Cobra: Game of the Normandy Breakout
Cobra: Game of the Normandy Breakout Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
3.0 Game Equipment
3.1 The Game Map
The 22" x 32" mapsheet portrays the area in which the battle was fought. It includes all the significant terrain in the battle, while also displaying the Terrain Key and the Turn Record Track.
A hexagonal grid is superimposed over the terrain features printed on the mapsheet in order to regularize movement and positioning of the playing pieces.
To make the map lie flat, back-fold it against the creases. Small pieces of masking tape may be used at the corners of the map to hold it taut.
3.2 Game Charts and Tables
Various visual aids are provided for the Players in order to simplify and illustrate certain game functions. These are the Terrain Effects Chart, the Combat Results Table, the Weather Table, and the Turn Record/Reinforcement Track.
3.3 The Playing Pieces
The cardboard pieces represent the actual military units that took part in the original battle. The numbers and symbols on the pieces represent the strength, movement capability and type of unit represented by that piece. These playing pieces will hereafter be referred to as "units."
3.31 How to Read the Units
Typical Armored Regiment — top corners carry the Division Designation and the Game-Turn of Entry; top center carries the Size Symbol; center carries the Unit Type; bottom left is the Combat Strength, bottom right the Movement Allowance. (Example shown: III / 116 over 6-12, an armored regiment entering on Game-Turn 3, Combat Strength 6, Movement Allowance 12.)
Typical Infantry Division — top left is the Set-Up Hex Number; top center the Size Symbol; bottom left the Combat Strength, bottom right the Movement Allowance. (Example shown: XX / 0602 over 12-8, an infantry division set up in hex 0602, Combat Strength 12, Movement Allowance 8.)
Typical Headquarters Unit — top left the Unit Designation (a Corps numeral), top center the Set-Up Hex Number; bottom center is the Command Radius. (Example shown: LXXXVI Corps / 4005 over (4)12, a Headquarters with Set-Up Hex 4005 and Command Radius 4, entering Game-Turn 12.)
Players will note that most units are back-printed, so that they have one Strength Value on the front, and a second (weaker) Strength Value on the back. When a unit that has its stronger side face-up takes a combat loss, it is flipped so that its weaker side is showing. See Case 9.6, Explanation of Combat Results.
3.32 Unit Types
- German Static Infantry — identifiable by a Movement Allowance of 6.
- British Airborne Brigade — non-droppable.
3.33 Unit Sizes
Unit Designations are the actual historical unit numbers of the divisions. Units have but one number, while each regiment has both the number of the regiment and the number of the division of which that regiment is a constituent part printed on the counter. (The number top the right of the slash is the number of the division.)
- III — battalion
- III — regiment
- X — brigade
- XX — division
3.34 Unit Values
Combat Strength is the relative strength of a unit when attacking or defending. Note that Combat Strength may be affected by the supply status of a unit, or whether it is part of an integrated division, or whether it is executing an Overrun.
Movement Point Allowance is the maximum number of Movement Points that may be expended by a particular unit when it is moved during a Movement Phase by the owning Player.
Command Radius is the maximum number of hexes away from a combat unit a Headquarters unit may be and still be able to affect any combat that unit is involved in.
3.4 Parts Inventory
A complete game of Cobra includes the following parts:
- One 22" by 32" game-map
- One rules folder
- One Sheet of die-cut counters
- 200 pieces (printed front and back)
- Game box and oversheet with subscription edition (bag and cover sheet not included in subscription edition)
- Plastic die (not included in subscription edition)
If any of these parts are missing or damaged, please write:
Customer Service Simulations Publications, Inc. 44 East 23rd Street New York, New York 10010
4.0 Sequence of Play
The Cobra game is played in Game-Turns. There are 13 Game-Turns in a complete game, and each Game-Turn is composed of two Player-Turns. The Player whose Player-Turn is in progress is called the Phasing Player. Each Game-Turn proceeds strictly in accordance with the following outline. No action or function contrary to the Sequence of Play is permitted.
A. German Player-Turn
- German Weather Determination Phase: The German Player rolls the die and consults the Weather Table (Case 6.48). The condition of the weather determines if the German Player will be able to move his units up to their full Movement Point Allowances, and if not, to what extent they will be restricted for his current Player-Turn.
- Replacement Phase: The German Player distributes replacements to any units that are eligible, up to a maximum of one Panzer unit and two infantry units.
- Initial Movement Phase: The German Player moves any or all of his units in accordance with the rules governing their movement. He can also conduct Overruns. He also places on the game-map and moves any reinforcements that are due him, as listed on the Turn Record/Reinforcement Track printed on the game-map.
- Combat Phase: The German Player conducts any attacks against Allied units in hexes adjacent to his own units that he wishes.
- Mechanized Movement Phase: The German Player can move any or all of his Panzer, Panzergrenadier, or Headquarters units as he wishes. These units can be moved even if they were moved during the Initial Movement Phase. No other units can be moved during this Phase. Overruns cannot be conducted.
B. Allied Player-Turn
- Allied Weather Determination Phase: The Allied Player rolls the die to determine the weather for his current Player-Turn; this will affect the number of Air Points he can employ against the Germans in his Combat Phase.
- Supply Phase: The Allied Player adjusts the US Supply Points and British/Canadian Supply Points Markers on the Supply Points Track to reflect the addition of whatever Supply Points he receives during the current Game-Turn (printed on the Turn Record/Reinforcement Track on the game-map).
- Replacement Phase: The Allied Player distributes replacements to any eligible units and deploys (or redeploys) Truck Markers to mechanize US infantry divisions.
- Initial Movement Phase: The Allied Player can move his units, bring in reinforcements, and conduct Overruns.
- Combat Phase: The Allied Player executes any attacks he chooses to against German units, expending 1 Supply Point for each attack he conducts.
- Mechanized Movement Phase: The Allied Player can move any or all of his mechanized units. No Overruns can be executed during the Mechanized Movement Phase.
C. Game-Turn Indication Inter-Phase
The Allied Player advances the Game-Turn Marker one box on the Turn Record/Reinforcement Track to indicate the end of one Game-Turn and the beginning of the next. Once 13 Game-Turns have been completed, the game is over, and the Players determine who has won.
6.48 Weather Table
In any Weather Determination Phase, the column used is dependent upon what the weather condition was in the immediately preceding Player-Turn. So, if the Germans experienced Overcast weather in Game-Turn Two, the Allied Player would use the "Overcast" column. If he rolled a "5" (Clear); the Germans would roll on the "Clear" column in Game-Turn Three. The Germans start the game rolling on the "Clear" column.
| Die | Previous Player-Turn Weather: Storms | Previous Player-Turn Weather: Overcast | Previous Player-Turn Weather: Clear |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Storms | Storms | Storms |
| 2 | Storms | Overcast | Overcast |
| 3 | Overcast | Overcast | Clear |
| 4 | Overcast | Clear | Clear |
| 5 | Clear | Clear | Clear |
| 6 | Clear | Clear | Clear |
German Weather Effects:
- Clear: Movement reduced to one-third
- Overcast: Movement reduced to two-thirds
- Storms: Movement Allowance full
Allied Weather Effects:
- Clear: 6 Air Points
- Overcast: 3 Air Points
- Storms: No Air Points
Note: Starting with the German Player-Turn following the completion of the exit of the three Allied mech divisions to the west, the German Player moves at two-thirds in Clear weather and full Movement Allowance during Storms and Overcast.
6.8 Terrain Effects Chart
Movement costs are not cumulative: the unit pays the single highest cost when entering a hex containing more than one type of terrain. When moving by road, the unit pays only the road cost. The cost for crossing rivers is an additional cost (which is negated when using roads). Moving directly from one City hex to another is equivalent to moving by Major Road. When the cost is the same for both mech and non-mech, only one entry is shown on the chart. Combat Results Table column shifts are cumulative. For example, a unit defending in a City in Heavy Forest plus Hills would shift six columns to the left. Clear Bocage plus a City would shift three columns. The shift for cross river attacks applies only when all the attacking units are attacking cross river (if a combination of Major and Minor River; the Minor River effect takes precedence).
| Terrain Type | Movement Point Cost to Enter Hex or Cross Hexside (Non-Mech/Mech) | CRT Column Shifts Left When Defender Is in or behind Terrain |
|---|---|---|
| Clear | 1 MP | none |
| Light Forest | 1 MP / 2 MP | none |
| Clear Bocage or Light Forest Bocage | 2 MP | 1 column |
| Heavy Forest or Hills | 2 MP / 4 MP | 2 column |
| Town | Other | 1 column |
| City | Other | 2 column |
| Minor Road | 1 MP | Other |
| Major Road | ½ MP | Other |
| Minor River | +1 MP / +2 MP | 1 column |
| Major River | +2 MP / +4 MP | 2 column |
9.5 Combat Results Table
Combat Ratios (Attacking Strength to Defending Strength):
| Die | 1-5 | 1-4 | 1-3 | 1-2 | 1-1 | 2-1 | 3-1 | 4-1 | 5-1 | 6-1 | 7-1 | 8-1 | 9-1 | 10-1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1/– | 1/– | 1/1 | 1/1 | –/1 | –/1 | 1/2 | –/2 | –/2 | –/2 | 1/3 | –/3 | –/3 | –/4 |
| 2 | 2/– | 1/– | 1/– | 1/1 | 1/1 | –/1 | –/1 | 1/2 | –/2 | –/2 | –/2 | 1/3 | –/3 | –/3 |
| 3 | 2/– | 2/– | 1/– | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | –/1 | –/1 | 1/2 | –/2 | –/2 | –/2 | 1/3 | –/3 |
| 4 | 3/– | 2/– | 2/– | 1/– | 1/– | 1/1 | 1/1 | –/1 | –/1 | 1/2 | –/2 | –/2 | –/2 | 1/3 |
| 5 | 4/– | 3/– | 2/– | 2/– | 1/– | 1/– | 1/1 | 1/1 | –/1 | –/1 | 1/2 | –/2 | –/2 | –/2 |
| 6 | e/– | e/– | e/– | 2/– | 2/– | 1/– | 1/– | 1/1 | 1/1 | 1/1 | –/1 | 1/2 | –/2 | –/2 |
Explanation of Results: The number to the left of the slash applies to the attacker; the number to the right applies to the defender. A dash (—) indicates no effect. An "e" result indicates the total elimination of the attacking units. The numbers represent step losses which may be accounted for by losing the indicated number of steps or retreating all the affected units that number of hexes. When there is a split result, the defender must suffer his results first. The defender may never advance after a split result; the attacker may if the defending hex is vacated. The first hex of any advance is always the hexes vacated by the defeated units. When either the defender or attacker is totally eliminated in combat, the victorious units may advance two hexes. When the loser retreats, the victorious units may advance along the path of that retreat. Retreats are controlled by the owning Player. Ratios higher than "10-1" are treated as "10-1;" lower than "1-5" is treated as "1-5." See 9.6, 9.7, and 9.8.
Sourcing Notes
The complete official SPI rules folder for Cobra could not be located as a downloadable file. Routes checked and exhausted:
- 1jour-1jeu.com / cdn.1j1ju.com — game not listed in their rules database (a 1977 SPI folio wargame falls outside the site's catalog).
- BGG
api/files(objectid=4008) — lists the file ("Cobra rules (SPI version - revised and reformatted)", fileid 367592, filepageid 265026), but every download route (boardgamegeek.com/file/download_redirect/...,geekdo-files.com/...) either 410s or redirects to a login-gated lander; no accessible mirror of this specific file was found elsewhere on the web. - Publisher site/CDN — SPI (defunct since the early 1980s) and TSR (absorbed into Wizards of the Coast) have no surviving asset hosting; Decision Games (current SPI rights holder) sells a same-title-but-different game ("Cobra: The Normandy Campaign", BGG 31553) with no rules PDF on its storefront.
- Wayback Machine — no archived crawl of the gated BGG file page predates its 2023 upload.
- Tesera (
api.tesera.ru/search/games?query=Cobra) — no match for this title. - desktopgames.com.ua — 404.
- Tabletopia — 404 (game not hosted there).
- Tabletop Simulator Steam Workshop mod ("Cobra: Patton's 1944 Summer Offensive", item 2825014605) — save file contains no embedded rules PDF or rules text.
- Six Angles (modern Japanese SPI-reprint publisher) — no PDF found on their site for this title.
- Non-English edition — none of the foreign editions (Spanish, Japanese) were found with a downloadable rules file either.
What was recovered and is transcribed above: the VASSAL module "Cobra (SPI)" v0.4 (maintained by John Edwards, hosted at vassalengine.org) embeds several full-page reproductions of the actual printed rulebook — the Game Equipment page (3.0), a Sequence-of-Play reference card transcribed from Case 4.0, and reformatted Weather, Terrain Effects, and Combat Results tables (6.48, 6.8, 9.5) — which this file transcribes verbatim. Sections not reproduced by the module (1.0/2.0 introduction and general course of play, 5.0 Zones of Control, general Movement and Combat procedure text, Replacement/Reinforcement/Supply detail, 16.0 Special Rules such as Air Power/HQ/Overrun, and the Designer's Notes) remain unsourced and are not included.