The following is a set of rules for skirmish wargaming in WWII. They borrow heavily from Tabletop Games Firefight rules.

Scale: One figure represents one man. One centimeter equals 1 meter. One turn is approximately 30 seconds of real time.

Organization: Figures are organized into squads or fire teams with one figure representing the units leader. The unit has a initiative value from 2 to 6. Initiative represents the units cohesion and elan. The leader has a leadership rating equal to maximum number of figures he can control. Generally this should be within one or two of the number of men in the unit. At Little Wars we generally split the leadership between a squad leader and assistant squad leader, so that a 10 man squad might have a squad leader with a 6 leadership and an assistant with a 4, each controlling 6 and 4 figures respectively. Each side has a number of initiative counters numbered from 1 to the highest initiative value for that side. Counters should also be made to indicate figures that are prone, crouching, suppressed, neutralized or on opportunity fire.

All die rolls are made on a d20 unless otherwise noted. Several templates should be made. An auto template is rectangle 10cm long by 8cm wide. The LMG template is 15cm long by 10cm wide. The HMG template is 20cm long by 10cm wide. The blast template is a 10cm circle.

Turn Sequence:

1) Remix all appropriate counters into an opaque container.

2) Draw a chit.

A) Activate eligible units.
B) Motivate those leaders troops.
C) Repeat A&B until all chits are drawn.

3) Activate unmotivated figures.

4) Check morale and determine effects.

Remix: All chits appropriate to initiative values are mixed into a single container. Since initiative can change from turn to turn, be sure to pull unneeded chits out of the mix.

Draw: Draw a chit a random. Each chit draw is a separate phase lasting from about 3 to 5 seconds. Activate units of that chit's side which have an initiative of that chit's value or higher. Those unit's leaders may now motivate a number of troops equal to his leadership value within a 25mm range. Troops in excess of the leadership value or out of command radius are UNMOTIVATED.

Each motivated troop has 4 action points to spend on the following list

1) Move 5 cm Standing/crouching/prone. 1/2/4 point(s)
2) Cross a linear obstacle Standing/crouching/prone. 1/2/4 point(s)
3) Attempt to spot 1 point
4) Fire a weapon (only once per phase). 2 points
5) Assume a crouching position from standing/prone. 1/2 point
6) Assume a prone position from crouching/standing. 1/2 point
7) Assume a standing position from crouching/prone. 1/4 point
8) Go on Opportunity fire. 1 point

Movement: The 5 cm movement is for open or light terrain. Rough ter- rain (heavy woods, swamp and rubble) costs an extra movement point.

Spotting: A figure must spot a target before it can be fired on. To determine the chances of spotting, add the numbers from the table below and roll d20. If the result is equal to or higher the target is spotted.

1) Each 25m from the spotter in clear/reduced/poor visibility (round up). +2/4/6
2) The SPOTTER is suppressed. +3
3) The SPOTTER is moving. +4
4) The TARGET is in light cover/heavy cover/firing slit. +2/4/6
5) The TARGET is crouching/prone. +2/4
6) The TARGET moved up to 5m/10m/15m/20m+ in view of SPOTTER. - 1/2/4/8
7) The TARGET fired a single action/automatic weapon up to 1 turn ago. - 1/3

Firing: A target that has been spotted may be fired on. Take the base number for the range fired at from the weapons table and adjust from the table below.

1) The FIRER is moving. +4
2) The FIRER is suppressed. +3
3) The weapon is rested/on bipod/on tripod. - 1/2/4
4) The TARGET is in light cover/heavy cover/firing slit. +2/4/6
5) The TARGET is crouching/prone. +2/4
6) The TARGET moved up to 5m/10m/ 15m/20m+ in view of SPOTTER. +1/2/4/8

If the target is hit roll on the table below for results. Add the impact value of the weapon taken from the weapon table.

1 to 6 Suppressed/Target gets suppressed modifiers for one turn.
7 to 12 Neutralized/Target can do nothing for one turn, than becomes suppressed.
13 to 18 Wounded/Target is neutralized and loses action points equal to the impact value of the weapon. A figure reduced to zero action points is out of action for the remainder of the game.
19 or 20 Killed/Target is removed from game.

Opportunity Fire: Figures on opportunity fire may fire on enemies that enter their front 90 degree arc of fire. Only one fire per phase may be made and the target must be sighted.

Unmotivated troops: All unmotivated troops are now activated. They have 2 action points and they may only fire at targets that are already spotted.

Morale: At the end of a turn (when all activation chits have been pulled) initiative may be altered and morale checked. For each 20% of the squad lost (round up) an initiative point is lost. Neutralized squad members count as a loss and suppressed members count as 1/2 a loss. The new initiative value determines the chit composition for the next turn. Note that initiative values can be regained as suppressed and neutralized members recover.

If there has been an initiative loss check the squad's morale. Roll d20 and modify the results using the table below. If the result is less than the cross indexed number the unit's cohesion has failed.

If the unit's cohesion has failed the reaction of individual member's is tested on the table below.

1 to 5 Panic/The figure leaves the board at best speed away from the enemy.

6 to 10 Neutralized/The figure takes can do nothing for one turn then is suppressed.

11 to 15 Suppressed/The figure gets suppression modifiers for one turn.

16 to 20 O.K./The figure continues as normal.

Modifiers

1) Unit defending a prepared position +2
2) Leader killed or neutralized -2
3) Leader testing +2

Notes on leaders: If a leader is killed select a new figure to take his place. Roll 1d6+1 for his leadership value. The new leader takes command the next turn.

Weapons Table: the table gives the weapon name/ type, points to fire, impact and base to hit at.

If tripod mounted the MG42 uses the HMG template. ** A hand grenade that misses it target must roll for deviation. Roll d20 and move the impact from the aim point by the resulting direction and distance. 1=2,5cm over, 2=2.5cm short, 3=2.5cm right, 4=2.5cm left, 5=2.5cm short and left, 6=2.5cm short and right, 7= 2.5 cm long and left, 8= 2.5cm long and right, 9=5cm long, 10=5cm short, 11 through 20 roll again.

Using Templates: The target is placed in the center of the template. Any other figures under the template are rolled for hits. All targets in a blast template are suppressed, if not otherwise hurt.

Firefight Lite Version 1.1 [iss. 50]