate of Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Vehicles | ||||
| Panhard 178 | 0 | 125 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Renault R35 | +2 | 1 37 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 1 |
| Hotchkiss H39 | +1 | 1 37 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 1 |
| Char B | +2 | 1 47 mm, 1 LMG | -1 | 1 |
| +2 | 1 75 mm | +2 | 1 | |
| Char D | +2 | 1 47 mm, LMG | -1 | 1 |
| AMR 33 | 0 | 1 LMG | - | - |
| AMC 35 | 0 | 1 25 mm, 1 LMG | 0 | 2 |
| Souma S35 | +1 | 1 47 mm, 1 LMG | -1 | 1 |
| Gun Modifier | Rate of Fire | |
|---|---|---|
| French Guns | ||
| 25 mm, AT | 0 | 2 |
| 47 mm. AT | -1 | 2 |
| 75 mm Field Gun | -2 | 2 |
| French Artillery | ||
| 6 cm mortar | +1 | 2 |
| 81 mm. mortar | 0 | 2 |
| 105 mm how. | -2 | 1 |
| 155 mm how. | -3 | 1 |
Direct Fire:
Any target that can be seen and is in range can be fired at with direct fire. For simplicity's sake, visibility is considered to be 360 degrees for both vehicles and figures on foot and extends to the table edge unless blocked by terrain. A target is obscured if it is in soft cover, is only partially visible, or if the line of sight passes through the impact area of direct or indirect fire. Each weapon rolls a varying number of d6's based on weapon type or rate of fire with a base chance of hitting of 1-3 on a d6. The roll is modified based on the circumstances of the firer and the target. Any hits on infantry are considered to cause casualties. Any cannon or artillery hits on vehicles must check for effect by rolling an additional d6 for every hit and factoring the gun modifier of the weapon and the armor modifier of the target.
Direct Fire Table: 1d6 +/- Modifiers, 3 or less hits
Firing Modifiers
- Firing Unit Moving +1
Firing Unit Suppressed +1
2nd Phase Same Target Without Moving -1
Target Modifiers
- Short Range (Cannon Only) -1
Long Range (Cannon Only) +1
Target Moved in its Last Phase +1
Target Obscured/ in Soft Cover +1
Target Dug W In Building 1/2 hit dice, +2
Small Arms
Small Arms Ranges: Grenade, Pistol 4", Rifle, SMG, Rifle Grenade, ATR -18", LMG, MMG -24"
Small Arms Hit Dice: Pistol/Rifle 1d6, SMG 3d6, LMG 4d6, MMG 6d6
Grenades 2" diam. blast zone, 3d6 (x2 in enclosed space), +2 Gun Modifier
Cannon
Cannon Ranges: short- up to 12", medium-12"-24", long 24"-36"
- only guns bigger than 37mm can fire at long range
To Knock Out Vehicles: 1d6 +/- gun and armor modifiers, 3 or less knocks out the target, 4 immobilizes the target
To Hit Infantry Targets: Treat cannon less than 37 mm as MMG. For all others, place a marker on the target and roll for a hit on the Direct Fire Table. If hit roll for casualties using indirect fire modifiers. Roll for the impact of any misses on the Drift Table. The location of both hits and misses should be marked with impact markers.
Cannon Fire vs. Infantry Targets
| Type | Impact Zone Diameter | Hit Dice |
|---|---|---|
| Light- 37 mm-60 mm | 2" | 3 dice |
| Medium- 60+ mm 100 mm | 3" | 6 dice, morale check |
| Heavy- 100+ mm | 4" | 9 dice, morale check |
Suppression:
Suppression is a very important fire effect in Zut Alors. Units that are suppressed can only move at half speed, and fire at a penalty. You mark a suppressed unit by placing 2 Suppression Markers next to the unit. One marker will be removed at the end of each turn. The unit remains suppressed until both markers are removed. If the unit is suppressed again with one marker remaining, add another marker to bring the total back up to 2.
Infantry and soft targets can be suppressed by 4 or more dice worth of fire being directed at them. The total can be any combination of weapons; 4 Rifles, 2 Grenades, 1 LMG, 1 round from a 75 mm gun, etc.. The suppressive effect will affect any contiguous body of troops -- an entire platoon together in the open, a detached squad, or all the troops in a building. Troops that are dug in or in buildings have the hit dice directed against them halved, so it takes twice the volume of fire to suppress such targets. Armored vehicles are suppressed only by cannon hits, grenade hits or artillery fire, regardless of whether any damage is caused. Other small arms fire will not suppress armored vehicles.
Examples:
A French Char B fires its 47 mm gun at a German 232 armored car moving behind a low hedge 8" away. The Char B has a rate of fire of 1 and will roll 1d6. The modifiers are +1 for the target moving,+1 for the target being obscured, and-1 for short range, resulting in a +1 modifier. The CharB rolls a 2 which is a hit.
The 232 is now suppressed due to the cannon hit. The effects of the hit are calculated by rolling 1d6 modified by -1 for a 4 7 mm gun and 0 for the armor rating of the 232. A roll of 4 or less will knock out the German vehicle, while a 5 will immobilize it. A roll of 6 will cause no damage, but the vehicle will still be suppressed.
A German Rifle squad of 3 Rifles and 1 SMG, supported by 1 LMG fire at a French MMG positioned in a building. The total fire dice the Germans have is 10, 3 for the Rifles, 3 for the SMG, and 4 for the LMG. This is reduced to 5, because of the fire absorbed by the building. This is still enough to suppress the French weapon. The German player needs to roll 1's to cause casualties on the French MMG team (+2 modifier for the building.)
Indirect Fire:
Indirect fire can be fired by on-table mortars or by off-table mortars and artillery pieces. Field guns on table may not conduct indirect fire. Indirect fire can be targeted on anything visible either to the weapon crew itself or to a spotter in communication with a weapon. Check for hits on all infantry and soft-skin vehicles in the impact zone. Armored vehicles only need to check for a knockout if the vehicle is hit directly. Indirect fire always suppresses its target, regardless of whether or not the target actually falls within the impact zone. In addition, medium and heavy weapons automatically cause a morale check. I strongly recommend placing ammunition restrictions on all indirect fire weapons. They should be used to give an added amount of firepower at critical moments, not to dominate the battlefield.
On-Table Ranges: (on-table mortars cannot fire within 12")
Light Mortars (60 mm or less) 12"-36"
Other Mortars (60+ mm) 12"-table edge)
To Hit: 1d6 per shell +/- modifiers, 3 or less is on target, roll for misses on the drift table
Target in Cover +2
2nd Turn of Fire at the Same Target -I
Drift Table:
1 short 1d6"
2 short 1d6"
3 long1d6"
4 long 1d6"
5 left 1d6"
6 sleft 1d6"
Morale:
A unit will check morale whenever it is forced to by circumstances. This can mean that a unit will check morale several times in a single turn. Unless noted otherwise, the effect of the morale check takes place immediately. Infantry check morale based on groups of figures (squads, weapons crews, platoons, etc.) Armored vehicles check morale based on individual vehicles. Circumstances causing a morale check:
- a rifle platoon or heavy weapons crew suffers a casualty a vehicle is immobilized
surrounded by enemy of greater strength targeted by indirect fire
whenever it seems appropriate
Each unit forced to check morale rolls I d6 and consults the Morale Table. To find the appropriate column, start at the 0 column and move left or right depending on the circumstances.
| Morale Table | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roll (d6) | -4 | -3 | -2 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1 | C | B | B | A | A | A | A |
| 2 | C | C | B | B | A | A | A |
| 3 | D | C | C | B | B | A | A |
| 4 | D | D | C | C | B | B | A |
| 5 | E | D | D | C | C | B | B |
| 6 | E | E | D | D | C | C | B |
Factors Reducing Success Rate (shift 1 column to the left for each)
- casualties suffered that turn (even if there were none caused this phase)
- enemy within 4"
- no friendly unit in sight
- vehicle immobilized
- repeated check of morale in the turn
- repeated check of morale in the phase
Factors Increasing Success Rate (shift one column to the right for each)
- caused enemy casualties that turn (even if there were none caused this phase)
- friendly unit within 4"
Morale Check Results: (may be noted with markers)
- A-Pass Morale
B-Hold in Place in the Next Movement Phase
C-Retreat to Nearest Cover in the Next Movement Phase
D-Retreat to Nearest Cover Immediately and Repeat Morale Check
E-Rout Off Table/ Surrender if Enemy is Within 4"
Note: Units that have to retreat to cover move all the way to a covered position regardless of their movement allowance.
Example: A German Rifle Platoon advancing on its own has suffered one casualty to rifle fire and been forced to check morale previously in the turn. It is then is hit by 81 mm mortar fire during the French Artillery Phase which causes no hits. Even without causing casualties, the mortar fire is enough to suppress the unit and cause a morale check The modifiers shift the success rate to the -3 column (casualties suffered, noftiendly unit in sight, repeated check of morale.) The best result the German player can hope for is to hold in place. It is more likely, that the platoon will retreat, and there is a real danger that the unit will rout. This example shows thatforcing repeated morale checks through the use of combined arms is an excellent way to drive off enemy units- even without causing a high proportion of casualties.
Sample Game: The "Cork" and the Crossroads
Back to MWAN #113 Table of Contents
Back to MWAN List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Magazine List
© Copyright 2001 Hal Thinglum
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web.
Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com