Back in Operations 13, Mike Hagget published some tables updating Omaha to the TCS 3.0 rules standard. Unfortunately, those rules proved unsatisfactory. Additionally, 3.0 became 3.1, mandating further work be done. Omaha has proven to be a game with a certain resilience--the past few HomerCons have always seen at least one invasion--and I felt it was clearly time to give this game the more complete upgrade treatment it fully deserves. In all cases, the rules that follow are considered to be in addition to existing rules, unless they specifically state that they replace an existing rule in the Omaha rulebook.

1.0 Terrain and Movement Modifications

1.1 Terrain Effects Chart

See the new TEC for terrain classes. Movement costs remain as in the original game.

Terrain Effects Chart
Type	Cover
Open	Open
Beach	Billiard Table
Hedgerow	Partly Protective
Forest	Partly Protective
Red Buildings	Protective
Black Buildings	Partly Protective
Defensive Zone	Protective (Units must be considered dug in as well. For AT roll attempts, use other terrain in the target hex to determine the correct line to roll on. Defensive zones do not give advantages to the attacker in this case.)
Shingle	Open for spotting purposes, Partly Protective for all fire that crosses Shingle hexsides as described in the Omaha rules.

1.2 Movement Costs

As an exception to series rule 20.1b, units must pay only +1 MP for each 2 (not one) elevation levels changed during a move. In other words, pay for each 2 contour lines between center dots, not for each line as stated in series rule 20.1b. If crossing an extreme slope, pay only the extreme slope MP cost and ignore the cost for changing elevations.

1.3 Minefields

Given the new rules on minefields in 3.1, players will find many minefield hexes that are impassable, due to a lack of sufficient movement points. This is clearly too harsh a penalty. Instead, apply the following rules. Note that minefields that can be breached with existing rules should be done that way. The rule below applies only to minefields that are impervious due to excess MP costs.

A unit that begins its movement adjacent to a minefield in move mode, but lacks sufficient movement points to pay all of the terrain costs, may attempt to breach it. First, the unit expends all its movement points, and any overwatch fires are resolved as per rule 21.0d. Next, resolve the breach attempt, as per rule 21.3. At this point, the breaching unit remains in the starting hex, and is considered finished moving. It may flip over to combat mode, if desired.

In the next action phase, the unit that breached the minefield may move normally through the breach hex. No unit may ever use this rule to cross a prohibited hexside.

All other movement costs remain as given in the original game.

2.0 American Special Rules

2.1 The Landing System

The US player may not use more than one third of available landing craft on any one beach (Dog Red, Easy Green, etc.; do not worry about specific beach sectors). It is not necessary to divide each class of boat into thirds, as long as no more than 1/3 (rounded up) of all available boats land on one beach.

For instance, in the first wave the US player has 12 LCAs and 4 LCTs available, a total of 16 boats. No more than 6 boats (any type, including all LCTs) may land at any one beach.

2.2 LCT(R) Fires

The LCT(R) fires are conducted as given in the 3.1 series rulebook, rule 17.7a. The US player still has 4 available fires at the start of the game.

2.4 Beach Obstacle Hexes

As an exception to the series rules, rule 20.0b can be used to test or clear beach obstacle hexes. Sometimes, the opposite hexside of a breached hex may be impassable. In the at case, the breaching player may choose one alternative hexside to clear instead.

2.6 Naval Gunfire

Starting with the 0940 6 June Turn, the US player may fire one destroyer mission per turn. Each destroyer mission is considered a battery fast fire, firepower equivalent to a 155mm. Any and all modifiers applicable to a fast fire do apply to destroyer fires.

Always use the last adjustment table (7 hexes or more) and the US nationality line when calling for a Naval Gunfire mission. These missions are always considered self-spotting with an LOS as described in the game rules.

2.9 Artillery Ammunition

All ammo is figured as given in the series rules 3.1 (HE and smoke divided by 4). When figuring amounts landed per gun for the initial available amounts, follow the procedure as given in Omaha normally, and then divide the final result by 4.

On-map guns of a battery that fire as direct fire use one Battery Fire per turn, no matter how many guns of that battery fire, or how many times any single gun fires in a given turn.

2.10 US Air Power Table

US Air Power Table
Dice Roll	Sorties
2-5	none
6-8	1x A-20
9-10	2x A-20
11-12	4x A-20

An A-20 has an area firepower of 36 and a point attack kill number of 8+.

3.0 German Special Rules

3.3 Pillbox Units

Pillboxes should be considered akin to immobile tanks. They are attacked like point targets, that is, on the Point Fire or the AT Roll table. They may be buttoned up via the Area Fire Table. In addition, however, pillbox units are considered dug in.

Pillbox units have a defense of 6, as shown on their counters. Ignore the defense of 4 given in Ops 13.

Example: On the Point Fire Table, each of the following modifiers apply to fire against a pillbox unit:

Terrain: Protective (Defensive Zone)

Target: -1 (dug in), -1 (Fire Mode), -1 (if in smoke or artillery zone) The target is not considered an AT gun, nor can it road move, so these two modifiers do not apply.

Firer: Proceed as normal. On the Area Fire Table, each of the following apply:

Terrain: -3 (some or all units dug in, Protective terrain)

Target: -1 (if in smoke or artillery zone), -2 (Point target with defense of 2 or greater in hex), +1 (for crossfire, if possible) A pillbox cannot be in Move Mode, or be suppressed or paralyzed, so these modifiers do not apply.

Important Note: These rules, and the foregoing example, use the standard rounding rule when determining close vs. nominal range. For instance, a unit with a printed range of 5 would be considered firing at close range from 3 hexes or less.

As a change to the rules given in the Omaha rulebook, AT roll attacks can be made from adjacent hexes. The attacker need no longer be in the pillbox's hex.

3.10 German Artillery Ammunition

German arty ammo is figured as given in the TCS 3.1 series rulebook: HE and Smoke divided by 4.

3.13 German Beach TRPs (Target Reference Points)

Under 3.1, the TRPs is a thing of the past. However, Omaha requires rules for special circumstances. On Map A, the German player may use 4 TRPs. On map B, the German player may use 5 TRPs. Each TRP is recorded before play begins. No TRP can be more than 6 hexes from the shingle and no TRP may be seaward of the Shingle line.

3.13a Each TRP can be used as a spotting point for a fire mission. If the German player has no actual spotter unit with which to engage the target (or the spotter unit cannot observe for some reason), simply count the distance from the TRP to the target hex and use the appropriate range section of the Adjustment Table. Note that the German need not actually trace an LOS from the TRP to the target hex; just count distance.

4.0 General Special Rules

4.6 Overwatch Fires

4.6a Any unit that rolls a 64-66 on either the Area or Point Fire Table while firing overwatch at a unit or stack moving on the beach (defined as any hex seaward of the Shingle line) is immediately marked with a Fired marker; it may not fire overwatch again in that phase. These markers are removed as normal in the clean-up phase. Pillboxes so marked are considered marked for both weapons, not just the weapon that fired the actual overwatch.

4.6b Overwatch and the Shingle. Units that move into a Shingle-protected hex from a non-protected hex do not get the benefit of Shingle protection. Any unit that starts a move from a Shingle-protected hex and moves directly to another Shingle-protected hex is so protected.

5.0 Command and Control

5.1 US Command Prep Ratings

From the start of the game until 1200 7 June (inclusive), the US Command Prep Rating is 8. After 1200 7 June, the Command Prep Rating for units of the 1st Infantry Division is 4 and for units of the 29th Infantry Division it is 5.

6.0 General Victory Conditions

In Scenarios 1, 2, 5, 8, and 9, the US player must completely control the village of St. Laurent sur Mer by 1800 6 June or the level of victory is shifted one in the German favor.

Designer's Notes for the revised Omaha