To use these rules, play TCS normally and ignore all command rules. Players should nevertheless be familiar with what units without orders cannot do, overall intent, and how task organization size is determined. In other words, use series rules 6.3, 6.4, 6.9c-d; use 6.12a in conjunction with 6.3.

Each side uses the new Command Track. [Ed. note: make a copy for each side if both players agree to keep their command status hidden.]

Each side needs one counter to place in the appropriate box; all forces on a side are always under on of the four statuses. The four words used on the track are not meant to be overly descriptive; it might be more accurate to call them Bad, Fair, Good, Best. The four terms on the track were adopted from the XTR game Gettysburg: Lee's Greatest Gamble, but they don't really have the same meaning here.

At the start of each scenario or campaign game, players decide which status they start in. In most cases, the attacking side should be -aggressive' while the defending side should be 'passive' or 'restrictive', but a lot depends upon the particular scenario. After understanding these rules, players should be able to decide this pretty quickly.

At the beginning of each hour (during non-night, and never the first hour of the game), each player rolls two dice as an 11-66 result on the Command Status Table.

In non-night, in lieu of rolling on this table, a player may always choose 'passive' unless already in 'panic', in which case he must roll normally. At night, both players are always in 'panic' and do not roll. Once a command status has been determined, that status 'sticks' for the duration of the hour, usually 3 turns (one turn at night). You should roll every turn during those few 1-hour dusk/dawn turns.

The command status determines a player's ability to activate his maneuver battalions. Players should quickly jot down, at the start of play, their task organizations (basically, who is attached to whom, like the task organization listing on an Op Sheet). At the start of any hour (only, not every 20 minutes), a player may freely change any of his task organizations, but only if the current command status, before rolling for the hour, is something other than 'panic.'

Size adversely affects a force's chances for activation (below), but players should also come up with some common sense guidelines against massive battlegroups that would never be formed under the regular command rules-anything with a size greater than 3 is suspect, especially if the units involved aren't independent or assets. Optionally, artillery batteries may be assigned to tasks as well, with the same restriction on changes.

During their action phases, players choose a task organization (or 'group') to activate, and roll once against the Activation Table.

Rolling equal to or greater than the listed activation number allows that task organization to activate. Rolling less renders the group inactive. Active groups may do anything the rules allow, including SFA, artillery spotting, etc. Inactive task organizations may only fire overwatch, and are subject to either 6.3 or 6.12a. In other words, inactive groups may not move at all, except to tighten up around their center hex or to execute a failure type of move, possibly in conjunction with voluntary SYRs. Any such failure move (since no failure instructions are given), must comply with player's common sense--locally to the rear.' Since these rules allow a great deal of freedom, any doubt should disallow failure moves, although SYRs should be allowed in most cases.

Shifts to the Activation Table:

• Before rolling for activation, a player may voluntarily declare any one task organization inactive. For this shift, the selected deactivated group must have at least 10 counters on the map. Shift the row other groups use for activation up two (and remember that you don't get to roll for the inactive group).
• For each increment of size above 1, shift the row down one.
• For digging in, always use the 'panic' column. Failed digging in attempts mean the group must be inactive, cannot move under any circumstances, and may not perform voluntary SYRs.

During the first non-night turn of each new day, both players can freely choose any one command status in lieu of rolling.

Finally, as another option, consider that the status track (Panic-Passive-Restricted-Aggresive) is designed for one side's overall command. In games where a command is logically broken by organization or geography, players may want to keep track of status by division/brigade or by map. For example, in GD'41 the Germans could (and probably should) have two commands, with two separate status markers.

Notes

These rules require special considerations in certain games. Russian Tasks in GD'41 should be by regiment (with no size modification). The BDA rules in A Raging Storm should still be followed (and will obviate much of this table until the Germans force anyone out of their BDA). Black Wednesday requires considerations for looting and sequential Soviet activation. The status table was designed to keep players on their current status, although eventually 'aggressive' status will give way to -panic.' If players find the table too forgiving, they may wish to 'up' the panic numbers by 1 or 2 each (11..16 or 11..21). If the activation table seems a bit extreme, it was designed to be. Simply add a '1 or '2 (remembering the 11-66 outcomes) as you see fit. Players might also wish to forego using this system for the first 1-3 hours of any scenario, as usually both sides start with implemented orders.

Note the implications on play. Players should keep at least one task organization in reserve (inactive), in order to use the row shift when it might be needed. Also, task activations must be executed immediately-roll for each group and then fully move and fire its before proceeding to the next task. Once a player rolls for a new task organization, previously activated groups are finished and may do nothing except fire overwatch. Therefore, if you want different units to move and fire together, you must put them in the same task organization and suffer from the size shift.