Flames of War: Open Fire (2009 Edition)
Flames of War: Open Fire (2009 Edition) Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- What Do You Need?
- What Is Open Fire?
- Companies and Platoons
- Team Characteristics
- Motivation and Skill
- Playing the Game
- Tank Against Tank
- Difficult Targets
- Firing on the Move
- Flank Shots
- Who Gets Hit?
- Infantry Against Infantry
- Infantry Moving
- Pinned Down by Fire
- Infantry Against Tanks
- Anti-tank Guns
- Allocating Hits
- Staying In Command
- Assaults
- Infantry Assaulting Tanks
- Assault Armour Saves
- Tank Assault
- Tanks Assaulting
- Anti-tank Guns in Assaults
- Checking Morale
- Winning the Game
- Playing Missions
- Free-for-all Mission
- Knife-fight Mission
- Doodlebug Mission
- Rules Summary
What Do You Need?
Here's a list of the things you'll need to play a game of Flames Of War.
- This Book. This book and the Forces book.
- Opponent. A friend to play against.
- Two Armies. Two armies of 15mm (1/100th) scale Flames Of War models.
- Battlefield. Your kitchen table or a 6'x4' (180cm x 120cm) gaming table with terrain on it.
- Dice. A handful of ordinary six-sided dice.
- Measuring device. A ruler or tape measure (inches or centimetres). Use this to measure ranges and movement at any point in the game.
- Tokens. Some tokens to keep track of the state of your troops.
What Is Open Fire?
Open Fire! is your ticket into World War II wargaming. This box set includes everything you will need to begin discovering the many aspects of this exciting hobby, from assembling and painting miniatures to playing games on the table top.
Open Fire! combines the joys of painting and modelling your own miniature army with the challenge of facing off against your opponent across a gaming table, and you'll get to recreate history—or change it!
You've opened the box, assembled the figures, and pitched your men against each other in battle, where to next? Once you have mastered Open Fire!, you will be prepared for taking your game to the next level with Flames Of War.
What is Flames Of War?
Flames Of War builds on what you've learned with Open Fire! and adds many new layers and challenges to your game, such as:
- National-specific rules
- Elite warriors to lead your men
- Reconnaissance and artillery bombardment rules
- New missions, and more!
All of your Open Fire! miniatures are compatible with Flames Of War, so your transition will be easy and rewarding!
Companies and Platoons
Although the heroic acts of a few individuals are always glorified by the media back home, the reality is that a soldier never does anything on their own. Soldiers are trained to operate as a team, and it is this teamwork that keeps them alive. In Open Fire!, your miniature soldiers also operate in teams, platoons, and companies.
Teams
- Tank teams. Tanks and assault guns combine armour, mobility, and firepower.
- Infantry teams. Riflemen, machine-gunners, and bazooka men fight as infantry teams.
- Gun teams. Heavy machine-guns, mortars, and anti-tank guns support the infantry.
Platoons
- Infantry platoons gather infantry and gun teams into a unit to maximise their combined strength.
- Tank platoons group two to five tank teams into a powerful armoured fist.
Companies
An Open Fire! force is usually a company of three or more platoons and a company HQ fighting as a whole to outmanoeuvre and outfight the enemy.
Team Characteristics
Teams are the basic elements in Open Fire!. A team is a group of up to five individual soldiers or a vehicle, each represented by one miniature on the table, and by a set of characteristics in the rules. These characteristics are laid out in each country's arsenals (see the Forces book for more information).
The arsenal entries for two British tanks are shown below. Vehicles and their weapons are described together in arsenals. The first line describes the vehicle. The second, in italics, describes its main weapon.
| Name | Mobility | Armour Front | Armour Side | Armour Top | Weapon | Range | ROF | Anti-tank | Firepower | Equipment and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman V | 12"/30cm | 6 | 4 | 1 | Co-ax MG, Hull MG. | |||||
| M3 75mm gun | M3 75mm gun | 32"/80cm | 2 | 10 |
Vehicle Characteristics
- Name. Name and model of the vehicle.
- Mobility. A vehicle's mobility determines the distance it can move each turn and how well it can force its way through rough terrain.
- Armour. A tank's armour protects it against the enemy. Front and side armour protect against enemy shooting, while top armour protects against assaulting infantry and artillery fire.
- Equipment and Notes. Additional weapons, strengths, and weaknesses.
Weapon Characteristics
- Weapon. The vehicle's primary weapon.
- Range. The maximum distance the weapon can shoot.
- Rate of Fire (ROF). The maximum number of shots the weapon can take in one turn.
- Anti-tank. The armour penetration of the weapon.
- Firepower. The ability of the weapon to destroy a tank after penetrating its armour or to knock out a dug-in position.
- Equipment and Notes. Special abilities or rules of the weapon.
Motivation and Skill
As important as their weapons, are the qualities of the soldiers using them. In Open Fire! every platoon is rated for its motivation and skill. They range from fearless veteran troops like the American paratroopers, to reluctant soldiers who have seen too much fighting, and conscripts who, although willing to fight, have been thrown into battle with no training.
Motivation: Reluctant, Confident, Fearless. Skill: Conscript, Trained, Veteran.
Playing the Game
In Open Fire!, the two sides take turns to move and fight with all of their troops. In each turn, a player goes through the Starting, Movement, Shooting, and Assault Steps. Once they have finished their turn, the other player takes a turn. They alternate their turns until one side or the other wins by taking their objective.
- Starting Step. At the start of each turn a player checks to see if they have won (or whether their opponent managed to foil them in their intervening turn). If they haven't won, the player tries to rally troops pinned down by enemy fire and bring their reserves into the battle.
- Movement Step. In the Movement Step, a player moves any or all of their troops, advancing to close with the enemy or to take up better firing positions. Troops that don't move generally shoot better, while troops that move through rough terrain risk getting stuck.
- Shooting Step. Once the player has moved all of their troops that they want to move, they go on to the Shooting Step, in which they shoot with any or all of their troops. Shooting has three components: a roll to hit, a roll to save and a roll to destroy.
- Assault Step. After shooting, the player can launch assaults, attempting to storm the enemy position. The enemy responds with a volley of defensive fire, trying to drive off the assault before it can close. If they succeed, the assault is over. Every team that reaches the enemy rolls to hit the enemy. Hand-to-hand combat is deadly, so only armoured vehicles get saves. The enemy then rolls a die to see if they will charge back into the fray or break off and run from the fight. The fighting continues back and forth, not stopping until one side or the other either breaks off or is destroyed. The winner of the fight consolidates the position of their troops, then the assaulting player launches their next assault with another platoon.
The Opponent's Turn
Once all of a player's assaults are over, their opponent takes their turn, running through their Starting, Movement, Shooting, and Assault Steps with their troops.
Learning the Rules
While Open Fire! follows a set turn order, it is often easier to learn the parts out of sequence. The next section teaches you the basics of the game, starting with shooting and movement, then bringing in assaults, then at the end, it will go back over the starting step. The last two pages present a summary of the rules in their proper order.
Tank Against Tank
The easiest way to learn the shooting rules is to start with a one-on-one engagement between two tanks, in this case a British or US Sherman tank and a German StuG G assault gun. To keep things simple we'll assume that they are sitting in the open at short range blasting away at each other. Place the tank and assault gun about 12"/30cm apart facing each other, then read on to see how to shoot.
Score to Hit
In Open Fire!, the score to hit depends on the target's skill rating—the more skilled the target, the harder they are to hit. Veteran soldiers use fire and movement tactics to avoid getting shot. Raw recruits just blunder along, hoping to survive.
| Target's Skill Level | Score Needed to Hit |
|---|---|
| Veteran | 4 or higher |
| Trained | 3 or higher |
| Conscript | 2 or higher |
The Sherman Shoots...
Sherman V weapon: M3 75mm gun, Range 32"/80cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 10, Firepower 3+.
The score needed to hit the enemy depends on their skill rating. The German StuG assault gun is rated as Veteran, so is hit on a roll of 4+.
The M3 75mm gun on the Sherman tank has a ROF (Rate of Fire) of 2, so the player rolls two dice when shooting. The Sherman rolls a 2 and 5, scoring one hit!
...and Hits the StuG
Weapons. Weapons have a number of characteristics in the game.
- Range gives the maximum distance that they can shoot.
- ROF (Rate of Fire) is how fast it shoots.
- Anti-tank describes its ability to penetrate another tank.
- Firepower gives its ability to destroy an armoured or bulletproof target it penetrates.
The characteristics for your weapons are found in the arsenal pages of the Forces book.
StuG G: Confident Veteran. Front armour 7, side armour 3.
Having been hit, the StuG assault gun needs to take an armour save to see if its armour will bounce the shot. The German player rolls a die and adds their armour rating to see what happens.
Front Armour (7) + Die Roll = Firepower Test result:
| Total | Die roll 1 or 2 | Die roll 3 to 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or more | No Effect | No Effect |
| Exactly 10 | No Effect | Bailed Out |
| 9 or less | Bailed Out | Destroyed |
(The table's row values are the example's totals against the M3 75mm gun's anti-tank rating of 10; the columns are the Firepower Test die roll, "1 or 2" and "3 to 6".)
A roll of 4 gives a total of 11, which exceeds the M3 75mm gun's anti-tank rating of 10, so the shot bounces off the assault gun's armour and has no effect.
The StuG Shoots Back...
StuG weapon: 7.5cm StuK40 gun, Range 32"/80cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 11, Firepower 3+.
In its turn, the StuG assault gun shoots back. It too rolls two dice for its ROF of 2. The Sherman is Trained, so is hit on a roll of 3+. The StuG rolls a 1 and a 6 to score one hit back!
...and Hits the Sherman
Destroyed Tanks. If a tank is destroyed, it is blown up or burning and is out of the game.
Sherman V: Confident Trained. Front armour 6, side armour 4.
It's now the turn of the Sherman tank to take an armour save. As with the German StuG, roll a die and add that to the Sherman's front armour, and compare the total to the StuG's anti-tank rating.
Front Armour (6) + Die Roll = Firepower Test result (totals here are against the StuK40's anti-tank rating of 11):
| Total | Die roll 1 or 2 | Die roll 3 to 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 or more | No Effect | No Effect |
| Exactly 11 | No Effect | Bailed Out |
| 10 or less | Bailed Out | Destroyed |
Bailed Out Tanks. The crew bail out when their tank is penetrated, not waiting to see whether it will blow up or not. A bailed out tank can't do anything until the crew remount in the Starting Step. Being Confident, they gather their courage and remount on a roll of 4+. If they fail, they can try again next turn.
The Sherman is unlucky and rolls a 3 giving a total of just 9, less than the 7.5cm StuK40 gun's anti-tank rating of 11, so the shot penetrates! The StuG then rolls a die and compares it with their firepower rating of 3+. A roll of 5 is more than enough to destroy the British tank.
Having read this example, try it out for yourself. Grab a couple of models and some dice and fire away! You'll probably notice that the Sherman is a bit outclassed, so try it again with a Firefly VC with its long-barrelled 17 pdr gun instead of the 75mm on the Sherman V. The characteristics for the Firefly are given below.
Firefly VC
Realising that the Sherman was falling behind in the race for bigger guns and better armour, the British fitted some with their excellent OQF 17 pdr anti-tank gun. These new 'Firefly' tanks gave British tankers a much-needed first-rate tank killer.
Weapon: OQF 17 pdr gun, Range 32"/80cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 15, Firepower 3+. Front armour 6, side armour 4.
Difficult Targets
Not every target is a short-range shot against an obliging opponent sitting in the open. Mostly, gunners are trying to hit targets that are taking cover, trying to hide behind hedges and buildings, or firing at long ranges. These factors make a difference in Open Fire! too.
Concealed Targets
Taking up a concealed position adds +1 to the score needed to be hit.
To Hit Modifiers. Add +1 to the score needed to hit for each of the following:
- Target is more than 16"/40cm away.
- Target is concealed by terrain.
The veteran StuG assault guns are concealed by the hedge, increasing the score needed to hit them from 4+ to 5+.
Mixed Targets
The score to hit is always based on the easiest team to hit in the platoon.
The Shermans only need a 4 to hit the Veteran StuG assault guns as the StuG in the open gives away the position of the rest of the platoon.
Long-Range Shooting
Hitting a target at long range is difficult. Add +1 to the score needed to hit if the range is more than 16"/40cm.
The Sherman tank is more than 16"/40cm from the nearest visible StuG, so adds +1 to hit for long range, needing a 5+ to hit.
A Sherman cannot shoot further than its range of 32"/80cm.
Anti-tank rounds lose effectiveness at long range, so tanks also add +1 to their Armour Save rolls.
Long Range and Concealed
The Firefly tank can only see the concealed StuG that is more than 16"/40cm away, so it adds +1 for a concealed target and +1 for long range, needing a 6 to hit.
Firing on the Move
Tanks don't just sit there pounding away at each other in real battles. They manoeuvre to get better shots and seek out weak spots in their opponent's armour, all the while using terrain to avoid getting hit themselves. Allowing our tanks to move adds tactics to the slugging match.
Movement
Sherman tanks and StuG assault guns can move up to 12"/30cm in the Movement Step before shooting in the Shooting Step.
A Sherman tank that does not move rolls two dice using its full ROF. A tank that moves only rolls one die when shooting, having its ROF reduced to 1.
Tanks Can Bog Down
When a tank crosses rough terrain there is a chance that it'll throw a track or get stuck in the mud, bogging down. Once bogged down, a tank can't do anything until it frees itself in the Starting Step of its next turn. If it fails, it tries again each turn until it gets free.
- The Trained British crews can free their vehicle on a roll of 4+.
- The Veteran German crews free their vehicle on a roll of 3+.
Movement Distance
| Terrain | Speed | Difficulty | Bogging Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road | No change | Easy | - |
| Cross country | No change | Easy | - |
| Hedge | 8"/20cm | Difficult | 2+ |
| Woods | 8"/20cm | Difficult | 2+ |
| Building | 8"/20cm | Very Difficult | Skill Test |
Rough Terrain
Tanks crossing rough terrain slow to 8"/20cm and risk bogging down.
Tanks moving in very difficult terrain, like a building, bog down on a roll of 1 or 2 if a Veteran StuG assault gun, or 1, 2, or 3 if a Trained Sherman tank. A roll of 2 forces the tank to stop as it enters the building, becoming bogged down.
Tanks moving across difficult going, like a hedge, bog down on a roll of 1. A roll of 3 allows the tank to cross the hedge safely.
Flank Shots
Most tanks have weaker armour on the sides than they have on their front, after all they plan to fight facing the enemy. Of course, this means that the enemy wants to get flank shots to hit their weaker side armour!
Hitting the Front
The Sherman tank is in front of a line drawn across the front of the StuG, so hits its front armour (StuG G front armour 7).
Tactical Tip. Sometimes you may find it better to move around your opponent to get one flank shot that has a good chance at penetrating than to sit still and take multiple shots that have a poor chance of doing any damage.
Hitting the Side
The Sherman tank has moved behind the line, so its shots will hit the thinner side armour (StuG G side armour 3).
Field of Fire. Unlike Sherman tanks that can shoot in any direction, an assault gun like the StuG lacks a turret, so must move to bring its gun to bear against targets behind a line drawn across its front. Rotate the team or its turret so that its weapons are pointing at its target before it shoots.
Hitting the Hull or Turret
The Sherman tank has a turret, so it can shoot at targets to its side, not just those facing its front armour.
The StuG assault gun is facing the front of the Sherman tank's turret, but the side of its hull. It needs to dice to see which it hits.
Hull or Turret. If a shot could hit the front or side armour, depending on which part of the tank it hits, roll a die to see which part is hit.
| Score | Area Hit |
|---|---|
| 1, 2, or 3 | Hull |
| 4, 5, or 6 | Turret |
The StuG moved to bring the Sherman tank into its Field of Fire, reducing its ROF to 1. It hits and rolls to see where. On a 6, it hits the turret armour of the Sherman tank, so the Sherman will use its Front armour rating.
So now you are ready for some serious tank-on-tank action. Set up some terrain and place a StuG G assault gun and a Sherman V tank (or Firefly VC tank for variety) where they cannot see each other and try hunting each other around and through the terrain. Swap sides and try it again to see who can do better.
Who Gets Hit?
In the rush of battle, soldiers lack the time to identify specific targets. They just shoot at whatever tanks they happen to see, going for the easy targets first. As a result, the target player gets to decide which tanks have been hit by enemy fire, with a requirement to pick close targets and side shots first.
Target Player Chooses
The two StuG G assault guns score three hits on the Sherman platoon. The target player then allocates the hits evenly across valid targets in their platoon.
- The operational Sherman tank within 16"/40cm of the shooting team must be allocated the first hit.
- The tank showing its side armour must be allocated a hit before the one showing its front armour.
- The Bailed Out Sherman tank can't be allocated a hit until all operational tanks have been hit, even though it is the closest and side on.
- The Firefly tank at long range showing its front armour gets the third hit.
Picking Out Gun Tanks
Sometimes you really need to eliminate a particularly dangerous foe. You can try and pick it out by rolling an additional die per hit. Every roll of 5+ must be allocated to the chosen type of tank.
Of the three hits, two rolls of 5+ means that two of the hits must be allocated to the Firefly. The remaining hit is allocated to the Sherman tank within 16"/40cm as usual.
Allocating Hits
Hits must be allocated in the following order:
- Operational tanks before bailed out or bogged down tanks.
- Tanks within 16"/40cm before those further away.
- Tanks showing their side armour before those showing their front armour.
Time for a promotion! This time pit a German assault gun platoon of three StuG G assault guns against a British armoured platoon of three Sherman V tanks and one Firefly VC tank. Try out different tactics and see what works.
Infantry Against Infantry
Having fought it out with tanks, it's time to get man-to-man with some infantry combat. As with tanks, the easiest way to learn the rules is to set up a simple engagement between two infantry platoons. Set up a US Parachute Rifle Platoon and a German Grenadier Platoon 12"/30cm apart and start shooting. Use some terrain if you want, as the Difficult Targets modifiers on page 8 apply for infantry as well.
Infantry Shooting
Grenadiers Shoot...
Infantry shoot in the same way that tanks do. The German Rifle/MG team has a ROF of 2, so roll two dice.
Rifle/MG team: Range 16"/40cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 2, Firepower 6.
As with tanks, the score needed to hit depends on the target's skill rating. The American paratroopers (Parachute Rifle platoon, Fearless Veteran) are Veteran, so are hit on a roll of 4+. The grenadiers roll a 4 and 5, scoring two hits!
Use the Easiest Target. A team always uses the easiest target in the enemy platoon for its score to hit regardless of which teams are actually hit as the more easily spotted teams give away the positions of their concealed comrades. The grenadiers can see both the teams moving across the gap and the one behind the wall, so they are not concealed and there is no penalty to hit.
...and Hit the Paratroopers
Distribute Hits. All of the hits scored by a shooting platoon are distributed evenly across the target teams.
Having been hit, the American teams need to take infantry saves, needing a 3+ to survive.
Infantry Saves. Infantry do not have heavy armour, instead when under fire, they hit the dirt. This gives them a 3+ save regardless of what hits them. If they pass, they are safe and unharmed. If they fail, they are destroyed unless they are in bulletproof cover.
The first team passes its save on a roll of 4. The second team rolls a 2, failing its save, and is destroyed.
Infantry Weapons
| Weapon | Range | ROF | Anti-tank | Firepower |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle | 16"/40cm | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Rifle/MG | 16"/40cm | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| MG | 16"/40cm | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| SMG | 4"/10cm | 3 | 1 | 6 |
German Grenadier Platoon. The German Grenadier platoon's combat experience is unequalled, giving them a Veteran status (Confident Veteran). Their squads are armed with bolt-action Kar 98k rifles and an MG42 machine-gun (MG), known as 'Hitler's Buzzsaw' for its high rate of fire. This combination makes them Rifle/MG teams. Sometimes the platoon command group grab an extra MP40 submachine-gun (SMG) or two, making them an SMG team instead.
US Parachute Rifle Platoon. The American paratroopers are extremely well trained, determined, and combat hardened giving them a rating of Fearless Veteran. Their rifle squads make excellent use of their M1 Garand semi-automatic rifles and M1919 .30 cal MG's and are Rifle/MG teams. The mortar squad adds the punch of an M2 60mm mortar, while the headquarters is often reinforced with a bazooka for tackling tanks.
Paratroopers Shoot Back
In their turn, the Americans shoot back with their Rifle/MG teams and their 60mm mortar. The Veteran Germans are concealed, so the paratroopers will need to roll 5+ to hit them. The Rifle/MG teams score three hits. The mortar scores one hit.
Bulletproof Cover
Firepower Tests. Infantry in bulletproof cover are very hard to dislodge. Only heavy weapons, or lucky shots, can harm them. Hits on teams in bulletproof cover need to pass a firepower test to destroy the target. Roll the shooting weapon's firepower rating or better to destroy the team. If the roll is less, the team is unharmed. Keep track of which type of weapon hit the team so you know which firepower rating to use.
The German infantry teams take their 3+ saves, failing a save against a Rifle/MG hit and the mortar team's hit. Because they are in bulletproof cover, the paratroopers need to pass a firepower test to destroy them.
With a firepower of 6, the Rifle/MG team needs to roll a 6 to destroy the team it hit. On a roll of 4, the grenadiers survive unharmed.
The M2 60mm mortar has a firepower of 3+. A roll of 4 destroys the team that it hit.
M2 60mm mortar: Range 24"/60cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 1, Firepower 3+.
Return Fire Hits the Mortar
When the surviving Germans shoot back, they score a hit on the 60mm mortar. As a gun team, it has a 5+ save.
Gun Saves. While infantry can scatter to find cover, a gun crew have to cluster around their weapon, making them more vulnerable to enemy fire. Guns have a 5+ save when hit. If they fail, they are destroyed unless they are in bulletproof cover, in which case the enemy need to roll their firepower or better to destroy them.
Infantry Moving
Infantry may not be fast, but they can go anywhere. Once they hit the dirt though, infantry can be hard to hit, and if they dig in as well, they are very resilient to enemy fire. Throw some terrain on the table and try it out!
Infantry Movement
Infantry teams move 6"/15cm and are not slowed by rough terrain. Man-packed guns like the M2 60mm mortar move like infantry. Unlike tanks, infantry teams do not bog down in rough terrain.
Going to Ground
Gone to Ground. Teams that do not move or shoot are gone to ground, and are harder to hit if they are also concealed.
Tanks and anti-tank guns need to be concealed by terrain to benefit from going to ground.
Infantry teams are always concealed if they do not move, even in the open. If they don't move or shoot, they are also gone to ground.
Sometimes it is better to keep your head down and stay alive than to shoot at the enemy. A team that is concealed adds +1 to the score needed to hit it. If the team is also gone to ground, it adds another +1 for a total of +2 to hit. Teams that are gone to ground, but not concealed, are no harder to hit.
Digging In
Foxholes. When a platoon digs in, the soldiers dig foxholes and slit trenches to protect themselves from enemy fire. Mark the platoon with a dug in marker, or place a sculpted dug in marker with each team.
A platoon can dig in instead of moving. They need to pass a skill test to do so. If a platoon shoots after digging in, it does so as if it moved. A platoon can dig in while pinned down, but cannot shoot if it does.
The paratroopers are Veteran, so need a 3+ to dig in. They pass, and now the whole platoon is in bulletproof cover.
Pinned Down by Fire
Attacking may win battles, but infantry don't always have that option. It's hard to advance on a hostile battlefield when heavy fire pins them to the ground.
Pinned Down by Five Hits
A platoon that is hit five times in a step is pinned down, stopping it advancing and reducing its ability to fire. It cannot move towards the enemy until they rally in the Starting Step of their next turn. If they fail, they try again the following turn.
An infantry platoon that takes five hits in a shooting step is pinned down. The grenadiers score five hits, so the paratroopers are pinned down.
Rallying. At the start of their next turn the Fearless paratroopers will take a motivation test to rally, needing a score of 3+.
- The Fearless US paratroopers rally on a roll of 3+.
- The Confident grenadiers rally on a roll of 4+.
Shooting While Moving or Pinned Down
Shooting on the move is not as effective as sitting still and taking careful aim, so teams halve their Rate of Fire (ROF) when shooting on the move. Likewise, infantry and gun teams halve their ROF when Pinned Down. Troops that move while Pinned Down cannot shoot at all.
Infantry and guns cannot move closer to visible enemy teams while pinned down, but can move away from the enemy. A team that moves while pinned down cannot shoot.
If a team shoots while moving or pinned down, it halves its rate of fire.
- Rifle teams. Weapons with ROF 1, such as a Rifle team, do not reduce their ROF when moving. Instead, they add +1 to the score they need to hit.
- Rifle/MG teams. Most infantry squads have a mix of rifles and machine-guns making them Rifle/MG teams with a ROF 2.
- MG teams. MG teams have a ROF of 3, but due to their effectiveness in defence, they shoot at ROF 2 when pinned down.
- SMG teams. Using lightweight assault weapons, SMG teams can fire on the move with their full ROF of 3.
Rate of Fire while Moving or Pinned Down
| ROF | Moving ROF | Pinned Down ROF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (+1 to hit) | 1 (+1 to hit) |
| 2 or 3 | 1 | 1 |
| MG team | 1 | 2 |
| SMG team | 3 | 1 |
OK soldier, listen up! The enemy are holed up in the woods and your job is to get around their flank and clear them out. Set up some terrain and try manoeuvring your infantry platoon to get the best shots while minimising the effectiveness of the enemy's shooting.
Infantry Against Tanks
Tanks are big, scary monsters, immune to a rifleman's bullets, but with their bazookas and their German equivalents, the Panzerschreck (Tank Terror) and Panzerfaust (Armoured Fist), the infantry are far from helpless against them. Tanks' main guns are overkill unless the infantry are dug in, so they usually return fire with their machine-guns.
Bazookas Against Tanks
The Parachute Rifle Platoon has a Bazooka team, giving it a deadly anti-tank weapon.
Bazooka: Range 8"/20cm, ROF 1, Anti-tank 10, Firepower 5+.
Like a Rifle team, the Bazooka has a ROF of 1, so it suffers a penalty of +1 to hit when moving or pinned down.
Schürzen. The StuG G assault gun has Schürzen, skirting, on the sides to protect it against anti-tank rifles and bazookas. Schürzen gives an extra 4+ save if the assault gun fails its armour save when hit in the side by a bazooka. It has no effect on shots hitting its thicker front armour.
Panzerfaust and Panzerschreck
A Grenadierkompanie has anti-tank teams equipped with two Panzerschreck anti-tank rocket launchers each.
Panzerfaust: Range 4"/10cm, ROF 1, Anti-tank 12, Firepower 5+. German command teams are equipped with Panzerfaust anti-tank weapons. These cannot be fired if the team moves.
Panzerschreck: Range 8"/20cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 11, Firepower 5+.
Tank Machine-guns
Vehicle MG: Range 16"/40cm, ROF 3, Anti-tank 2, Firepower 6.
Tank machine-guns have ROF 3, whether they are moving or not.
No HE. The Firefly VC's 17pdr specialist tank hunter gun has no HE (high explosive) ammunition, so it can only shoot at infantry using its co-ax machine-gun.
Hull Weapons. A Sherman tank has a co-ax machine-gun mounted beside the main gun and a hull machine-gun. It can fire both at the same time, but the second weapon only has ROF 1.
The tank can also fire both machine-guns while firing the main gun, but then both machine-guns have ROF 1.
The StuG G assault gun has a hull-mounted main gun and a hull-mounted machine-gun, so can only fire one or the other each turn.
Anti-tank Guns
The infantry's anti-tank guns are always a nasty surprise for tanks. They pack the punch of a tank gun, but are cheap to make and easy to hide. No wonder the infantry love them!
Guns Shooting
7.5cm PaK40: Range 32"/80cm, ROF 2, Anti-tank 12, Firepower 3+.
Guns shoot just like tanks, so the 7.5cm PaK40 rolls two dice to hit for its ROF 2. It needs 3+ to hit the Trained Sherman tank, so scores one hit.
The Sherman rolls a 3 and adds its Front armour of 6 for a total of 9 — less than the PaK40 anti-tank rating of 12. The 7.5cm PaK40 rolls a Firepower test, scoring a 4 to destroy the Sherman tank.
Moving Guns
The crew can push their gun up to 4"/10cm each turn. They can still shoot with ROF 1 when they move.
The 7.5cm PaK40 does not have a turret, so like the StuG G assault gun, its field of fire is limited to targets in front of its base.
Gun Saves. Guns have a 5+ save when hit. If they fail, they are destroyed unless they are in bulletproof cover, in which case the enemy needs to roll their firepower or better to destroy them. If a gun has gone to ground rather than moving and shooting, it has a 3+ save instead of the usual 5+.
Gun Shields and Concealment
Like a tank, the gun will bog down on a roll of 1 in Difficult Going. Guns cannot move through Very Difficult Going.
Shots hitting the front of a 7.5cm PaK40 need to pass a firepower test to destroy it as its gun shield gives it bulletproof cover.
Like infantry, the guns can dig in on a roll of 3+. Medium guns like the 7.5cm PaK40 are concealed if they are dug in.
It's time to put it all together and fight a big battle with tanks and infantry. Set up a table with a variety of terrain and pit some tanks and infantry from each side against each other. Throw in some guns for more excitement!
Allocating Hits
Most soldiers simply blaze away at muzzle flashes or enemy soldiers glimpsed as they dash from cover to cover. Hitting the enemy is as much luck as skill, so even if a machine-gunner or bazooka man is hit by an unlucky shot, the commander can usually find another soldier to pick up the weapon.
Target Player Chooses
Once a platoon has finished rolling to hit, the target player allocates the hits evenly across the valid targets.
The player being shot at allocates the hits from a shooting platoon evenly across the platoon they are shooting at, in the following order. Hits must be allocated to:
- Other teams before those that are gone to ground.
- Operational tanks before bailed out or bogged down tanks.
- Teams within 16"/40cm before those further away.
- Unprotected teams before those in bulletproof cover.
- Tanks showing their side armour before those showing their front armour.
Example. The Sherman platoon scores a hit with their M3 75mm guns and two hits with their machine-guns. The diagram numbers the teams in the order they receive hits:
- Unprotected teams are always hit before those in bulletproof cover. These two teams take machine-gun hits.
- The team in the building gets the next hit. As it is in bulletproof cover, it gets the 75mm shell lobbed its way!
- Teams more than 16"/40cm away are hit after those that are closer, so even though it is unprotected, one team isn't allocated any hits.
- Teams that are gone to ground are the last to be hit, so despite being unprotected and at short range, one team is not hit.
One Target Per Tank
Although a tank can fire its main gun and machine-guns together, it must fire them all at the same platoon. A single tank can't shoot at both the assault gun and the grenadiers, but the platoon can split their fire, with one tank shooting at the assault gun platoon and one at the grenadier platoon.
Staying In Command
There's no point in an officer giving orders if there's no one around to carry them out. Platoons need to stick together if they are going to fight as a unit instead of a bunch of individuals. You need to bear this in mind when you move your platoons across the table.
Sticking Together
Command Distance. Teams close to the command team can relay orders to other teams within 6"/15cm and so on down the chain to the far end of the platoon. If teams that are out of command move, they must get back into command when they do so.
Experienced soldiers often know what to do without being told, and they are good at passing on orders when they need to as well. Raw conscripts on the other hand need to be well supervised if they are to avoid making stupid mistakes.
| Skill | Tanks | Others |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran | 8"/20cm | 6"/15cm |
| Trained | 6"/15cm | 4"/10cm |
| Conscript | 4"/10cm | 2"/5cm |
Veteran infantry need to stick within 6"/15cm of their command team to hear orders.
Tanks have radios to pass on orders, so they can spread out more. The veteran StuG G assault guns can be up to 8"/20cm apart, while the Trained Shermans need to stay within 6"/15cm.
Stay Here and Cover Me
The platoon commander must take at least half of the platoon with them when they move.
The commander can leave the Firefly VC tank-killer to engage the German assault guns from the front while the rest of the platoon moves to outflank them. As the Firefly doesn't want to follow the rest of the platoon, it can't move at all.
Assaults
It seems incredible that infantry survive on a battlefield under the fire of tanks and machine-guns, but once they take cover and dig in, they are remarkably tough. Sometimes the only way to dig them out is to launch an all-out infantry assault with bayonets and hand grenades. Set up two infantry platoons 4"/10cm apart, pick one to launch an assault and sound the charge!
Short, Sharp and Bloody! Assaults are the deciding factor in many battles, as witnessed by the number of medals won by soldiers charging machine-gun nests and stalking tanks.
Launching an Assault
The Paratroopers Charge: Step 1...
After all shooting is complete, a platoon with a team within 4"/10cm of the enemy can launch an assault. Assaulting teams within 8"/20cm of an enemy team charge 4"/10cm towards the enemy.
Start by moving teams within 4"/10cm into contact with the enemy.
Assaulting teams must shoot on the move. They cannot assault if they remained stationary to shoot at their full ROF.
Teams don't have to assault. They can remain stationary, firing at full ROF, to pin down the enemy before the rest of the platoon assault them.
...Step 2
Teams more than 8"/20cm away from the enemy cannot charge and take no part in the assault.
Teams within 8"/20cm can move 4"/10cm towards the enemy. If they choose not to move, they become non-assaulting teams and take no part in the assault.
Gun teams like the M2 60mm mortar cannot charge, even if they moved. They usually remain stationary to cover the assaulting teams.
Defensive Fire
When the enemy charges, the defenders open fire with everything they've got, blazing away to try and stop the assault. If they can put out enough firepower, the assaulting troops will hit the deck before they get close enough to do any damage.
While the Grenadiers Try to Stop Them
Once the enemy has charged into contact, all defending teams within 8"/20cm of an assaulting team shoot.
The defenders always shoot from the halt, even if they moved in their previous turn, so it's a good idea to pin them down before assaulting them.
Hits from defensive fire must be allocated to assaulting teams within 8"/20cm.
It doesn't matter which platoon a team is from, if it is within 8"/20cm, it shoots.
The grenadiers score four hits on the assaulting Paratroopers. Assaulting teams never benefit from bulletproof cover, so the team that failed its infantry save is destroyed with no firepower test needed.
Fall Back!
Falling Back. An assaulting platoon must fall back if it takes five or more hits from defensive fire, regardless of how many teams are actually destroyed. The assaulting teams fall back until they are more than 2"/5cm from the enemy.
If the paratrooper platoon had taken five hits it wouldn't make it into the assault, falling back until it is more than 2"/5cm away from the defending teams instead.
Tactical Tip. Use your supporting troops to pin down the enemy platoon, while your assault group moves into position to deliver the fatal strike.
Fighting in Assaults
Once the enemy get close, there's nowhere to hide, so it's fight or die. Casualties are heavy with little chance of survival other than to kill the enemy before they kill you.
Score to Hit in Assaults. Unlike shooting, the score to hit in assaults is based on the assaulting team's skill. In the bloody fighting of assaults, it comes down to who's fastest on the draw. Veterans of many combats find raw conscripts easy meat to their onslaught.
| Assaulting Team's Skill Level | Score Needed to Hit |
|---|---|
| Veteran | 3 or higher |
| Trained | 4 or higher |
| Conscript | 5 or higher |
The Paratroopers Fight...
Every team within 2"/5cm of the enemy rolls one die to hit in an assault. Teams outside 2"/5cm have to wait until they get closer to be able to fight.
Unlike shooting, the score to hit depends on the assaulting team's skill, not the target's skill, so Veteran paratroopers hit on a 3+.
There are no saves for infantry in assaults, so the paratroopers' two successes destroy two German teams.
...but Haven't Won Yet
The assaulting platoon wins the assault if there are no enemy teams within 4"/10cm.
Since the paratroopers haven't won, the defending grenadiers roll to counterattack. Being Confident, they will counterattack on a roll of 4+, while the Fearless US paratroopers would counterattack on a roll of 3+. The Grenadiers roll a 4+, so they can counterattack!
Multiple Platoons. The assaulting platoon can find itself fighting several platoons at once. When this happens, roll a single die to counterattack and use that score for all of the platoons. As the infantry and guns are both Confident, they will both either counterattack or break off. If the Germans assaulted an American parachute rifle platoon and some British tanks at the same time, a score of 3 would see the Fearless paratroopers counterattacking, while the (clearly not so) Confident British tanks break off.
Counterattacks
If the defenders' courage holds, the survivors pile in, seeking victory for themselves.
The Grenadiers Counterattack
Any counterattacking grenadiers within 8"/20cm of the assaulting teams charge 4"/10cm towards them.
Gun teams like the 7.5cm PaK40 cannot move to counterattack.
There is no defensive fire against counterattacks, so the grenadiers go straight in.
Counterattacking platoons can only charge the original assaulting platoon. They cannot drag new platoons into the fight.
The three teams within 2"/5cm of the paratroopers roll to hit (Veteran 3+), destroying two American teams.
The Paratroopers Counterattack Back
The paratroopers roll to counterattack, scoring a 4, allowing them to counterattack.
Teams that did not charge in the initial assault cannot do so now, but will fight back if the enemy comes within 2"/5cm of them.
The surviving paratroopers within 8"/20cm of the enemy charge into contact with the Grenadiers. The Americans roll two more hits, destroying another pair of grenadier teams.
Then the Grenadiers Counterattack Again
Determined not to lose the fight, the grenadier platoon rolls a 6 to counterattack again. After charging into contact again, the Grenadiers roll their two attacks, destroying one more team.
Keep Going! In Open Fire!, assaults continue with each side counterattacking back and forth until one side or the other wins or breaks off.
With a roll of 2, the Americans cannot counterattack again, and break off.
Breaking Off and Consolidating
A platoon losing the fight breaks off, trying to get away from the enemy. The victors either pursue them or establish their own defensive position ready for any counterattack.
The Survivors Break Off...
Every team in the losing platoon within 8"/20cm of a team from a winning platoon may move up to their full move away from the enemy, and the losing platoon becomes pinned down.
Any teams remaining within 4"/10cm of the victors after this move are captured and destroyed.
The mortar team decides to stay where it is, while the paratroopers retreat 6"/15cm back towards their non-assaulting teams.
...and the Victors Consolidate
Every team in a winning platoon can move up to 4"/10cm. The German grenadiers can either retreat, stay where they are, or advance to exploit their victory.
If the winning platoon took any hits in the assault, it is also pinned down.
Consolidating Close to the Enemy
If a victorious team consolidates to within 2"/5cm of a losing team, the losing team must move until more than 2"/5cm away.
Pinned Down. At the end of an assault both sides are exhausted, making them pinned down. The exception is that a victorious platoon that won so completely that it never took a hit does not become pinned down.
Infantry Assaulting Tanks
Tanks are huge steel monsters, and any sensible infantryman prays never to meet one up close. If they have that misfortune, they rely on cunning, luck, and sheer bravery to take them out. Work through an assault by a platoon of US paratroopers on a German platoon of assault guns as you read the next few pages.
Tank Terror!
A platoon within 6"/15cm of an enemy tank needs to make a tank terror test to launch an assault. Being fearless, the paratroopers pass on a roll of 3+. The paratroopers roll a 5, so are willing to launch the assault. Confident grenadiers would pass on a roll of 4+.
Counterattack against Tanks. Normally a platoon that didn't take any hits from the enemy automatically passes their roll to counterattack. However, platoons fighting tanks need to roll, even if they didn't take any hits.
Sneaking Up on Tanks
Tank teams that are contacted by teams that did not move or shoot cannot conduct defensive fire.
The team behind the wall did not move or shoot, so the StuG it charged cannot defensive fire. The other teams moved earlier in the turn, so do not prevent defensive fire.
Sneaking Up On Tanks. Teams that did not move or shoot, and then assaulted from concealment can sneak up on a tank and blind it with a smoke grenade, flour bomb, or even a spare coat over the optics before it can defend itself. The tank cannot shoot in defensive fire, although it can fight as normal in the assault.
The Assault Guns' Defensive Fire
Tanks shoot machine-guns and turret weapons in defensive fire.
With one StuG unable to shoot, the rest only score three hits, not enough to make the infantry fall back, so the paratroopers take their infantry saves and continue the assault.
Assault Armour Saves
Assaults are harsh, dealing to tanks nearly as cruelly as they do to infantry. A tank's armour still protects it somewhat, but any weakness is exploited to the full.
The Paratroopers Assault
When assaulting, the paratroopers need a 3+ to hit the German assault guns — the same roll they'd need to hit infantry.
Bailing Out One Tank...
The Bazooka and a Rifle/MG hit the German assault guns. Just like shooting, use different dice for each type of weapon.
Unlike infantry, tanks have an armour save in assaults using their top armour rating. Assaulting teams use their tank assault rating and don't need to roll against their firepower if the tank fails its save.
The StuG hit by the Bazooka rolls a 3 and adds its top armour of 1, for a total of 4. This equals the Bazooka team's tank assault rating of 4, so it is bailed out.
Top Armour (1) + Die Roll = result against the Bazooka's tank assault rating of 4:
| Total | Result |
|---|---|
| 5 or more | No Effect |
| Exactly 4 | Bailed Out |
| 3 or less | Destroyed |
...and Destroying Another
Gammon Bombs: Tank Assault 3.
The other StuG rolls a 1, adding its top armour for a total of just 2. Being equipped with Gammon bombs, the paratroopers have a tank assault rating of 3, so the assault gun is destroyed.
| Total (Top Armour 1 + Die Roll) | Result |
|---|---|
| 4 or more | No Effect |
| Exactly 3 | Bailed Out |
| 2 or less | Destroyed |
Having weathered the paratrooper's attack, the assault gun platoon rolls to counterattack as normal. If they fail to counterattack, the tanks will fall back and the bailed out StuG is abandoned and destroyed.
Tank Assault
The inability of a rifle to penetrate a tank no longer matters once the infantry get close enough. Now all that matters is the ingenuity of the soldier in working out how to disable a tank with the tools at hand.
Infantry have a tank assault rating reflecting their capabilities in close combat with tanks.
Top Armour. To an infantryman, the thickness of a tank's armour doesn't matter much. What matters is how vulnerable it is to a grenade in the right place. As a result, tanks use their top armour rating against infantry assaults.
German Tank Assault Weapons
German grenadiers using their hand grenades only have tank assault 2, so they have to rely on specialist tank-hunters who have tank assault ratings of 5 or 6 against tanks.
| Weapon | Tank Assault |
|---|---|
| Rifle/MG | 2 |
| Panzerschreck | 5 |
| Panzerfaust | 6 |
American Tank Assault Weapons
American paratroopers use Gammon bombs full of plastic explosives giving them tank assault 3 against tanks, while their bazookas have tank assault 4.
| Weapon | Tank Assault |
|---|---|
| Bazooka | 4 |
| Gammon Bombs | 3 |
Gammon Bombs. Paratroopers are armed with Gammon bombs that are ideal for close-in anti-tank work. These give them a tank assault rating of 3.
Anti-tank Weapons
| Weapon | Range | ROF | Anti-tank | Firepower | Tank Assault (against Top Armour) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle/MG | 16"/40cm | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 (3 with Gammon Bombs) |
| Bazooka | 8"/20cm | 1 | 10 | 5+ | 4 |
| Panzerschreck | 8"/20cm | 2 | 11 | 5+ | 5 |
| Panzerfaust | 4"/10cm | 1 | 12 | 5+ | 6 |
Tanks Assaulting
Despite the power of their guns, there are times when crushing the enemy under its tracks is the best tactic for aggressively-handled tanks. Tanks assault in the same way that infantry do, but with a few changes. Grab some Sherman tanks and launch an assault on a grenadier platoon backed by some anti-tank guns.
The Shermans Charge into Contact
Like infantry, tanks within 8"/20cm of the enemy charge 4"/10cm into contact with the enemy, taking bogging checks as normal.
Since the PaK40 anti-tank gun is behind a stone wall, this Sherman needs to take a bogging check, and fails!
Once the Shermans have finished their charge, the Grenadiers conduct their defensive fire. The PaK40 (Anti-tank 12) and the Panzerschreck (Anti-tank 11) score a hit each.
The defenders are able to target weak points in the armour of charging tanks, so defensive fire always hits the side armour (Sherman side armour 4). With Anti-tank ratings of 11 and 12, they easily penetrate.
The Tanks Fall Back
Platoons that have two or more tanks destroyed or bailed out by defensive fire fall back until they are 2"/5cm from the defenders. The defenders destroyed one tank and bailed out another, forcing the tanks to fall back.
The bailed out tank falls back 2"/5cm to where it was actually hit, remaining bailed out.
The bogged down tank also falls back. Since it never actually reached the wall, it is no longer bogged down.
Anti-tank Guns in Assaults
Anti-tank guns are most effective at range, but if assaulted, will keep shooting to the last. The guns bark, hurling armour-piercing shot after shot as long as they have a target. When outflanked and threatened with being crushed under the tracks of a tank, the gunners use hand grenades to drive the tank off.
Guns cannot charge into contact with the enemy, but will still fight back if charged, rolling to hit in the same way as infantry and tanks.
Guns in Assaults
The Shermans assault the anti-tank guns, rolling to hit in the same way that infantry do. Any hits on guns destroy them, but the tanks are unlucky and miss both guns. In return, both of the counterattacking anti-tank guns score hits on the assaulting tanks.
In assaults, anti-tank guns roll one die to hit like infantry. The crew can choose to either attack the tank using their tank assault rating of 2 against the tank's top armour, or if the tank is in their field of fire, they can use their normal Anti-tank rating against its Side armour rating.
Anti-tank Guns Against Tanks
Anti-tank guns like the 7.5cm PaK40 have a tank assault rating of 2, but can use their normal anti-tank rating against the tank's side armour instead.
| Weapon | Tank Assault | Anti-tank |
|---|---|---|
| 7.5cm PaK40 | 2 | 12 |
This PaK40 has no tanks in its field of fire within 2"/5cm, so the crew use their tank assault rating of 2 instead. The tank (top armour 1) rolls a two for its armour save, easily avoiding harm.
This PaK40 can use its normal anti-tank rating of 12 against the tank's side armour of 4, which will automatically penetrate.
Side Armour (4) + Die Roll = Firepower Test result:
| Total | Die roll 1 or 2 | Die roll 3 to 6 |
|---|---|---|
| 13 or more | No Effect | No Effect |
| Exactly 12 | No Effect | Bailed Out |
| 11 or less | Bailed Out | Destroyed |
Unlike hits on top armour, hits on Side armour require the gun to pass a Firepower test to have any effect.
Checking Morale
Most soldiers fight bravely, but everyone has their limits. As their comrades fall around them, even the bravest start considering the option of running away. If your platoons take too many casualties from shooting or assaults, they may just retreat, effectively putting them out of the battle.
Checking Platoon Morale
At the end of the Shooting and Assault Steps, any platoon that has more teams dead than alive and took a casualty in that step must roll to continue fighting.
On a roll of 4+, Confident troops (3+ for the Fearless paratroopers) continue to fight. On a lesser roll, the platoon is destroyed.
At the end of an assault, the German grenadier platoon has just three teams left, so must check its platoon morale. It rolls a 3, not enough, so it is destroyed.
Your Company command team can join a platoon within command distance, allowing it to re-roll a failed platoon morale check (or a roll to remount bailed out tanks or rally a pinned down platoon). However, if the platoon fails this re-roll, it and the company command team are both destroyed!
Ignoring Bogged Down and Bailed Out Tanks
Tank platoons do not count bogged down and bailed out tanks when deciding if they have more teams dead than alive. Bogged down and bailed out tanks are not treated as either dead or alive for platoon morale checks, they are simply ignored.
By the time the Germans have finished shooting, a British armoured platoon has one bogged down, one tank destroyed, and one bailed out. However, it ignores the bailed out and bogged down tanks, so with effectively one tank dead and one alive, it has as many teams alive as dead, and does not need to check its platoon morale.
Winning the Game
There are two ways of winning a battle. The simplest, but hardest to accomplish, is to destroy your opponent completely. The more subtle way is to simply take your objectives.
Checking Company Morale
If you start any of your turns with more platoons destroyed than still fighting, your company commander must roll a die.
On a roll of 4+ for a company rated Confident (or 3+ for Fearless companies), your company continues to fight. Otherwise, your company's morale breaks, and the game is over.
If your company command team has been destroyed, the 2iC command team can roll instead. If both are destroyed and you have more platoons destroyed than still fighting, the game is over.
With only one grenadier platoon left, the German company must check their company morale at the start of their next turn, rolling a 5. The Grenadiers fight on, for a while at least.
Objectives
Open Fire! is usually played with missions that set two objectives for each player, although you only need to capture one to win the game. Objectives are 2½"/63mm wide by 2"/50mm deep.
Some players prefer simple objectives showing their force's symbol. Others model destroyed vehicles or supply dumps as their objectives.
Taking Objectives
You take an objective and win the game if you have a team within 4"/10cm of your objective at the start of your turn and the enemy does not.
Pinned down platoons can take and hold objectives. Bogged down and bailed out tanks cannot take or hold objectives.
The Allied player only has a bailed out Sherman tank within 4"/10cm of the objective. The pinned German Grenadier platoon has teams within 4"/10cm, so they win the game.
Playing Missions
Open Fire! is most commonly played using missions that set objectives for your troops to take or hold. In the following pages, you will discover three such missions.
- Free-for-all Mission. The first mission is a free-for-all mission, where players line up all of their models on opposing table sides and fight over several objectives on the table.
- Knife-fight Mission. The second mission mixes things up by shuffling up the deployment areas. Things will heat up fast in this mission, so be ready for a tough fight!
- Doodlebug Mission. The third mission recreates an attack on a German V-1 launch site. It's divided so that the first player defends the launch site, while the other player tries to stop them.
More Missions. Visit www.FlamesOfWar.com/OpenFire to discover more exciting missions for your Open Fire forces to play!
Setting Up a Table
Your troops will need a battlefield to fight on before they can claim victory! For smaller games, like pitting the forces from Open Fire against each other, a kitchen table or 4'x4' (120cm x 120cm) table is a good size. Once you add a few more units to each side, you'll want to increase your playing area to 6'x4' (180cm x 120cm).
Woods, walls, buildings, roads, and hills give your troops something to fight over. Use the cardboard terrain from the Open Fire box to get you started, adding things from around the house, such as boxes for hills. After a few games, you will want to collect pre-painted terrain like the Battlefield in a Box range.
Free-for-all Mission
Free-for-all is a basic mission in which you must seize one of your objectives before the enemy seizes one of theirs. Set up a table and choose sides, then follow the instructions below. Player 1 and Player 2 sit at opposite table edges; the table is divided at its centre line.
- Step 1. Player 2 places two Objectives anywhere in the box at Player 1's table edge (spanning the table between 8"/20cm of each side). They cannot be closer than 16"/40cm to the centre of the table or within 8"/20cm of the sides of the table.
- Step 2. Player 1 places two Objectives anywhere in the box at Player 2's table edge. They cannot be closer than 16"/40cm to the centre of the table or within 8"/20cm of the sides of the table.
- Player 1 deploys their troops anywhere behind a line 12"/30cm from the centre of the table (Player 1 Deployment Area). Player 2 deploys their troops anywhere behind a line 12"/30cm from the centre of the table (Player 2 Deployment Area).
- Step 3. Players alternate placing platoons in their deployment areas, starting with Player 1.
- Step 4. Roll a die to see who has the first turn. The player rolling highest goes first. The other player's teams all start the game gone to ground.
Winning the Battle. Any player starting their turn in control of an objective in the enemy deployment area wins the game.
Knife-fight Mission
The battlefield is a confusing place, and often you can end up with the enemy all around you. The Knife-fight Mission mixes up the player's forces and scatters the objectives to the four corners of the table. You and your opponent will have to be bold and fight at close-range to achieve victory!
Set up a table and choose sides, then follow the instructions below. The table is split into four corner deployment boxes, separated by 8"/20cm gaps; Player 1 owns two diagonally opposite corners and Player 2 owns the other two.
- Step 1. Player 2 places one Objective anywhere in the Player 1 Deployment Area (corner box) in which Player 1 deploys their troops (top-left corner). Player 1 deploys their troops anywhere in this box.
- Step 2. Player 1 places one Objective anywhere in the Player 2 Deployment Area (top-right corner box). Player 2 deploys their troops anywhere in this box.
- Step 3. Player 2 places one Objective anywhere in the Player 1 Deployment Area (bottom-right corner box). Player 1 deploys their troops anywhere in this box.
- Step 4. Player 1 places one Objective anywhere in the Player 2 Deployment Area (bottom-left corner box). Player 2 deploys their troops anywhere in this box.
- Step 5. Players alternate placing platoons in their deployment areas, starting with Player 1.
- Step 6. Roll a die to see who has the first turn. The player rolling highest goes first. The other player's teams all start the game gone to ground.
Winning the Battle. Any player starting their turn in control of an objective in the enemy deployment area wins the game.
Doodlebug Mission
The Doodlebug was the British nick-name for the German V-1 Flying Bomb. Over 10,000 of these weapons terrorised British citizens from June 1944 - March 1945. The most effective way of countering these Wunderwaffen, (or Wonder Weapons) was to overrun their launch sites before they could take off.
The Doodlebug Mission is a race against time as the first player tries to hold the enemy away long enough to launch their V-1 Flying Bomb. Meanwhile, the second player must stop at nothing to stop the launch.
- Step 1. Player 1 places the V-1 Launcher Ramp anywhere in the box 8"/20cm in from Player 1's table edge and sides.
- Step 2. Player 2 places one Objective anywhere in this same box.
- Player 1 deploys their troops anywhere behind the centre line of the table (Player 1 Deployment Area). Player 2 deploys their troops anywhere behind a line 16"/40cm from the centre of the table (Player 2 Deployment Area).
- Step 3. Players alternate placing platoons in their deployment areas, starting with Player 1.
- Step 4. Player 2 has the first turn. The other player's teams all start the game gone to ground.
Winning the Battle. If Player 2 captures either the Objective or the V1 launch site, they win the game. If the V-1 flying bomb is launched, Player 1 wins the game.
V-1 Launch Sequence (Player 1)
During the game, Player 1 is trying to launch their V-1 Flying Bomb. It will take a couple of turns to get it ready to launch, so you will need to hold off the Allies long enough for the bomb to be launched. As Player 1, use the following sequence to launch your bomb.
- Turns 1-4. The V-1 flying bomb is being prepared, so you need to hold out a bit longer!
- Turn 5. The Bomb is ready and is being set up on the ramp. At the beginning of your Turn 5, place the V-1 flying bomb model on the bottom of the ramp.
- Turn 6. The Bomb has begun pre-flight ignition and is moments away from launching! At the beginning of your Turn 6, move the V-1 flying bomb model up to the middle of the ramp.
- Turn 7. The Bomb has launched! At the beginning of your Turn 7, move the V-1 flying bomb model off the ramp. You have won the game!
Stopping the V-1 Launch (Player 2)
Meanwhile, Player 2 is trying to stop the rocket from launching. There are two ways to do this: either capture the V-1 launcher ramp, or secure the launcher's control bunker. As Player 2, capture one of the following objectives to stop the V-1 Flying Bomb from launching.
- Capture the Ramp! If you can take the V-1 flying bomb's launcher ramp you can prevent it from taking off. You may capture the ramp in the same way you capture a normal Objective marker.
- Take the Control Bunker! If you capture the launcher's control bunker, you can shut down the launch sequence from there. The Objective you placed is the launcher's control bunker. Capture it in the same way as a normal Objective marker.
Rules Summary
You now know the basics of the rules. It's time to gather your forces and play a complete game. To make this easy, here's a summary of everything you've learned so far in the order in which you'll use it in a turn.
Two of the most common die rolls in the Open Fire! rules are Motivation Tests and Skill Tests. These tables give the scores needed based on the Motivation and Skill ratings of the troops taking the test.
| Motivation | Score Needed |
|---|---|
| Fearless | 3+ |
| Confident | 4+ |
| Reluctant | 5+ |
| Skill | Score Needed |
|---|---|
| Veteran | 3+ |
| Trained | 4+ |
| Conscript | 5+ |
Starting Step
In the Starting Step, you check the status of your force and attempt to rally your troops.
- Check Company Morale (page 31). Pass a Motivation Test to continue fighting if your company has more platoons destroyed than still fighting.
- Check Victory Conditions (page 31). Win the game if you have taken an objective.
- Rally Pinned Down Platoons (page 15). Pass a Motivation Test to rally a pinned down platoon.
- Re-mount Bailed Out Tanks (page 7). Pass a Motivation Test to re-mount a bailed out tank.
- Free Bogged Down Tanks (page 9). Pass a Skill Test to free a bogged down tank.
Movement Step
In the Movement Step, you move any or all of your platoons into better positions.
- Moving tanks (page 9). Most tanks move 12"/30cm in easy terrain, but slow to 8"/20cm in rough terrain. Tanks crossing Difficult or Very Difficult Going must pass a Bogging Check to avoid bogging down.
| Terrain | Speed | Difficulty | Bogging Check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road | No change | Easy | - |
| Cross country | No change | Easy | - |
| Hedge | 8"/20cm | Difficult | 2+ |
| Woods | 8"/20cm | Difficult | 2+ |
| Building | 8"/20cm | Very Difficult | Skill Test |
- Moving Infantry (page 14). Infantry and man-packed guns (like a 60mm mortar) move 6"/15cm through any terrain and never bog down. If infantry and man-packed guns don't move (aside from digging in), they are always concealed, even in the open.
- Moving Guns (page 17). Medium guns (like the 7.5cm PaK40) move 4"/10cm and need to roll to avoid bogging down in Difficult Going. They cannot move in Very Difficult Going.
- Command Distance (page 19). Moving teams must remain within command distance of their platoon command team or within command distance of another team in its platoon that is in command.
| Skill | Tanks | Infantry and Guns |
|---|---|---|
| Veteran | 8"/20cm | 6"/15cm |
| Trained | 6"/15cm | 4"/10cm |
| Conscript | 4"/10cm | 2"/5cm |
- Digging In (pages 14, 17). Infantry and guns can dig in instead of moving. If they pass a Skill Test they are now dug in. Infantry, man-packed guns, and medium guns are concealed if they are dug in.
Shooting Step
In the Shooting Step, you shoot with any or all of your platoons, trying to pin down and destroy the enemy.
- Select a Target Platoon (pages 8, 10, 18). You shoot with one platoon at a time, although each team can shoot at a different enemy platoon if you wish. The target must be in range and in the weapon's field of fire.
- How many Dice (pages 6, 7, 9, 12, 15, 16). Each team rolls one die for each point of ROF. Tanks can shoot their turret-mounted gun and machine-guns at the same time, but the machine-guns only have ROF 1. If they don't shoot their main guns, one machine-gun has ROF 3, the others ROF 1. Moving teams reduce their ROF by half, unless they are vehicle machine-guns or SMG teams. Pinned down infantry or gun teams also reduce their ROF by half, except that MG teams have ROF 2. Pinned down teams cannot shoot while moving.
| ROF | Moving ROF | Pinned Down ROF |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (+1 to hit) | 1 (+1 to hit) |
| 2 or 3 | 1 | 1 |
- Going to Ground (pages 14, 17). Teams that do not move (aside from digging in) or shoot have gone to ground.
- Roll to Hit (pages 6, 7, 8, 12). The score needed for a team to hit depends on the easiest target in the platoon it is shooting at.
| Target's Skill Level | Score Needed to Hit |
|---|---|
| Veteran | 4 or higher |
| Trained | 3 or higher |
| Conscript | 2 or higher |
Add +1 to the score needed to hit if:
-
Target is more than 16"/40cm away.
-
Target is concealed.
-
Target is gone to ground and concealed.
-
Allocate Hits (pages 11, 18). The player being shot at allocates the hits from a shooting platoon evenly across the target platoon. Hits must be allocated to:
- Other teams before those that are gone to ground.
- Operational tanks before bailed out or bogged down.
- Teams within 16"/40cm before those further away.
- Unprotected teams before ones in bulletproof cover.
- Tanks showing their side armour before those showing their front armour.
-
Armour Saves (pages 6, 7, 10). Tanks that have been hit roll a die and add their front armour, or side armour as appropriate, adding +1 if the range is over 16"/40cm. Compare the total with the shooting weapon's anti-tank rating on the table below. If the shot penetrated, roll a die and compare it with the weapon's firepower to find the effect of the shot.
| Total Score vs Anti-tank | Fail Firepower | Pass Firepower |
|---|---|---|
| Greater | No Effect | No Effect |
| Equal | No Effect | Bailed Out |
| Less | Bailed Out | Destroyed |
- Infantry and Gun Saves (pages 12, 13, 17). Infantry always have a 3+ save. Guns have a 5+ save unless gone to ground, when they have a 3+ save. A team failing its save is destroyed unless it is in bulletproof cover, in which case the shooting team needs to roll against its firepower to destroy the team.
- Pinned Down (page 15). Infantry and gun platoons taking five or more hits in the shooting step are pinned down.
- Check Platoon Morale (page 30). Platoons with more teams destroyed than still alive must pass a Motivation Test at the end of the Shooting Step or be destroyed if it takes casualties.
Assault Step
In the Assault Step you charge with any or all of your platoons within 4"/10cm of the enemy.
- Charge into Contact (pages 20, 28). Teams from the assaulting platoon that are within 8"/20cm of the enemy move 4"/10cm toward the enemy. Teams that stopped to shoot at their full ROF cannot charge. Gun teams cannot charge.
- Tank Terror (page 25). Platoons within 6"/15cm of an enemy tank must pass a Motivation Test to charge.
- Defensive Fire (pages 21, 25, 28). Defending teams within 8"/20cm of assaulting teams shoot at the assaulting teams. If they score five or more hits on an infantry platoon or bail out or destroy two or more tanks, the assaulting platoon falls back until 2"/5cm away and the assault is over.
- Sneaking up on Tanks (page 25). Infantry teams that did not move or shoot and are concealed by terrain can sneak up on tanks, preventing them from shooting in defensive fire.
- Roll to Hit (page 22). All assaulting teams within 2"/5cm of a defending team roll a Skill Test to hit. Infantry and gun teams are automatically destroyed if hit.
- Roll Armour Saves (pages 26, 29). Tanks roll a die and add their Top armour, comparing the total with the assaulting team's tank assault rating.
| Total Score vs Tank Assault | Result |
|---|---|
| Greater | No Effect |
| Equal | Bailed Out |
| Less | Destroyed |
Against tanks in its field of fire, a gun can use its anti-tank rating against the tank's Side armour instead, needing to pass a Firepower test to have an effect.
| Total Score vs Anti-tank | Fail Firepower | Pass Firepower |
|---|---|---|
| Greater | No Effect | No Effect |
| Equal | No Effect | Bailed Out |
| Less | Bailed Out | Destroyed |
- Has Assaulting Platoon Won (page 22). The assaulting platoon has won if there are no operational defending teams within 4"/10cm. If they have not won, the defending player takes a Motivation Test to counterattack. If they pass, they counterattack. If they fail, or choose to do so, they break off.
- Counterattack (pages 23, 29). The assaulting and defending platoons swap roles and the new assaulting platoon charges and rolls to hit.
- Breaking Off (page 24). The losing platoons move all teams within 8"/20cm of the assaulting platoon up to a full move away. Any teams left within 4"/10cm of an assaulting team are destroyed. Guns within 2"/5cm of the enemy cannot move.
- Consolidating (page 24). The victorious platoon moves all teams up to 4"/10cm. Any losing teams within 2"/5cm must fall back.
- Check Platoon Morale (page 30). Any platoon with more teams destroyed than still alive must pass a Motivation Test at the end of the Assault Step or be destroyed if it takes casualties.