Most modern wargames run a tight risk in small arms rules. Either the fire is so great that infantry is stacked up like cordwood whenever it shows itself, or an astute player will realize that an all-out banzai charge is probably a very sound tactic.

From all the reading I've done, and the things participants in the real ones have told me, what is supposed to carry forward an infantry attack is local fire superiority. To many this suggests that two forces bang away at each other until all on one side die, run away, or surrender. However, in most actions of WWII and Korea, probably WWI and Vietnam as well, a major aspect of fire superiority is the psychological influence of near misses. I cannot speak (fortunately), from direct experience, but when I read in an infantry manual that the crack of a rifle bullet passing nearby inspires people to examine the bottom of trenches, try to lie flatter on the ground, etc. I can tell, somehow that they are talking about my kind of people. Of course, it doesn't always work, and rarely works perfectly, which makes it hard to make up rules about.

For all that, the attack and defense by infantry in modern Games seems to me to demand attention, so I'm setting out the following suggestions:

Each infantry base (in my T.O. 3 figures) should have characteristics representing its offensive potential in terms of a mixture of individual weapons. Thus a few soldiers in a unit primarily armed with rifles will probably have submachine guns, etc. Groups of bases will form "tactical units" upon which morale calculations are made.

Casualties are removed within a "unit" from the base with most survivors If the "unit" is operating with no more than five inches between bases.

One casualty on a base will not check the ability of the base to attack. Two casualties from a rifle base permit defense.

Practically all machineguns carried by rifle companies matched the rifle caliber of the army. However, the "light" weapons were biped mounted. Medium machineguns do not fire on the turn in which they move, while a light machinepun has the fire of a moving rifle base when moving, of a submachinegun base within 6".

Most wargame rules also provide for submachinegun bases or figures. I would suggest that each submachinegun base be credited with a few rifles, each rifle base with a few submachineguns. Thus 2 submachinegun with 1 rifle on a base would give 2 dice at rifle range, 8 dice at 6" and under. Two rifles and one submachinegun would get 4 and 6 respectively, Certain formations, such as Volkagrenadiers, assault infantry, etc. would have 2 submachinegun to 1 rifle base while most infantry would have the reverse.

Rocket weapons, with a range of 6" and light or medium machineguns would be attached to the rifle companies. In tactical units in periods of 1943-45, originally my intent had been to allow one die to be rolled for each "fire factor," and a 4-5-6, 5-6 or 6 required to "hit" at 200, 400, and 600 yds. For each "hit" the firing player would roll, needing an even number against prone targets, a 5 or 6 against partially protected targets, a 6 against entrenched targets. This is partly because it develops logically (if clumsily) from rules for earlier periods, and partly because I like lots of dice or none, hoping they average out. For faster play, however, using 1 die with a maximum total of 4 casualties may help. This could be done by rolling for a 1-2-3-4, or a 1-2-3, 1-2, or whatever.

Among light weapons carried by an infantry company we might find the following represented on bases:

Fire Factors
Unit	Halted		Advancing		Description
	Short	long	Short	Long
Command Base	2	2	2	0	Officer & Radio or Orderly
Rifle Base	6	4*	2	2	3 Figures of whom 2 riflemen
Submachinegun Base	8	2**	6	0	3 Figures of whom 2 submachinegun
Light Machinegun Base	8	8	2	2	2 Figures with bipod m.g.
Medium Machinegun Base	12	12	0	0	2-3 Figures with tripod m.g.

* Long is over 6" or 200 yd,

**Over 100 yards, or 3"

Range & Accuracy: A score of 4-5-6 at medium range, 5,6 at medium range, and 6 at long range.

Unit	Short	Medium	Long
Submachine Run	3"	-	6"
Command	6"	9"	12"
Rifle	6"	12"	18"
Light Machinegun	9"	18"	27"
Medium Machinegun	12"	24"	36"

Deduct 1 fire factor from the total group fired on for: Each 4 fire factors directed against the target group that turn. This decrease is based upon Intact fire factors, not fire factors as reduced after adjustment. The reduction is effective only for one turn.

Deduct 1 Fire Factor from each base within a bombardment zone or otherwise affected by the following conditions:

a: The zone is under fire of a mortar or field artillery battery
b: An enemy armored fighting vehicle is in front of the enemy, i.e., between the unit firing and the target of 3-5 bases.

Double the number of batteries, fire factors. or vehicles interposed to decrease the fire effect of units concealed in woods and/or behind light cover of wallditches, craters. or hasty earthworks. (Medium Field Artillery effect not altered).

Triple the number required for reducing the fire factors of troops in foxholes, slit trenches, rifle pits, heavy masonry buildings.

Hits must be confirmed with a 2-4-6 against Prone, 4-6 against lightly protected, and 6 against well protected troops.

Anti-Tank Fire Factors v Anti-Tank Weapon: 4 (up to 47m)
Medium Anti-Tank Weapon: 3 (Long 50 to short 76)
Heavy Anti-Tank Weapon: 2 (Long 75 to 88-90mm)

Range (effect)	Short	Medium	Long
Light	12"	24'	48"
Medium	15"	30"	60''
Heavy	18"	36''	72"

Range (Accuracies For purposes of aiming direct fire, hit are as for rifle-, and ranges are the same (12, 24, 49) As for light anti-tank effective range

Armored Fighting Vehicles

I tend to favor a ratio of about 2-3 tanks to a company, 9-12 HO tanks to a full battallion. Why 1 gun to the battery, 3 tanks to the company? Because tank and anti-tank companies had about -3-4 times the tubes of a corresponding artillery unit, that's why!

Ever see a modern wargame with lots of tanks? Look at the speedy little demons!!! Off they are really moving, blazing away all over the place. How fast did tanks move? Well, according to model, Shermans went from about 23 to 28 m.p.h roughly the same as the early PZKW III's PZKW IV's and perhaps a bit slower than the British cruisers. Panthers and T-34's were a bit faster. About the fastest tank in much use was the M-3 Stuart, or "Honey". Powered by a highly inflammable aircraft engine it could do 40 mph on the flat.

If we let infantry match 3" and rush 5" what about motor vehicles?

On the road, we might an well assign maximum at 1" to 1 mph thus a Jeep, flat out empty, might get 5' in one bound. However, since roads in wartime are not optimum, nor are motors, unarmored and loaded motor vehicles would probably not be moving over 40 m.p.h. Off the road, even on the flat, 25-30 for light armored and unarmored vehicles is about optimum. Tanks, when buttoned up, are ill-advised to put the throttle to the floor.

Without going into all the rationale, how about these speeds for trial run?

Vehicle	Road	Field	Rough field
British 'I' and German Heavy	15''	10"	5''
Italian Medium	20"	15'	10''
PZKW III/IV, M4,M3 Medium	25"	18"	15"
M-5 Light, Cruiser	30"	20"	15''
M-3	35"	25'	15''
Armored Car 1/2 track	40''	15"	10"
Unarmored	45"10"	5''

However, if the vehicle is buttoned up- the speed would drop by 1/3rd, (round off upwards) and if a tank or armored car fires its main armament (must be a cannon to count) the speed is cut back 1/3rd again. This should be held to a minimum of 3" for I tanks, heavies and armored cars.

I'm prone, in a general game, to class anti-tank fire as light, medium, and heavy. This will offend purists. We might also count "very heavy," with 37-45 as light, 47-75 as medium. 75 long to 88mm as heavy, and 90-120 very heavy. If you want to ultra-simplify, medium guns, would be allowed to take out a "medium tank" at medium range , a light tank at long range, a heavy tank at close range. A light gun would take out a medium at close, light at medium, and a heavy tank on a cold day in Hell.

The ideal solution is to have a fire table made out for each type of anti-tank weapon in use. This would include 50 caliber machineguns for armored cars, and 20mm cannons for light tanks

In the ever popular Desert War, pre-1942 this could lead to very peculiar situations, for the short German cannons of the early PZKW III and IV were not spectacularly effective against British "I" tanks while the 2 pdr. gun much less damage on penetrating then most guns because it fired a solid bolt. Also, most armored cars were unable to make anything of tank armor.

I'd suggest 4 dice for a light anti-tank gun, 3 for a medium, 2 for a heavy. These would be influenced very much the way a rifle base was influenced, except that a protected Gun would always be able to fire. Tank cannons would always lose 1 fire factor if the vehicles were in motion, otherwise be intact.

Ranges of tank and anti-tank cannon would be similar to those of a light machinegun for light and medium weapons, a heavy machimegun for heavy weapons.

Tank Machineguns: Due to the noise, confusion, and low visabilty of the AFV, tank machineguns would fire as light machineguns when the vehicles are stationary, and equal to a rifle base when the vehicle is in motion. If the main armament on a tank (the cannon) is to be available to fire, the turret machinegun will not fire.

In effect, if a tank gunner is looking for enemy tanks, armored cars, or whatever, the m.g. does not fire from the turret. If moves are alternate, the 1st player must state that his tank is firing machinegun or holding before he ends his move. Thus, if he expects an enemy tank to pop up, he'd better not engage the turret.

Tank visability and Action limits: A tank may direct its actions towards infantry within 30 degrees of either side of its line of motion if they are exposed either by their own fire or are in motion in line of sight during the turn. The 30 degrees deviation also applies to angle off the direction pointed by the turret.

Vehicle targets may be engaged by tanks if they appear within 45 degrees of turret or direction.

Assault guns are limited in all cases to targets within 30 degrees of direction of their guns.

Shock effect: An armored fighting vehicle will remove one casualty from any base it crosses of exposed enemy infantry. If the tank is accompanied by friendly infantry which is able to reach that base an the same turn, the survivors are captured.

Mortars and artillery: The use of small arms fire to "pin down" has already been mentioned , however, such a function Is traditionally performed with the artillery and mortars.

Many rules have been devised to allocate a "bust circle" to various weapons, b ut lets face it, most artillery fire was not delivered one round at a time, especially indirect fire. Batteries were assigned targets, ranging shots fired, then when the shots fell near the target the guns were loaded-and fired with considerable rapidity.

Suppose we assign light mortars a 3" zone, medium mortars and light field pieces 6" and medium guns the same. Why the same? Because a 105mm battery could pour out more shells per minute than a 155mm battery.

This "zone" is the area in which the shells fall with moderate density for a particular turn. The center point we can locate by rolling one die for elevation, another for windage, giving a 3+3 as dead center on point of aim, with low numbers (1,2,) close and left, high (4,5,6) high and right. After "registering" the artillery may "fire for effect" on the barrage. Variances may be doubled if targets are over peak range, or other factors introduced to interfere with accuracy.

What happens in the circle? For each battery firing the player firing rolls one die for each base in the "barrage" area. For medium guns dice for bases in the open within 2" of the circle, light guns and mortars 1". Any score over 2 will inflict a casualty on advancing troops, 4-5-6 if the troops go to ground when they come under fire. A 5-6 will inflict casualties on prone or lightly protected troops, 6 only on well protected troops.

Soft transport is disabled as exposed troops. Light armor as prone troops, medium armor loses tracks for a "5-6," heavy armor for a "6".

If the game is on the level of an American Division of Infantry, using the T.O. I favor of 3 rifle, 1 m.m.g. and mortar or bazooka bases per company, there will be 71 rifle bases to a division, of 2/3 figures. The Division artillery group would have 3 "batteries" of 155mm howitzers, 6 of 105mm howitzers, and 3 regimental "cannon companies" (or cannon platoons) with 3 more 105mm battery equivalents.

With each "company" deployed 2 bases up, 1 in reserve, each battallion 2 cos. up 1 back, 2 regiments up 1 back, company front of 200 yds (6") the frontage=2 cos x 2 btns = 2 regiments x 6" or 48". Each btn. has 1 company mortar, 2 btn medium mortars, 2 regimental mortars for each regiment. On each regimental front of 24", 1 light battery, 4.5 mortar batteries, and up to 9 artillery batteries can be brought to bear.

In suppressive effect, each artillery "battery" firing into a zone reduces outgoing fire by 1 factor per base during the turn. Thus 2 heavy mortars, 2 light mortars, and 1 "cannon company" firing on a 6" sector occupied by a rifle company will effectively suppress the fire of all rifle bases.

As in the case of infantry, however, light cover will double, and heavy cover triple, the incoming fire required.

If a machinegun elects to fire from a company where rifles are all pinned down, the first casualties are machinegunners.