Armies of Oblivion: ASL Module 12

Armies of Oblivion: ASL Module 12 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Chapter A Replacement Pages

SMOKE source (even if the original SMOKE source was Dispersed).

All drifting Smoke is a Hindrance up to two levels higher, and drifting WP up to four levels higher, than the Location it occupies, but never a Hindrance at levels below the Location of the original SMOKE source. Drifting SMOKE is removed immediately when the original SMOKE source is removed or when the wind changes direction or force. Whenever the original SMOKE source becomes Dispersed SMOKE, the number of gray Dispersed SMOKE counters drifting from it is decreased by removal of the furthest Dispersed SMOKE counter emanating from it (thus keeping the number of drifting SMOKE counters equal to the Hindrance DRM of that original SMOKE source). Smoke drifting from a Wreck/Terrain Blaze is treated identically to that from an original white Smoke counter.

24.62 GUSTS: During Gusts (B25.651), remove Dispersed SMOKE and then flip the remaining SMOKE counters to their Dispersed side, first in the RPh and then again in the AFPh.

24.7 MOVEMENT: It costs one additional MF/MP to enter a SMOKE (including Dispersed SMOKE) Location during the MPh/RtPh (see B.2).

24.8 OUTGOING LOS HINDRANCES: Regardless of the type of SMOKE placed or the method by which it is placed, SMOKE is always more effective in obscuring the view/fire of units inside the SMOKE Location than units outside the SMOKE Location firing into it. Any LOS/non-Residual-fire which is traced out of or within (not through or into) a SMOKE Location must add +1 Hindrance DRM (to its IFT or To Hit DR if a fire attack) in addition to the normal effects of that SMOKE.

25. NATIONALITY DISTINCTIONS [fn 30]

[The A./G. National Capabilities Chart lists all the different MMC types (as well as their national capabilities) for all nationalities in both Chapter A and Chapter G.]

25.1 GERMAN: In general, elite ground troops prior to 1944 should be represented by 4-6-8 squads; 5-4-8 squads should be used in 1944-45 or to represent paratroops. The 4-6-8 must undergo three ELR Replacements to reach Inexperienced status, whereas the 5-4-8 will do so in two Replacements.

25.11 SS: SS squads/HS (6-5-8/3-4-8) are elite Class troops with underlined morale differentiated by the SS insignia on the counter and their increased Morale Level on their broken side. [fn 31] Early-war SS squads/HS (4-6-8/2-4-8) also have the SS insignia and increased broken Morale Level. SS crews and SMC do not receive the increased Morale Level on their broken side, and are therefore represented by normal German crew and SMC counters. SS are entitled to Assault Fire capabilities in any scenario during 1944-45. SS will not surrender to Russians via the RtPh method (20.21), do not become Disrupted while opposing Russians, and may perform Massacre (20.4). Any weapon/AFV identified in a scenario Order of Battle as belonging to a SS formation has its Depletion Numbers increased by one due to being Elite (C8.2).

25.12 COMBAT ENGINEERS: 8-3-8 squads represent special units such as the Combat Engineers of Pioneer Battalions and have an ELR of 5, regardless of the ELR of other German MMC in the scenario. However, 8-3-8s are not automatically considered Assault Engineers; any elite unit can be designated as an Assault Engineer in a DYO scenario (H1.22). SS Combat Engineers are differentiated by the SS insignia on the counter and their increased Morale Level on their broken side; SS rules (25.11) also apply.

25.2 RUSSIAN: Use of elite status troops should be reserved for those formations classified as Guards quality. Any weapon/AFV identified in a scenario Order of Battle as belonging to a Guards formation has its Depletion Numbers increased by one due to being Elite (C8.2). Russian squads may not Deploy [EXC: 20.5 & 21.22], although they can take HS losses and Recombine into squads again. A 4-2-6 squad Battle Hardens to a 5-2-7; a 2-2-7 HS to a 3-2-8.

25.21 ENTRENCHING: Russian units are entitled to a -1 DRM when entrenching. This DRM does not apply to prisoners of any nationality.

25.22 COMMISSAR: A Commissar is a 9-0 or 10-0 leader with special capabilities. At the start of any scenario (including DYO/ Russian Partisans) during or prior to 10/42, the Russian player may replace up to one 8-0 leader with a 9-0 Political Commissar and/or one 8-1 leader with a 10-0 Political Commissar provided the scenario is not begun with more Commissars than other leaders in the OB. No SSR is required to make this substitution.

25.221 A Commissar is superior to all leaders regardless of Morale Level, and therefore is the first unit in a Location to take an IFT-dictated MC (10.2), is exempt from LLMC/LLTC, and can even cause LLMC/LLTC to leaders of higher morale. An unpinned, unbroken Commissar increases the Morale Level of all other friendly Infantry/Cavalry units in the same Location by one [EXC: Commissars and units with Morale Level of 10], while prohibiting the application of another leader's DRM to morale activities. A broken Commissar must always attempt Self-Rally, even if with another leader. A Commissar never receives the leader DRM of another leader when performing any action (including MC/TC), and is not subject to Unit Substitution (19.).

25.222 RALLY: A Commissar must attempt to rally broken units in its Location. A unit is immune to DM status while being rallied by a Commissar—in addition to the Morale Level increase (25.221). Any MMC which fails to rally under the direction of a Commissar is Replaced by the next lower quality unit of its size; if already the lowest quality, a squad is Casualty Reduced. A broken crew, SMC, or HS that cannot be Replaced is eliminated.

25.223 BERSERK: Should a Commissar go berserk, all friendly Infantry in the same Location automatically become berserk also [EXC: units immune to Heat of Battle].

25.23 HUMAN WAVE (HW): Human Wave may only be conducted by Russians and Chinese (G18.5), but it also forms the basis for Cavalry Wave (13.62) and Banzai (G1.5). The ATTACKER may declare a HW attack during his MPh by selecting ≥ 1 participating MMC (and an average of at least two MMC per hex) from each hex of a chain of three or more adjacent contiguous hexes, as well as ≥ 1 leader from any of these hexes. All the participating units must be in a contiguous chain of ADJACENT Locations, must be in Good Order, free to move, and cannot have started their MPh yet. No unit in the HW chain can be a Guard, PRC [EXC: Cavalry Wave (13.62)], or ADJACENT-to/in-the-same-hex-as an enemy unit [EXC: G1.5]. At least one unit in the HW chain must have a LOS to an enemy unit (the "target") within eight hexes which the chain will move towards during that MPh. The units participating in the HW are termed HW Units; they lose any concealment and are exempt from Heat of Battle, PAATC, and any pin results [EXC: Minimum Move (4.134), Wounded SMC (17.2), Collapsed huts (G5.5)] while they are part of the HW; for the remainder of that Player Turn they have their Morale Level increased by one [EXC: if broken] and are Lax (11.18).

25.231 DIRECTION: The ATTACKER must choose one Hex Grain or alternate Hex Grain that includes the target enemy unit and that is as close as possible to a HW Unit that has LOS to, and is within eight hexes of, the target enemy unit. This HW (alternate) Hex Grain should be marked with HW Direction counters. The direction along the HW (alternate) Hex Grain towards, and beyond, the target enemy unit is the HW Direction [EXC: a unit conducting a Banzai Charge (G1.5) against an enemy unit in the same hex cannot be used to establish the HW Direction; if no other unit can establish the HW Direction, then only units in the hex may participate in the Banzai Charge].

25.2311 FORWARD AND SIDE LOCATIONS: During the HW, two or three of the hexes adjacent to a HW Unit are considered forward hexes. Given a normal HW Hex Grain, the hex adjacent to a HW unit in the HW Direction is a forward hex, as are the two hexes adjacent to both this hex and the HW unit. Given an alternate HW Hex Grain, the two adjacent hexes in the HW Direction are forward hexes, and the two hexes adjacent to the HW unit and one of the forward hexes are side hexes. The Locations in forward hexes that are ADJACENT to the HW Unit are Forward Locations and the Locations in side hexes that are ADJACENT to the HW Unit are Side Locations.

[Diagram: Normal HW Hex Grain and Alternate HW Hex Grain, showing HW Direction and F (forward) / S (side) hexes.]

25.232 MOVEMENT: All HW Units have 8 MF (which can never be increased) and can enter enemy-occupied Locations, but cannot Assault Move, Dash, Search, carry more than their IPC, or use Column movement. The HW units must move using Impulse Movement (D14.3 [EXC: a wounded SMC has 3 MF without restricting the other HW units' movement; if a wounded SMC has enough MF for its next action, but not as many MF as are being expended by the rest of the HW that Impulse, the remaining units may move as normal while the SMC instead expends its remaining MF for this action as if it were making a Minimum Move (4.134)—i.e., it becomes pinned and CX—even if it already entered a new Location this MPh].[fn 32] For each Impulse, each HW Unit must (if possible) do exactly one of the following and cannot expend MF for any other reason: move to a Forward Location; move to a Side Location that contains an enemy unit; move up or down in a building while moving closer to the Ground Level and/or an enemy unit in that hex; move beneath Panji/Wire (with individual Exit dr for each HW unit); move above an Entrenchment/pillbox counter; move below an Entrenchment counter containing an enemy unit; move below an Entrenchment counter or into Crest status if lacking sufficient MF to enter a new Location. In addition, it may perform non-MF-dependant actions as per D14.31.

25.2321 RANGE: If a HW Unit increases its Range to the HW (alternate) Hex Grain (25.231)—i.e., to the closest hex of that Hex Grain—it must be marked with a Range counter. As long as it is so marked, it cannot enter a hex that would increase the range to the (alternate) Hex Grain. The Range counter is removed as soon as the HW Unit decreases the range in a later Impulse (or at the end of the MPh).

25.2322 A HW Unit may enter neither a Location that it left in a prior Impulse that MPh nor a Location ADJACENT to such a Location. If the HW Unit is unable to move to a new Location, it must spend its remaining Impulses in its current Location.

25.233 ENEMY UNITS: If a Forward Location enterable by a HW Unit is devoid of armed, friendly units and contains an armed, Known, non-Disrupted enemy unit, the HW Unit must move to that Location, or to another enterable Location that contains either a Known enemy unit or a pillbox occupied by such a unit. Once any HW Unit enters such a Location during an Impulse, the Location is no longer devoid of friendly units, freeing other HW Units from the requirement to enter that Location during that Impulse. Upon entry of an enemy-occupied Location, mark all units with a CC counter. If a Location entered contains one enemy SMC only, Infantry OVR (4.15) is automatic without a NTC and with normal (non-doubled) MF cost, and the SMC cannot move to another Location. If the Location contains Disrupted/Unarmed enemy units, 19.12 and/or 20.54 apply at the end of the Impulse.

25.234 ENDING THE HUMAN WAVE: A unit remains a HW Unit (even if no longer adjacent to another HW Unit) until it is: eliminated; broken; out of MF at the end of an Impulse; at the start of an Impulse in a Location (or in a hex with a pillbox) containing an armed, Known enemy unit [EXC: if it uses the Impulse to move beneath an enemy-occupied Entrenchment counter]; or is a Guard due to capturing a SMC/Unarmed/Disrupted unit (25.234). When there are no HW Units left or no HW Unit is able to enter a new Location, the HW ends. A unit that has been part of a HW may use Advancing Fire and/or Advance if otherwise able to [EXC: if in a Location containing a Known enemy unit it is marked with a CC counter (or a Melee counter, as appropriate; 4.152, 20.54) and cannot advance out of that Location as long as that CC/Melee continues].

EX: The Russian has just declared a Human Wave attack using the enemy units in O3 for determining the direction. He must now choose a (alternate) Hex Grain that includes O3 and is as close to a HW Unit as possible. Possible (alternate) Hex Grains are: O1-O2-O3-O4...; P1-O2-O3-N3...; P1-P2-O3-O4...; Q2-P2-O3-N3...; and R2-Q3-P2-O3... which all have a range of 0 to a HW Unit. He chooses P1-P2-O3-O4.... by marking it with HW Direction counters. During the Human Wave, a unit's forward hexes will be the hexes that share hexsides 4 and 5 (see Sniper counter) with the unit's current hex, and its side hexes will be the hexes that share hexsides 3 and 6 with the current hex (i.e., a HW Unit in P2 will have O3 and P3 as forward hexes and O2 and Q3 as side hexes). If instead the non-alternate Hex Grain Q2-P2-O3-N3... had been chosen, a unit's forward hexes would be the hexes that share hexsides 4, 5 and 6, and there would be no side hexes (i.e., a HW Unit in P2 would have O2, O3, P3 as forward hexes).

As his first Impulse the Russian moves all elements of the chain forward one hex as shown, at a total cost of two MF (because the units in Q2 and R2 had to cross a hedge). The units that entered N1 and O2 are marked with a Range counter (25.2321) since they increased the range to the HW alternate Hex Grain and must decrease the range before they can increase it again. The German 4-6-7 attacks N1 with its inherent 4 FP and -2 FFMO/FFNAM DRM and rolls an Original 9, which results in a PTC which is ineffective vs a Human Wave. The 4-6-7 is marked with a First Fire counter. The squad now fires the MMG directed by the 8-1 leader (7.53) at O2 and P2 with Spraying PBF. The attack is 5 FP (Area & PBF) with a -3 DRM (grain is not in season). The Original DR is an 8 (with a 2 colored dr), resulting in a 1MC vs both hexes. The Russian player rolls a 9 for the leader which breaks and now no longer has its Morale Level increased. All four squads roll ≤ 7 and are unaffected. They need not take a LLTC because they are part of a Human Wave (which is immune to Pin results). However, the MMG retained its Multiple ROF and—because the Russian Impulse used two MF—it may First Fire again and chooses to repeat the same attack. This time it rolls an Original 5 (2 on the colored dr), resulting in a K/2. The Random Selection DR in O2 is a tie, so both squads are Reduced to HS (7.302) before taking a 2MC, which they each pass by rolling ≤ 6. The Random Selection DR in P2 selects the broken leader, who wounds, rolls a 5 on his Wound Severity dr (17.11), and thus is eliminated. If, however, the leader had survived, it would not then have to take the 2MC. The two squads roll a 6 and 7 for their 2MC which breaks one, which then passes its LLMC with a 7. The MG has retained its Multiple ROF and the German wants to fire again but cannot, because two shots are all that are allowed vs a moving unit that expended only two MF in its Location. The MG cannot avoid this by picking another target, because all of the units in its LOS moved simultaneously as part of the same Impulse (moreover, the other targets are all outside of the MG's now-fixed CA; 9.21).

In the second Impulse at least one of the HW Units in O2 or P2 must now enter O3 (25.233). The Russian moves all unbroken units forward as shown. Since the 4-4-7 in P2 enters O3, the two 2-3-7 in O2 are free from the restriction of 25.233 and may instead move to N2, which one of them does, while the other enters O3. Of the units that were marked with Range counters in the first Impulse, the two 4-4-7 in N1 and the 2-3-7 that enter O3 can remove their Range counters since they now decrease the range, while the 2-3-7 that enters N2 does not and must keep its Range counter. The German must use Subsequent First Fire vs the 4-4-7 and 2-3-7 as they enter his hex (8.312) and because they both enter O3 as part of the same Impulse, he fires at them simultaneously.

It is now the Russian third Impulse; the Russian units currently in O3 now end their MPh and may move no farther (25.234), but the Russians in N2 and P3 must continue the Human Wave. The units in P3 can enter O3 (since it is a Side Location containing enemy units) or the Forward Locations O4 or P4. The two 4-4-7 in N2 can enter the Side Location O3 or the Forward Locations M3 or N3, but will be marked with a Range counter if entering M3. The 2-3-7 in N2 can enter N3, but can enter neither M3 (since it is already marked with a range counter) nor O3 (which is ADJACENT to the O2 Location that the 2-3-7 left earlier in the MPh per 25.2322). From N3 it will be able to enter M4 or N4. At the end of the Impulse, the German squad must use FPF vs any new units entering O3 in that Impulse with 13½ FP (9 [FP] × 3 [TPBF] = 27 divided by 2 [Area Fire] = 13½), but only the Russian units entering O3 during that Impulse will be affected.

25.24 PARTISANS [fn 33]

Partisans can belong to any nationality but are listed here and represented by Russian colors because they were most prevalent on the Eastern Front. Partisans are represented by 3-3-7 squads with a broken Morale Level of 6, and are considered Stealthy while in Good Order. Partisans are not affected by the special rules for their nationality; a Russian Partisan unit is treated as a Partisan unit, not a Russian unit [EXC: Russian Partisans may use Commissars; 25.22]. Partisan leaders have no leadership effect whatsoever over non-partisan units (and vice versa). Unless specifically indicated otherwise, Partisans have an ELR of 5 regardless of the ELR of non-Partisan allied forces in the scenario. Partisans never surrender by the RtPh method, are considered neither elite (including SMC) nor Inexperienced for any purpose, and never become Disrupted.

25.241 MOVEMENT: Partisans may be subject to SSR which grant them specific movement advantages in wooded or urban areas. Partisans that are moving as a combined stack together with non-Partisan units may endow the regular units with whatever SSR-endowed movement advantages they have.

25.242 Ordnance used by Partisans always uses the red To Hit Numbers [EXC: ATR/MG].

25.3 AMERICAN

U.S. Infantry squads have a printed broken Morale Level one higher than that used on their Good Order side except for 1st Line Infantry, which have a broken Morale Level two higher than their Good Order side. Second Line Infantry should generally be used to represent American units which were not prepared for combat. See G17.1 for U.S. Marine Corps and G17.2 for pre-6/42 U.S. Army and Philippine Army troops.

25.31 PARATROOPS: 7-4-7 squads have an ELR of 5, regardless of the ELR of other U.S. MMC in the scenario.

25.32 ORDNANCE: All U.S.-built AFV/ordnance [EXC: ATR/MG], including such equipment used by other nationalities (identified by the (a) in the name), uses red To Hit Numbers prior to 1944 and black To Hit Numbers thereafter. [fn 34]

25.33 AMMUNITION: No fighting men were better supplied than the Americans, who excelled in logistics. American OBA batteries are assumed to have Plentiful Ammunition unless specified otherwise.

25.34 SMOKE: An American squad may place either WP or conventional Smoke grenades at its option, but placing WP is more difficult (see 24.3).

25.35 U.S.-BUILT, BRITISH-COLOR SW: U.S. MMG, HMG, .50-cal HMG, M2 60mm mortars and BAZ 44 are provided in the British color in FOR KING AND COUNTRY. They are identified by having "(a)" in their piece name, and are used by Free French as per 25.55. The BAZ 44(a) is also used to represent a BAZ 44 Scrounged (D10.5) from a U.S.-built vehicle/wreck [which includes one with "(a)" in its piece name] by Free French (only); other nationalities would Scrounge a U.S.-color BAZ 44. The appropriate MG(a) is also used to represent one Removed (D6.631) from a U.S.-built vehicle by a British (as defined in 25.4) unit. A MG Scrounged by any nationality from a U.S.-built or British-built vehicle/wreck takes counter form as a standard British LMG, with no Captured penalties when being used by a U.S. or British (25.4) unit. Captured penalties do not apply to the use of U.S.-color MG by British (25.4) units, nor to U.S./British-(25.4) use of British-color "(a)"-type SW [EXC: non-Free French British treat all, while Free French treat no, type(s) of U.S. MTR/BAZ as captured].

25.4 BRITISH

British troops also encompass all "Commonwealth", Free French, and liberated forces. Guardsmen, Gurkha, ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand), and Free French/Polish forces should generally be regarded as elite troops, as should Canadian units—all of which were composed of volunteers rather than draftees. Colonial troops such as the King's African Rifles and pre-44 Indian troops in India and Burma should be considered 2nd Line troops represented by 4-4-7 squads. See 25.53 for Free French.

25.41 GREEN: British 4-3-6 squads (and their HS) are Green troops. They are considered Conscripts only in hypothetical scenarios depicting the British Home Guard or poor quality colonial troops.

25.42 AIRBORNE: The 6-4-8 squads represent Airborne troops and have an ELR of 5, regardless of the ELR of other British MMC in the scenario.

25.43 GURKHA: Gurkha troops were feared in CC due to their handiwork with their famed Kukri knives (which were a combination knife-hatchet-sword). Whenever ≥ one unbroken Gurkha Infantry unit is the ATTACKER in CC/Melee or Ambushes the enemy in CC, that CC/Melee may become Hand-To-Hand (J2.31) at the option of the Gurkha player unless every such Gurkha unit participating in it was Ambushed in that phase and/or is withdrawing/pinned. However, Hand-To-Hand CC can never be used by/vs any vehicle/PRC/pillbox-occupant(s). Each Gurkha Hand-To-Hand CC attack receives an extra -1 DRM unless every Gurkha Infantry unit participating in that attack is pinned/Unarmed. Hand-To-Hand Melee counters are provided in Code of Bushido. Gurkhas are Commandos (H1.24) unless Green. Gurkhas will not surrender via the RtPh method (20.21) or become Disrupted.

25.44 ANZAC: Good Order ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand) forces are Stealthy unless Green.

25.45 COWERING: British troops were renowned for their marksmanship and calmness under fire (or "Moral Fibre" as they termed it). Therefore, their elite and 1st Line units are immune to Cowering effects [EXC: Free French; 25.53].

25.46 WP: A British squad may place only normal (i.e., not WP) smoke grenades prior to 1944. Beginning in 1944, they may also place WP (24.3). This restriction does not apply to ordnance WP ammo.

25.5 FRENCH

French units and the rules (25.51-.52) pertaining to them apply only until the French capitulation, and to Vichy French forces thereafter. [fn 35] Free French forces use British units and rules (25.53).

25.51 GREEN: French 4-3-7 squads are considered Green reservists (not Conscripts), and should ordinarily be brought into play by ELR Unit Substitution.

25.52 ORDNANCE: French vehicles use red To Hit Numbers [EXC: MG MA]; other French ordnance uses black To Hit Numbers.

25.53 FREE FRENCH: Use British counters and rules for Free French Personnel [EXC: Free French squads have Assault Fire (7.36) capability in/after 12/43; the 25.45 immunity to cowering never applies to Free French]. Free French OBA (including Accuracy and Draw Pile) is always treated as if British [EXC: DYO purchase; 25.57]. See also 25.35 and 25.54-.57 and the French section of Chapter H.

25.54 PRE-12/43 EQUIPMENT: For scenarios set prior to 12/43, Free French use (without Captured penalties) certain British [/British-color "(f)"; 25.56] SW, vehicles and Guns, and the rules covering them.

25.55 12/43-5/45 EQUIPMENT: For scenarios set in/after 12/43, Free French use (without Captured penalties) British color "(a)"/"(f)" SW (see 25.35 and 25.56), certain U.S. [/U.S.-color "(f)"; 25.35] vehicles and Guns, and the rules covering them [EXC: Free French Inherent crews are considered British when determining their morale as per D5.1].

25.56 FRENCH-BUILT EQUIPMENT: Certain French-built SW/vehicles/Guns are provided in CROIX DE GUERRE for Free French use. They are in the U.S./British color, and are identified by having "(f)" in their piece name. An "(f)"-type, or French-color, SW/vehicle/Gun suffers Captured penalties when being used by other than (Free/Vichy) French.

25.57 DYO: Free French use their own SW Allotment, OBA Availability, and Rarity Factor Charts for DYO scenarios. Use H1.463 for Free French OP tanks. Free and Vichy French cannot be purchased by the same side.

25.6 ITALIAN

Italian ordnance uses the red To Hit Numbers [EXC: ATR/ MG]. [fn 36]

25.61 ELITE: 4-4-7 squads, their 2-4-7 HS, and 2-2-7 crews are the only elite Italian MMC. Only elite Italian squads may Deploy [EXC: 20.5, 21.22]. A 4-4-7 which suffers ELR failure is Replaced by a 3-4-6.

25.62 1ST LINE: The 3-4-7 squads represent the Bersaglieri which were light infantry transported by trucks, motorcycles, or bicycles. A 3-4-7 which suffers ELR failure must be Replaced by a Conscript squad, and not a lower quality 1st Line squad, while a Conscript squad that Battle Hardens becomes a 3-4-6.

25.63 SURRENDER: The +1 CC DRM for a capture attempt does not apply vs non-elite Italian defenders. Once captured, no Italian unit will attempt escape (20.55).

25.64 LAX: Non-elite Italian units are always Lax (11.18).

25.65 PAATC: Non-elite Italian troops (including Inexperienced units) must pass a 1PAATC rather than a normal PAATC whenever required to take a PAATC.

25.7 FINNISH

Finnish Personnel may attempt Self-Rally during any RPh, are immune to Cowering results, and are Stealthy while in Good Order unless Green. Finns may also Deploy without leadership by passing a 1TC instead of a NTC (1.31). Finns do not require leadership presence to Recombine (1.32) [EXC to all: 25.72]. [fn 37] When using the blue Finnish counters from Beyond Valor 1st edition, use German crews, heroes, and SW where needed.

25.71 LEADERS: Finnish units usually take less severe LLMC/LLTC (the most severe being a 1MC/1TC) because Finnish leaders have a unique rank structure descending in order as follows: 10-1, 10-0, 9-1, 9-0, 8-0. Finns are not eligible for Field Promotion. If leadership is present, Finns may Deploy normally (1.31).

25.72 The Finns refused to follow German dictates to operate outside their recaptured historic borders. Therefore, in any scenario taking place beyond Finland's 1939 borders (as noted by SSR), Finns are represented by 5-4-8 squads and 25.7 does not apply.

25.73 SISSI: The 8-3-8 squads and 3-3-8 HS represent Sissi elite units which were ski-trained and specially equipped.

25.74 BATTLE HARDENING: Finnish leaders Battle Harden and are Replaced according to the unique Finnish rank structure (25.71). Finnish 1st line units become Fanatic if receiving a Battle Hardening result.

25.8 AXIS MINORS [fn 38]

The Romanian, Hungarian, Slovakian, Croatian, and Bulgarian troops which comprised Germany's minor allies were neither well equipped, nor particularly ardent practitioners of Hitler's war. As such, the broken Morale Level of all such non-elite squads is one less than their unbroken Morale Level. Any Axis Minor troops fighting within their own borders should generally be represented by Elite and 1st Line MMC with an SSR making their broken side Morale one higher than printed [EXC: when fighting against partisans or Germans]. Due to the historical dislike Hungarians and Romanians had for each other, in all scenarios where Hungarians are fighting Romanians, the broken Morale Level of their MMC is one higher than printed and No Quarter (20.3) [fn 39] is in effect for both sides.

25.81 PAATC: Non-elite Axis Minor troops [fn 40] (including Conscript units) [EXC: 1st Line Romanian MMC beginning 7/43] must always pass a 1PAATC rather than a normal PAATC when called upon to take a PAATC.

25.82 ESCAPE: Axis Minors [EXC: if within own national borders vs Russians] will not attempt escape. Axis Minors surrender on a Final Heat of Battle DR >10 [EXC: in any scenario where the Hungarians and Romanians are fighting each other, each nationality goes Berserk on a Final Heat of Battle DR of 10 or 11 (rather than Surrender)].

25.83 ORDNANCE: Axis Minors use red TH# [EXC: Romanian, Hungarian, and Slovakian units using German-manufactured or Czech-manufactured equipment, as designated by "(g)" or "(t)" in the piece name, use black TH#]. HEAT is available beginning 1/43 per the applicable Chapter H note.

25.84 SMG SQUADS: The 5-3-7 squads and their 2-2-7 HS are 1st Line MMC that are available as Romanian SMG squads (infantry in armored units, Air Force security units, etc.) beginning 1/43 and in some Bulgarian armored units beginning 10/44. A 5-3-7/2-2-7 is replaced by a Conscript when it suffers ELR and becomes Fanatic if it Battle Hardens, while a Conscript squad that Battle Hardens is replaced by a 3-4-7.

25.85 PANZERFAUST (PF): Non-crew Romanian and Hungarian MMC use PF as if they were Germans (C13.3) except as otherwise noted. Availability begins 3/44 for Romanians and 6/44 for Hungarians. A unit making a Final PF check dr ≤ 2 has a PF and an opportunity to fire it. PF range is limited to one hex prior to June 1944 and two hexes from June 1944 on. All non-date-dependent PF check drm apply normally. Additionally, Conscripts receive a +1 PF Check drm, Elite Romanians receive a –1 PF check drm vs AFV, and all Romanians receive a +1 PF check drm in scenarios set in 1945. The total number of PF shots taken in a scenario may not exceed the number of squad-equivalents for Hungarians in 1944-45 and for Romanians in 1945, and 1½ times the number of squad-equivalents for Romanians in 1944.

25.86 HUNGARIAN TROOPS: Hungarian troops are represented by unique two-tone counters. [fn 41] All Axis Minor rules apply normally.

25.87 ROMANIAN ATMM: Beginning 7/43 an unpinned, Good Order Elite/1st-Line Romanian non-crew MMC [fn 42] may roll for an ATMM (C13.7) before making its CC attack [EXC: ATMM add a –2 DRM to the CC attack of that unit]. The only drm that apply to an ATMM Check are +1 for CX, +1 vs an unarmored vehicle, +1 if a HS, +1 if 1st Line, and +1 before 1944.

25.9 ALLIED MINORS

The broken Morale Level of all minor country squads is one less than that unit's unbroken Morale Level [EXC: Greek or Yugoslavian forces opposing an all-Italian OB have the broken Morale Level of their MMC increased by one]. Polish and Belgian elite and 1st Line Infantry squads should generally be assigned Assault Fire via a SSR. [fn 43]

25.91 PAATC: Non-elite Allied Minor troops (including Inexperienced units) must pass a 1PAATC rather than a normal PAATC when called upon to take a PAATC.

25.92 After the conquest of their own country, Allied Minor forces are often represented by the British or Russian forces by whom they were organized and supplied, and are therefore governed by those British or Russian nationality rules.

26. VICTORY CONDITIONS

26.1 CONTROL VICTORY CONDITIONS: Control of Locations, hexes, or buildings often determines scenario Victory Conditions. Control of Locations/hexes/buildings is accomplished by gaining Control of them at scenario start and/or during the game. Once Control of a Location/hex/building has been gained, that side retains Control of it (even if the circumstances that allowed the side to gain Control no longer apply [EXC: 26.12]) until the opponent actively gains Control of it.

26.11 GAINING CONTROL: At scenario start a side gains Control of all Locations/hexes/buildings within its set-up area [EXC: if within both sides' set-up areas], as well as all Locations/hexes/buildings on a board if that side is the only side which may set up on that board at scenario start.

During play, a side gains Control of a Location/hex/building by occupying it with an armed Good Order Infantry MMC without the presence of an armed enemy ground unit [EXC: subterranean units] in that same Location/hex/building (see also 26.13-.14 for hex/building Control). Control can be gained during the act of movement; a unit need not end a phase (or even survive Defensive First Fire) in the Location/hex/building to gain Control of it. However, Control cannot be gained via Bypass.

A vehicle (or its PRC) can never gain Control of a building, but may gain Control of its Location/hex as per 26.12. A non-bypassing armed vehicle (or armed PRC) prevents the opponent from gaining Control of the Location/hex/building it occupies. An armed vehicle in bypass of a building prevents the opponent from gaining Control of the Location/hex, but not from gaining Control of the building.

After successfully securing a building by Mopping Up (12.153), a player gains Control of the building and all its hexes and Locations [EXC: any Location/hex containing an armed enemy vehicle (including armed PRC) in bypass]. See G11.94 for Control of caves.

26.12 VEHICULAR CONTROL: An armed, non-bypassing vehicle temporarily gains Control of the Location it presently occupies if that Location is devoid of armed enemy units. Control immediately reverts to its prior status (either un-Controlled or enemy-Controlled) if the vehicle leaves the Location. A vehicle which Controls the only Location in a hex also Controls that hex.

EX: The unoccupied bridge hex and bridge Location at 13CC5 are both Controlled by the Russians. A PzIIIG enters the bridge, and temporarily gains Control of the bridge Location—but not the hex. If a 4-5-8 advances in with the AFV, the German player still Controls the bridge Location. As soon as the PzIIIG leaves the bridge the Russian player immediately reclaims Control of the bridge Location, regardless of the presence of any Russian units.

26.13 HEX CONTROL: Only an armed Good Order Infantry MMC at ground level can gain Control of the hex it occupies [EXC: Mopping Up (12.153); Bridge hex (B6.); a vehicle Controlling the only Location within the hex (26.12)].

26.131 BRIDGE HEX: An armed Good Order Infantry MMC in either the Bridge Location or the Depression Location of a bridge hex can gain Control of the hex.

26.132 PILLBOX HEX: Control of a pillbox hex is gained by Controlling the pillbox Location and occupying the hex with an armed Good Order Infantry MMC while the hex is devoid of armed enemy ground units (B30.91).

26.14 BUILDING CONTROL: An armed, Good Order Infantry MMC at any non-rooftop, non-subterranean level in any hex of a building can gain Control of the building; a side need not physically occupy all levels or all hexes of a building to gain Control of it as long as the conditions of 26.11 are fulfilled. The different hexes of a Rowhouse structure (B23.71) are considered one building for building Control purposes.

26.15 CONCEALMENT: Dummy units cannot gain Control, but a concealed stack containing real units may if otherwise able to. Likewise, a dummy unit cannot prevent the opponent from gaining Control, but a concealed or HIP armed unit can. In all cases, control of a Location/hex/building by a concealed or HIP armed unit need not be declared until game end. Control of a Location/hex/building may be verified by Searching, Mopping Up, or physically occupying (at the start of the CCPh if G.4 applies) all Locations of the building/hex, but there is no requirement to do so.

EX: Building 22U3 is Controlled (as are its three hexes and six Locations) by the German player. During the Russian MPh, a 4-4-7 enters the ground level of V2 and immediately gains Control of the building, hex V2, and the ground level Location of V2. It continues to the upper level of V2, gaining Control of this Location, then moves to the upper level of V3. In V3 it gains Control of the upper level Location, but not of the hex since it must occupy the ground level Location of a hex to gain Control (26.13). Based on the MF expenditure for entering V3, the 8-3-8 fires and breaks the 4-4-7, but this has no effect on Control since the 4-4-7 was in Good Order when it entered the Location. During the RtPh, the 4-4-7 routs back to the upper level of V2. In the next German MPh, the concealed 5-4-8 enters the ground level of V3. The German player already Controls the ground level Location and hex, but if he didn't, he would gain Control of them now. He does not gain Control of the building since the broken 4-4-7 is still an armed enemy unit and thus prevents the German player from gaining Control. The 5-4-8 continues to the ground level of V2, gaining Control of that Location (although this Control by a concealed unit need not be declared at this time), but not of the hex due to the 4-4-7 in the upper level. If the 4-4-7 is eliminated, the German player would then immediately gain Control of the building and hex V2. At that point, the Russian would Control the upper level Locations of V2 and V3, while the German player would Control the building, all its hexes, and all other Locations. If the building hexes were separated by black Rowhouse bars, Control of the Locations/hexes/building would still be as described above (although certain movement possibilities would be precluded).

If the 5-4-8 Mopped Up the non-Rowhouse building 22U3, the 4-4-7 (if still alive) would Surrender, and the German player would Control all Locations, all hexes, and the building. If building 22U3 were a Rowhouse which the 5-4-8 Mopped Up, however, the 4-4-7 (being in the same hex with the 5-4-8) would still Surrender, and the German player would still gain Control of the building and (by virtue of Mopping Up) the upper level Location of V2, but the upper level Location of V3 would remain under Russian Control (since Rowhouses are treated separately for Mopping Up—B23.71).

26.16 CONTROL FORFEITURE: A player forfeits to his opponent Control of any Location/hex/building which he has deliberately set on fire by Kindling (B25.11)—even if that Fire (i.e., Flame or Blaze) spread from elsewhere. If, due to a Fire deliberately Kindled by a player, parts of the playing area become totally unenterable by armed enemy ground units, the opponent immediately gains Control of every Location/hex/ building completely within that area, even if the area is unenterable partly by other causes (e.g., Rubble, non-Kindled Blazes, etc.). A player gaining Control due to a deliberately-started Fire does so even if he has no units in the area and regardless of the presence of enemy units. A player who forfeits Control in this manner may not regain Control until the Fire causing forfeiture is extinguished, or the Fire is later considered to have been accidentally started because Fire started by both sides has become joined (26.162).

26.161 A player is not held responsible for Fires started randomly while firing (e.g., with HE, FT, MOL, WP, or vs Huts [G5.6] or by causing a Burning Wreck), or for Fires existing at the start of play. An accidentally-started Flame counter does not affect Control in any way, but such Blaze counters may: if the ground level Location(s) of one or more adjacent hexes are unenterable by both sides because of such Blaze counter(s), the side that Controls a majority of hexes adjacent to this area also gains Control of all hexes of this area. Any Location that is unenterable due to such a Blaze or Rubble is Controlled by the side Controlling its hex. Control of a building that is unenterable due to such a Blaze is gained by the side Controlling all of the building hexes per the first part of this rule. The Locations/hexes/buildings must be unenterable by all Ground units of both sides for this rule to apply.

26.162 If a hex or a chain of adjacent hexes contains Fire (i.e., Flame/Blaze) deliberately started by both players, the Fire is considered accidentally started and 26.161 applies. If a hex or a chain of adjacent hexes contains Fire accidentally started (26.161) and Fire deliberately started by one player, all that Fire is considered deliberately started by that player.

EX: Blazes that started accidentally are in the ground level of 1F3 and G3 and in the 1st level of G3 and G4. Due to the Blazes, all Locations of F3 and G3 as well as the upper level Locations of G4 and E4 are unenterable. Before the Blazes were placed, the German player had gained Control of the building and its hexes/Locations. The German player retains Control of hex F3 and G3 until the Russian player gains control of the majority of the eight adjacent hexes, but as soon as that happens the Russian player gains Control of hexes F3 and G3 as well as all Locations of those hexes (since all the Locations are unenterable). The Russian player would then retain Control of F3 and G3 until the German player gains Control of a majority of the eight adjacent hexes. Control of hexes G4 and E4 is gained normally since the ground level Locations can be entered, while the level one and level two Locations (which are unenterable) are Controlled by the side controlling the hex.

If the Blazes were instead a result of a Kindling by the German side, the Russian player would automatically gain Control of: all Locations that contained a Flame/Blaze counter and all Locations unenterable due to those Fire counters (i.e., all Locations except the ground level of G4 and E4); all three hexes containing a Flame/Blaze counter; and the building (since it contains a Flame/Blaze counter). This is still true if the Flames/Blazes in the building were a result of spreading Fire and not a direct result of Kindling, as long as the original Fire source was created by Kindling.

26.2 VICTORY POINTS

Victory Conditions are often decided on the basis of points awarded for the elimination, capture, or exit of units/equipment. These points are termed VP (Victory Points).

26.21 VICTORY POINT VALUE: The total VP value of a side's OB may be altered during play due to circumstances other than elimination/capture/exit (e.g., Leader Creation, a leader being Replaced, malfunction of MA, etc.); the VP value of such units/equipment are awarded normally according to their new VP value if eliminated/captured/exited thereafter.

26.211 INFANTRY & PRC: Each squad or crew is worth two VP [EXC: a LC crew is worth one VP; G12.114]. Each HS is worth one VP. A leader (including armor leader) is worth one VP plus one VP for each negative leadership modifier it possesses (a leader with a zero or positive leadership modifier is worth one VP); a wounded leader is worth full VP as if unwounded [EXC: Japanese leaders; G1.65]. A Hero is worth one VP, but only for exit VP purposes in a Seaborne Evacuation (G14.42).

26.212 VEHICLES & EQUIPMENT: Each aircraft [EXC: Gliders] and non-vehicular Gun is worth two VP. Each vehicle (including Wagon/ Sledge, but excluding motorcycle/Goliath/Boat/Glider) is worth one VP plus: one VP for a MA which is not malfunctioned/disabled; one VP for every multiple of five AF (FRU; a 0 AF is worth one VP) based on the AFV's single strongest AF (VP for any PRC are determined as per 26.211). See G12.84 for the VP value of LC and F.3 for the VP value of Guns/vehicles in desert scenarios.

EX: Russian vehicle VP values (assuming an inherent crew and no armor-leader/other-PRC): a T-70 is worth six points, a KV-1E seven points, a T-37 five points, an IS-3 ten points, an unarmed truck or a Wagon/Sledge one point (no crew), and an IAG-10-AA is worth four points.

26.213 All SMC/MMC/Guns are worth the same amount of VP regardless of whether they are in counter form or inherently present in any way [EXC: Carrier HS are worth two VP when inherently present in a Carrier (D6.82); Guns are worth one VP when MA of a vehicle (26.212)].

26.22 CASUALTY VICTORY POINTS: Whenever a scenario uses Casualty Victory Points (CVP), each player receives CVP for eliminated/captured enemy units/equipment, and should keep a side record of his CVP by simply recording an appropriate number of slash marks as each piece is removed from play or by appropriately moving his VP marker along the Victory Point Track of the Scenario Aid Card.

26.221 A player receives CVP equal to the VP value for all enemy units/equipment that are eliminated. Units/equipment that leave the mapboard are considered eliminated for purposes of CVP [EXC: if under Recall, Guards escorting prisoners (20.53), Paratroops/Gliders landing offboard, or if satisfying Victory Conditions or a SSR by such exit]. CVP are not awarded for units/equipment which are merely broken, wounded, disrupted, malfunctioned, shocked or Immobile, nor for a disabled MA.

26.222 CAPTURE: A leader/MMC is captured for Victory Condition purposes if currently a prisoner. A Gun/vehicle/LC is considered captured if the opponent is the last to have Recovered the weapon or captured the vehicle (21.2), even if the Gun/vehicle/LC is currently not manned. A player receives CVP for an enemy unit/equipment when it is captured. If it is no longer captured, these CVP are immediately lost. During the course of play (including determination of immediate Victory Conditions), captured units/equipment are worth their normal VP value. As soon as the scenario has ended, captured units/equipment are worth double their normal VP to their captor [EXC: at game end, the VP value of captured Chinese Guns/vehicles is quadrupled; G18.44]. Should any captured unit/equipment be eliminated, it is no longer considered captured, although the elimination of that unit/equipment grants the capturing side normal CVP (26.221) instead of the CVP for the capture [EXC: if a prisoner is eliminated due to an attack by its own side, the capturing side immediately receives double CVP for the elimination].

EX: When the MA of a Russian KV-1E becomes malfunctioned, the German player receives no CVP (26.221). The KV-1E is later Abandoned before being captured by a Germans HS, which gives the German player four CVP: one for a vehicle, three for 11 AF, but none for functioning MA or Inherent crew since the KV-1E currently has none. The Russian player then attacks and eliminates the KV-1E. For this the Russian player gains one CVP (for the HS manning the AFV) while the German retains the four CVP for the elimination of the AFV. If the KV-1E had not been eliminated, the German player would instead receive four additional CVP at scenario end when captured units/equipment count double CVP.

26.23 EXIT VICTORY CONDITIONS: Some Victory Conditions are based on the exit of a set number of VP (26.21) from the mapboard through a specified exit area. A player receives Exit VP equal to the current VP value for units/equipment exited according to the Victory Conditions [EXC: a player receives no exit VP for vehicles under Recall or broken Personnel (unless exited in a Seaborne Evacuation; G14.42)]. Captured enemy units/equipment exited according to the Victory Conditions count as normal VP during play and double exit VP at scenario end (26.222).

26.3 AVOIDANCE: Whenever the Victory Conditions of a scenario lists the Victory requirements for only one side, the other side wins by avoiding those Victory Conditions.

26.4 BALANCE: Each scenario contains a section entitled "Balance" which proposes a variation to the basic scenario format which is advantageous for the stated side. Whenever both players wish to play the same side in a scenario, they decide the matter with a dr and the loser of the dr gets to claim the Balance provision of the scenario for his side as a consolation.

Chapter A Footnotes

A.2 ERRORS: To the unscrupulous, these mechanics for handling errors might be viewed as a license to steal. We do not mean to insinuate that cheating is acceptable behavior; rather, that backing up a game to accommodate a forgotten rule/unit is a drag on play. In essence, the player's knowledge of the system and methodical application of its benefits as opportunities present themselves becomes an added skill factor better reflecting the abilities of an experienced battlefield commander. Ultimately, the only protection against a cheater is not to play him.
1.22 RANGE: Range is far more than simply a measure of the distance a unit's weapons can shoot. It is also an abstracted measure of the unit's discipline, fire doctrine, training, and willingness to engage an enemy. The player who assumes that his units will fire at any enemy they can see is giving them the benefit of far more heroic and aggressive tendencies than they usually possessed. Fire draws fire in return, and more units sought to duck a fight than to seek one.
4.15 INFANTRY OVR: The inclusion of an Infantry OVR rule was a source of heated debate among our playtesters—many of whom opposed it as an unnecessary complication. Others pointed out the End Game problem of using SMC as unrealistic sacrifices to "block" movement into hexes required for Victory Conditions. The resulting rule is an attempt to deal both with the artificial time constraints of the Game Turn and to give lone SMC the option of giving way before overwhelming force rather than risk sure elimination or capture.
4.2 MECHANICS OF MOVEMENT: Players who find it difficult to remember which units have already moved should get in the habit of turning all units (for which facing is not important) to face North after movement on even-numbered turns, and south on odd numbered turns. At the end of the MPh all such units should be turned to face that direction.
4.42 IPC: Players may question why a squad has no more IPC than a crew or HS which represents half as many men. However, a squad does have twice as much IPC as a HS when you consider that the squad can be Deployed into HS to double its portage capacity. Deploying a squad into HS decreases its fighting capacity, however, which is traded for the unit's increased IPC. A squad which forfeits some FP or Range to increase its IPC by Deploying into HS is realistically burdened by the excess baggage it is transporting.

10A. 7.37 Incremental IFT: The Incremental IFT and its accompanying article ("One-Half FP") first appeared in the ASL Annual '89. (In 1998, both were reprinted in Classic ASL.) Thereafter, various commentaries appeared in several succeeding Annuals. At one time, the ASL community seemed seriously divided over whether the IIFT should either be declared the official IFT or should be relegated to the dustbin. Since that time, however, consensus has settled upon treating the IIFT as just another optional rule, and that is how we present it here in the 2nd edition.

One of the several criticisms leveled against the IIFT was that, by adding additional PTC effects for higher Final DRs in the various intermediate FP columns, the IIFT strips concealment more readily than does the regular IFT. To counter this criticism, some suggested making all those additional PTC effects conditional, so that they only applied to unconcealed units and thus would not strip concealment too easily. We tend to agree with this thinking, and seriously considered changing the IIFT in that manner. In the end, however, we decided to leave the IIFT essentially unchanged from when it was originally published in 1989, but highlighted such "conditional" PTCs on the IIFT in blue. Anyone concerned about concealment being stripped away too easily can adopt the "conditional" PTC as a house rule.

7.83 PIN: Remember that a broken unit doesn't necessarily do what is best for it (and certainly doesn't do what the player would like it to do); it has lost its discipline and may panic—thus making it once again subject to FFMO/FFNAM penalties during Defensive First Fire or Subsequent First Fire.
8.21 RESIDUAL FP: Residual FP is far less effective than normal FP because it is incidental; i.e., not aimed. It may hit and affect other units moving up into that position, but it does so purely by chance. Nevertheless, even when obstacles block LOS between the source of Residual FP and later entrants of a target hex (such as often happens when firing at a Bypass unit), the discomfiting effects of nearby fire—even the very sounds of battle—can be enough to cause units to falter and refuse the ATTACKER's command for further movement. This is reflected by allowing all Residual FP attacks to occur vs the moving occupants of a hex regardless of LOS to the original firer who left that Residual FP while also affording the obstacle TEM to Bypassing units.
8.31 FPF: FPF adversely affects only those firing units already marked with a Final Fire counter because only those units are assumed to have been tested to the very limits of their breaking points. A unit which uses Defensive First Fire or Final Fire is considered in no immediate danger of being overwhelmed because those attacks fall within the normal limits of its volume of fire. A unit which uses FPF, however, is being pressed beyond normal limits and may break under the pressure, if for no other reason than an appearance of being overwhelmed before it can reload.
9.8 dm SW: Unlike other nationalities, which used entirely different weapons in the light and medium/heavy machine gun roles, the German MG 34 (and later also the MG 42) was the first general purpose MG; i.e., it would be used as either a LMG or (with the proper attachments) as a MMG/HMG. As a LMG the MG 34 was bipod-mounted and often drum-fed, whereas the HMG version was simply the LMG mounted on a stable tripod, equipped with a telescopic sight, and usually belt-fed (all of which improved the MG's range, accuracy, and volume of fire). Thus when a German MMG/HMG was dismantled by removing its tripod/sight, the basic bipod-mounted LMG still existed. Incidentally, the MMG version in the game represents a HMG with less ammunition and no telescopic sight.
11.15 MELEE: It should be remembered that Melee can stand for other events than the commonly held visions of a deadly wrestling match with desperate men grappling at knife point. Melee can also depict a situation wherein opposing sides are in close proximity and aware of each other's presence, but not necessarily in view, and both sides are afraid to make the first move—a standoff test of wills. The most vivid example is of the fighting in Stalingrad, where whole platoons occupied adjacent rooms of the same building for hours but were afraid to even make a sound let alone venture into the other's lair. The fighting may indeed be hand-to-hand, but it can also be resolved with a hand grenade or burst from a SMG, and it may well represent no actual combat at all—a stalemate which effectively removes all involved from considerations beyond their immediate environs.

Hungary: A traditional German ally, Hungary in 1938-1940 regained through the assistance of Germany most of the land lost after The Great War, albeit while simultaneously gaining the animosity of her neighbors. Hungary followed Germany first into Yugoslavia and then into Russia. Each Hungarian infantry battalion consisted of three rifle companies (with a HQ section, three rifle platoons and a light mortar squad each) and a heavy weapons company (with platoons of medium MG, 81mm mortars, and light AT guns). Each Mountain rifle company was composed of a HQ platoon and 4 Mountain rifle platoons; each platoon had three squads and its own light mortar squad outfitted with a 50mm mortar.

Slovakia: Urged on by the Germans, Slovakia declared its independence from Czechoslovakia in March 1939, and quickly helped itself to the Czech equipment within its borders. It repaid its protector by participating in the invasions of Poland and Russia. Each infantry battalion had a battalion HQ, a Combat Support company, and three rifle companies. The battalion HQ had a small two-squad security section for local control. The Combat Support company had a HQ section and five MG platoons, two heavy and three light. The two heavy MG platoons each had 4 MG and crews. The three LMG platoons also had four HS armed with the LMG. While the LMG squads were administratively under the command of the Combat Support company, each infantry platoon had a LMG squad attached to it for operational purposes. Each rifle company had four rifle platoons each with four rifle squads. The Germans began disbanding Slovakian units in May 1944. After putting down the August 1944 uprising in Slovakia, Germany disarmed all remaining Slovakian units.

German-Croatian units in Russia: Within a short time of the German conquest of Yugoslavia, over 5000 Croatian volunteers, mostly from Croatia's Ustashi Party enlisted in the fascist cause. From this group, a German-Croat Legion was established as the 369th Reinforced Croat Infantry Regiment serving as part of the 100th Jäger Division. The regiment was formed using the German organization and command structure and had three infantry battalions and an attached artillery battalion. Each infantry battalion had three infantry companies and one weapons company. All regimental transportation was horse-drawn, and all weapons were of German manufacture. One unusual feature of this unit was that it was officered completely by Croatian officers even while under German operational control. This unit was destroyed at Stalingrad at the end of 1942, but Croatian volunteers continued to man German units throughout the war, and the "German-controlled" sectors of Croatia continued to raise forces to fight against the Russians. Use German counters and Nationality Distinctions in Russia prior to 1/43.

Italian-Croatian Units in Russia: The Italian-Croat Legion was organized as a reinforced regiment (the "Light Transport Brigade") with two Blackshirt battalions, a Replacement battalion supported by a mortar company and an artillery battalion. The two Blackshirt battalions each had three infantry companies and a weapons company of light mortars and MG. The Replacement battalion was slightly heavier in mortars with three 81mm mortars assigned for direct support as well as light mortars and MG. The Italian-Croat Legion was dispatched to the Russian front on February 1, 1942, assigned to the Italian 3rd "Celere" Mobile Division under the overall command of the Italian 8th Army. It entered combat in May and fought well, but was eventually overrun and completely destroyed by the Russians around the Don River in December 1942. Use Italian counters (3-4-6s) and Nationality Distinctions for these units. Starting in May 1943 the Italians sponsored another "Legion," but those troops did not see any action before Italy surrendered, after which they were used to reinforce existing German-Croatian units.

Croatian units in Yugoslavia: Until the arrival of Soviet forces later in the war, Croatian Army units were engaged primarily in anti-partisan activities, fighting mostly against the Communist partisans of Tito. A major problem for the Croatian Army throughout the war was the exodus of many of the best Croatian officers, non-coms, and soldiers to volunteer for service in the German or Italian armies. Croatia raised the 369th Croatian Infantry Division in March 1943, the 373rd Infantry Division in late 1943, and the 392nd Infantry Division in 1944. All three Croatian divisions fought against the partisans and never left the confines of Yugoslavia. Additionally, the infamous Ustashi militia was active in anti-partisan activities, gradually playing a larger and larger role. Use Axis Minors counters and National Characteristics for all Croatian units beginning in 1943.

Bulgaria: Bulgaria joined the Axis in March 1941 but refused to attack Russia. The Bulgarian Army remained behind in the Balkans as security forces for the occupied Macedonian (Yugoslavian) and Thracian (Greek) areas. There had been, historically, a deep and bitter hatred between the Greeks and Bulgarians for centuries and this was released during the occupation of Greece. The harsh and cruel treatment of the Greek civilians by the Bulgarian soldiers helped to restrain Greek partisans from operating during the early part of the war but the unrelenting atrocities on Greek civilians by the Bulgars led many Greeks to join in with local partisan bands in ever-increasing numbers. Following the death of Tsar Boris III and Romania's defection in August 1944, Bulgaria abandoned Germany and joined the Allies under pressure from Russia. The normal Bulgarian rifle company was infantry heavy but was very lightweight in its firepower. While the rifle company did not have an inherent Heavy Weapons (HW) platoon, it was able to draw upon the resources of the parent battalion or regiment for certain types of HW support. These attachments included 20mm and 37mm AT Guns, 37mm INF guns, and light 50mm Mortars from the regimental Close Support company while the battalion MG company provided HMG support.

25.8 NO QUARTER: An SSR should generally apply No Quarter to both sides in actions involving Axis Minor troops against partisans.
25.81 PAATC: Generally, an SSR should show that 1st Line Infantry components of the armored divisions take PAATC rather than 1PAATC.
25.86 HUNGARIAN TROOPS: As the fortunes of war turned against the Germans and the Russians started driving the Axis forces out of Russian territory, Germany's Eastern European allies started having second thoughts about their support for the Axis. Partisans staged an abortive uprising in Slovakia in August 1944, aided by significant defections from the army. The Tiso regime managed to maintain control, but many Slovakian Army units disbanded, with the ethnic German Volksdeutsche transferred en masse to the Wehrmacht. Also in August, as the Soviet offensive drove into Romania, General Antonescu was arrested and on August 25th Romania abrogated its treaties with the Axis. The Red Army moved into Bucharest on August 31st, and Romania went from being Germany's strongest ally in the region to being the biggest thorn in Germany's side, seeing significant action in Transylvania, Hungary, Slovakia, Moravia, and Bessarabia. Tsar Boris III's death and Romania's defection in August 1944 prompted a pro-Allied coup in Bulgaria, which followed Romania's example and switched sides. The army attempted to frustrate Germany's retreat from Greece, although not too successfully. In October 1944, as the Russians closed in on Hungary, the regent Vice-Admiral Horthy declared an armistice as he tried to negotiate a deal with the Western Allies. Hitler had Horthy arrested, installed the ultra-nationalistic Arrow Cross regime in power, and had the army placed under direct German control. Hungarian units continued to fight on the Axis side into May 1945. The Soviets created a rival Hungarian government, which promised Stalin eight divisions to fight the Axis but was unable to deliver. The Axis Minor units that switched sides at the end of the war were otherwise unchanged and continued to use the same weapons, doctrines, etc. Because the Hungarians ended up fighting Romanian and Bulgarian troops, some way was needed to distinguish between the two armies. The Hungarians had the greatest variety of vehicles that were not also used by other Minor nations. Representing them with the two-tone counters thus required that fewer such vehicles had to be in both regular green counters and the two-tone counters. With the blue border on the two-tone counter, Hungarians can also use the occasional German vehicle/SW while concealed.
25.87 ROMANIAN ATMM: Like all of Germany's minor allies, Romania suffered from a chronic shortage of adequate anti-tank weapons to combat the Soviet armor. Romania addressed this issue during the army's restructuring following the Stalingrad debacle by creating special tank destroyer teams. The job of these hand-picked two-man teams was to close with and destroy enemy AFV at close quarters by whatever means necessary—usually improvised antitank mines made by banding together several fragmentation grenades or using PF. The 1PAATC exception for 1st Line Romanians, the -1 PF Check drm for Elite Romanian MMC vs AFV, and this ATMM availability all help to reflect Romania's use of these teams.

Errata to Accompany the 2006 Replacement Pages

A8.1 At the end remove "[EXC: Impulse Movement; 13.6; 25.232; D14.2; E11.2; E11.52.]"

E11.2 In line 3 replace "AFV platoon movement (D14.2-D14.22)" with "Impulse Movement (D14.3)".

E11.52 In line 1 replace "Impulses" with "Impulse Movement (D14.3)". In line 8, after "Human-Wave" add "/Armored-Assault".

Chapter D Replacement Pages

13.35 VEHICULAR SMOKE GRENADES: The crews of almost all armed vehicles carried smoke grenades for self protection. Therefore, the Inherent Crew (or HS) of any vehicle with a MA weapon indicated on its counter may place Smoke Grenades (A24.1) using the same rules as attempting to fire a Smoke Dispenser (13.2-.3), with the following exceptions: A CT AFV crew must be CE to attempt placement; a usage dr of "1" is necessary for successful placement by an armed-but-unarmored vehicle or BU OT AFV, or of "≤ 2" for any CE AFV (a "6" dr has no effect beyond prohibiting placement); if successfully placed, a ½" Smoke counter is placed in the vehicle's own Location and treated as per A24.11; if placed during the opponent's MPh, the Smoke counter is removed at the end of that phase. Vehicular smoke grenades may not be used in any other way by PRC, nor may they be Removed/Scrounged. A vehicle may attempt to use vehicular smoke grenades or a smoke dispenser, but not both, during the same MPh.

14. RADIOLESS AFV

[One of the reasons that French and early Russian armor was no match for the less numerous German panzers was the formers' lack of wireless equipment, which greatly hampered them in maneuver.]

14.1 AFV RADIO: All AFV are assumed to have an inherent radio unless they contain an ® on their reverse side. An AFV cannot use a radio counter to nullify its lack of an Inherent radio, nor can an AFV radio be used to call in OBA or otherwise spot for Indirect Fire [EXC: OP tank; H1.46].

14.2 PLATOON MOVEMENT: Radioless AFV must move in platoons or pay penalties as per 14.23. Two or three AFV may create a platoon during setup, at the start of their MPh or when leaving a Convoy (E11.252), provided each AFV fulfills the requirements of 14.21. Once a platoon is formed, a member of the platoon can only cease using Platoon Movement per 14.22-.23.

14.21 MECHANICS OF MOVEMENT: A platoon uses Impulse Movement (14.3) and may not attempt ESB or make a Minimum Move. At the end of each Impulse (but not during the Impulse) and when called for by other rules, each AFV in the platoon must:

Be adjacent to/in the same hex as another AFV of the same platoon.
Have a LOS (ignoring SMOKE/NVR) to that AFV.
Share the same Stopped/Non-Stopped/Motion status (including Forward/Reverse Movement) with all other platoon members.

If ≥ one AFV in the same platoon is subject to Bog/Mechanical-Reliability/Stall DR, only one DR per condition is made for the platoon at the end of the Impulse, before any attacks (14.32). If Bog/Immobilization occurs, Random Selection is then used—but only among the AFV that would normally have been Bogged/Immobilized by that Final DR (with different DRM potentially applying to different AFV). If Stall occurs, all AFV in that platoon are immediately considered Stopped; make one Delay DR (regardless of how many AFV Stalled) and the Start MP plus Delay DR is the Impulse MP cost.

14.211 MOTION ATTEMPT: If a platoon wishes to make a Motion attempt during the enemy MPh (2.401), the enemy unit triggering that attempt need have expended MF/MP in the LOS of only one AFV in that platoon; one Motion Attempt dr suffices for the entire platoon, but it is subject to a drm equal to the number of AFV in that platoon.

14.212 OFFBOARD MOVEMENT: A platoon may have partly entered or exited the playing area at the end of an Impulse (even the last Impulse of their MPh, unless disallowed by A2.5) if they meet all Platoon Movement requirements (for the purposes of 14.21, LOS may be traced to/from an offboard unit). An offboard radioless AFV must use Platoon Movement if possible.

14.22 GAPS: If an AFV is destroyed, Recalled, uses non-platoon movement (14.23) or becomes Immobile, it is no longer considered part of the platoon. A radioless AFV that suffers Recall is thereafter treated as if radio-equipped. If the remaining two AFV of a former three-AFV platoon do not fulfill the requirements of 14.21, they must move to do so at the end of the first impulse in which one or both of them enter a new hex (unless they end their MPh in their current hexes). If they haven't done so by the end of their MPh or this happens during any other phase, they immediately cease using Platoon Movement. If only one AFV is remaining, it is free from platoon restrictions for the remainder of its current MPh.

EX: A radioless Russian T26S M37 (with 11 MP) and two radioless T26 M33 (with 12 MP), whose ID letters are A, B and C, are Stopped in hexes 3Y5, Z5, and AA6 respectively. All have AA4 within their VCA, and they wish to exit the playing area via EE1 using Platoon Movement. As their first Impulse all three tanks expend one MP to Start, before making one Mechanical Reliability DR (2.51) which they pass; this allows all three tanks to continue movement. The MP expenditures for the first Impulse are shown in blue. Next, tank A expends one MP to enter Z4 and tank B does likewise to enter AA5. Tank C can expend two MP—either to enter AA5 or to Bypass to vertex BB5-BB4-AA5—but if it does, then all three tanks will have spent two MP during this Impulse (14.31)—so it instead remains in AA6 doing nothing. Tank C is considered to have expended one MP in this Impulse, but is not a Moving Target (since it did not enter a new hex). The moves and MP expenditures for the second Impulse are shown in red with Impulse MP expenditures due solely to being part of the platoon shown in parentheses. Next, tanks B and C enter hexes BB4 and AA5 respectively while tank A changes VCA to AA4-AA5 (shown in blue). Since each tank paid one MP to do so, the platoon thus expends one MP for this Impulse, for a total expenditure of three MP so far in the MPh. On the fourth Impulse, tank B continues to move by expending five MP to enter CC4 (shown in red) while tank C enters BB4 and tank A enters AA5. This Impulse costs each tank of the platoon five MP for a total of 8 so far. Further movement in the desired direction (into DD3, CC4 and BB4 for tanks B, C, A respectively) would force all tanks to expend five MP, thus exceeding the platoon's 11 MP allotment. So the last Impulse only consists of tank A changing VCA to AA4-BB4, expending one MP (shown in blue), for a total of nine MP expended so far in the MPh. The tanks could expend their tenth MP to Stop, but choose to remain in Motion.

In their next MPh tank B enters DD3, tank C enters CC4, and tank A enters BB4; thus the platoon (and each tank) expends five MP in its first Impulse (shown in red). In the next Impulse tanks B, C and A enter EE3, DD3 and CC4 respectively—costing the platoon (and each tank) another five MP, for a total of ten MP expended so far in the MPh (shown in blue). A hidden AT Gun in FF3 (with CA EE3-EE4) now fires at tank B but misses, so tank B (and thus the entire platoon) expends one MP to Stop in order to return fire. Regardless of the outcome, the platoon's MPh is now ended because any further movement will exceed tank A's 11 MP allotment. The one MP expenditure for Stopping is not shown in the illustration.

EX: Continuing the previous example (and assuming that all three tanks and the AT Gun still survive unscathed), in the platoon's next MPh all three tanks expend a Start MP and pass a Platoon Mechanical Reliability DR (shown in blue). The AT Gun now Defensive First Fires at tank B (and retains ROF), but fails to affect the tank. The AT Gun could not fire again even if it had LOS to the other two AFV, since they expended their 1 MP simultaneously. Next, tank C continues by spending five MP to enter DD2, while tanks B and A enter EE2 and CC3 respectively. The platoon has thus expended five MP in its second Impulse (shown in red). The AT Gun fires at tank C and now destroys it (leaving a wreck in DD2), but fails to maintain its ROF. Tank A and B must now move adjacent and in LOS in the first Impulse one of them enters a new hex (or spend the rest of their MPh in their current hexes—in which case the platoon will be disbanded). To accomplish this, tank B expends one MP to change its VCA to DD1-EE1 while tank A does nothing (shown in yellow), then tank B enters DD1 and tank A enters CC2 expending one MP (shown in green), before tank B change its VCA to DD0-EE1, while tank A does nothing (again shown in blue). The platoon has now expended nine MP in its MPh. In the next Impulse (shown in red) tanks B and A use their tenth MP to enter EE1 and DD1 respectively. No First Fire ensues, so using their 11th MP (shown in yellow), tank B can exit while tank A enters EE1, where it must end its MPh in Motion. Since a platoon is a single entity, in its next MPh tank A must exit via the same hex exited by tank B or via a hex adjacent to it. Of course, tank A could instead leave the platoon and move normally if it first passes a NTC in this next MPh (14.23), but if it fails the NTC it would have to end its MPh in its present hex. If the AT Gun had destroyed tank B as well as tank C, then tank A would be free to continue its MPh from CC3. In its next MPh it would have to pass a non-platoon movement NTC if it wanted to move.

14.23 NON-PLATOON MOVEMENT: Radioless AFV need not set up in platoons onboard, but if at the start of its MPh such an onboard Mobile AFV is alone (i.e., doesn't meet the 14.21 requirements) or wishes to break off from its platoon (this is the only time it can do so voluntarily), it must pass a NTC in order to move during that MPh. If it fails the NTC it must immediately Stop (if currently Non-Stopped) and expend the rest of its MP allotment as Delay MP, and may not perform any other action during that MPh, though Passengers/Riders may unload. A lone radioless AFV need not pass a NTC before attempting a Motion dr (2.401), but must always add a +1 drm to that dr. See G12.403 for radioless AFV (un)loading from/onto a LC.

14.24 RADIO-EQUIPPED AFV: Radio-equipped AFV may use Platoon Movement as if radioless, but are then subject to all Platoon Movement penalties/restrictions [EXC: radio-equipped AFV can depart from the platoon at the beginning of their MPh without first passing a NTC].

14.3 IMPULSE MOVEMENT

Impulse Movement is a form of movement where units in different Locations coordinate their movement. This represents situations such as Human Wave (A25.23) or Platoon Movement (14.2). During Impulse Movement, all participating units move as a stack as per A4.2, even if moving in multiple Locations. A leader using Impulse Movement only affects other participating units in his current Location, not units in other Locations of this "multi-Location stack" [EXC: MF bonus for a leader participating in a Column; E11.52].

14.31 IMPULSE: When using Impulse Movement, the MPh of all participating units is broken into a number of Impulses. During each Impulse each participating unit may perform a maximum of one MF/MP expenditure (EX: moving to a new Location; changing VCA one hexside; using VBM along one hexside; exiting a Foxhole; using Infantry bypass along 1-4 hexsides). Actions that cost no MF/MP (EX: dropping a SW; changing CE/BU status) may be performed as normal during each Impulse. An Impulse ends when every participating unit has completed its single MF/MP expenditure, or the player declares the Impulse to be over. Units using Impulse Movement do not need to predesignate their actions, as in normal stacked movement (A4.2).

The MF/MP cost of an Impulse is equal to the most MF/MP spent by any unit during that Impulse, and all the units are considered to have spent this number of MF/MP during that Impulse (even if they didn't perform an MF/MP expenditure). This even allows a Non-Stopped vehicle to spend MP doing nothing if other units expend MP during that Impulse. No unit may expend MF/MP unless all units participating in that Impulse have enough remaining MF/MP, so all the participants must end their MPh if one of the units lacks necessary MF/MP [EXC: wounded SMC; A25.232].

14.32 FIRST FIRE: All rules for Defensive/Bounding First Fire treat all units moving during an Impulse as a single stack. Hence, Defensive/Bounding First Fire may only be declared at the end of each Impulse [EXC: before the first Impulse; C5.33]. The same restriction applies to other actions by the DEFENDER (EX: Motion Attempt, Vehicular Smoke Dispensers).

14.33 ARMORED ASSAULT: Impulse Movement and Armored Assault (9.31) may be combined with certain restrictions. The only forms of Impulse Movement that can be combined with Armored Assault are Human Wave (A25.23) (including Banzai Charge [G1.5], but not Cavalry Wave) and Platoon Movement (14.2).

When combining Impulse Movement and Armored Assault, all units must use Impulse Movement—even if some units normally would not (e.g., a single AFV, a single Infantry stack). There will be two simultaneous Impulses, one for vehicles and one for Infantry. The MF and MP cost are calculated independently per 14.31 for each of the two Impulses, possibly with zero MF/MP cost for one of the two Impulses. For the purpose of follow-up attacks, each Defensive First Fire attack constitutes one allowed attack against all units in both groups.

EX: Two AFV moving as a platoon expend 2 MP in an impulse while the squad Armored Assaulting with the second AFV spends 1 MF. A Gun attacks and eliminates the first AFV on the first MP and attacks the second AFV on the second MP. This second shot cannot affect the squad, which spent only 1 MF.

14.331 BREAKING OFF: When one or more units cease using Armored Assault, those units must postpone their MPh while the remaining units finish their MPh, before the postponed units finish theirs—or vice versa [EXC: platoon (or HW units) no longer using Armored Assault continue to move simultaneously until all units of their platoon (or Human Wave) have ceased using Armored Assault].

14.332 HUMAN WAVE: Units participating in a Human Wave may use Armored Assault to move with one single AFV, or with some or all AFV of one platoon. Only the HW Units that began their MPh beneath an AFV and have moved in a combined stack with it receive the Armored Assault benefits.

14.333 PLATOON: When using Platoon Movement, the platoon may use Armored Assault to move with one individual Infantry stack, or with HW units per 14.332.

15. MOTORCYCLES & BICYCLES

15.1 Motorcycles are vehicular because they transport Riders and expend MP (rather than MF) as per the Motorcycle column of the MP Entrance Cost section of the Terrain Chart. Motorcycle counters are provided both with and without sidecars. For ease of reference, a motorcycle without a sidecar will be referred to as a "cycle"; that with a sidecar will be referred to as a "sidecar". The word "motorcycle" will collectively refer to both. Each counter with three overhead depictions represents enough machines to transport a squad and ≤ four SMC. Each with two overhead depictions represents enough machines to carry a HS or crew and ≤ four SMC. One machine (a single overhead depiction) may transport ≤ two SMC (≤ three if a sidecar).

15.2 PORTAGE: Cycles have no portage capacity. A Sidecar may carry three PP of SW if squad size, two if HS size, and one PP if SMC size.

15.3 STACKING: Only the Riders of a motorcycle count for stacking purposes. The presence of a motorcycle in a hex does not affect other vehicular entrance or movement costs.

15.4 MOVEMENT: Motorcycles have no Inherent Driver. To move they must be mounted (placed beneath) or Pushed by Infantry. A motorcycle counter may not be moved by an Infantry unit smaller than that which it can transport (excluding extra SMC). Each motorcycle counter contains an M#, and is Pushed as if it were a Gun (C10.3) [EXC: a SMC motorcycle can be Pushed by one SMC, and one other SMC may help to Push it, giving a -1 DRM to its Manhandling DR (MMC Gun Pushing DRM apply normally)]. Motorcycles may not be moved, Pushed, mounted or dismounted during the APh. A vehicle may not carry or tow a motorcycle(s).

15.41 MOUNT/DISMOUNT: To mount or dismount a motorcycle requires one MF of the Personnel unit's basic four MF allotment plus 1/4 of the total MP allotment of the motorcycle. The Personnel unit also loses one MF of his basic MF allotment for every 1/4 (FRU) of the motorcycle's total MP allotment which he uses during that MPh. Once a Personnel unit uses all of his basic MF allotment he cannot be carried farther by the motorcycle—regardless of the number of MP the latter may still have left unused. A dismounting motorcyclist is subject to possible FFMO, but FFNAM always applies to mounting/dismounting Personnel (A4.6).

EX: A leader moves into an Open Ground hex (one MF), mounts a cycle counter (one MF/ 7 MP), rides the cycle a distance of 11 road hexes (two MF/7½ MP including one MP for Starting and one MP for Stopping) but cannot dismount because he has used the basic four MF allotment of all conveyed Personnel units (A4.11).

15.42 A motorcycle may not use Reverse movement. A motorcycle pays no MP penalty for entry of a hex containing a wreck/vehicle, but must pay normal MP costs for Starting, Stopping, and changing VCA.

15.43 OVR: A motorcycle may be ridden through an enemy-occupied hex. Sidecars may even make an OVR (∆) in the same manner as any unarmored vehicle, adding 1/4 of their Riders' FP (subject to TPBF) to the attack. A motorcycle may not be voluntarily dismounted in the same Location with a Known enemy unit [EXC: in Melee; A11.71].

15.44 SPLITTING: A SMC may create a single machine counter from any MMC motorcycle counter at any time during the MPh in order to move separately from the MMC counter or immediately to accommodate combat losses (15.52). If a squad on a motorcycle counter Deploys (or is Replaced by its two HS; A19.13), that counter is flipped to its HS side and another HS motorcycle counter is placed to accommodate the other HS. See 15.52 for Casualty Reduction. Motorcycles of the same type may Recombine into larger capacity counters whenever the proper number occupy the same Location while unmounted, or whenever their Riders are eligible to Recombine into squads (A1.32).

15.45 TERRAIN RESTRICTIONS: A motorcycle may be mounted in and ridden out of terrain it is Pushed into; terrain restrictions apply only to entry, not exit.

15.46 WRECK CHECK: A motorcycle being ridden into shellholes or a stream, or across a non-road hexside via an Elevated Road (including leaving an ElRR), Double Crest or Abrupt Elevation Change, must check for wreck by making a dr. If it rolls a 6, the Rider breaks and is automatically dismounted at the Base Level of the hex it was attempting to leave, unless the hex it was attempting to enter has a lower Base Level, in which case the wreck occurs in that hex. The wreck result is implemented prior to the occurrence of Defensive Fire attacks prompted by that MP expenditure. Bail Out does not apply. The motorcycle is still usable even if it fails the Wreck Check dr.

15.47 BOG: Motorcycles are not subject to Bog.

15.5 TARGET STATUS: Fire is directed at the Rider of the motorcycle—not at the motorcycle itself and therefore does not cause any Collateral Attack or Immobilization result. Motorcyclists are considered an Infantry Target Type with no Target Size modifier. However, all fire vs a mounted motorcyclist is subject to a -1 To Hit DRM for ordnance or a -1 IFT DRM for non-ordnance weapons. All ordnance hits vs motorcyclists are resolved on the IFT (but not on the # Vehicle Line). However, as Riders, motorcyclists are not subject to FFMO/FFNAM and would be subject to vehicular To Hit DRM. Any unmounted motorcycle is considered a SW for purposes of self- and Random Destruction (A9.73-.74).

15.51 KIA: Any KIA result vs a motorcyclist removes it and the motorcycle from play. Eliminated motorcycles do not create a wreck or wreck Blaze.

15.52 K/#: A motorcycle with either a squad or more than one Rider counter is subject to Casualty Reduction as per Random Selection. Any excess motorcycle capacity caused by the elimination/Reduction of the motorcyclist is removed by substituting the correct size motorcycle counter for its current Rider; any Riders not affected are then governed by the results of the subsequent MC or automatic break result.

15.53 #MC: A motorcycle does not take a MC but motorcyclists must. Should the motorcyclist fail the MC, he must Bail Out if the motorcycle is currently moving or in Motion and thereby chance elimination or Reduction. The motorcycle is not removed and is subject to Recovery as if it were a SW. If a MMC motorcycle has two Riders (a MMC and a SMC) and the MMC breaks while the SMC does not, the MMC motorcycle counter can be augmented by a single machine counter to accommodate the split. However, if a single machine carrying two SMC receives fire causing one of the two SMC to break, both SMC must Bail Out (although only one of them would be already broken and thus chance immediate elimination in the resultant NMC). If the motorcycle is stopped when the Rider breaks, the Rider automatically dismounts with no further side effects.

15.54 PTC: A Pin result has no effect vs a motorcyclist so PTC are not resolved vs them—even in scenarios containing Booby Traps which are triggered by TC DR.

15.55 LLMC/LLTC: A LLMC/LLTC has no effect vs a motorcyclist, nor can a broken/eliminated motorcyclist cause a LLMC/LLTC (A10.2).

EX: A 75mm Gun Prep Fires on an Open Ground hex six hexes away which contains a 2-2-8 Infantry crew and a squad-sized cycle counter in Motion carrying a 4-6-7 squad and an 8-0 leader. All three units are subject to the Infantry Target Type To Hit Table with a Modified To Hit Number of 8. However, because the cycle is in Motion there is a +2 DRM (Case J) to it (in addition to the -1 DRM as mounted motorcyclists) so the crew will be hit by an Original To Hit DR ≤ 8, but the squad and leader on the cycle will be affected only if the Original To Hit DR is ≤ 7. Assume the Original To Hit DR is ≤ 7 and the resulting IFT DR is a 3. This results in a K/3 result on the 12 FP column of the IFT. A Random Selection DR is made to determine which of the three targets has been eliminated, wounded, or Reduced, and results in the squad being the unit affected and Reducing the motorcycle counter in size accordingly. Consequently, the crew and leader each take a 3MC which they pass. The HS fails the subsequent 3MC, causing it to break and take a NMC while Bailing Out. If it fails this NMC also it will be eliminated, but a HS cycle counter will remain in the hex. The leader, having passed his 3MC, remains mounted in the hex on a SMC cycle counter still in Motion. Had the HS passed its 3MC, both it and leader would have remained in Motion on a HS cycle counter.

15.56 WOUNDS: A motorcyclist which is wounded suffers no additional effects and may continue movement with his normal four MF allotment (A17.2). He does not have to Bail Out or dismount.

15.6 RIDER FIRE: Riders mounted on cycles may not attack on the IFT or CCT. Riders mounted on sidecars may attack with half FP as Mounted Fire, which could be further reduced as AFPh Fire/any other application of halving FP. The only SW use allowed on sidecars is LMG/Thrown DC; a single sidecar would need two SMC Riders to be able to use a SW.

15.7 CAPTURE: Since a motorcycle has no inherent driver, it is not captured like a vehicle—it is Recovered like any SW. There are no penalties for captured use.

15.8 BICYCLES: Bicycles are represented by cycle counters, but are considered SW—not vehicles. All cycle rules apply except as amended below.

15.81 MOVEMENT: Bicycles have no MP allotment of their own. Instead, they have the same MF allotment as their Riders would if Infantry (including Leader Bonus and Double Time, if applicable) and use Infantry—not vehicular—movement [EXC: they may not use Assault Movement]. Bicycles may be ridden only across road hexsides, where they halve the MF costs of their Riders—provided they are not in a shellhole or entrenchment hex, gaining elevation, on a dirt road during Mud, or on a non-plowed road during Snow. A bicycle receives a one MF bonus for each level of elevation it descends while on a road and a one MF bonus for remaining on a road throughout its MPh (as per B3.4). There is no cost to mount/dismount a bicycle.

15.82 PORTAGE: Bicyclists have no portage capacity and cannot be used to transport SW counters. Bicycles may be portaged as one PP, but not during the APh because (like motorcycles) they cannot be moved during the APh.

15.83 OVR: Bicycles may not make an OVR attack or be ridden into a Known enemy unit's Location.

15.84 WRECK CHECK: Bicycles need not check for a possible wreck when entering a shellhole hex.

15.85 TARGET STATUS: Bicycle Riders are Infantry targets and as a result thereof, a bicyclist never Bails Out, but is treated as a normal Infantry target for all purposes, including "PTC" and FFMO/FFNAM effects, in addition to a -1 DRM as a mounted bicycle Rider (15.5).

16. DD TANKS & AMPHIBIANS

16.1 A DD tank is amphibious only while its screens are erect. [fn 13] Should the vehicle be hit by any non-Dud ordnance-fired HE/HEAT while on land, the screens are considered worthless thereafter—regardless of the outcome of the To Kill DR.

16.11 The screens may be dropped automatically from inside the AFV during any friendly MPh in which it is on a land hex or is Wading (G13.42).

16.12 DD tanks must be CE to move with screens erect and may not fire, use VBM, carry Riders, or occupy any building, rubble, woods, brush, or orchard hex [EXC: woods-roads and orchard-roads] while screens are erect. The COT of any land hex is increased by one while screens are erect.

16.2 Amphibians engage their land movement rate when moving from a Water Obstacle to a land hex and vice versa. Amphibians may use a combination of their amphibious and land MP in the same MPh; for every amphibious MP used, the vehicle loses half of its land MP allotment (the land MP loss is one-third for those amphibious vehicles with a water mode MP rate of three), and vice versa. Use of even a half land MP causes the loss of an amphibious MP. An amphibious vehicle in a Water Obstacle is always in Motion unless stunned or shocked. A stunned or shocked amphibian in a Water Obstacle must expend an amphibious MP in its current hex to start movement again.

16.21 Cost of movement into a Water Obstacle (not Marsh; B16.42) is one amphibious MP. See B21.13 for crossing an all-water hexside into a non-Water Obstacle hex.

16.22 Amphibians must drift (B21.121) in the APh as per the type of current in force. An immobilized amphibian in a Water Obstacle drifts as long as it is in a hex affected by current.

16.23 Amphibians must check for Bog (8.2) in waterline hexes when moving from Water Obstacle to land hexes.

16.3 An amphibian in a Water Obstacle (not marsh) always presents a Very Small target size (+2 TH; 1.75) as well as being HD. The HD status is not applicable to any firer with an elevation advantage over the target which is > the range to that target.

16.4 A DD tank or unarmored amphibian (such as the DUKW) receiving fire in a Water Obstacle defends as an unarmored vehicle on the IFT, but non-ordnance FP against it is halved. A non-DD amphibious AFV (such as the LVT4) is immune to Small Arms Fire (although any Vulnerable PRC are not), and must be destroyed on an AFV Kill Table or by Indirect Fire in order to be sunk.

16.5 Any amphibian eliminated in a Water Obstacle is considered sunk and leaves no wreck. The crew/Passengers of a sunk amphibian are automatically eliminated.

16.6 An amphibian presents no LOS Hindrance while in a Water Obstacle.

16.7 An Amphibian may not carry Riders while in a Water Obstacle.

16.8 Because of their vulnerability, DD tanks and unarmored amphibians were kept well out of sight until such time as they were to actually enter the water. Therefore, such vehicles—even if listed as part of the setup OB in a scenario—may remain offboard until their owner wishes them to enter during a friendly MPh.

Chapter D Footnotes

1.321 RESTRICTED SLOW TRAVERSE (RST): An AFV with a Two-Man turret was at a marked tactical disadvantage in combat; the commander's need to divide his attention between directing his crew and serving the Gun resulted in lowered efficiency in both roles. Italian and Russian AFV aggravated this defect by using the commander as the gunner rather than as the loader, with the result that whenever he was unbuttoned to properly direct the AFV or to gain a better view of his situation, the Gun could not be fired at all. This explains much of the relative ineffectiveness of the masses of tanks which the Red Army fielded in 1941. Prior to the war only the Germans and British had grasped the fact that an undistracted commander (as well as a radio) was necessary for the efficient use of a battle tank. The One-Man turrets of French tanks aggravated their situation even more. Most tanks with these drawbacks are represented by having ST and a lower ROF, and thus require no special rules.
1.6 ARMOR FACTOR: The AF represents the average effective armor thickness in cm of that target Facing and aspect, weighted to take Slope into account. A 0 AF actually represents < one cm of armor, while 1 AF represents 1-1.5 cm.
2.401 MOTION STATUS: The ability to declare Motion status during the opponent's MPh addresses the issue of a fast defender which is forced to sit and watch while a slower but more heavily armed AFV moves next to it before firing. In reality, the lightly armed vehicle would use its speed to move away as soon as an enemy AFV was observed. While this rule does not prevent the ATTACKER from using the turn sequence to artificially cut down the range to such a would-be fleeing target, it does negate some of those advantages by putting the vehicle in Motion, thereby making it not subject to the Point Blank Range To Hit DRM (Case L) and increasing its chances of escape by allowing it to move in its MPh without first expending a MP to start/change VCA.
2.5 ESB: Tracked vehicles were capable of greater speeds than their MP allotment represents, reflecting a driver's reluctance to punish his vehicle at top speed for fear of mechanical breakdown or throwing a track - especially after long periods in the field without proper maintenance.
2.51 MECHANICAL RELIABILITY: While most AFV could be expected to function normally within the time span of an average ASL scenario, others were inherently more susceptible to frequent and unexpected mechanical failures usually due to overstressed/poor quality components or an unsound design. Such unreliable AFV should be at some risk of breakdown regardless of the scenario's length or the speed at which they are moving. This phenomenon is obviously exaggerated within the limited time frame of an ASL scenario to compensate for the very presence of such vehicles - this unreliability manifesting itself most often in the failure of such vehicles to even reach the battlefield due to breakdowns en route. A more realistic rule would be to simply make a dr at the start of a scenario which a vehicle with poor mechanical reliability would have to pass in order to be included in the scenario. The drawback to such a system is that play balance can be destroyed before the game even begins.

5A. 2.52 AXIS VEHICLES: This rule is included because early in the desert campaign these vehicles were not properly modified to cope with the harsh conditions of the desert. Of primary importance were special air and oil filters for engines—the lack of which, in combination with the tremendous clouds of dust raised by moving vehicles and the great distances rapidly traversed, caused engines to overheat/seize-up and led to the premature breakdown of other components.

3.5 VEHICULAR MG/IFE FIRE: A vehicular MG is not given Multiple ROF capability unless it is listed as the vehicle's MA because of the limited vision and multiple duties of its one-man crew. This is especially true of BMG/CMG armament, which is usually secondary armament and cannot even bring fire to bear without special movement of either the vehicle or the turret (which may well be a hindrance to other tasks of the vehicle with a higher priority). Similarly, although the AAMG of many tanks is often the equivalent of a MMG or HMG in terms of equipment, it is still manned by only one man—whose other duties are usually deemed more important (and less dangerous) than the manning of an exposed MG.
3.71 LOW AMMO B#: Most vehicles with extremely limited ammunition loads were not intended for use in Direct Fire situations such as are most commonly depicted in ASL. Such vehicles are usually a source of OBA, where their ammunition needs are handled by supporting supply trucks. More detailed rules for the use of ammunition vehicles and replenishment of ammunition can be found in E10.
6.8 CARRIERS: The British Army did not have a halftrack as such, aside from the Lend Lease M-5 and its variants. Far more common in Commonwealth service were the Universal, Loyd, and Bren Carriers. These tracked, armored vehicles were mass-produced by a variety of manufacturers in many different armament versions, and were invariably referred to as Carriers. Carrier "crews" were primarily mechanized infantry forming an integral part of the infantry battalions in the British Army. Each battalion HQ Company contained one Carrier platoon of 64 men and 13 Carriers, which functioned as a mobile assault or reserve unit.
7.11 FP: Ordnance is given little weight in calculating the FP of an OVR attack because it is of little value in the close-quarter fighting reflected by an OVR. The vehicle depends primarily on its movement, imposing presence, and secondary armament firing on targets of opportunity for its lethality. Most OVR situations would not leave the vehicle with time to bring its MA to bear against targets at such close range and probably in full flight, nor might the vehicle commander be willing to stop his vehicle long enough to aim in such close proximity to enemy Infantry without escorting Infantry of his own.
7.15 OVR TEM: The -1 FFMO DRM is applied to the defender in an OVR in Open Ground because it is likely that all but the most seasoned troops will panic and move about when enemy armor is in their midst if they have no cover to hide in. Similarly, the TEM for walls/hedges is applicable if the vehicle crosses that OVR hexside because although the attack is actually resolved in the target hex, it is also taking place as the vehicle approaches the target hex. Such walls/hedges provide excellent cover to hide behind while the vehicle passes by.