G.I. JOE: Battle for the Arctic Circle

G.I. JOE: Battle for the Arctic Circle Rulebook

Table of Contents

Game Contents

4 Oversized Commander Boards
30 Double-Sided Control Markers (15 for each side)
Land units: Arctic Trooper (10 blue, 10 white), Snow Serpent (10 red, 10 black), Snow Cat (6 blue, 6 white), W.O.L.F. (6 red, 6 black)
Air units: Skystriker (5 blue, 5 white), Rattler (5 red, 5 black)
Sea units: 20 Cruisers (5 per player), 8 Carriers (2 per player)
1 Weather Dominator Token
1 Round Tracking Token
8 Ice Hex Tokens
48 Plastic Unit Chips (36 Gray, 12 Green)
8 Combat Dice

Quick Notes for Experienced Axis & Allies Players

The following are rules differences from existing Axis & Allies games:

Movement is hex-to-hex only. Use 1 movement point to move a unit from its current hex to an adjacent hex.
Cruisers also act as transports.
There is no battle strip, so leave units on the game board during combat.
Amphibious assaults take place only in mixed land and sea hexes.
There is not a separate sea battle step during an amphibious assault. All of the units fight at the same time.
Sea units fight for the duration of amphibious assault combats.
Place control markers only in Victory Point hexes.

The Commanders

In this game, there are 2 commanders on each team: Admiral Keel-Haul (blue) and Snow Job (white) versus Cobra Commander (red) and Destro (black). Each commander controls forces of their matching color, and also has a special ability unique to them that will give their forces a boost during the game. A commander can deploy reinforcements to the base that matches their color, but both commanders can deploy reinforcements to the base that features both of their colors.

All 4 commanders should be in the game, even if you have fewer than 4 players.

For example, in a 2-player game each player will be in control of both commanders for their team. However, each commander takes their turn separately, as if they were separate players, so you don't get to move all Joe forces together just because you control both commanders.

If you have 3 players, the most experienced player should partner with the least experienced. The 3rd player will play both commanders on the other team as if it were a 2-player game.

Teammates

Your units and your teammate's units can occupy the same hexes. Where you both control units, they always defend against attacks together. Your teammate's units can occupy your base to help defend it, but they can't take control of it. They also can't take control of VP hexes you control, even if you have no units there.

Plastic Chips

Use chips to save space in overcrowded hexes. Units may be replaced with chips at any time. Likewise, chips may be exchanged for the unit figures that they represent at any time.

Place one figure of the unit type into that hex, then represent the additional units of that type by placing chips under it.

Gray Chips = +1 unit. Example: 3 blue Arctic Troopers are represented by 1 blue Arctic Trooper figure with 2 gray chips under it.
Green Chips = +3 units. Example: 4 red Snow Serpents are represented by 1 red Snow Serpent figure with 1 green chip under it.

The number of stacks is limited by the number of plastic pieces available.

Setup

To set up the game, follow these steps:

Place the game board in the center of the table.
Place the round tracking token on the Round Tracker space marked "1".
Each player chooses one of the commander boards and gathers all of the plastic unit figures of the matching color.
Place the control markers between the players of the corresponding team.
Place the Weather Dominator token and ice hexes between the Cobra players.
Place all the other components within easy reach of all players.
Choose a scenario to play. There are three scenarios to choose from (see page 21). Each one has a different setup. Place the starting units and control markers (if any) on the game board, following the setup of the chosen scenario. The scenario also defines the victory conditions for the game.

The Game Board and Movement

As a vast frozen tundra, the Arctic Circle has few features or borders between nations. Hexes are used to delineate one area from another. Units may only move into or through six-sided hex spaces and not into or through the non-hex areas at the edges of the board.

The board has Sea-Only Hexes, Land-Only Hexes, and Land & Sea Hexes.

Movement occurs by moving a unit from one hex to another, across one of the six sides. Units have movement ratings ranging from 1 to 4, so most units can move farther than just to an adjacent hex (each hex of movement costs 1 movement point).

Land units move only in land hexes and mixed land and sea hexes.
Air units may move from any hex to any adjacent hex with each of their moves, but must end your turn either on a land hex, mixed land and sea hex, or on an Aircraft Carrier of a matching color.
Sea units move only in sea hexes and mixed land and sea hexes. In the example (the Sea-only Hex), a sea unit in the highlighted hex could move to any one of the surrounding six hexes at a cost of 1 movement point.

To move from land to land or sea to sea, that terrain type must appear across a hex side. Look for what we call "land bridges and waterways." In the land-only hex example, there are three hex sides that a land unit can cross to exit this land-only hex. It can cross the hex sides marked with green arrows, as there is land across the hex sides in each of those directions. But you cannot move a land unit across any of the three hex sides marked with a red X. The upper hex side is a glacial cliff that leads to the sea. Land units cannot move into sea-only hexes. In the lower right, a land unit cannot cross those two hex sides as there are no hexes on the other side, even though a land bridge exists.

Many hexes on the board feature both land and sea terrain. These allow both land and sea units (and of course, air units) to occupy them at the same time. Again, there must be a land bridge to move land units from hex to hex or a waterway to move sea units from hex to hex.

In the mixed-hex example, a sea unit in the center hex could move in the direction of any of the green arrows, but not across the bottom hex side, as blue sea does not appear on both sides and across that hex side.

That same hex allows land units to move in the direction of any of the four green arrows, but not in the direction of either of the red Xs. The lower left X is obvious.

The green arrow in the upper left shows that even if there is a small peninsula across a hex side, a land unit may move across it.

But why can't a land unit move across the hex side in the upper right? While there is land in the adjacent hex in that direction, there is only water across the hex side.

A unit occupies the entire hex, not just the portion it moved onto. In the example, if a land unit enters this hex from the upper left, it can exit the hex via any of the three land bridges into adjacent hexes (or go back the way it came).

Some hexes have tiny icebergs and tiny floating ice sheets, which do not count as land. Islands where units can land have a black outline where they meet the water.

Unit Stacking Limit

All non-base hexes have a maximum capacity of 8 units. Base hexes (see below) have a maximum capacity of 12 units. Land units being carried by Cruisers and air units being carried by Aircraft Carriers, as well as units belonging to your teammate, count against this limit.

The limit is not checked during your turn until the Check Stacking Limits phase, so hexes can temporarily contain more units than the limit while you are attacking or moving through a friendly hex.

Bases

There are six bases on the map. Each commander controls one and shares one with their teammate. The Joes share the Apogee base in lower-middle Greenland. The Cobra players share the North Pole base. The shared bases have both teammates' colors, while each commander's personal base has only that commander's color.

Bases never change control, so you don't need to place control markers there. If you ever capture an enemy base, the game ends immediately, and your team wins!

Victory Point Hexes

Several of the hexes on the board contain white numbers and are called Victory Point (VP) hexes. Taking control of VP hexes grants you extra Reinforcement Points (RP) for as long as you control them. Only one player may control a VP hex at a time. If you take control of a VP hex, place one of your color of control markers on it. It will remain there until an enemy land unit captures the hex and replaces your control marker with one of its own. Teammates may not transfer control of VP hexes. The Victory Point chart on the game board summarizes the number of VPs controlled by each commander.

Order of Play

G.I. Joe: Battle for the Arctic Circle is played in rounds. A round consists of each commander taking a turn, then at the end of Snow Job's turn, advancing the round tracking token and starting a new round. The commanders take their turns in this order:

Cobra Commander
Admiral Keel-Haul
Destro
Snow Job

Your turn consists of seven phases, which are always resolved in the sequence outlined below. Movement and combat are always optional during your turn. However, if you move units into an enemy-occupied hex, combat is mandatory.

Turn Sequence

Purchase Reinforcements
Combat Move
Conduct Combat
Noncombat Move
Check Stacking Limits
Deploy Reinforcements
Set Victory Points

Phase 1: Purchase Reinforcements

In this phase, you may spend Reinforcement Points (RPs) for additional units to be used in future turns. RPs are calculated by adding together your two base values, VP hexes you control (which are tracked on the Victory Point chart), and Strategic Reserve RPs from previous rounds.

Place the units you wish to buy into the Mobilization Zone on the game board. You may buy multiples of the same unit if you wish.

You do not have to spend all of your RPs each turn, but you cannot save more than four RPs. If you save any RPs to spend during future turns, place one of your control markers into the +1, +2, +3, or +4 on the Strategic Reserve chart on the game board.

During a future turn, if you spend these saved RPs, move your marker to the correct space to indicate the amount you have saved for a future turn. Remove your marker from these spaces if you spend all of your saved RPs.

The Weather Dominator

Cobra never gives up on a plan, and now has a "new" weapon: The Weather Dominator ... Mark II! It can be used to freeze sea hexes for offensive or defensive purposes.

During the Purchase Reinforcements phase, a Cobra player may spend 1 RP to place an ice hex on a hex that contains some amount of water. Ice hexes may not be placed on VP hexes, bases, or hexes where units are present.

Ice hexes fill the entire hex, so there is no longer any water in that hex (it is now a land-only hex). If an adjacent hex has land touching the hex side it shares with an ice hex, that forms a land bridge. Ice hexes are permanent until destroyed by a Cruiser's Icebreaker special ability. See page 18 for details.

Phase 2: Combat Move

Movement is separated into Combat Move and Noncombat Move phases. During the Combat Move phase, all movement must end in a hex containing enemy units, with two exceptions. The first is moving land units into a hex that contains an enemy control marker but no enemy units. This is a combat move, but there is no combat. After such a move, replace their control marker with one of your own. The second is Cruiser units attacking ice hexes using their Icebreaker special ability (see page 18).

Any other movement occurs during the Noncombat Move phase (Phase 4). For example, if a Cobra Aircraft Carrier is two hexes away from a hex you wish to attack, but you don't want to involve it into the combat, the Carrier cannot move towards it. However, any Rattler units on it can launch and fly to that hex. The Carrier can then move to recover the Rattlers during the Noncombat Move phase.

Combat move your units from their current hexes into an enemy-occupied and/or enemy-controlled hex to attempt to eliminate the units there (or to capture that hex if it is a VP hex or contains a base). Typically, a combat move means moving your units from a hex into an enemy-occupied adjacent hex at a cost of 1 movement point. An attacking unit can attack any type of defender found there. A sea unit can attack a land unit and vice versa in a mixed land and sea hex, however, only land units can wrest control of a hex from your enemy.

Some units have higher movement values and can use those movement points to make a combat move from further away. They may move through friendly hexes that are at their unit stacking limit, but cannot stop there. Such land and sea units must stop moving when they enter a hex containing enemy units and/or an enemy base, even if they have not used all of their movement points. Air units are not subject to this restriction, but have other movement restrictions.

An air unit's movement in any complete turn is limited to its total movement value, but this movement may be split between combat and noncombat movement, with some restrictions. An air unit that moves in the Combat Move phase must generally reserve part of its movement value for the Noncombat Move phase, at which point it must return to a valid landing spot using its remaining movement (see page 17 for important differences between where Skystrikers and Rattlers can land).

These are all legal combat moves. Admiral Keel-Haul is attacking Cobra Commander's forces in northern Greenland.

The Skystriker may move 3 hexes and through Destro's Rattlers to attack, as there are options for landing in a legal hex with just 1 move remaining.
The Cruiser carrying 2 Arctic Troopers moves 2 to amphibiously assault the hex.
The lone Arctic Trooper south of the enemy hex simply combat moves 1 to enter the hostile hex.
Finally, the Snow Cat Blitzes (see page 16) through the VP hex controlled by Destro, since there are no enemy units there. The Snow Cat moves into the VP hex, taking control of it, then it moves to join the attack.

You cannot deliberately send air units into combat situations that place them out of range of a possible valid place to land afterward.

For example, an air unit cannot use its full movement to attack a hex where it cannot land. It must save enough movement points to get back to a hex where it can land. It can, however, use its full movement to attack a hex where it could land if the attack is successful, such as a sea-only hex where an Aircraft Carrier could be there for it to land on by the conclusion of the Noncombat Move phase.

Attacking air units on Aircraft Carriers (see page 17) launch from them and move independently from them (in fact, the Carrier need not move at all), even if moving to the same hex as the Carrier.

Move as many of your units into as many enemy hexes as you wish. The active player may combat move units into a hex in excess of the hex's stacking limit. You may leave behind units that you don't wish to attack with. However, there is strength in numbers. Even a weak attacker might be useful to take as a casualty, protecting a better unit so it can fight longer.

Amphibious Assaults

An amphibious assault takes place when a Cruiser transporting land units (see page 18) moves into a mixed land and sea hex that is enemy-occupied or enemy-controlled. The units it transported (which are offloaded), and the Cruiser itself, are all in the attack for the duration of the combat. If combat in a hex includes amphibious attackers, the attacking player cannot retreat from combat - they must continue attacking until they capture the hex or lose all attacking units.

Phase 3: Conduct Combat

All combats in hexes containing units of both teams and/or Icebreaker attacks (see page 18) must be resolved, in the order of the active player's choice. All of the attacks during this phase are considered simultaneous, even though they are resolved one at a time. If you moved units into an enemy-controlled hex that doesn't contain any enemy units, no actual combat is necessary. Just skip to step 5 of the Combat Sequence, Continue Combat?, for each of these hexes.

All units in a contested hex must participate in combat there, with certain exceptions (see the Skystriker's and Rattler's Divebomb special ability, page 17, and the Cruiser's Icebreaker special ability, page 18). However, if the combat occurs in a sea-only hex, any land units being transported on Cruisers cannot fire or be taken as casualties, and they are lost if the Cruiser carrying them is lost.

The attacking player rolls for all attacking units and also chooses all attacking casualties. If there are two defending players, each player rolls for their own units, and they must decide amongst themselves which units to take as casualties (if they can't decide, the attacking player decides).

Combat Sequence

Optional First Strike Rolls (first round of each combat; W.O.L.F. only)
Attacker Rolls
Defender Rolls
Defender Removes Casualties
Continue Combat?

1. Optional First Strike Rolls. If it's the first round of combat and a player wishes to activate the Ski Torpedoes special ability on their W.O.L.F. vehicles (see page 16), they all roll their combat dice now. If they choose not to activate it, skip this step.

2. Attacker Rolls. Roll one die for each attacking unit that did not roll in step 1.

Roll for units with the same attack value at the same time. For example, roll all units with an attack value of "3" at the same time, unless the unit has an active special ability, such as the Snow Cat's Wire-Guided Missiles during the first round of combat.

An attacking unit scores a hit if you roll its attack value or less. Keep track of the number of hits scored.

After the attacking player has rolled for all attacking units, the defender chooses one unit for each hit scored and moves it to the back side of the hex (or into an adjacent empty hex) as a casualty. When removing chips from under a figure, keep those chips next to the figure so you remember what unit the chips represent when you return fire in step 3. All units moved this way will return fire in step 3.

3. Defender Rolls. Roll one die for each defending unit that did not roll in step 1.

Roll for units with the same defense value at the same time, unless the unit has an active special ability, such as the Snow Cat's Wire-Guided Missiles during the first round of combat.

A defending unit scores a hit if you roll its defense value or less. Keep track of the number of hits scored.

After the defending player has rolled for each defending unit, the attacker chooses one unit for each hit scored and removes it from the board (an Aircraft Carrier may be taken as a casualty even if doing so would leave air units without a place to land).

4. Defender Removes Casualties. The defender removes their designated casualties from the board. Casualties on both teams are returned to their respective pools of units, and can be repurchased and deployed again later.

5. Continue Combat?

If no attacking units remain, the combat ends. Neither the attacker nor the defender take any further action in this hex.

If no defending units remain, the combat ends, and the remaining attackers (if any) stay in the hex. If it's a VP hex and at least one attacking land unit remains, the attacker places one of their control markers into the hex and removes the enemy control marker (if any). When a defender loses a VP hex, they immediately reduce their VPs on the Victory Point chart. If there are no land units remaining among the attackers, the attacking units stay in the hex, but they do not replace any enemy control marker, and the defender still earns the RPs if it's a VP hex.

If both teams still have units in the hex, the attacker chooses whether to press the attack or retreat. (Remember, the attacker may not retreat if the attack includes an amphibious assault.) The defender does not have this choice.

If the attacker chooses to press the attack, return to step 2 of the combat sequence to start another round of combat.

If the attacker chooses to retreat, they move all attacking land and/or sea units in this combat to a single adjacent hex from which at least one of the attacking land and/or sea units moved (if this is not possible due to terrain, they may split up and move to two such hexes). Retreating air units remain in the contested hex temporarily. They complete their retreat movement during the Noncombat Move phase using the same rules as an air unit involved in a successful battle.

When a combat ends, resolve another combat that is pending. Once all combats have been resolved, proceed to Phase 4.

Here is the attack as declared on page 10.

The Skystriker rolls a 4 and hits.
The Cruiser misses with a 5.
The Snow Cat misses with a 6.
The Arctic Troopers need 1s, and roll one hit.
Now that the attacks have all been rolled for the first round, the defender chooses two Snow Serpents as casualties.
All four Snow Serpents roll defense, needing 2s or less. Two hits!
The attacker chooses to lose two Arctic Troopers. Then the two Snow Serpents designated as casualties are also removed.
The attacker must press the attack, as some of the units are amphibious attackers, so a second round of combat ensues.

Phase 4: Noncombat Move

The following units must move in this phase:

Land and/or sea units that participated in and survived a successful attack that are in excess of the stacking limit (your choice of units) must move out. These units may move into any adjacent hex(es) from which the attacking units entered the attacked hex.
Air units that participated in and survived combat must land. These units can move a number of hexes up to their movement values, less the number hexes they may have moved during the Combat Move phase.

Then, any units that did not either make a combat move or participate in combat may move. These units can move a number of hexes up to their movement values.

The green arrows are all legal moves. The red arrow is not. The attack against Cobra Commander was a success, and the Admiral replaces the red control marker with one of his own.

The Skystriker cannot land on the newly-captured hex, as it was controlled by the enemy at the start of the turn.
The Skystriker spent 3 moves to attack, so it only has 1 remaining for noncombat movement.
The Aircraft Carrier can noncombat move 2 spaces to provide the Skystriker unit a landing spot. This also has the benefit of protecting the Carrier from the two nearby Rattlers.
Alternately, the Skystriker can land on the 2 VP island that's 1 move away, as it is also a VP hex and was not under enemy control at the start of the turn.
The Cruiser at Keel-Haul's base can noncombat move to the 2 VP island and unload the Arctic Trooper on board to take control of it.
The 2 Arctic Troopers at the Apogee base cannot noncombat move into the Rattlers' hex. But they can move toward the VP hexes, and hopefully get there before a Cobra land unit does.

A noncombat move may not end in a hex containing enemy units, an enemy control marker, or an enemy base. Additionally, land and sea units may not move through such hexes. Air units may move through such hexes, but have other movement restrictions (see page 17 for important differences between Skystrikers and Rattlers regarding noncombat movement). A unit can, however, noncombat move into or through an uncontrolled VP hex using noncombat move, and a land unit can take control of it by ending its movement there.

When a land unit is unloaded from a Cruiser into a mixed land and sea hex, it may not move on its own during that same turn.

Air units on an Aircraft Carrier (neither of which made a combat move nor participated in combat) launch before the Carrier moves and move independently of the Carrier. In order for an air unit to land on an Aircraft Carrier, both units must end their movement in the same hex.

Any air unit that is not in a valid landing hex at the end of the Noncombat Move phase is destroyed and returned to its unit pool.

Phase 5: Check Stacking Limits

Stacking limits must now be enforced: 8 units in non-base hexes (land and sea); 12 units in base hexes. In each hex where you have units and the stacking limit is exceeded, destroy units of your choice (your color first) until the unit limit is met. Return destroyed units to their respective unit pools; they can be repurchased and deployed again later.

Phase 6: Deploy Reinforcements

Place your units from the Mobilization Zone into one or both of your base hexes. Only you may deploy units into the base that matches your commander's color. Either teammate may deploy units into their shared base. The Joes share the Apogee base in lower Greenland. The Cobra commanders share the North Pole base.

You may not deploy units to a base in excess of its stacking limit. Be sure to count your teammate's color as well! If you have units you cannot deploy, they remain in the Mobilization Zone for now, and you may attempt to deploy them in future turns.

Phase 7: Set Victory Points

Look for all of the VP hexes you control and add up their values. Place one of your control markers on the Victory Point chart on the number that matches this total.

End of Round

Check For VP Win: If you are playing a scenario where a team can win via Victory Points, total up your team's VPs now. If your combined VP total is equal to or greater than the VP count needed, your team wins the game. If not...

Advance the Round Tracking Token and Start a New Round: Move the round tracking token up one space on the Round Tracker. However, if you just completed round 7, the game is over. See the scenario details for how to adjudicate the outcome of the game.

Unit Profiles

The units are organized by Type: Land, Air, or Sea. This informs you as to where the unit can move. Each unit has a name, Reinforcement Point cost, attack value, defense value, and movement value. Most also have a special ability or two.

Name: This is the name of the unit.
Team: Units are designated as either Joe or Cobra. Only that team may purchase that unit. Both teams may purchase the listed sea units.
Cost: This is how many RPs you must pay to purchase one of these units at the start of each of your turns. You do not pay for the units that are placed on the board as part of setup.
Attack Value: Roll this number or less on a die to score 1 hit when attacking.
Defense Value: Roll this number or less on a die to score 1 hit when defending.
Movement Value: This is how many hexes the unit may move during your turn.
Special Abilities: These are special actions only these units can do.

Land Units

Arctic Trooper (Joe) - Cost 2, Attack 1, Defense 2, Move 1.

Snow Serpent (Cobra) - Cost 2, Attack 1, Defense 2, Move 1.

Snow Cat (Joe) - Cost 5, Attack 3, Defense 2, Move 2.

Special Ability - Blitz: These units can take control of an unoccupied VP hex simply by making a combat move through it (even if enemy-controlled), without having to stop. A blitzing unit establishes control of the first hex before it moves to the next one. Place one of your control markers on the first hex.
Special Ability - Wire-Guided Missiles: During the first round of each combat, if your Snow Cat rolls a hit you choose an opposing land or air unit to be the casualty. That unit gets its roll, as this is not a first strike ability.

W.O.L.F. (Winter Operational Light Fighting Vehicle) (Cobra) - Cost 5, Attack 3, Defense 2, Move 2.

Special Ability - Blitz: See Snow Cat Unit Profile.
Special Ability - Ski Torpedoes: During the first round of each combat, you may choose to activate this powerful first strike weapon for all of the W.O.L.F. units you have in the combat. Either they all use this ability or none do, the choice is yours. If you decide to use it, these units suffer a -1 modifier to their attack and defense values. That means they hit on a 2 or less when attacking and on a 1 while defending. Your opponent chooses the casualty, but as this is a first strike weapon, they do not get to roll for the unit they choose as the casualty. If you do not activate this ability, your W.O.L.F. units roll with the rest of your units at full strength.

Air Units

Skystriker (Joe) - Cost 10, Attack 4, Defense 4, Move 4.

Special Ability - Flyover: Air unit movement is not blocked by enemy units, control markers, or bases.
Special Ability - Divebomb: These units may attack sea units in a mixed land and sea hex without having to engage any land units that might also be in the hex. All enemy air units in the defending hex join the defense and fight alongside the defending sea units. The defender must take sea units as casualties first, then air units, but never land units. The attack lasts for one round of combat only! The force attacking the hex may not contain any units other than air units. If there are other attacking unit types, this special ability may not be used.
Special Ability - Advanced Systems: Skystrikers require airstrips to land on and to get them airborne when not using an Aircraft Carrier. As such, they cannot land on unimproved land. Skystrikers may only land on Aircraft Carriers of your color, or on bases and VP hexes that were not under enemy control at the start of your turn. This means they can never land in a hex where you just defeated enemy units, unless there is an Aircraft Carrier of your color there. Skystrikers alone cannot capture a VP or base hex, but may end noncombat movement in an uncontrolled VP hex. They cannot land on an enemy-controlled hex.

Rattler (Cobra) - Cost 10, Attack 3, Defense 4, Move 3.

Special Ability - Flyover: See Skystriker Unit Profile.
Special Ability - Divebomb: See Skystriker Unit Profile.
Special Ability - VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing): These air units may land on an Aircraft Carrier of your color or on any land or mixed land and sea hex (including a VP hex captured in the current turn). They cannot capture a VP or base hex, but they may end noncombat movement in an uncontrolled VP hex. They cannot land on an enemy-controlled hex.

Sea Units

Aircraft Carrier (both teams) - Cost 9, Attack 1, Defense 3, Move 2.

Special Ability - Carry Air Units: Up to two air units of your color may land on each Aircraft Carrier of your color. While sharing a hex with an Aircraft Carrier, the air units on board always participate in combat, and they are not destroyed if the Carrier is destroyed. During the Combat Move and Noncombat Move phases, air units launch from their Carriers and move independently from them (in fact, the Carrier need not move at all), even if moving to the same hex as the Carrier. This means a Carrier never grants additional movement to air units.

If a defending Aircraft Carrier is destroyed, any air units it was carrying continue fighting. After the combat, the air units may move up to two hexes to find a valid landing hex (observing the stacking limit) or a Carrier of your color on which to land. This movement occurs at the beginning of the Noncombat Move phase, before the active player makes any noncombat moves.
Special Ability - Two Hits to Destroy: When you are assigning hits to your units, you may choose to take one hit on each of your Aircraft Carriers without destroying them. Indicate that an Aircraft Carrier has taken a hit by placing it on its side. It can still hold two air units, even while damaged. If an Aircraft Carrier survives a completed combat having taken one hit, it is repaired immediately. Return it to the upright position.

Cruiser (both teams) - Cost 8, Attack 3, Defense 2, Move 2.

Special Ability - Transport: Each Cruiser of your color may carry up to two land units of your color across mixed land and sea and sea-only hexes. Land units may only load onto a Cruiser when they are in the same mixed land and sea hex, and may be in sea-only hexes only while being transported by a Cruiser. Land units being transported by a Cruiser must be kept next to the Cruiser. While in a sea-only hex, transported land units cannot fight, and if the Cruiser is destroyed, the land units are also. When a Cruiser transporting land units ends its move in a mixed land and sea hex, the units are automatically considered to be unloaded onto the land. They may be transported again during your next turn if you wish.

Land units that have been or will be transported via Cruiser may NOT move on their own, either before or after being transported.
Special Ability - Icebreaker: Cruiser units may attack an ice hex by making a combat move into the ice hex. However, they don't actually enter the ice hex unless at least one attacking Cruiser rolls a successful Icebreaker attack against that ice hex, so place the attacking Cruisers straddling the border between the attacked hex and the hex each is entering it from. During the Conduct Combat phase, each attacking Cruiser rolls one combat die once only, using its normal attack value. Any enemy units on the ice hex are not attacked and do not defend against this attack.

When an ice hex is destroyed:
- Return it to the stack - it can be placed again later.
- All friendly and/or enemy units on it must immediately evacuate to an adjacent land or mixed land and sea hex that they can legally move to directly (not through another hex) and contains no enemy units, enemy control markers, or enemy bases. They also may not exceed the stacking limit in such hexes. If there is no legal adjacent hex to move to, the units are lost (return them to their unit pools).
- All Cruisers that attacked the ice hex (whether they hit or missed), and any land units they are transporting, enter the hex where the ice hex used to be. These units cannot move again this turn.

Icebreaker example. The Cruisers combat move just onto the border of the ice hex, to attack the ice hex. They cannot attack the two Snow Serpents there.

During the Conduct Combat phase, the Cruisers roll a 1 and a 5.
Since one of the rolls was a hit, the ice hex is destroyed! The two Snow Serpents must retreat in any of the green arrow directions. Cobra Commander decides to retreat onto the VP hex occupied by Destro. The ice hex is then returned to the stack.
Now both Cruisers and the Arctic Trooper that was being transported occupy the former ice hex (the Arctic Trooper is unloaded), and they cannot move again this turn.

Commander Profiles

Admiral Keel-Haul - Logistical Expert: "You may deploy one air unit in a hex where you control an Aircraft Carrier. You may deploy one land unit in a hex where you control a Cruiser."

In total, you may deploy exactly one of each of your new air and land units in this way during the Deploy Reinforcements phase of each of your turns.

Stacking limits, as well as the capacity limits of Aircraft Carriers' Carry Air Units and Cruisers' Transport special abilities must be respected. Units may not be deployed where any of these limits would be exceeded.

Snow Job - Ski Troopers: "Your Arctic Troopers have a movement of 2 during your Noncombat Move phase."

During the Combat Move phase, they move one hex like any other Arctic Trooper unit.

Cobra Commander - At All Costs: "At the end of the first round of combat (after casualties), you may destroy 1 unit of your color in the combat to score 1 hit."

This special ability is available whether attacking or defending (including during a Divebomb attack, see page 17). Destroying a unit means removing it from the game board and returning it to its unit pool, so you can't just take a free hit on an Aircraft Carrier to enable this ability.

Once you have destroyed a unit of any type in the contested hex, one enemy player must assign a hit to one of their units in the combat and take a casualty. An enemy Aircraft Carrier may use its Two Hits to Destroy ability if able to absorb this hit.

Destro - Tactician: "Your units have +1 attack value when attacking hexes with 6 or more units in them."

Before rolling attack dice, count the number of enemy units in the defending hex. If it's 6 or more, your attacking units get this attack bonus. This bonus naturally increases the effectiveness of the W.O.L.F.'s Ski Torpedoes first strike.

Scenarios and Setup

Note: the printed rulebook shows each scenario's starting unit and control marker placement only as board-map diagrams; those diagrams are not transcribed here. Use the diagrams in the physical rulebook for starting placements.

There are three scenarios to choose from, each having a different setup. Scenarios 2 & 3 have some VP hexes under the control of certain commanders at the start of the game. Look for the control tokens of your color in VP hexes. Bases do not need control tokens, as they have your commander's color around the edges of the hex.

Scenario #1: The Cold Open

In this scenario, each commander has few forces outside of their starting base, so there is time to build up, jockey for position, and then strike when the time is right. This scenario is a good way to learn the game, as it offers new players a chance to get used to moving units around the board for a turn or two before the action turns hot.

Starting VPs: None

Victory Conditions: Your team must either capture any one opposing base (an instant win!) or have 10+ Victory Points at the end of a round. At the end of round 7, if no one has achieved one of these victory conditions, the team with the most VPs is the winning team. If tied, it's a draw.

Summary: Capture any enemy base. Your team has 10+ Victory Points at the end of a round. At the end of round 7, your team has the most Victory Points.

Scenario #2: The Hot Start

This scenario finds the forces of Joe and Cobra already occupying several key hexes around the map. There will be lots of avenues of attack from the get-go, so be ready for anything. This scenario is recommended for players who are already comfortable with the rules or have about an hour to play.

Starting VPs: Admiral Keel-Haul: 2; Snow Job: 2; Cobra Commander: 2; Destro: 3

Victory conditions are the same as in The Cold Open scenario. Just keep your eye on the VP counts, as victory could come quickly for either team!

Scenario #3: Base Brawl

This scenario changes up several aspects of the game. The only Victory Points available are the two "1 VP" hexes found in northern Greenland. All other VP hexes are worth 0, though they still count as VP hexes for all other purposes.

Starting VPs: Admiral Keel-Haul: 1; Snow Job: 0; Cobra Commander: 0; Destro: 1

Victory Conditions: Capture an enemy base to win! There is no 10 VP victory in this scenario. If no one wins by the end of round 7, a team can claim a minor victory if it holds both of the 1 VP hexes in northern Greenland; otherwise, it's a draw.

Summary: Capture any enemy base. At the end of round 7, your team is in control of both VP hexes on Greenland.

Strategy Advice

If the scenario can be won with VPs, keep track of each team's total VP count! If either team is at or near the target VP total (the total on the VP chart between the two teammates), that team could win at the end of the current round.

Look out when the enemy has units within two hexes of one of your bases. They might be able to attack your base on their next turn if you don't take action or defend your base properly.

Talk to your teammate! Coordinate your moves to keep pressure on the enemy. Come up with a plan for how best to capture VP hexes to raise your VP total, while reducing the enemy's total. Be sure that at least one of you is going to deploy some units to your shared base when needed, otherwise it might become an easy conquest for your enemies.

In all scenarios, Cobra starts with more units and territory, as they have been establishing their presence in the Arctic for a longer period of time. The Joes are late to the party, but have more resources. Over time, the Joes might be able to catch up and overcome Cobra's initial strength, especially if they can wrest control of some VP hexes from Cobra. If Cobra can take additional VP hexes, they might just overwhelm the Joes before they can counterattack.

Once you have mastered these scenarios, try coming up with some of your own. Just be sure to give the side with more income fewer starting units. This typically means that the side with less income will be an early aggressor to take advantage of their higher unit count... while it lasts!

Combat Sequence Reference (Back Cover)

Optional First Strike Rolls (first round of each combat; W.O.L.F. only)
Attacker Rolls
Defender Rolls
Defender Removes Casualties
Continue Combat?

1. Optional First Strike Rolls: During the first round of each combat, a Cobra player may activate the Ski Torpedoes special ability on all of their W.O.L.F. vehicles with a -1 modifier to their attack and defense values. If they choose not to activate it, skip this step.

2. Attacker Rolls: Roll one die for each attacking unit that did not roll in step 1. An attacking unit scores a hit if you roll its attack value or less. Once all of the attacking units have rolled, the defender assigns hits to the defending units, but does not remove them from the board until step 4.

3. Defender Rolls: Roll one die for each defending unit that did not roll in step 1. A defending unit scores a hit if you roll its defense value or less. Once all of the defending units have rolled, the attacker assigns hits to the attacking units and removes them from the board.

4. Defender Removes Casualties: The defender removes their designated casualties from the board.

5. Continue Combat? If both teams still have units in the hex, the attacker chooses whether to press the attack or retreat. (Remember, the attacker may not retreat if the attack includes an amphibious assault.) The defender does not have this choice.