Anzio/Cassino
Anzio/Cassino Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
Anzio: The Gamble that Failed is a two-player game that simulates the opening weeks of Operation Shingle, January 22 to February 20, 1944.
Cassino: Thunder in the Mountains is a two-player game that simulates the first and second Allied offensives against the Monte Cassino portion of the German Gustav Line, January 22 to February 20, 1944.
Each turn represents five days of combat, and each hex is about 1 mile across. One player commands the Allied forces and the other player commands the German forces.
2.0 Components
2.1 Counters
Counters are "units" representing combat forces or "markers" for keeping track of the game conditions.
The front and back of each combat unit is arranged in the following manner:
The front and back of each combat unit is identical and has either a setup hex to start the game or a combination of letters and numbers that indicates when that unit arrives as a reinforcement (8.0).
2.2 Charts
The following charts on the game board are used to regulate play of the game.
2.2.1 Terrain Effects Chart (TEC)
The movement and combat effects of the terrain and the markers.
2.2.2 Combat Results Table (CRT)
Odd columns across the top are cross-indexed with results of a die roll along the left-hand side to obtain a combat result during combat resolution (6.1).
3.0 Prepare for Play
3.1 Setup
Setup the Allied and German units in the hex listed on each counter, using the setup card. Units without a hex number are reinforcements and do not begin in play on the map. Place the turn marker in the "1" box of the Game Turn Track. Ignore the "rain" and "clear" markings unless using rule 10.4. Place the impulse marker in the "A" box of the Impulse Track.
Cassino:
- The German player places his 12 defensive box counters in the hex numbers indicated on the defensive box counters.
4.0 Sequence of Play
The Game consists of six turns. Each unit, be it the only one in a hex or part of a stack, that is out of supply (7.5) at the beginning of a turn, receives 1 point of damage.
4.1 Impulses
Each turn has four impulses. During each impulse the Allied player may perform and complete actions with each of his units and then the German player may perform and complete actions with each of his units.
After both players have performed actions, the Impulse marker is advanced to the next letter on the Impulse Track: "A" then "B" then "C" then "D".
4.1.1 Tactical Actions
There are three types of tactical actions a unit may perform each impulse while its side is active: movement, combat, and pass.
4.1.2 Pass
A unit that does not move or engage in combat, is considered to have passed that impulse.
4.1.3 Movement & Combat
If allowed, movement always occurs first, after which any and all units that are adjacent to an enemy unit, no matter if they have moved or not, may have combat.
All movement actions must be complete for a side before its attacks are resolved, thus a unit may both move and attack in the same impulse. Combat is always optional. Post-combat advance is considered as part of combat.
A unit that begins its impulse adjacent to an enemy unit may move (read also 5.1) and/or engage in combat and post-combat advance but may not then move.
5.0 Movement & Stacking
5.1 Normal Movement
Units move a number of hexes equal to their movement factor and, outside of the terrain features described on the TEC, all movement costs are 1 movement point per hex.
A unit that starts its impulse adjacent to an enemy unit can move with no penalties.
Units must stop immediately and move no further than impulse upon entering a hex adjacent to an enemy unit.
5.1.1 The Mussolini Canal
Anzio: Units may not cross or attack across a canal hexside except where there is a road (see the TEC). There are only four hexsides on the map where this is possible: 1708-1809; 1707-1808; 1905-1906; and 2005-2015.
5.1.2 Allied Task Force Hexes
Anzio: Allied units may move from a Task Force hex ("Peter", "Yellow", "X-Ray") to any adjacent numbered land hex but must stop and move no further than impulse, but they may still attack and perform post-combat advance (6.5). These hexes are: 1106, 1207, 1208, 1308, 1408, 1508.
For example: Allied units in the Yellow task force may move to hexes 1208, or 1308.
German units may not attack Task Force hexes, but may move through them.
5.1.3 Allied Floating Reserve
Anzio: Allied units in the floating reserve may move to a Task Force hex (5.1.2), but must stop and move no further than impulse.
5.2 Road Net
To use a road movement a unit must start an impulse in a road hex. Units moving along the road net for the entire impulse may add one additional movement factor.
5.2.1 Water Crossings
Cassino: Any unit crossing a water hexside must stop and move no further than impulse. Armor units must use the road net to cross a water hexside.
5.2.2 Lower Rapido Flooding
Cassino: Armor units may never enter a Lower Rapido River hex. These are: 1708; 1709; 1809; 1810.
5.3 Stacking
Stacking occurs when there are multiple units in one hex. There may never be more than three friendly units in one hex. You may not move into a hex with an enemy unit. If at the end of any player impulse a hex is overstacked, the owning player must eliminate units (his choice) to reduce the number of units back to three.
Anzio:
- There is no limit to the number of Allied units that may be placed in the Allied Floating Reserve (5.3).
6.0 Combat
Units on the map may attack enemy units in adjacent hexes once per impulse. All enemy units in a hex must be attacked as a single group. A unit may only attack or be attacked one per impulse. Units adjacent to enemy units are not required to attack. The active player may attack a single hex from multiple hexes, combining his attack factors, as long as all the attacking hexes are adjacent.
6.1 Combat Resolution
Add up the Combat Strength of the units participating in the attack, and then add up the Combat Strength of the units in the defending hex. Figure out the ratio using the Combat Results Table (CRT). Fractions are always rounded in the defender's favor, i.e. downwards.
After modifying the ratio (see 6.1.1 and 6.1.2), you have determined a specific column. Then the attacker makes a die roll. Cross the die result with the column on the CRT and you get two numbers.
The first of the two numbers is the number of damage points inflicted on the attacker and the second is the number of damage points inflicted on the defender. Excess damage is ignored.
The side that receives the lower quantity of damage points, wins the combat.
When the damage received by the attacker and defender is the same (e.g. 2, 2), it's a draw, so there is no winner and no loser, thus rules 6.4 and 6.5 are not applicable.
6.1.1 Defensive Modifiers
Anzio:
- If the defender is in a Padigione Woods hex (1206, 1305, 1306, 1406, 1505, and 1506), shift the column used on the CRT one column to the left.
If all the attacking units are attacking across a Anzio: Mussolini Canal hexside, or Cassino: mountain hexside, shift all the columns used on the CRT two columns to the left.
If all the attacking units are attacking across a water hexside, shift the column used on the CRT one column to the left.
Defensive modifiers are cumulative.
6.1.2 Offensive Modifiers
If the defending hex does not contain an armor unit, and there is an armor unit attacking, shift the column used on the CRT one column to the right.
Offensive modifiers are cumulative.
6.2 Damage Points
Mark any damage point suffered by the attacker and/or the defender using the damage markers provided. Points may be divided among units in the hex as the owning player sees fit. Combat strength is not diminished by damage points.
If a unit has sustained a number of damage points equal to its Endurance Value, that unit is eliminated and removed from play.
Note: Anzio: Except for German KPG units, eliminated units never return in play.
6.3 Defensive Boxes
Cassino: The Germans have twelve defensive boxes which begin the game in hexes specified on the back of the marker. Whenever a hex with a defensive box is attacked and suffers a point of damage, the defensive box absorbs the first point of damage (other points of damage are assigned as the defenders sees fit per rule 6.2) and remains in place. A defensive box is removed from the map the moment only if an Allied unit enters its hex. A defensive box does not spare a defending German unit from having retire if the combat result is (0, 1).
6.4 Retreat
Whichever side has has lost the combat must retreat all its defeated units a number of hexes equal to the difference in damage point in the combat. The first hex of a retreat must always be in the direction of a friendly supply source. If the number of damage points is equal, neither side retreats.
6.4.1 Ignoring Retreat
Units in a VP or green star hex may ignore a required retreat by suffering an additional point of damage.
6.4.2 Failure to Retreat
Retreating units may not retreat into a hex adjacent to an enemy unit, unless that hex contains a friendly combat unit or there is a Anzio: Mussolini Canal hexside, or Cassino: mountain hexside between the two units. Units that cannot retreat or ignore the retreat (by absorbing an additional point of damage), are eliminated instead.
Retreats are not impacted by terrain, i.e. river hexes.
6.4.3 Retreating Off-Map
Anzio: Allied units may retreat off-map from any hex adjacent to a Task Force hex.
Cassino: Allied units may retreat off-map from any hex adjacent to the green hex lines on the edge of the map.
German units may retreat off-map from any hex adjacent to the grey hex lines on edge of the map. Units that retreat off the map in this manner may return to play as reinforcements (8.0) during any later impulse.
6.5 Post-Combat Advance
Whichever side has won the combat may advance a number of hexes equal to the difference in losses in combat. The first hex of an advance must always be a hex occupied by an attacking/defending unit of the opposite side.
Cassino: Exception: a unit must stop immediately after advancing across any mountain or water hexside, even when using a road.
A unit has to stop post-combat advance as soon as it becomes adjacent to an enemy unit.
7.0 Supply
Supply status is checked during combat and during a player's impulse to determine if a unit can remove a damage point.
Units not in supply are Out of Supply (7.5).
7.1 Allied Supplies
Anzio: Allied supply sources are all the hexes adjacent to Allied Task Force hexes. These are: 1106, 1207, 1208, 1308, 1408, 1508.
Cassino: Allied supply sources are all the hexes adjacent to the green hex line edge of the map edge.
7.2 German Supplies
Hexes adjacent to a grey hex line edge of the map edge are German supply sources.
7.3 Tracing Supply
Units are in supply if, without crossing any hex containing enemy units, they can trace a continuous line of hexes back to a supply source.
7.4 Unit Refit
After the last impulse ("D") of each Game Turn, the German player may remove one point of damage, per side (not per unit), and the Allied player may remove one point of damage, subject to the following limitations:
Neither player may remove damage to an out of supply (7.5) unit.
7.5 Out of Supply
Units unable to trace supply (7.3) are out of supply. During combat, out of supply units that attack subtract one (1) from their die roll during combat resolution.
8.0 Reinforcements
Reinforcements arrive during the attack phase of the specified impulses.
8.1 Allied Reinforcements
Anzio: Allied reinforcements are placed in the Allied Floating Reserve (5.1.3) and may not move again until the next impulse.
Cassino: Allied reinforcements are placed in any hex along the map edge containing a green line as indicated on the reinforcement location of the counter: "E" for the eastern edge.
8.2 German Reinforcements
Anzio: German reinforcements are placed in any hex along the map edge containing a grey hex line as indicated on the counter: "W" for the western edge, "N" for the northern edge and "E" for the eastern edge.
Cassino: German reinforcements are placed in any hex along the map edge containing a grey hex line as indicated on the reinforcement location of the counter: "W" for the western and "S" for the southern edge.
Anzio: German units, including KPG, are placed at the beginning of their impulse and are eligible to move right away.
Cassino: German units are placed at the beginning of their impulse and are eligible to move right away.
8.2.1 Eliminated Kampfgruppe Units and German Reserve
Anzio — 8.2.1 Eliminated Kampfgruppe units: Any Kampfguppe (KPG) unit eliminated in the previous impulse returns to play as a reinforcement. The may be placed in any hex containing a grey hex line, along the map edge, or any German-controlled VP hex.
Cassino — 8.2.1 German Reserve: The German player may place his "reserve" units at the beginning of any impulse on "W" edge.
Cassino: Flip the VP marker to its +1 side.
9.0 Winning the Game
9.1 Victory Conditions
There are two ways to win the game: an Automatic Victory (9.1.1) and an Operational Victory (9.1.2).
9.1.1 Automatic Victory
Anzio: If at the end of any combat attack phase there is an in-supply Allied unit in any hex containing a green star (1200, 1400, or 2100), the game ends immediately in an Allied victory.
If at the end of any combat Allied attack phase there is an in-supply German unit in both of the Padigione Woods hexes containing a grey star (1206 and 1406) (so the German succeeded to hold them during the next Allied attack impulse), the game ends immediately in an German victory.
Cassino: If at the end of any attack phase there is an in-supply Allied unit in both of the green star hexes (1406 and 1007), the game ends immediately in an Allied victory.
If at the end of any attack phase the number of eliminated Allied units equals or exceeds the number of eliminated German units, the game ends immediately in an German victory.
9.1.2 Operational Victory
At the end of each turn count the number of Victory Points (VP) hexes controlled by the Allied player.
Anzio: Control of any grey star hex (1206 and 1406) is worth one (1) VP.
Cassino: Control of either green star hex is worth two (2) VPs.
To control a VP hex, the Allies must be the last unit to pass through before the end of the Game Turn. Points are indicated by using the VP marker on the VP track. If at the end of any turn the Allied Player has 10 or more VPs, he wins. If the Allied player fails to have at least 10 VP at the end of the 6th turn, the German player wins.
10 Optional Rules
The following rules can be used for additional historical detail, as well as to balance play between opponents of different abilities.
10.1 Air & Artillery Support
Anzio: Each player has one Artillery Support marker and one Air Support marker. The Anzio counter sheet lacks the Allied artillery support marker: use the one in the Cassino sheet.
Cassino: Each player has one Artillery Support marker and the Allied player has two Air Support markers. The German player has no Air Support Markers.
Neither type of marker counts towards the stacking of a hex. Air and artillery support may be combined in the same hex.
10.1.1 Marker Placement
The Allied player may place his air support and artillery support markers once per impulse. The German player may place his air and artillery support markers once per turn. A marker is placed in a hex with at least one friendly attacking or defending unit.
Cassino:
- The DAF marker may only be placed on British units and the XII TAF marker may only be placed on US units.
10.1.2 Air & Artillery Support and Combat
The Allied player may always place his air/artillery support first.
If the Allied player has placed an air/artillery support marker, the German player may not commit his Anzio: air/ artillery marker to the same combat.
If an air/artillery support marker is placed by the attacker, shift the column used on the CRT one column to the right.
If an air/artillery support marker is placed by the defender, shift the column used on the CRT one column to the left.
After combat resolution, remove any air/artillery support markers from the map before post-combat advance.
10.2 Naval Support and Abbey Neutrality
Anzio — 10.2 Naval Support: The Allied player has a naval support marker. Naval support does not count towards the stacking of a hex. Naval support may be combined with both air and artillery support in the same hex.
Cassino — 10.2 Abbey Neutrality: Place the Neutral Abbey marker on the Game Turn Track in the "6" box.
10.2.1 Naval Support Range
Anzio: The Allied player may place his naval support marker once per impulse. A naval marker is placed in a hex with at least one attacking or defending unit. The marker may be placed up to five hexes away from a Task Force hex (5.1.2).
10.2.1 Neutral Abbey
Cassino: Allied units may not use air or artillery support to attack German units in the Abbey hex (1406). At the end of play, if the Abbey is still neutral, the Allies receive one additional victory point.
10.2.2 Naval Support and Combat
Anzio: If the naval support marker is placed during an Allied impulse, shift the column used on the CRT one column to the right. If the naval support marker is placed during a German impulse, shift the column used on the CRT one column to the left. After combat resolution remove the naval support marker from the map before post-combat advance.
10.2.2 Abbey Destroyed
Cassino: The Allied player may decide to destroy the Abbey at the start of any impulse. Flip the Neutral Abbey marker so that the "Abbey Destroyed" side is face up.
10.2.3 15th Strategic Air Force
Cassino: The Allied player may now use the XV SAF marker once per turn to attack any hex on the map. The attack uses the entire impulse and is conducted at 2:1 odds.
10.2.4 Rubble
Cassino: Allied attacks against hexes 1406 (the Abbey), 1606, 1605, and 1705 (the tree Cassino hexes) subtract one (1) from their attack die roll for the rest of the game.
10.3 Allied Combat Coordination
To represent the difficulty of coordinating their combat operations, the Allied player may activate British or American units, but not both, during an impulse. If a hex contains units of both types, only the activated units may participate in Combat Resolution (6.1).
10.3.1 Air & Artillery & Naval Support at Setup
The status of the weather and the Air / Artillery / Naval assets can be decided between players before play. Treating the Allied assets as being spent and the German asset(s) as not spent is thought to be a sensible approach.
10.4 Weather
Before the first Allied impulse of each turn, the Allied player rolls a die. On 1-4 the weather is rain, on 5-6 the weather is clear.
Flip the Game Turn marker to indicate the correct weather.
10.4.1 Weather Effects
If the weather is clear, play proceeds normally. If the weather is rain neither player may use their air support marker and armor units may only enter and exit a hex by following the road net printed on the map (5.2).
This implies that during rain armor may attack into a hex not connected via a road, but if victorious, could not advance into that hex, since in rain, a vehicle can only use road movement.
Cassino: Allied attacks subtract one (1), and German attacks add one (1).
10.5 Bidding
Each player submits a secret, written, VP bid to command the Allies. The high bid receives the Allied side, with the winning bid becoming the number of points required for an Operational Victory (9.1.2).
10.6 Alternative Scenarios
Anzio — 10.6.1 German Attack: This scenario depicts the German counter-attack on the Anzio beachhead.
Cassino — 10.6.1 Operation "Avenger": This scenario depicts just the second Allied offensive, led by the II New Zealand Corps.
Use the scenario setup card to play this scenario.