Introduction Welcome to Battleground! This set of rules is suitable for a wide variety of miniatures wargamers, because it is easy to learn, and yet requires thoughtful strategy for excellent play. Also, these rules can grow with you, since they don't require a lot of figures or vehicles to have a good game, but they can be played with many units on each side after your collection of miniatures has grown. Anyone who has played a set of my rules knows that I design garnes, not simulations. These rules will not allow you to recreate exact details of real warfare, but you can perhaps get a feeling for some of the action of a small WWII battle. These rules may be used, perhaps with modifications, for gaming other historical periods as well. If there are details of these rules that you choose to ignore, or add to, please feel free to do so. You are the one playing, and the fun of playing is what is important. Sometimes, a referee may be needed to make decisions about special or disputed situations. If no impartial judge is available, use dice or any mutually agreeable method to make a quick decision. Getting bogged down in a rules argument can destroy the fun of a game. Whoever is "in charge" of running the game has final say, even if what he says disagrees with these rules. What You Need To play a miniatures wargame you will need... miniatures (actually you can try the rules with paper markers or something like that, but neat little soldiers make it more fun). Battleground was written with 20mm figures in mind. The rules also work well, and have been used, with no change in the distances for movement or shooting, with any size figures from l5mm all the way up to 54mm. You can get started, as far as figures go, with just a couple of boxes of 1/72 scale plastic soldiers (they are about the same size as 20mm figures) available in many toy and hobby shops. You may want to mount the individual figures on bases, so they will stand better on slopes, etc. I usually use 5/8" square pieces of magnetic business card for this size figure. With the magnet side down, I can store and transpor the figures in boxes that have the bottoms lined with steel roof flashing. Many people use pennies. Washers are often used as well, and the figures can be stored and transported in a magnet lined box. Cardboard, including the counters from board wargames, is also popular as a base for single figures. In addition to figures, you may also want models of vehicles, You will need some appropriate terrain, such as hills, trees, and buildings. These items are available from a variety of sources. You can also build your own, or make do very well with substitutes, at least at first. Many commonly available toys may be used for playing Battleground. It doesn't have to cost much to start. Besides the "playthings" mentioned above, you need specific equipment to play this set of rules. Look at the picture. Running across the picture diagonally are two measuring sticks made for the game. They were made from 24" balsa sticks from the hobby shop. They have been divided up into 6" sections, and the closest, light colored end, was marked in inches. Any ruler, yardstick, or tape measure can be used, but these sticks are just right for the measurements needed for Battleground. Above the measuring sticks on the left are some puffs and wisps of cotton, used for marking damage and smoke. Clockwise, there are also: a blast ring for the area caught in an explosion of some sort; 4" in diameter, it is made from the lip of a margarine container; a couple of melee markers; these were made by painting an "explosion" looking pattern of red, yellow, and white on small wooden cut-out "sunflowers" from the craft store; in spite of the appearance of the marker, it doesn't really have anything to do with explosions in the game; you just need something real obvious to remind you of a melee situation after the card play phase; aquarium stones of assorted colors used for marking unit status during the game; I think they do a good job as markers, and are less intrusive than poker chips or cardboard markers, which could, of course, be used; a deck of playing cards, with both jokers; regular six-sided dice; it's best if you have them in three colors, with about 10 or 12 white dice, and several each of the other colors, although you can get along with less. You need a playing surface, too. You can play plenty of Battleground games on an ordinary 3' x 5' dining table. An old door can be made into a game table, and some of the playtesting for these rules was done on such a playing surface. Lots of people use a homemade 4' x 8' table, the size of a standard sheet of plywood. Neither scenario included in these rules needs larger than a 3' x 5' playing surface. Either one could probably be played in a different sized area, with just slight changes. Your Infantry Units Unit composition Each figure represents from one to five men. The smallest unit it is possible to start with is a two-figure unit, one of which must be a leader. The largest unit may have 12 figures, which could represent a platoon of up to 60 men. While it is possible to have a unit vith just two figures, it is usually a good idea to have a minimum unit size of six figures at the start of the game. Small units have difficulty surviving shooting attacks by the enemy. Units decrease in size as they get shot up during the game. A unit of five Russian soldier figures moves through the ruins of Stalingrad. Depending on just what is meant to be represented, the actual force might consist of up to 25 men. There are two special types of figures that are usually used. One is a leader. This figure represents the man or group that is in charge of a unit at any given moment. Any figure that you can definitely identify, probably by a pose or by a different base, can be used as a leader. The second type of special figure that is usually present in a unit is a heavy weapon figure. The "normal" figures in a unit are assumed to be armed with a variety of rifles, carbines, pistols, etc. The heavy weapon figure represents machine guns, grenade launchers, flame throwers, etc., that a unit might have besides the usual weapons. The exact weapon the figure is depicted as carrying does not matter, it simply represents the unit's ability to bring extra-deadly firepower to bear against the enemy. Here a unit of WWI U. S. doughboys advances on a German position (there is more than one figure on a stand, but that's okay, because a way to handle this is covered later in the rules). There is a variety of poses in this unit, but it is easy to identify the leader and the heavy weapon. There should be no more than one leader per four figures (round up), and no more than one heavy weapon per six figures (round up), at least at the start of the game when the makeup of the units is determined. This means that in a unit of 12 figures, there could be three leaders and two heavy weapons. In most of my games, there is only one of each to start, no matter what the unit's size. Sometimes, as units combine, you can end up with more. Every heavy weapon may be applied to an attack. Only one leader is counted in each attack. The way these special figures affect combat is explained in the shooting rules. Non-standing units Any three-figure unit without a heavy weapon or leader must retreat and/or try to join another unit. Any two-figure unit without a leader must retreat and/or try to join another unit. Any one-figure unit must retreat and/or try to join another unit. This very simple procedure represents the broken morale and an unwillingness to fight of the few remaining men in a unit. These units may not shoot or charge into melee. These units will defend themselves in melee if charged by an enemy. They will surrender in a melee situation if ever outnumbered three-to-one, even before the first round of melee is conducted, if engaged by enough enemy figures (this is an exception to having to fight at least one round). Sequence of Play 1. Card play phase 2. Melee phase 3. Special actions phase Card play phase This is really the most important part of the entire game system. Draw a playing card, starting with a full deck, including jokers. The suit ofthe card that is drawn will tell you what side gets to perform what kind of action. Clubs Axis firing (or shooting) Diamonds Allied movement Hearts Allied firing (or shooting) Spades Axis movement Each of the four actions is only performed once per turn, except for special plays using aces as explained below. Keep drawing until a card for a new suit, to start a new action, comes up. Even after a card for the third action has been drawn, and you know what the last action must be, keep drawing until the fourth suit shows up: something else might happen. The first card of the fourth suit is the last one drawn for a turn. After all units have moved and shot, as allowed by the card draws, melee occurs. It is possible that cards for all suits will not be drawn during a turn. This is because, if a joker is drawn, the card play phase ends, and the melee phase begins. This means that one player or the other will not get to do all his actions that turn. Note that ifajoker is drawn as the first card ofa turn, nothing much may happen that turn, but a turn is still counted as having occurred. This can be important when turns are being counted, say, for victory conditions or for the arrival of reinforcements. Aces are treated in a special way. An ace entitles the player for that side to act with only one of his units, not al I of them. Whether the ace is drawn as the first card in that suit for that turn, or as a later card of that suit, it is still used for the play of one unit, andjust one unit. In other words, if an ace is the first card drawn of a suit, only one unit gets to do that action, and other cards of that suit will be ignored. However, if the ace is drawn after another card of the same suit for that turn, one unit gets to perform the action an extra time that turn. Aces are always used. Sometimes they help your cause, and sometimes they hurt it. Here are some examples of card play. Example 1: (club) Axis shot (heart) Allied shot (diamond) Allied move (spade) Axis move Example 2: (heart) Allied shot (spade) Axis move (heart) No action, heart already played (diamond) Allied move (club) Axis shot Example 3: (diamond) Allied move (spade) Axis move (diamond) No action, diamond already played (Ace diamond) One allied unit moves (club) Axis shot (heart) Allied shot Example 4: (spade) One axis unit moves (heart) Allied shot (heart) No action, heart already played (spade) No action, spade already played (diamond) Allied move (club) Axis shot Example 5: (spade) Axis move (Ace heart) One allied unit shoots (Ace diamond) One allied unit moves (club) Axis shot Remember that if a joker was drawn at any point during any of these turns, the card draw phase would immediately end. Let's just take a quick look at an actual play, with some special situations caused by aces, shown above. It's handy to lay the cards out by suit as you draw, just to keep things straight. All allies fired when the five of hearts was played. Then just one axis unit moved when the ace of spades appeared: that ace hurt the axis cause. All axis units had a chance to shoot because of the queen of clubs, and then one of them got to shoot again due to the ace of clubs showing up: that ace helped the axis player. The seven of diamonds then came up, and all allies moved. Above the drawn cards you can see the undealt deck on the left. The three stacks of previously played cards to the right are like that since counting the turns was important in this game. This was the fourth turn. Sometimes several of the same suit show up, and you just keep drawing. No suit is played twice unless an ace comes up. It can occasionally take ten or more cards for a turn, or sometimes just four, but usually it takes about six or seven. You can get about eight turns as you play through a deck of cards. When the last card is turned up, shuffle the already used cards of all the previous turns, and finish the current turn. Then reshuffle all the cards, even the few that were just newly used, to start the next "deckfull". There is no opportunity fire in this game (except perhaps a final protective fire before a melee). The "luck of the draw" of the cards determines movement and firing sequencing. It is possible for a unit or vehicle to run right past another and escape a shooting attack at that time. Don't forget, when an ace is drawn, you must select only one unit to move or shoot. Usually just a single vehicle model is counted as an entire unit. Sometimes, two models of light vehicles, such as cars, trucks, or maybe personnel carriers, can be considered as a single unit. Even so, they may still roll individuafly for their movement, and may shoot at different targets (see the movement and shooting rules further on for how to do those things). Be sure that all players know which vehicle groups may be considered as a single unit when the game starts (or when the vehicles enter). Movement Infantry Movement Generally, an infantry group will be in a two-figure-wide column, a two-figure-deep line, or a mass, with the figures roughly in a filled circle. The exact "formation" is usually not really crucial. In all cases, figures must be within one inch of other figures in the unit, measuring between edges of the bases of the figures. Here is a group of 10 partisans in a mass. The long line is drawn through the center of the unit and shows its facing. This is important in combat: the unit cannot fire at any enemy behind the line, and any attack at this unit from behind the line gets a "flank attack" bonus. This is discussed in more detail in the combat section of the rules. The short line crosses at the center of the group, from where movement and shooting are measured. To show deployment in a house, or among cover, place the figures in that area and declare the cover. To move a unit, the movement intention for the unit is declared first, the movement Tate is determined by a dice roll, and movement must be made to do, to the extent possible, what was declared. If a player only wanted to move a unit a certain distance, and said so, he doesn't have to move the full amount rolled if he came up with more than he needed. The general formation may be changed, perhaps to conform to some terrain, orjust to look "neat". Movement is measured from center of mass of the original position and formation to the center of mass of the final position and formation. A unit that runs loses one level of combat effectiveness (that's the die roll number that hits when it attacks), so notice that a civilian unit that runs may not shoot in its next combat turn. Mark a unit that ran (with a green aquarium stone) and do not clear the marker until after the next time that unit has a shoot or move card. A unit may run as many turns in a row as desired. Infantry gets 1/3 extra movement on a road, if it chooses, whether walking or running. Mark it (with a white aquarium stone) until its next move or until it is shot at. Using the road movement bonus makes a unit slightly more vulnerable when attacked. You should put the figures in a column for a road move. Here are the distances, in inches, units may move: Walk 1D6 Run 2D6 Charge into melee 3D6 Digging In (and out) A unit may dig in, or entrench, for its movement. Mark as dug in (with a brown aquarium stone), and also as having "run", until their next card. To "un-dig", or "dig out", or "disentrench", just remove the dug in marker. The unit may then also move with one die, but must be marked as "run". In other words, it takes a whole "running" movement to dig in, and a whole "walking" movement to un-dig, or get going again. Digging in is just a term applied to making extra defensive preparations. In a field, it really is digging. In a house, it means putting mattresses against the wall, bookshelves at the doors, etc. Don't get hung up on the "dig" aspect of it. These U.S. Marines have just dug in. They are marked with a brown and a green stone. They have the advantages of being dug in: they get one defensive die when attacked (described in the combat section), and they have no front or rear -- they can shoot in any direction, and cannot be attacked from behind. The circle shows the center of the unit for shooting measurements. Being dug-in applies to the unit, not the location. Other units may, for example, enter a building where a unit has dug in; the new unit is not automatically considered to be dug-in. Remember, a model building on the table actually represents a block of several buildings. Vehicles may not dig in during a game, although they might begin a game dug-in. It does not take a special move for a vehicle to dig out, but it loses the defensive bonus and can't regain it. About those aquarium stones Let's review the colors and uses for those little stone markers. Again, you may use anything you wish, like poker chips, painted pennies, or cardboard markers. The colors used are: Green Running White Using road movement bonus Brown Dug-in The green and white stones are placed when a unit takes the action indicated. They are removed after the unit has another movement turn, unless it repeats the action(s), or after: 1. a unit with a green stone has its shooting turn (it is at a disadvantage if it does fire), OR 2. a unit with a white stone is shot at by the enemy, who gets an advantage A brown stone stays with a unit from the moment it digs in until it digs out. A unit may have more than one marker at times. Other infantry movement rules Infantry units may move freely through friendly infantry units or vehicles. Vehicles may move freely through friendly infantry units. If an infantry unit ends its movement facing in other than the direction of movement, then: 1. If facing up to 90 degrees from the direction of movement, deduct one inch from its movement distance. 2. If facing up to 180 degrees from the direction of movement, deduct two inches from its movement distance. However, any unit can always move at least one inch, and end facing whichever direction it wants, no matter what the die roll was. A truck or APC can carry six figures. Mounting and dismounting takes a full walk move: the figures will be within an inch of the vehicle model at the start or end of such a move, and the vehicle will not move at all for that card draw. Vehicle movement Cars (staff cars, jeeps, etc.) and some trucks or armored cars get up to four movement ' dice, and are permanently immobilized on a total roll of 4-6 on four dice. They may roll less dice if desired, and not risk being immobilized. Tanks and some trucks or armored cars get up to three movement dice, and are permanently immobilized on a total roll of three with three dice. They may roll less dice if desired, and not risk being immobilized. As with infantry movement, declare movement intent before rolling the dice for movement. There is no speeding up or slowing down of vehicles to keep track of from turn to turn. They just move up to the distance the die roll allows each turn. Sometimes they can go far in a turn, and sometimes they can't. Vehicles get 50% extra movement on a road. There is no penalty for a vehicle using a road, and so there is no need to mark the vehicle for using road movement. For a tank or other tracked vehicle, a 90 degree turn, even a gentle turn within the entire length ofthe movement, costs 3" of movement. A 180 degree turn costs 6" of movement. Wheeled vehicles just measure the total distance moved, but take into account any necessary maneuvering the model may have to do, such as backing up to get out of a tight spot. Vehicles may back up at 1/3 speed. Tanks can move through enemy infantry without stopping for melee. This is the only case in which a unit may move into or through the enemy. Vehicles may not try to "ram" other vehicles or run people over or anything like that. Cavalry You may occasionally wish to have cavalry units in your games. Ideally, you should have a dismounted and a mounted version of each figure. It is possible to just use a marker of some kind, maybe even a single horse figure along with a unit to show that the unit is mounted. Cavalry can roll 3D6 for movement. They do not have an attack decrease for movement like infantry does, nor can they suffer immobilization like a vehicle. They do, however, have a one-quality reduction when attacking simply for being mounted. They get an optional extra 1/3 movement on a road, like infantry: they must be marked for using that extra movement, and suffer accordingly if attacked. Cavalry may move 1D6 and dismount, or mount and move 1D6. To show a dismounted unit's horses, use three of the mounted figures arranged facing into the center of a circle: one dismounted figure from the unit must be left in the center of this circle as a horseholder. The rest of the dismounted unit can move and fight as infantry until they return to the horses and remount. If the player knows he will not need the horses again, just remove all those figures, and all of the dismounted figures may be used in the new "infantry" unit. If the horses are removed in this way , they may not return. Cavalry, when dismounted and acting as infantry, may dig in. Shooting Unit quality Each unit must have a unit quality (or grade or class) associated with it. The most common quality is "C", which is the average soldier. The better the grade of the unit, the better it shoots, and performs other special actions. Grade A is the best and grade D is the worst. In the chart below, the number shows the value(s) on a die roll that will cause a casualty to the target of the attack from such a unit. grade D: Civilians, poor military 6 grade C: Typical trained military 5-6 grade B: Elite or veteran unit 4-6 grade A: Elite AND veteran unit 3 -6 When you design a scenario (that is, when you make up a game to play using these rules), take into account the relative abilities of the units involved. Just as an example, if you were playing a hypothetical invasion of Japan, you might want to use: grade D Japanese citizens grade C Japanese army grade B US Army and Japanese marines grade A US Marines In a different scenario, with just Japanese soldiers against American soldiers on a small Pacific island, you might have all units as grade C. In most games, most of the units should be grade C, and need no special indicator as to their quality- A poor unit can be marked (with a red aquarium stone) as a reminder. Likewise a better quality unit can be marked (with a blue aquarium stone). The example above being an exception, rarely will you have a game with all four unit qualities used. Dice and how to shoot with them Three colors of dice should be available for the attacking roll. The most common (white) is used to represent the shots by the typical soldiers in the unit, and an extra one is used if the firing unit has a leader present. When the dice are rolled, any numbers equal to the values shown in the chart for the unit quality are hits against the target. For example, a grade B unit hits with a five or a six on any white die rolled. Other numbers, except ones, are ignored. If any ones are rolled, they cancel hits that were made. Ones cancel hits. Extra ones have no effect. You want to roll more hits than ones, or none of the hits will actually count. Notice that a grade D unit has as much chance of getting misses as it does of getting hits. Also, a grade D leader will hinder the unit as often as he helps it. "Good" dice (blue instead of the normal white) can only count as a hit, and any ones rolled on them are always ignored. Heavy weapons get to use a blue die. "Bad" dice (red) can only count as ones, or cancels, and any hits rolled on them are always ignored. Red dice represent defensive abilities of the target. The attacker rolls them. When an infantry unit shoots, count up the total number of figures in the unit. Also count up the number of heavy weapons, and see if there is at least one leader or not. The heavy weapon figure(s) and the leader (remember, only use one leader even if the unit has more than one) are counted twice: once for determining how many figures are in the unit, and then again for the extra white and/or blue dice the unit gets for those types of figures. For example, a unit has nine figures, including two leaders and two heavy weapons. The unit gets one white die for every two figures (rounding up), so that's five. Then it gets another white die for using a leader (you may and must count a leader if you have one, but only one), and two blue dice for the heavy weapons. Here is how to determine how many dice, and what colors, the shooting unit will roll. Each two shooters (round up) One die With leader One die Flank attack One good die Target used road movement One good die Each heavy weapon One good die Target is dug-in One bad die Target in light cover One bad die Target in medium cover Two bad dice Target in heavy cover Three bad dice Continuing the example with the nine-figure unit, look at the photo below left and see that the attacking unit has rolled six white and two blue dice. On the left are three red dice (with black pips) that were also rolled, since the target was in a house (medium cover, two red dice), and was also dug-in. Let's see how many hits were made if the attacker was a grade C unit. Well, there is one blue five, and a white five and a white six, so that's three hits. The red six does not count as a hit. The red one and the white one count as cancels, so that's two cancels. The blue one does not count as a cancel. Three hits and two cancels, then, means that just one hit actually affects the target. Ranges are 12" for all infantry weapons, 18" for light tank guns and other similar weapons, and 24" for heavier guns. Measurements for shooting are made from the center of mass of the firing unit to the center of mass of the target. All shots should be declared before any are taken. Or, for an easier, and maybe deadlier, game, declare and take shots one at a time. Decide which way to run the game when it starts. In the illustration, four "round army" units are planning their shooting at three "oval army" units. Each unit consists of several figures, but we are just looking at them as a general shape or mass for this example. There is a building between some of the units involved. Unit I may not shoot at unit 6 because unit 5 is in the way. Unit I may shoot at unit 5, as may unit 2. Unit 2 may also shoot at unit 6, since there is a clear line of sight between the building and unit 5. Unit 3 may not shoot at unit 5 or 7, because of the building and unit 4. All the checks are made from the center of a firing unit to the center of a target, and any intervening object or unit can block the shot. Notice that if there was an oval unit right in the building, that unit 1, blocked by unit 2, could not shoot, but the other units could. Of course, each infantry unit gets to shoot only once. A unit may not fire at an enemy that is behind another unit, except any unit may shoot right through a one-figure or two- figure unit. It does not matter if it is friendly or enemy. In this drawing, individual figures of a unit are represented by the squares. A round firing unit is planning an attack at the oval units. The intervening unit of ten figures interferes with the shot at the upper oval unit even though there's just one figure in the way. The other shot is barely allowable, but it is possible, since the line of sight just clears that bottom figure of the intervening unit. The round unit has only one legal target, unless that intervening unit is enemy, too, so there's not even a choice to be made. This is not to scale, but is just an example. Certain units for certain scenarios (for example, British commandos on a raid) may get a 50% bonus to their regular, white dice roll (this is rounded up, and is figured from the normal white dice used by the unit, disregarding dice for leaders) for being within 6". This represents special training, and close assault weapons like pistols, tommy guns, and grenades. This is only for special units that may occasionally be present. If a unit has a run marker (green stone) when it fires, it only hits as if it was the next lower grade of unit. Remove the run marker after shooting. Notice that a grade D unit cannot shoot after running, since it can't possibly get any hits. Choosing when to run is a case where playing the system comes into this set ofrules. If the running unit gets another movement before it shoots, it can walk or stay put if desired, and clear the run marker. If it shoots before moving, it won't shoot as well. Sometimes you have to take a chance. How units take damage Randomize any hits on the unit that was attacked. Special dice with more than six sides might help, orjust use the six- sided dice and some common sense to randomly determine which figures got hit. If the same figure keeps coming up as the one hit, keep rolling until you get a different figure taking each hit. Even if the random determination at first comes out a certain way, for three hits, perhaps, you can't say that one (unlucky) figure got shot three times: if there were three hits, then three figures get killed. "Saving" a special figure If the random figure(s) is a leader, heavy weapon, or other special figure, roll a die for it. If it would be a "hit" for an attack by that unit under usual circumstances (there is no decrease for a run marker on the target unit), that special figure isn't hit after all, but a "normal" figure is taken as the casualty instead, unless there aren't enough other figures to substitute. This represents the general ability of a unit to have other soldiers effectively use the heavy weapon, or for a subordinate leader to take control. Since each figure represents up to five actual soldiers, it also shows the possibility that a specific "key man" may not be killed, even if others around him are. Note that the exact placement offigures within the unit as it moves is not crucial, since the hits are randomized. You cannot protect a special figure by keeping it in the rear, for exampe. All figures in a unit have a chance of being hit. Facing and flank attacks All figures of a unit must usually face one direction, defining the unit's front, anywhere to the front 1801 of a centerline through the center of mass. Units must be faced during movement. The unit can fire anywhere to its front. Figures fire through other figures in the same unit. Any attack from an enemy unit that is centered behind the target's centerline is a flank attack. A flank attack against the target unit gives the firing unit an extra blue die when it fires. Units that are dug-in or in a building are considered to be facing in all directions, can fire in any direction, and cannot suffer a flank attack. Shooting at and from vehicles Vehicles attack and can be attacked like infantry units, with certain exceptions. The main difference is that armored vehicles are best attacked by a unit with heavy weapons. In the case of infantry attacking, all the usual dice may be used, but if the unit does not have any heavy weapons, the final number if hits made on an armored vehicle is halved, rounding down. When a vehicle attacks an enemy armored vehicle, only the main guns are used. Tank machine guns can't hurt enemy tanks, for example. Vehicle models represent one or two actual vehicles. Vehicles may sometimes be destroyed in a single shot, or their effectiveness may be gradually reduced before they are completely destroyed. Vehicles may have armor, represented by bad dice on any attack against them. Light vehicles, just by virtue of small size, speed, or extra protection that could have been added, will still get at least one red die for defense when attacked. These rules don't include any exhaustive or complex tables or lists describing specific vehicles. Just as for the infantry unit qualities, defensive and offensive abilities ofvelucles may vary according to the exact scenario. For example, if you have Sherman tanks vs. Tigers, they are going to have very different capabilities. In another game, though, you might decide to have the performance of a little Stuart tank be just the same as a certain Japanese light tank. Typical defense values might be: Heavy Tank 4 or more red dice Light Tank 2 to 4 Armored Car 2 or 3 APC 1 or 2 Truck or Car 1 Except for cars Oeeps, kubelwagens, etc.) and trucks, which get one red die, all those other types ofvehicles are considered armored. Cars and trucks can be attacked normally, even without heavy weapons (they are unarmored). Weapons on vehicles are machine guns, and light and heavy main guns. Here is a list of how they might be rated: Vehicle machine gun Two dice Light main gun Two dice and two good dice (very heavy weapon) Heavy main gun Four dice and two good dice (very, very heavy weapon) Notice that vehicle weapons are based on an even number of dice, whether white or blue. This is because damage to a vehicle can exactly halve the strength of its weapons. Attacks from main guns against armored targets have the successful hits doubled. Ranges are 12" for vehicle machine guns, 18" for light tank guns and other similar weapons, and 24" for heavier guns. Measurements for shooting are made from the center of mass (not the turret, even for turret-mounted weapons) of the firing vehicle to the center of mass of the target. An attack from behind the centerline of a vehicle counts as a flank attack, and the attacker gets an extra blue die. This does not count as the heavy weapon requirement for an infantry unit attacking an armored vehicle. Like infantry units, vehicle units must have a unit quality. Vehicles should usually be a grade C, hitting on rolls of five and six. Really good vehicles with excellent crews, like an SS panzer or something, might be a grade B. Bow-mounted weapons of a vehicle can only fire to the 90 degrees in front of the vehicle. Turret mounted weapons can shoot in any direction. If there is more than one weapon on the turret, like a main gun and a machine gun, they may engage different targets. The facing of the turret on the vehicle model is not critical, but the facing of the vehicle body is the center of mass. The main gun and the turret-mounted machine gun may fire in any direction. Any unit attacking this tank can get a flank shot on it if firing from behind the centerline. When you check an arc for a bow-mounted vehicle weapon, measure from the front center of the vehicle model, no matter exactly where on it the model weapon may be. Note that, unlike infantry units (which may only shoot at one target), a vehicle may engage as many targets as it has weapons. It may shoot at the same target more than once, also, but each shot is rolled and resolved separately. Damage to vehicles If a vehicle has no damage, and hits are scored against it: 1. Roll a D6 (one of those regular six-sided dice) 2. If the total of the hits scored plus the D6 roll is seven or greater, the vehicle is destroyed and the model is turned on its side and marked with a cotton puff. The only exception is that infantry units without heavy weapons cannot destroy a previously undamaged armored vehicle on the first shot. 3. If the total is less than seven, roll another D6. If it's a one or a two, mark the vehicle with a cotton puff underneath the vehicle. It can't move for the rest of the game. If it's three or greater, mark the vehicle with a cotton puff on top. It shoots with all weapons at half strength for the rest of the game (roll half the dice for each weapon). If a vehicle has damage, and hits are scored against it: 1. Roll a D6 2. If the total of the hits scored plus the D6 roll is five or greater, roll another D6. If it's a one, the vehicle receives the type of damage that it doesn't already have. The vehicle will have no movement and half weapons strength from then on. If it's two or greater, the vehicle is destroyed. Turn the model on its side. 3. If the total is less than five, then there is no additional damage to the vehicle. Other vehicle rules If a vehicle is destroyed, the crew is lost. The few injured survivors from just one or two vehicles would not matter. Usually, passengers cannot shoot while on a vehicle. If they do so, though, reduce their shooting effectiveness one grade. Resolve the fate of passengers of a damaged or destroyed vehicle in any mutuafly agreeable manner. One way is to roll ID6 for each. If the vehicle has only taken damage (had some cotton put on or under it), the figure is killed on a one. If the vehicle is destroyed (turned on its side) with passengers still aboard, each is lost on a roll of one or two. Melee Infantry units declare the intention to charge into melee as their movement, and then roll dice as if they were conducting a shooting attack. If ANY hits are scored, and the charging unit has more figures, the charge will take place. If the charging unit has equal or less figures, it must get at least two hits for a charge to succeed. If not enough hits are scored, the unit makes no move. Note that these "hits" are merely an indicator of the unit's willingness to make the charge: no actual damage is done to the enemy unit (yet!). A charging infantry unit must have at least 1/2 as many figures as the charged unit, unless joining a melee in progress, even one just started that turn. Next roll 3D6 to see if the charge reaches its target. Move up to that number in inches, into melee if possible. If the movement fails to bring the center of the charging unit to the center of the defender, then the unit failed to reach the intended target of the charge. The charging unit may be quite near the intended target, but the hoped-for melee will not occur. If the charging unit reaches the enemy unit, then melee will occur after the card play phase is over. Mark the area with a melee marker as a reminder. No one may fire into a melee. For the actual melee, just pair off opposing figures and have a dice-off with just one die each. Note that unless the number of figures of each side is equal, some figures will not fight in a round. A superior quality unit figure gets a +1 to the die roll against any inferior quality unit figure. Leaders get a +1. First round only, the defender of a wall or building, or any dug-in defender, gets a + 1. First round only, if attacking from behind, +1. These modifiers are all cumulative. Fight one round and check for surrender. Besides leaders, you can have figures armed with pistols, swords, or bayonet-fixed-rifles get a +1 bonus, too. This makes Battleground approach the skirmish game level, at least for melee, It can be quite interesting when you have a wide variety of figures in your units. At the end of a round of melee, if one side has 1/4 or less as many figures as the opposing side, the remaining losing figures surrender. Continue rounds of melee, as many as necessary, until one side is eliminated or surrenders. Melee is resolved at the end of a turn, after all moving units that wish to, and are able to, have joined the melee. Sometimes a unit might move into melee, expecting assistance, and the other unit doesn't succeed in joining the melee (not enough hits or movement). Members of the first attacking unit, then the second, etc., must fight in the melee before members of the other units. Decide carefully which unit to try to send in first. Special figures hit in melee ARE killed outright, without the chance to save. They might best be kept out of the fight as long as possible, and may not even have to participate if the enemy has less figures in the melee. You may want to risk the leader sometimes, since they get a +1. Also,allofthe leaders a unit may contain get the advantage in melee (this is different than when shooting, when only one leader is used). Victorious units after melee are marked as having run. Dug-in and melee markers are removed. Even a surviving defender loses the dug-in status after winning a melee. Here we have seven German soldiers assaulting a house in Arnhem where five British paratroopers are dug in (see the brown stone? and the melee marker?). Extra Germans are to the rear, waiting for almost-certain additional melee rounds. This is a risky attack, considering the die roll modifiers for the elite entrenched defending British. Melee defender special opportunities When a unit charges into melee, and before the 3136 roll is made to see if it reaches the target, the target unit may have some options available. If that unit (that player) has not yet had a movement card that turn, the unit can move. If that unit (that player) has not yet had a shooting card that turn, the unit can shoot. If an infantry unit has had neither card yet that turn, it may do one of those actions, but not both. A defending vehicle in that situation may do both. It is important that the defender decide to do the action before the 3136 charge distance roll is made, because it is possible the charge may fall short. Nevertheless, the defender will act to defend against a charge that is coming. If the defender shoots, the attacker could be reduced to a ' number offigures technically too small to charge. However, unless it is reduced to a non-standing unit, the charge continues. A non-standing unit will stop at a distance of six inches from the intended victim of the charge. If the defender moves, it can only be to flee. The unit rolls 2D6 and moves generally away from the direction of the charging unit. This special movement allows the full 2136 distance even if the defender had been dug in. Remember, though, to deduct some distance if the fleeing unit wishes to end up facing the abandoned position. Guarding prisoners One figure may guard up to four captured figures. They must all immediately begin heading away from the battle, or from danger, if possible. They operate as a new unit. There is no hope ofescape for the prisoners. The prisoners may not be executed. At least one of the victorious figures must be used as a guard. Occasionally, a special situation may arise where it is obvious that some figure(s) would surrender. The gamemaster might declare this event, or you may decide on it by some mutually agreeable manner. Many things happen with these rules, just like strange things happen in war, and they can't all be thought of in advance. Don't get bogged down by any of the game mechanics if some common sense will keep the game, and the fun, going. Sometimes prisoners must stay with a unit in combat (behind enemy lines, perhaps). In such a case, the guard figure(s) is NOT counted as a figure for shooting purposes. Also, the prisoners might be hit by an attack. Randomize the hits as usual, including the prisoners. Notice that there might be more than 12 figures as "part" of a unit. Melee and vehicles Vehicles can't melee each other. Infantry can elect to charge a vehicle, and tanks may melee infantry. Tanks can move through an enemy infantry unit without stopping for melee. It may take a (two white dice, if undamaged) shot from one of its machine guns as it moves through, and the infantry unit uses any red dice it is entitled to. This is the only case in which a unit may move into or through the enemy. Vehicles may not try to "ram" other vehicles or run people over or anything like that. Infantry get to attack a vehicle in melee as in a normal shooting attack. Even if no heavy weapon is present, all hits are counted. The vehicle shoots back, simultaneously, with all weapons, even though it is in melee, and even if it fired in the immediately preceding card play phase. In the first round, if a of the infantry involved approached the enemy vehicle from behind, then they get an extra blue die, just as in a shooting flank attack. No bow-mounted weapons of the vehicle will be used in the first round in such a case, either. Fight rounds until the vehicle is destroyed or the infantry is reduced to a non-standing unit. If the infantry is reduced to a non-standing unit, the vehicle has a choice. It may escort the new prisoners away from the battle, or simply "release" them and continue to fight in later turns. A velucle is not forced to do guard duty like infantry is, but it may do so, perhaps to fulfill a victory condition. Situations with vehicles use the appropriate number of dice for the vehicle. The maximum number for movement is used when charging, and the vehicle could be immobilized. Special situations may arise, and can be resolved with some common sense in any mutually agreeable manner. Cavalry in melee Cavalry roll 4D6 to charge into melee. They get a +1 for each figure in the first round in a melee if they are the attackers against non-dug-in infantry in the open. Notice that in melee, even though mounted, they are not treated as if they are a lower grade unit. Other melee rules Once a melee commences, someone is going to be wiped out. The only exception is if a vehicle releases a defeated non- standing infantry unit: those figures might be able to join another unit and fight again. If a unit is successful in getting hits to charge into melee, then falls short on the distance, and then an ace is drawn for movement, then that unit, if it's the one chosen to move, may go ahead and continue the charge, rolling for more movement. It does not have to roll for the hits again. If every guard of some prisoners is killed, just remove the prisoner figures from play. They won't fight, but they won't count as captured for any victory conditions, either. Terrain, Buildings, Emplacements Terrain on the tabletop battlefield can affect movement, line of sight, and combat. Terrain and movement Most of the tabletop, whether it represents meadows, city areas, desert, or whatever, is usually considered clear. Except for roads, which can improve movement if desired, terrain other than clear usually slows movement. For hills, brush, and forest, halve the movement rates for infantry, wiless on a road (even if not using the road movement bonus). Only halve the portion of the movement that actually occurs on the terrain. Certain large vehicles may be forbidden in forests. A linear obstacle, mainly a wall or fence, costs three inches of movement to cross. Walls offer a defensive value. Fences do not offer protection, they just slow units down. For special situations, apply common sense for the effect of the terrain involved. For a scenario of the Dieppe raid, we had a movement rate of only 1/3 normal, and you couldn't dig in, when on the shale beach in the area. Streams and rivers may be considered impassable, except at a ford, where movement is halved. Bridges, of course, represent places where the water can be crossed, but certain bridges may not be usable by heavy vehicles. Rules for overcoming wide water obstacles, using infantry assault rafts and the like, are relatively easy to design into your scenarios using a bit ofyour imagination. For the raid on Vaagso, we used landing craft that could move 12" on the water, or move six inches and load/unload an infantry unit. Terrain and combat Hills, buildings, etc., cannot be seen through. Brush can be seen through. Woods and some crops can only be seen through for six inches (plus an unlimited distance through clear area next to them). Except for a unit firing from the edge of one of these terrain types, the defensive value (Ted dice) shown applies for any attack through the terrain, even if the target is not in the terrain. If the firing unit is at the edge of the terrain, and the target is in the clear, the target does not get the defensive advantage of the terrain. Here are some guidelines for terrain types: Light cover One bad die (crops, rolling terrain, brush) Medium cover Two bad dice (woods, wall, building, prepared position) Heavy cover Three bad dice (bunker, pillbox, very heavy building) Buildinps Any single building (or house) model used in Battleground represents several buildings. That is how a 12-figure unit, representing perhaps 60 men, can fit in there. When a unit occupies a building this is shown by distributing the figures around the base of the building, facing away from it. Units in buildings can shoot in any direction and cannot be flank attacked. A unit can occupy a building without digging in. Measurements for firing at and by units in buildings are made to/from the center of the building. The buildings should not be extremely large individual structures, nor should they be too close together. This is all for the sake of the way the rules work, and to provide room for the figures and vehicles to maneuver. For example, using 20mm figures ' you don't want building models bigger than two or three inches on a side, nor should they often be closer to each other (center-to-center) than six inches. Of course, closely packed buildings might sometimes be a feature of a scenario. The maximum occupancy ofa building is two units. The maximum number offigures is 18. It is possible for one unit to be dug in and the other to not be. In such a case, the attacker targets a particular unit, not the whole building. Emplacements There are two types of emplacements often used. One is a machine gun nest (two red dice defense), and the other is a pillbox (three red dice defense). A pillbox is just a machine gun nest with a bit more protection. The machine gun nest or pillbox shoots with one die and one good die, representing two men with a heavy weapon. The emplacements are used as obstacles in a scenario, and have some special rules. The crew never retreats and can't be charged in melee. It takes two hits to destroy the emplacement: if it receives one hit, mark it with a bit of cotton from under the model's base. One hit does not reduce the dice it uses to fire. When it is destroyed, mark an emplacement with cotton on the top. A destroyed machine gun nest is no longer significant as terrain. A destroyed pillbox is treated like a building (two red dice) and can be occupied. No weapon is available in either destroyed position. A pillbox with a longer-ranged and more powerful weapon could be considered a gun emplacement. If it has no weapons, it's a bunker. Additional Rules Something about scale A lot of miniatures wargamers are very concerned about having realistic scale in their games. Scale refers to the relationship of the real time a turn represents as compared to how far a unit can move, and how that ties in to how far a unit can shoot. Ifeverything isn't to the same, and a correct, scale, the game won't be realistic. It's been stated that one figure in this game represents from one to five actual soldiers. That was the main concern when the rules were first under development, The movement rates and firing distances are concessions to keeping the rules simple and the game fim. The amount oftime a turn represents is undefined. These rules have been used for games inspired by some very big battles. For example, in using modified Battleground rules for playing an American Civil War game, there's no way that I can say that certain units at Gettysburg have just 60 men! The game system works anyway. The point is, this is a game. It's not meant to simulate (realistically portray, or replay) war, but to provide some entertainment, and maybe a little understanding, drawing inspiration from actual events. Even as a game with elements of luck, it provides opportunities for strategy to play a part, and for lots of great interaction between players. Bookkeeping (that is to say, paperwork) Most games of Battleground require no paperwork. The simple rules, and the use of markers on the tabletop as needed, usually eliminate the need for keeping track of ammunition, damage, and things like that. There may be situations, though, where you want to keep some records of what is going on. Drawing a map of where units will enter as reinforcements later in a game is one such situation. Another is a map of initial setup positions for a defender: he might have units in houses, for example, and the attacker doesn't know about them until they shoot at him, or he gets within six inches of them, for instance- The gamemaster or the player with the hidden units must make sure that eNerything is handled in a fair way. Some of the rules may require a little record keeping to make sure nothing is forgotten. None of the paperwork that may occasionally be required is overwhelming. Medics If there is a medic figure, it is never counted as a shooting figure, and is treated as a special figure if hit (it rolls to see if it saves). It gets a -I in melee, and may not be used as a guard. In the shooting phase, the medic action is to attempt to "heal" a "dead" friendly figure that is right there where the medic's unit is. Simply roll a separate die roll for the medic and see if it gets a "hit", meaning a successful heal attempt. The roll is affected, as is shooting, by running. A healed leader or heavy weapon figure or other special figure is treated as only a normal figure. A medic may make repeated attempts in the same area, on the same figure, as long as the medic's unit is there. A medic may attempt to heal any ally, even from a different unit, that he may be near. The healed figure will be combined with the medic's unit (see the next section). The successful healing attempt is not, of course, actually bringing a dead soldier, or group of soldiers, back to life. Kills in Battleground represent men who may be too wounded to carry on the fight. As far as the game goes, they are no longer of consequence. A medic may sometimes be able to get enough men back into action to have an effect on thebattle. This is just shown by bringing one of the "dead" figures back to life. Combining Units Infantry units may combine with other infantry units. Once units arc combined, they may not be divided, and original units (that were together from the beginning of the game) may not be divided. Exception: if taking on a decimated unit would put the "adopting" unit over the limit for total figures (12), then the total group of figures can and must divide into two (roughly equal) units. Vehicles may not combine with any other unit. The combining is done as part of movement. It does not cost any movement points, but the units involved must start next to each other, or move towards each other during the turn. If two units of different qualities are combining, start by determining what an "average" of the two units would be, as shown below: A + D = somewhere between a B and a C A+C=B A + B = somewhere between an A and a B B+D=C B + C = somewhere between a B and a C C + D = somewhere between a C and a D Roll 1D6 for each unit to determine the final quality of the combined unit. There is a +1 for each additional figure in the largest unit. The "winning" unit then moves the quality of the average unit quality as much as one grade towards its own quality (but of course can't go past its own quality). Even if one unit is five or more figures less than the other one, the quality may be changed by one grade towards that smaller unit if the dice rolls are one for the larger unit and a six for the smaller one. A leader from a lower quality original unit will not count as a leader in a higher quality combined unit. Examples: An A unit of seven figures is combining with a C unit ofthree. Their average should be a B grade unit. 1. They roll a one and a five respectively. Adding those values to the number of figures for each unit, it's a tie, eight each. The combined unit will, indeed, be grade B. 2. They roll a four and a three respectively. Adding those values to the number of figures for each unit, it's 11 to six. Move the average value one grade towards the winner. The combined unit will be grade A. 3. They roll a one and a six respectively. Adding those values to the number of figures for each unit, it's eight to nine. Move the average grade down one level. The new unit will just be grade C. Even if the grade A unit had had nine figures, and its total would have been 10, it still would have "lost", since it rolled a one and the smaller unit rolled a six. Notice that if the average grade would be "somewhere between" two grades, that a tie will have to be rolled again, so that a definite grade for the new unit can be established. Mines Minefields can be used to destroy, delay, detour, and distract an enemy. In some scenarios a defender may have some minefields; as part of his "force". It is also possible to have the attacker think there are minefields, even if there are not. Minefields are 24 square inches in area. They are either 2"x12", Yx8", or 4"x6" rectangles, or a 5.5" diameter circle- Make minefields from paper or cloth. If they are known to the attacker, or if they are dummies just to trick him, place them on the table during setup. If they are secret, draw a map with their exact locations. If a unit gets within six inches of a hidden minefield, it may be able to detect it. It must roll the distance, or greater, that it is from the minefield, on ID6. Detection is automatic at one inch distance. This is only for units that move and don't get to the minefield in that turn. The minefield-owning player or the gamemaster can have the moving player make the roll without telling him what it is for. Be sure you know exactly where the minefield is in relation to the moving unit. When the minefield is detected, place the cloth or paper minefield piece on the tabletop where it belongs. If a unit's moves carries it into the minefield, then it is subject to attack. Place the tninefield, and resolve the minefield attack right away, during the moving player's turn, as soon as the unit in question stops. Ifaunitmoves clear through a minefield and then it takes damage, put the model or figures back into the "nefield, where the damage would actually have occurred. All minefields are assumed to be the mixed type. That is, they contain mines that can attack both infantry and vehicles. Minefields only hit with a roll of six, like a D grade unit. Units in a minefield do not get any of their defensive red dice when attacked by the minefield. Note: Please don't have a unit dig in if it's in a minefield. Against a vehicle, a minefield uses as many white dice as the vehicle moved in inches onto the minefield. Unarmored vehicles are immobilized if they get a hit, destroyed if they get two. Armored vehicles are no effect for one hit, immobilized if they get two: they can still fire all weapons. Against an infantry unit, a minefield uses as many white dice as there were figures that actually entered the tninefield. Hits on the unit are still randomized through the entire unit, not just on those figures that entered the minefield. Infantry units and vehicles that find themselves in a minefield, and survive, will undergo additional attacks when they move again. They will not be attacked by the minefield if they don't move, but they can't even change facing. Clearing mines If a player has a mineclearing vehicle or an engineer team, he can clear mines. The vehicle just moves on through, at 1/2 speed, and a path is cleared. We can stretch the rules and let it clear a path to a trapped vehicle or infantry unit, then that unit may turn around and leave the minefield (next turn, and only after the rescuer moves out of the way). An engineer team, up to six specific figures of an infantry unit that had been previously designated as such, can also clear minefields. As their shooting turn (they do count as shooters in other instances), these special figures clear a two inch wide by one inch deep path per figure. They must be adjacent to or in the minefield when they start the shooting card turn. This means that six figures can, for example, clear an area two inches wide by six inches deep in one turn. British engineer team goes to work on a minefield. Artillery and aircraft Besides the units on the tabletop, most of which shoot just 12", and which have maximum ranges of 24", there may be other combat forces involved. These are handled quickly and simply, to show the effect that they can have, but without slowing the game down too much. Artillery attacks and airstrikes are attacks against the units on the table by units that are never seen in the game. The effect of these off-table units is seen, however. To incorporate these effects into the game, you're going to need a four-inch diameter ring for a blast marker. One is easily made by using a hobby knife and trimming the lip from the top of a margarine tub. In the scenario, or game, you are playing, one or both sides may be given opportunities to use artillery or aircraft. These may be written down, to be used on a certain turn, or they may occur randon-dy. When an attack is to occur: 1. Place the blast ring where you want the attack to hit. 1 Roll 2d6. The blast mill really occur as many inches as the two dice are different in value, in a direction from the lower value die to the higher, from the selected spot. If the dice have the same value, there is no drift. Resolve the attack. These Australians and their mules are under attack from a Japanese airplane. The blast ring, as placed, catches four soldiers and two mules (there's a green running marker in there, too). The dice show two inches of drift almost straight "down". Even after the drift, the blast ring will still have a couple offigures inside it, so the attack will proceed. In this game, by the way, the mules were special figures in the unit. If a type of attack gets more than one blast area, the selected sites for all ofthe blasts must be within six inches ofevery other one. You can't shoot all over the table with what is supposed to be a fairly tight grouping of artillery shells. Here are the attacks that weapons systems get to make: Dive bomb/strafe 1 blast, 2 blue dice Mortar 2 blasts, 2 blue dice each Light artillery 2 blasts, 3 blue dice each Medium artillery 3 blasts, 3 blue dice each Heavy artillery 3 blasts, 4 blue dice each If a dive bomber is a Stuka, drift is only 1/2 normal, and use three blue dice. The target gets the usual red dice for whatever protection they have. A linear obstacle like a wall will offer reduced or no protection from an overhead attack. Casualties from a blast are, as always, randomized throughout the unit. If a blast ring just barely encompasses a part of a figure or vehicle, then that unit is attacked. Many times the drift carries the blast far enough away so that there is no attack to resolve. Drift can also make the attack land on a different unit. Don't shoot too close to your own units. If a blast encompasses more than one unit, or something really unusual happens, resolve the situation in any mutually agreeable manner. A P40 buzzes retreating Japanese. Plastic model, shown for effect, and not actually used in play, built by Adam Carroll. Here's a way to incorporate some random artillery attacks into the game. Let's say that the Germans are on the defense against an American advance. On the back of seven old business cards (when anybody quits at your work, ask them for their unused business cards), write: German medium artillery; German heavy artillery; Reload; US mortar (on three cards); US light artillery. Whenever a five or six playing card is drawn, of any Suli t, then immediately and before the standard action is taken, draw one of the business cards. Do the artillery attack indicated, then go ahead and do the action for the playing card. If the "Reload" card is drawn, just put all the cards back in the bowl, or whatever you are drawing them from. You can use a similar technique for any game and include the exact mix ofartillery attacks and airstrikes that the scenario requires. Also, instead of having it happen only when certain cards like five or six are drawn, you can do it every turn during the special action phase, after melee. Smoke Pre-designated infantry units can lay smoke instead of firing at the enemy during their shooting turn. The smoke can shot a range of 12", and is shown as a solid six inch long line of cotton balls. At the end of the turn that it was laid, during the special actions phase, remove every other cotton ball, so the line is broken up. It still represents a solid line of smoke. At the end of the next turn, remove all of the rest of the cotton. No unit may fire into or through smoke. These U.S. soldiers are advancing from a hill behind the cover of smoke. The smoke will be gone after the end of this turn. Smoke can also be delivered by artfllery. Determine the drift ofa four inch diameter burst as per the artillery rules, and place the smoke as a solid circle of cotton balls. Duringthe next two special actions phases, remove some, and then the rest of, the cotton balls. Flares Pre-designated infantry units in nighttime scenarios can launch flares instead of firing at the enemy during their shootingturn. Flares light up the entire tabletop just for the rest of the turn they are launched. Night sighting distance is usually just 12". A flare can reveal previously hidden enemy units and enable vehicle weapons to fire at maximum range. Flares can also be delivered by artillery. If delivered in a special actions phase at the end of a turn, the artillery flare lasts through the entire next turn. Advanced and Optional Rules Not every scenario will use all of the standard rules. In a way, then, most any rule might be considered optional. You are free to change or ornit any that you choose. There may be even more rules you want. Using these ideas as a guide, design what you need for your own games. Detailed armor defense ratings Instead of armored vehicles getting the same number of red dice all around, have different ratings for front, sides, and rear. Draw an imaginary line through opposite comers of the tank to determine from which "quarter" the attack is coming. Do not give the firing unit an extra blue die for a flank shot. Specialized heavy weapons Heavy weapons figures in the standard game just represent extra capability to inflict damage of a general type. The exact weapon the figure has does not matter. You can play so that the weapon the figure has does matter. Divide heavy weapons into two classes: anti-personnel or anti-armor. The figure being used as the heavy weapon figure must have an appropriate weapon type. You might want a unit to have one of each heavy weapon type. Anti-personnel weapons would be machine guns for the most part. They can also fire at non-armored vehicles. They do not count as a heavy weapon against armored vehicles. Anti-armor weapons include bazookas, panzerschrecks, etc. They do not count as heavy weapons against infantry, but they do when used against unarmored vehicles. Flame throwers are special. They count when used against either target type. A heavy weapon figure always counts, at least, as a normal shooter for any attack. An additional option is to decrease the range for specific weapons. PIATs, panzerfausts, and flame throwers only have a six inch range. Multi-figure bases (or stands) These rules are designed for having individually-based figures. You may already have some figures mounted two to four on a stand. They can be used in two different ways. 1. Put casualty markers on figures as they are killed, until every figure for a stand has been eliminated. Then remove the stand. Notebook paper reinforcement rings make cheap casualty markers: just put them on the figure's head, arm, or weapon. 2. Do "all or nothing" casualties on a stand. For example, if a stand of three figures takes two hits, roll a D6. On a five or six, the stand survives, and there are zero casualties. On a one through four, the entire stand of three figures is killed. In the long run, this will all even out. Just be sure to balance the chance of total destruction of the stand with the hits that it received. For melee situations, add up all the bonuses for figure types, defense, charging cavalry, or whatever, and go stand against stand, rolling a die for each figure. The highest total wins that melee round, and then you must take casualties on the stand by one of the methods above. Unit Quality-based-defense Give units defensive dice even when they are not in cover or dug in. Grade A gets four red dice, B grade gets three, C grade gets two, and a D grade unit gets one red die. Better units will be harder to destroy. You will have noticed that no matter how good or bad units are, they are all just as easy to kill, except that the special figures have a better chance to survive longer. Using defensive dice based on the unit quality shows that better equipped or trained units will last longer when under attack. With the standard rules, a better unit will inflict more damage on the enemy and tend to last longer on the tabletop just by virtue of that fact. Sometimes a particular unit may fall victim to some bad card draws, but everything will tend to even out among several units over the course of a game. Using this optional rule will make all the units survive a bit longer, and will therefore lengthen a game. Retreat After Beinit Attacked Any unit that loses at least a third of its current strength to shooting attacks rolls one die, or two if there is at least one leader present. If it doesn't score a "hif', it must retreat 1D6" in good order, FACING THE ENEMY. In this special case, move the full D6 distance, without deducting for turning around. Any unit that loses at least a half of its current strength rolls one die, or two if there is at least one leader present. If it doesn't score a "hit, it must rout 2D6", BACK TO THE ENEMY. A routing unit must roll each turn in its movement phase to see if it rallies, by getting a "hit", or it keeps routing. A routing unit may not fire. Mark the unit, perhaps mith a red stone. Battleground WWII Era Small Unit Actions Miniatures Wargame Rules Introduction to Battleground The Rules Scenario Design Back to MWAN #119 Table of Contents Back to MWAN List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 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