In the Trenches: Devil Dogs
In the Trenches: Devil Dogs Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction
In the Trenches (ITT) is an historically accurate, fast-playing board game of WWI battles played from the perspective of company and battalion commanders. During the game, players move platoon-sized units across a map superimposed with hexagons to regulate fire and movement. Each hexagon spans 100 yards and each turn covers 5 minutes. A typical Operation plays from start to finish in a few hours.
2.0 Core Concepts
2.1 Timeframe
ITT divides The Great War into three time frames: early, middle and late, as follows. Time frames affect various rules as explained later.
- Early: August 1914 to March 1915
- Middle: April 1915 to March 1917
- Late: April 1917 to November 1918
2.2 Dice Related Conventions
Die means one cube, dice means two. When players make a die roll, they roll a single cube and read the result as a whole number from 1-6 inclusive. When players make a dice roll, they roll two cubes and sum the dots to calculate a whole number from 2-12 inclusive.
An original die or dice roll is what the cube(s) show after rolling but before any modification is applied. A final die or dice roll is that sum obtained after applying all applicable modifiers to the original roll.
2.3 Fractions
With one exception, carry all fractions to the end of a calculation, then before rolling the dice or moving a unit, truncate them to 0, i.e. drop them. Activation of individual shock units is the exception. Since a shock unit, and only a shock unit, can be activated by ½ of an order, do not round these ½ point expenditures.
2.4 Units and Steps
Units are individual playing pieces that represent soldiers and their weapons/equipment. Units are classified into types affected by similar rules, which are further defined by subtypes. Some general terms are used to refer to broad groupings of units:
- Gun means all ordnance except machine guns.
- Non-AFV means any unit that is not a tank or armored car.
Units can be broken down by casualties. Most full strength units consist of two steps. They are flipped and reduced to one step, or half strength, when they suffer a casualty result (sometimes called a step loss). Therefore, two-step units are completely destroyed only after they suffer two casualty results.
Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV), flamethrowers and super heavy guns (greater than 210mm) are all one step units at full strength: a single casualty destroys them.
2.5 Formations
Formations (see 5.0) are clusters of 2-4 qualifying units in any combination of the same hex and/or contiguous hexes. See also the Table of Formations and Units on the last page of this rulebook.
2.6 Sample Units
All units follow the template below. However, type and firepower may be expressed differently. Infantry and cavalry use standard military planning symbols to show type; other units display an illustration of some kind to show type. In all cases, however, players can reliably determine type based on sub-type, which always appears as a three letter code from the Table of Formations and Units. AFV may have two numbers for firepower listed as X/Y, one for guns, and the other for machine guns. Both will have the same range.
2.7 Force
A Force is any single, activated or reaction-firing unit or formation. Basically, the word "force" is just an expedient used throughout the rules so as to avoid having to constantly repeat the phrase "any single, activated or reaction-firing unit or formation."
2.8 Stacking
Each side may have no more than 3 units in a hex. The number of steps in a unit does not affect stacking. A one step unit counts as much as a two step unit; the limit is 3 units regardless of how many steps they have. Units forced into a hex that already has 3 friendly units are destroyed.
3.0 Sequence of Play
A session of In The Trenches takes the form of an Operation, each a battle on its own. Each Operation is divided into a number of game turns as specified in the rules for that Operation.
3.1 Turns
A game turn consists of a variable number of rounds, followed by a recovery phase. Once recovery is complete, a turn has ended and the next begins.
Design Note: Turns don't always account for all the time noted in the historical record of a given engagement. That's because game turns cover only moments of action or possible action – those points that require player input. There may be un-simulated moments of inaction between turns. During these lulls the game situation remains static as opposing sides assess the larger picture.
3.11 Rounds
Each round, each player makes an initiative dice roll. The two players compare their respective sums. The higher sum wins. The difference between them is the spread.
The winner can issue, or pass on, a number of orders equal to the spread. An "order" is one point of the spread. After the winner finishes issuing orders and implementing or passing on them, the loser takes his turn by issuing or passing on the same number of orders. The player who is currently issuing and implementing orders has the initiative and is referred to as the phasing player; the other player is non-phasing.
When both players have implemented or passed on all their orders, that round ends. The cycle then repeats for another round.
This cycle of rounds stops when ONE of the following three conditions is met:
- All units on the map are spent.
- Both players roll the same final sum on their initiative dice rolls. (But see below.)
- Both players pass on all their orders in succession.
Once the cycle of rounds ends, proceed to recovery.
Condition 2 is never applied on the first round of any turn. In other words, if the first initiative roll for the first round on a given turn ties, then ignore that result and re-roll the initiative dice until they are different to generate some orders for that first round. On all subsequent rounds, ties are accepted and immediately end the cycle of rounds for that turn when they occur. Basically, this guarantees that every turn has at least one round.
A "1" spread at night that results in neither player being able to activate is re-rolled.
3.12 Recovery
In the recovery phase, both players simultaneously:
- Remove all engaged, spent, gas, smoke, and impact markers;
- Flip shovel markers to their scrape sides; and
- Recombine half strength units of the same sub-type into full units. This is mandatory for any units that qualify. Full strength units created through recombination of halves from two different formations may be given the ID letter of either.
3.2 Orders
During a round, the phasing player issues orders to activate his forces. A player has a number of orders equal to the spread. Orders are issued in increments as necessary to activate one force at a time. Two different forces CANNOT be activated at the same time.
A player can spend orders in the following ways.
- One-half an order can be used to activate one shock unit.
- One order can be used to activate one non-shock unit.
- One order can be used to activate any one formation.
Orders don't need to be defined or clarified as such. They are just a mechanism by which the phasing player employs his units. A player can pass on an order, or ½ an order, and thereby "burn" it without affecting any units in any way (i.e., orders do not carry over from round to round). A player can pass on any number of orders per round. Orders not spent to activate units are considered to have been passed.
At night, it costs double the number of orders required to perform any activation. That is, it costs 1 point to activate an individual shock unit and 2 points to activate a non-shock unit or formation of any kind.
3.3 Activation
A force (a single unit or a formation of qualifying units) that has received an order, or orders at night, is activated and must immediately implement. To implement an order, a force can do one of four things: dig, engage in close combat, fire or move.
Units of a force do not need to declare what they will do until the instant of implementation. All units of an activated force do NOT need to do the same thing.
A unit activated singly must move and/or fire singly. The only way to group units for combined fire and/or movement is to activate a formation. Once a force is activated, all of its units must finish their activation before any other force can be activated. No more than one formation can ever be activated at a time.
It is important to remember that reaction fire (the non-phasing player's ability to fire at phasing units) does not require activation by the non-phasing player. Technically speaking, reaction firing units are not "activated." But they can interrupt a phasing player's activation with their reaction fire at certain times.
4.0 Commitment Levels
Commitment levels measure how much of a unit's resources remain available for action this turn. As units suffer from enemy fire and/or perform actions such as close combat, digging, firing or moving their commitment levels increase or "escalate;" this in turn decreases their remaining options for the current turn. Mark commitment levels with the counters provided. At the end of a turn, during recovery, all commitment markers are removed and levels revert to 0.
All units always have one of three possible commitment levels:
- Free (0)
- Engaged (1)
- Spent (2)
At the start of a turn, all units are free. Commitment levels increase AFTER units do one of the following: dig, engage in close-combat, fire, move, or suffer from fire. Units suffer from fire when a final Casualties Dice Roll (CDR) exceeds their resolve score. Escalations are per event and must be observed strictly and in sequence. Therefore, a moving unit that suffers from reaction fire but does not incur a step loss from that fire (a CDR > it's resolve but less than 10) will first be Engaged by that fire and then Spent for having moved. Players must be careful to incorporate both escalations, the first for suffering from fire and the second for having moved.
Commitment levels usually escalate by one; free escalates to engaged which escalates to spent.
However, in some cases commitment level escalates by two. Those cases are: when ordnance ranges for indirect fire, when ordnance performs indirect fire, and when ordnance moves into a new hex. Note, the commitment level of ordnance escalates by only one level if that ordnance performs direct fire or moves only within its hex.
Once a unit is spent, its commitment level can no longer escalate that turn. Further escalations have no status effect, but step losses from them DO apply. For example, if an already spent unit suffers a Casualties Dice Roll of 10 or more, it loses a step and remains spent. It does not suffer any added penalty for having been spent twice.
| Commitment Level | Allowable Actions |
|---|---|
| Free | Dig OR Close Combat OR Fire OR Move |
| Engaged | Close Combat OR Fire |
| Spent | None (although still capable of non-phasing participation in Close Combat) |
5.0 Formations
Design Note: Units of the same formation that move during the same activation may in fact be moving simultaneously even if they don't move as a single stack. The physical limits of the game, i.e. one hand, five fingers and many separate playing pieces may mean that a formation advancing in skirmish line is simulated by moving one platoon piece at a time. But, the pros and cons of formation account for the consequences of these units actually moving in unison. So, we sometimes simulate simultaneous or coordinated movement by moving pieces separately.
5.1 Declaring a Formation
Players may declare a formation at two different times: immediately prior to activation for the phasing player or immediately prior to a reaction fire by the non-phasing player.
To combine into a formation, TWO to FOUR qualified units must meet all of the following three Conditions:
- The Units must be of the same sub-type.
- The Units must have the same formation ID.
- The Units must be part of a contiguous mass of Units -- a group in which all Units of the mass are either in the same hex as, and/or adjacent to, at least one other unit of the mass.
TWO Units can combine into a formation if they meet EITHER of the following two conditions:
- One shock Unit can combine with any other single non-shock Unit in the same or an adjacent hex.
- One transport Unit can combine with any other single infantry or ordnance Unit in the same hex.
Note that even at reduced strength a Unit or Units that satisfies the conditions to make a formation may do so: there is no requirement that Units be at full strength to declare a formation.
Design Note: Infantry companies, cavalry squadrons and gun batteries served as the "standard" tactical units of WWI. However, for several reasons the game's basic pieces are platoon and section-sized. Using these smaller units as building blocks enables the system to simulate the pros and cons of managing larger "parent formations." Also, from the beginning, but with increasing frequency as the war progressed, battlefield realities forced platoons to act independently. Therefore, the following rules give players incentives to employ their platoon and sectionsized playing pieces in historically-accurate company-level formations; but the pieces themselves allow for autonomous action. "Formation" is the game's generic term for: an infantry company, an ordnance battery, an AFV platoon, a cavalry squadron, a transport and its passenger, or an ad hoc combination of shock unit with any other unit. A formation is the only mechanism by which a player can activate multiple units for movement or fire together. That means the only way to have a force of more than one unit is to activate or reaction fire via the formation rules.
Just because units are activated as a formation does not mean that they are required to move and/or fire together. They could fire separately at different targets and move one at a time in different directions. However, the pros and cons of formations would still apply to all those units for the duration of the current activation. The pros and cons apply because the units were "activated" as a formation; how they perform after activation has no bearing on those pros and cons. Also, all units of an activated formation must finish their activation before any other force can be activated.
Example: Two German Rifle Units (same sub-type) with the same letter pennant (same formation ID) are in adjacent hexes (contiguous mass) and so they are eligible to declare a formation. Likewise, the three American Marine Units satisfy all three conditions and are eligible.
Example: Neither of these groups are eligible to declare a Formation, as they do not satisfy all three of the conditions. The German Units are of the same sub-type (Rifle) and have the same Formation ID, but they do not form a contiguous mass. Whereas the American Units are of the same sub-type (Marine) and form a contiguous mass, but do not have the same Formation ID.
Declaring a formation is voluntary; units that meet the above requirements are never required to join a formation. The existence of non-qualifying units in the same hex or hexes as formation units does not negate that formation: it may still form. However, those non-qualifying units are not a part of it.
A Formation exists only within the current activation or reaction fire; it does not automatically continue into other activations or turns, though the same units may re-declare as a formation each time they activate/reaction fire as long as they still meet the requirements.
Players can structure their formations as needed within historical and counter mix parameters as follows. No more than 4 identical (of the same sub type and nationality) infantry units can share the same letter ID. For all other units, no more than 3 identical units can share the same letter ID at any one time. In other words, infantry formations can have 2-4 units where as all other formations will have 2-3 units.
Design Note: The idea here is to "invoke" formations when they are used while also sparing players the administrative hassle of having to track formations when they are not in use. Formations might persist in the background, but they are not always relevant to play. Also, the exact nature of the formation: column, skirmish line etc. is abstracted by how a player arranges the pieces on the map. The number of smaller units required to make a parent formation, 2-4, was chosen as the right compromise between simplicity and accuracy. At the start of the war, a typical rifle company had 3 platoons (of 80 men each) and a typical battery fielded 6 guns. By the end of the war, companies had 4 platoons (of 40 men each) and batteries fielded 4 guns. But, from time to time, ad hoc formations with variable numbers also proved useful.
5.2 Pros of Formations
Units activated as a formation can:
- Be activated by a single order (or two at night).
- Combine their firepower into one lump sum.
- Fire into a hex containing another unit of that same formation without harming that unit.
- Move as a combined stack (but do not have to).
- Claim a resolve score one point higher than that printed on their counter.
- Fire smoke and/or gas if qualifying ordnance.
Note that formation pros are all optional. Therefore, units that activate as a formation are never required to combine their firepower or move as a stack.
Design Note: These pros are a design for effect that reflects history. The more efficient activation cost should encourage the use of formations while reflecting command and control protocols of the Great War in which a combination of whistles, bugles and shouts served in place of radios.
5.3 Cons of Formations
Units activated as a formation must:
- Pay the coordination penalty before they move.
- Forfeit all dice roll modifiers from natural cover (buildings, craters, hills, woods) in their hex.
The coordination penalty is equal to 1/3 of a moving unit's printed movement point allowance. A unit activated as part of a formation pays this penalty in its starting hex the instant it announces movement. After paying this penalty, the unit proceeds with its normal movement – albeit with 1/3 already consumed.
Unlike formation pros, formation cons are compulsory and cannot be avoided.
Design Note: Units in Formation are keying off their higher echelon leadership. So, operating in Formation slows units down as they seek permission, await guidance, etc. Being in a formation requires attention to spacing, alignment, relative position and so forth. So, formations can't use natural cover because the troops in them are more focused on keeping position relative to each other than on employing the terrain.
6.0 Digging
Activated infantry units that are free can dig by marking themselves with a shovel counter and then increasing their commitment status to engaged. Digging is in-hex movement: it does not reveal hidden Units or provoke reaction fire. During recovery, flip all shovel markers over to their scrape sides. If forced to retreat, digging units forfeit their work. Remove the shovel counter when they retreat so it is not there for conversion to a scrape during recovery. Once placed, scrapes cannot be removed. Scrapes do not negate other terrain in the hex.
Scrapes are the only product of digging; dugouts and trenches cannot be created during play.
7.0 Fire Attacks
Units "fire" by projecting their firepower (FP) values over a range at a spotted or sighted target to make a Casualties Dice Roll (CDR). Phasing units must be activated to fire. Non-phasing units can reaction fire without an order – they do not need to be activated. However, firing still escalates their commitment level as usual. Units in the same hex as enemy units CANNOT fire out of that hex. However, they can fire within that hex until one side initiates close combat.
7.1 Types of Fire
There are several different types of fire: direct, indirect, ranging, and reaction. A firing force can choose to use whichever form of fire it qualifies for each time it fires.
- Direct Fire is the process by which a force fires at a target hex to which it has a line or lines of sight.
- Indirect Fire is the process by which ordnance fires at a hex or pattern of hexes to which it may or may not have line of sight.
- Ranging Fire is the process by which a force of ordnance prepares to conduct indirect fire by finding the range to a target.
- Reaction Fire is the process by which a non-phasing unit conducts direct fire at phasing units.
7.2 Line of Sight
Units with an unblocked line of sight to a spotted target are said to have "a valid line of sight" and can see that target. This enables them to conduct direct fire against that target or serve as a spotter for indirect fire against that target.
If a line of sight is found to be blocked before reaching the intended target than that shot is disallowed. The would-have-fired unit's commitment level does NOT escalate for that disallowed shot and the would-have-fired unit is free to select another target or perform another action instead of firing. When a multi-hex formation fires at a target, each shooting unit must trace its LOS separately. Disallowed shots simply drop out of that attack. The rest of the formation can still fire and those units whose shot was disallowed can perform other actions, including shooting at other targets, as a result of their activation.
7.21 Tracing Line of Sight
Check to see if a line of sight is blocked by tracing a straight line between the shooter's and target's hex center dots. Always trace from center dot to center dot. LOS can be traced with a string. An obstacle or concealment will affect line of sight only if its depiction appears on both sides of the string or if it is considered to fill the entire hex touched by the string. Concealment related to counters placed on the map (smoke and gas), and that provided by night or weather, is considered to fill the entire hex. Other forms of concealment, and all obstacles, are limited to the extent of their artwork (depiction) on the map.
An obstacle is any form of natural cover, as listed on the quick reference card, except craters. That includes: buildings, hills and woods. A LOS is blocked in the first hex outside of the shooter's hex in which it intersects an obstacle. Obstacles in the shooter's hex do not block LOS. A firing force can fire into the hex where its LOS is blocked, but not beyond. Therefore, it's perfectly alright for a LOS to hit an obstacle in the intended target hex before reaching the hex center dot – such a circumstance (in the intended target hex) does NOT stop the shot. Intersecting an obstacle in a hex before the intended target hex effectively stops (blocks) the LOS in the hex where it hit the obstacle.
Concealment is anything that obscures vision, but does not provide hard cover. It is defined as needed on operation cards. However, typical examples include: darkness, falling snow, fog, rain, smoke, vineyards, wheat fields etc. With the exception of smoke, concealment only affects LOS if it exists in hexes between the firing and target hex. A LOS can intersect concealment in one or two hexes and still continue (albeit at ½ firepower). However, when a LOS intersects concealment in a third hex it stops in that hex. Exception: smoke qualifies as Concealment in the firer's hex; thus the three-hex count in this case starts in the firer's hex instead of the first hex outside of it.
7.22 Line of Sight Examples
[Diagram: The German MG's Line of Sight to the American Marine Unit ends when it hits the building in hex B09. Therefore, it cannot see the enemy Unit.]
[Diagram: The American Marine Unit's LOS ends at the hill crest (see 10.6 and 10.7 for more on elevation) so it cannot see the enemy that's on a higher level of elevation. Because the German Unit itself is on an "inland" rather than hill crest hex, its Line of Sight is restricted to hexes on its own level of elevation.]
[Diagram: Whereas in this example, the enemy unit is occupying a hill crest hex, enabling the Marine Unit to fire, and vice-versa.]
[Diagram: Here, the crest blocks Line of Sight to the enemy hex.]
[Diagram: The German MG in hex J06, at elevation level 1, has its Line of Sight blocked by the building in hex J07. Because the Unit in hex K06 occupies elevation level 2, and is thus two levels higher than the building, it can see over the building, establishing Line of Sight to the enemy Marine Unit.]
7.23 Spotting
In addition to an unblocked line of sight, fire attacks also require that targets be spotted. All units that are not "hidden" are spotted.
7.24 Hidden Units
Units that begin the game set up in a hex with a cover modifier from any source are hidden.
Hidden units cannot be spotted for fire attacks of any kind. However, with one exception, hidden units are revealed and thereby spotted by any and all enemy units at the instant they move into a new hex and/or conduct a fire attack and/or participate in close combat. The exception is for hidden infantry units moving at night; they can move a single hex without revealing themselves. Movement within a hex (such as exiting a dugout) never reveals a hidden unit.
Hidden units can be attacked in close combat.
7.3 Range
There are three types of range: normal range, long range and indirect fire range.
Normal and long range both apply to direct fire only. A unit can fire from 0 hexes up to the number of hexes indicated by its normal range number at full fire power. Beyond that, a unit can fire out to long range, twice its printed normal range, at half fire power.
Indirect Fire range is a MINIMUM of three hexes; the maximum varies by weapon type as listed in 11.4.
Always count range from the shooting hex to the target hex. Include the target hex, but not the firing hex, in the distance calculated.
7.4 Casualties Dice Roll (CDR)
Fire attacks, gas, and cavalry charges can each trigger a Casualties Dice Roll. The direct fire, indirect fire, gas and charge procedures spell out exactly when to implement and modify a CDR for each of their cases. The player conducting the attack always performs the CDR by rolling two dice, modifying according to the applicable procedure, and then comparing the final result to the resolve score of each unit in the affected hex as follows:
| Final CDR | Effect |
|---|---|
| Less than or Equal to the Target's Resolve | No effect |
| Greater than Target's Resolve, but less than 10 | Target's Commitment escalates by one level |
| Greater than or Equal to 10 | Target is Spent, and suffers Step Reduction |
Step reduction will flip a full strength unit to its half strength side if that unit has two steps at full strength. Units with only one step at full strength, and those that are already at half strength, are eliminated by step reduction.
7.5 Ammunition
Guns (ordnance other than machine guns) can employ various types of ammunition. In the absence of a declaration, assume a weapon fires High Explosive (HE); this is the default ammunition for which the base rules are written.
Shrapnel can be fired by units of 57mm or larger at any time. It increases a unit's fire power by +3 but also doubles all cover modifiers in a target hex. In any given hex, shrapnel doubles cover modifiers only once regardless of how many units fire shrapnel at that hex. The +3 shrapnel modifier itself is never modified for any reason, apply it to the shooting unit's firepower after all other modification. During 1918, German 37mm guns may also fire shrapnel.
To fire gas or smoke, units must be in formation and use indirect fire:
- Gas can be fired by units of 75mm or larger during mid and late war. Gas has no firepower, but can inflict casualties. Gas always lands in a hurricane barrage pattern (7.83). Mark impact hexes with gas counters. For each hex so marked, make a Casualties Dice Roll with no modifiers. Gas does not cause a CDR anytime after initial impact. Gas offers concealment.
- Smoke can be fired by units of 75mm or larger during mid and late war. Smoke has no firepower. Smoke can land in any pattern. Mark impact hexes with smoke counters. Smoke acts as Concealment as noted in 7.21.
When firing gas, smoke, or shrapnel, increase the indirect fire range of a gun by 1/6th or 16.67%. (Remember that per rule 2.3, fractions are dropped after the calculation has been completed.)
7.6 Direct Fire
Direct fire includes all those attacks in which shooters fire their weapons at a target which they can see.
Direct fire attacks require a valid line of sight from shooter to target. All direct fire attacks must be further defined as either area or point. Area fire attacks can affect all units in the target hex except AFV; point fire attacks can affect only one AFV chosen by the firing player before the attack. A single direct fire attack (one roll of the dice) cannot be aimed at more than one hex; that is, individual units cannot split their firepower factors among different target hexes.
Infantry and cavalry units cannot fire through friendly units at the same elevation unless those units are AFV. The presence of friendly units along the line of sight between a shooting infantry or cavalry unit and its target will prevent that unit from firing – although line of sight may still exist. Infantry and cavalry units CAN fire along the hex side of a hex occupied by friendly units, however they CANNOT fire along such a hex side between two friendly non-AFV units.
Design Note: Because only units in formation can combine their firepower and because the CDR affects all units in a target hex the key to massing into fire groups that do maximum damage while lessening their own casualties is to form WWI-style firing lines.
Design Note: This prohibition on riflemen shooting through friendly riflemen is a simple design-for-effect rule that makes flanks relevant.
7.61 Area Fire Procedure
With two exceptions, area fire affects all non-AFV units in the hex – friendly and enemy. The first exception is that a firing unit will not affect itself. The second is that a formation can fire into, but not through, a hex containing another unit or units of that same formation without affecting them.
- Designate a target hex.
- Declare which unit or formation will shoot at the target hex.
- Trace a valid line of sight, or lines of sight if a formation is firing.
- Determine the firepower value of the shooting unit (or shooting units if a formation is firing). Modify each unit's firepower for commitment status, range and concealment as listed on the Quick Reference Card.
- If a formation is firing, firing units may sum their firepower factors into a single volume of fire.
- If the volume of fire is less than one that attack fails but all units are considered to have fired for all purposes. If the volume of fire is one or more proceed.
- Divide the volume of fire by 3 to get a volume of fire modifier.
- Make a Casualties Dice Roll (CDR) and adjust for: the volume of fire modifier, cover, and target status as listed on the Quick Reference Card.
Cover and status modifiers are applied on a per-unit-basis. So, it is possible to generate different final modified attack dice roll results for different units in the same hex from a single original dice roll. For cover, apply the single highest modifier applicable to each target unit – do not "stack" modifiers, pick only the best one per unit.
Units that suffer a Casualties Dice Roll of 10 or more from direct fire may have to retreat. Ordnance and any unit IN a fortification cannot retreat. All other units must retreat one hex in a direction opposite a hex side from which fire entered their hex. Units forced to retreat by fire from within their own hex must retreat back to the hex they came from. A player performs retreats for his own units. In the unusual event that fire entered all six hex sides at once the target cannot retreat and is instead eliminated. A unit forced to retreat off the map is eliminated.
- Escalate Shooters' Commitment
Except for engaged machine guns, increase the commitment level of all units that just shot by one. Free machine guns that fire will always escalate to engaged. However, an already engaged machine gun that direct fires at a moving target (reaction fire) will escalate to spent if and only if the attack dice roll was doubles. Engaged machine guns firing at stationary targets increase the commitment level by one after firing no matter what they roll.
Area Fire Example: The American "A" Unit fires on the Engaged German Unit two hexes distant. Its Firepower is "5", resulting in a Volume of Fire of "5". Divide this by 3 to get the Volume of Fire Modifier, 1.67. As the German Unit is in a trench, he has a cover modifier of 3. The net modifier is minus 2.67, which is rounded down to "2" right before the Americans make their CDR. Luckily, he rolls box cars; despite his -2 modifier, he gets a net result of "10", and the Germans become Spent and reduced, and must retreat.
The American "B" Unit then fires on the adjacent German. Because he is adjacent, he doubles his Firepower, total of "10". He divides this by 3 to get a Volume of Fire Modifier of 3.33. The German doesn't have a cover modifier this time around, so the enemy is going to add 3 to his CDR. He rolls a "2", for a modified total of "5": darn!
7.62 Point Fire Procedure
AFV and ordnance units can conduct point fire attacks against AFV. Each firing unit makes a separate to-hit roll. If a hit is scored, the shooter then rolls for armor penetration. Each point fire attack escalates a unit's commitment level by one. Cavalry and Infantry cannot conduct point fire attacks. Point fire attacks follow this procedure.
- Declare a target.
- Trace a valid line of sight.
- Make a to-hit dice roll modified for factors listed on the Quick Reference Card: a final 6 or more hits the target.
- Roll two dice for armor penetration: After scoring a hit, the shooter makes a dice roll and adds the full strength firepower of the firing gun, even if it is a half strength unit. Machine guns add nothing to the roll. If the final modified result is 10 or more the target's armor has been penetrated. AFVs penetrated by fire are destroyed unless the armor penetration dice roll was doubles, in which case the AFV is only immobilized (8.4).
Point Fire Example: The Full-Strength German Mortar fires at the American Tank (actually a French model, ooh-la-la). The German Player rolls two dice and gets a "5". Since he didn't roll 6+, it does not hit (the Unit is then marked Engaged). The German Player decides to try it with the half-strength Mortar. Because it's half-strength, he subtracts one from his dice roll. He rolls a 10, modified to 9, which is more than enough to hit. The question is, does it penetrate? He makes a Penetration Dice Roll and adds "5" to it - the full-strength value of the Unit is used, even if it is half-strength. He rolls two threes. This is a total of 11. It would be enough to destroy the Tank, but since he rolled doubles, the Tank is Immobilized instead.
7.7 Reaction Fire
This form of direct fire is initiated by non-phasing forces against activated phasing forces that are firing at them or moving in their line of sight. Reaction fire does NOT require an order but does escalate commitment levels the same as direct fire.
Non-phasing units can declare reaction fire and immediately form formations against phasing forces that have declared a direct fire attack aimed at them. This triggers a simultaneous firefight. In this firefight, all modifiers are calculated AFTER each side has declared whether or not it is in formation. Therefore, all the usual pros and cons will apply if a formation is declared. When formations perform reaction fire, every reaction firing unit in that formation must shoot at some hex that is firing on some portion of its formation. In no case can a reaction firing unit/formation fire at a hex that has not fired at it or some part of it. The phasing player resolves his attack first, but no results are applied until after the non-phasing player resolves his reaction fire attacks. Once both players have resolved their attacks, apply results simultaneously.
Non-phasing forces can also declare reaction fire in response to enemy movement INTO a hex. That means same-hex movement such as exiting a dugout cannot be used to declare reaction fire. In other words, movement can trigger reaction fire only when a moving unit crosses a hex side. Each non-phasing unit may reaction fire only once per hex entered by its phasing target. Subsequent shots by the same reaction firing unit need to wait until the target enters a new hex. However, any number of non-phasing units can fire at a phasing unit in each new hex it enters.
Non-phasing units can declare reaction fire against phasing units that enter their own hex.
7.8 Indirect Fire
Indirect fire includes all those attacks in which ordnance (usually large caliber guns) fire in high arcs at targets which are often out of their line of sight and at great range. However, these rules can also be used when firing units can see nearby targets such as when mortars fire at not-so-distant enemy trenches.
Only ordnance (including machine guns) can perform indirect fire. Indirect fire does not require line of sight from the firing unit to the target; however it does require a valid line of sight from an observer to the target. Having a valid line of sight from shooter to the target does not prohibit indirect fire, in fact it allows the shooting unit to function as its own observer. Indirect fire is possible out to "indirect fire range" versus normal range. It does not weaken over range, but performing indirect fire escalates the shooter's commitment level by two. Indirect fire affects all units of all types in target hexes.
7.81 Observers
An observer is any friendly infantry or ordnance unit with a valid line of sight to a desired target hex. Firing units can observe for their own fire. Either way, all indirect fire requires an observer. Observers do not need to communicate with firing units in anyway. Observing does not escalate a unit's commitment level, does not preclude digging, firing or moving and can be done even when the observer is already engaged or spent. Firing units do not need to stay with particular observers; they can adjust as necessary.
However, each indirect firing force must be able to identify an observer at the moment it places cross hair counters and then again at the moment it flips those counters over. Without a required observer, a unit or formation cannot place cross hairs nor flip them over. Even if an observer is available, cross hair counters cannot be placed or flipped in hexes out of that observer's line of sight.
Design Note: These rules are an obvious abstraction. The actual forward observers are assumed to be somewhere near friendly infantry and ordnance who simply serve as useful points of reference. Observers are also assumed to hide from hostile fire and communicate with friendly batteries via phones, flags, flares, etc. These abstractions spare players the chore of tracking intra-unit communication and prevent the wargame tactic of pouring fire on the easily spotted forward observer counter.
7.82 Indirect Fire Process
Indirect fire is a two turn process.
On the first turn, firing units must perform ranging fire to find their target through trial and error. To do this, a free unit or formation with indirect fire capability must be activated and is then immediately spent – no fire is resolved. However, a ranging unit or formation places three cross hair markers, two dummy and one real, one each on any three hexes within range to which an observer has a valid line of sight. Place counters with their "dummy" and "real" sides down. The ranging player can inspect the counters before placement.
Cross hairs come in black and white with various letter codes. Each side should consistently use one color and insure that the letter code on the counters it uses matches the letter code of the unit or battery that fired them.
If an observer is lost after ranging but before impact, between the first and second turns, and no replacement observer is available, firing forces can keep their crosshairs on the map and wait as long as necessary to resume with the "second game turn." If the waiting forces move or fire at other targets their crosshairs are removed from the map.
On the second game turn, the force that performed ranging fire last turn fires for effect. To do this, activate the force with an order. Then flip corresponding cross hair markers that are within line of sight of an observer over to reveal their identity. After flipping, remove the two dummies and the firing force fires at the real marker.
If visibility is good, then the firing force hits the original "real" target hex on a die roll of 2 or less. In the event of a miss, the fire will stray 1 hex away.
If visibility is bad, then the firing force hits the original "real" target hex on a die roll of 1 or less. In the event of a miss, the fire will stray 2 hexes away.
To fire at the real marker, first declare a firing pattern and ammunition type. Then make an accuracy die roll. Place an impact marker in the hex indicated by the result of the accuracy die roll. Then array additional impact markers in the chosen pattern around it. Ordnance indirect fire persists for the rest of that turn in which it was fired hitting anew anything that enters impact hex(es).
The following turn the force can fire again at the same target hex starting with a new accuracy die roll. Or it can choose a new target hex thereby restarting the two turn indirect fire process from the beginning. Subsequent shots at the same hex in consecutive turns apply a -2 to the accuracy die roll.
7.83 Fire Patterns
- Drum – This option impacts only the indicated hex. Each firing unit contributes its full firepower.
- Hurricane Barrage – This option impacts in a seven hex cluster. It affects the indicated target hex and the six surrounding hexes. Each firing unit contributes its firepower -3.
- Barrage – This option lands along seven hexes in a row. It affects the indicated target hex and three hexes in a row on either side. Each firing unit will contribute its firepower -3. The 7-hex row can be diagonal, horizontal or vertical along a hex grain or an alternate hex grain as illustrated.
[Diagram: Hurricane Barrage and Barrage pattern illustrations.]
7.84 Accuracy Die Roll
After choosing a fire pattern, the shooter must roll for accuracy. Accuracy varies depending on visibility. Visibility is assumed to be good unless the operation defines it as bad. When units fire together in a formation, the whole formation gets one accuracy die roll.
If a shot misses, roll for the direction of error. Roll a single die. "1" corresponds to the northernmost hex side of the original "real" target hex, "2" to the next hex in a clockwise direction and so on.
[Diagram: Error Direction Diagram.]
Once a direction of error has been determined, move the "real" marker one hex in that direction if the visibility is good or two hexes in that direction if the visibility is bad. Then resolve the attack from that "indicated" hex. The proscribed pattern will be anchored on the indicated hex. If the indicated hex is off map, than that entire impact occurs off the map and has no affect on play.
7.85 Impact
Resolve an indirect fire attack according to the following procedure.
- Based on the fire pattern, calculate the firepower of each unit separately.
- Add the modified firepower values together to get a grand total.
- Divide the grand total by 3 to get a volume of fire modifier.
- Make one Casualties Dice Roll per impacted hex and modify according to the Quick Reference Card.
- Leave impact markers in the hex (or hexes) for the remainder of the current turn. They will attack any new units entering their hex as per steps 1-5 above.
7.86 Preliminary Bombardments
These rules summarize the effects of shelling done in preparation for an attack.
There are two types of preliminary bombardments: saturation and shock. Operation instructions will specify which type applies and over what area. The player firing the bombardment is the attacker; the targeted player is the defender. Execute the bombardment after both players have set up but before the first turn of the operation, i.e. post setup but pre-game. After executing a bombardment, immediately start game turn 1. Units will carry the effects of the bombardment with them into the game, i.e. units may begin the game already engaged, in dugouts, etc.
7.861 Saturation Procedure
- All defending units must immediately enter dugouts/fortresses beneath their hexes.
- Defending units with no cover modifier are immediately eliminated.
- Each hex with at least one defending unit then rolls one die:
- Add one to the die if the operation specifies that "siege artillery" bombards.
- If the result is less than or equal to a unit's cover modifier, that unit is unharmed.
- If the result exceeds a unit's cover modifier, that unit is destroyed.
- If the result exceeds the greatest cover modifier in that hex, including a dugout, that hex is cratered.
- The attacker then rolls one die to determine how many wire counters will be removed. Players alternate removing wire counters one at a time, defender first.
7.862 Shock Procedure
- All defending units must immediately enter dugouts/fortresses beneath their hexes.
- All attacking shock units automatically get one free activation that can be used for movement only. These shock units can move their full movement point allowance one time. They cannot move as a formation. And, they must pay the most expensive movement point cost for the terrain in each hex they enter, i.e. they cannot enter craters for only one movement point, they must pay two. They cannot enter enemy occupied hexes. The defending player cannot reaction fire at shock units moving during a bombardment.
As soon as an attacking player avails this option, the defender makes a dice roll in secret. The result indicates which unit, in order of movement (the "nth" unit moved) will suffer friendly fire casualties from artillery fire that fell short. Let the dice rest where they landed and cover them with a box top, piece of paper etc. so the moving player can later confirm which unit will be affected. When the moving player finishes moving the "nth" unit, the defender shows the dice and the attacker reduces that unit by one step. If the attacker never moves the nth unit, than he never suffers the casualties. Do this once for every 12 units moved, i.e. roll again as soon as the attacker moves his 13th unit, counting that as number 1 in a new set of 12 units.
After all eligible shock units have moved or declined to do so, proceed with the bombardment process.
- Defending units with no cover modifier are immediately eliminated.
- Each hex with at least one defending unit then rolls one die.
- Add one to the die if the operation specifies that "siege artillery" bombards.
- If the result is 4 or more, those units are engaged.
- If the result exceeds a unit's cover modifier, that unit is step reduced.
- If the result exceeds the greatest cover modifier in that hex, including a dug out, that hex is cratered.
- The attacker then rolls two dice and sums them normally to determine how many wire counters will be removed. Players alternate removing wire counters one at a time, attacker first.
Design Notes: Saturation bombardments represent the meticulous, prolonged heavy shelling of enemy positions such as preceded the opening of the German attack at Verdun and the British attack at the Somme. Shock bombardments represent the briefer but more focused and intense front line strikes that preceded operations like the Brusilov Offensive and the Kasierschlacht. The out-of-sequence movement allowed during a shock bombardment accounts for how shock troops crept into no-man's land just before a bombardment ended in order to reduce the area they would have to cross under fire. Given the need to pay the maximum terrain cost per hex, this will usually mean units can only move two hexes. However, Russian saps (scrapes) dug across open ground will allow units to move a full four hexes – ala the Brusilov Offensive.
7.87 Off Map Ordnance
In addition to ordnance pieces on the map, operations may assign one or both players batteries (formations) of Off Map Ordnance (OMO). The amount and strength of off map ordnance will be expressed as X batteries of OMO with YZ firepower each where X is the number of batteries and YZ is the firepower per battery.
OMO counters are provided with letter designations in black and white so players can keep track of their OMO batteries. Each side should pick one color and use that for its batteries. Just mark the relevant OMO battery counter with a spent marker when it fires just as you would an on-map ordnance force. For example, in a given operation that granted both sides two OMO batteries the Allied Powers might take the white-colored OMO A and OMO B to represent their off map batteries and the Central Powers might take the black-colored OMO A and OMO B to represent their batteries. When Allied 'White A' OMO performed ranging, the Allied player would cover it with a Spent counter. When Central Powers 'Black B' OMO fired a hurricane barrage, the Central Powers player would cover it with a spent marker and place 7 black impact B markers on the map. In this way players can track their batteries and differentiate between their fires on the map.
OMO performs indirect fire like on map ordnance with a few changes. First, an original (before modification) OMO accuracy die roll of 6 cancels the current OMO indirect fire attack and removes the firing battery from play for the remainder of the game. Second, apply modifiers for ammo and pattern to the OMO battery's firepower, versus each unit of the battery as for on map ordnance. But to account for the units in the battery, double these modifiers. For example, the usual penalty to firepower for firing a barrage is -3 per unit. For OMO, that would be -6 per battery. Third, assume that OMO is always in range of the entire map and fires from level 0.
7.88 Pre-Registered Indirect Fire
An operation may afford a player a certain number of hexes pre-registered for indirect fire. These are hexes against which ranging fire was conducted prior to play. Every pre-registered hex must be paired with a particular battery – whichever one the player chooses by recording the pair. Before set up, he writes down the battery, its pre-registered hex(es) and the ammo and fire pattern to be used against each targeted hex on a pre-game note.
Once play begins, a battery can perform indirect fire at any of its pre-registered hexes at any time when it is phasing without an observer and without first ranging. The player simply spends the order to activate the battery, places the "real" cross hair on the pre-registered hex and immediately proceeds to an accuracy die roll modified by -2. The battery, target, ammo and fire pattern can all be confirmed by the targeted player from the pre-game note.
8.0 Movement
Only units that are free can move. After activation, move units by entering a new hex and simultaneously paying the cost of entry for that hex from the movement allowance of each moving unit. If unable to pay the full cost, units are "bounced" back to their previous hex and are considered never to have made the just-canceled move. However, units can always move at least one hex per activation. If the first hex of their move costs more movement points than they have, then they can enter, endure any resulting reaction fire, and then stop moving. After ordnance moves, mark it as spent. All other units have their commitment level increased by one after moving.
When activated alone, units must move separately: one at a time. When activated as a formation, units can move separately one at a time, but can also opt to move in stacks. In either case, units activated as formations retain all the pros and cons of formation whether they move separately or together, and regardless of their adjacency after activation. The key is that they were "activated" as a formation.
Units of a formation that start in the same hex can move together as a single stack, but do not have to. Units of a formation that do not start in the same hex, but instead in adjacent hexes, and decide to move would move separately one at a time unless one unit moved into a hex with another of the same formation and they chose to "stack" from that point forward. Only formations can build a stack as they move in this manner. All units added must have been activated as part of the formation. When added, each new comer is assumed to have spent as many points as already spent by the unit that started the stack. When a stack enters a new hex, all units in that stack must pay the cost of that hex or be left behind.
After a unit enters a hex, the phasing player should pause briefly to allow the non-phasing player an opportunity to declare reaction fire. Note, a unit is not done moving until it becomes engaged or spent or the phasing player initiates close combat, digs, moves or fires with another unit or the initiative passes to the other player – i.e. the "other guy" becomes the phasing player.
Units may not voluntarily move off the map unless allowed to do so by operation victory conditions.
Design Note: The separate movement of individual units within a formation is a convenient way to simulate the movement of a line of men abreast.
8.1 Movement Allowances
Moving units spend their printed allowance as they move in running tally fashion. That is, a unit moves into a hex and then lowers its movement point allowance by the movement point cost of that hex. Units can continue moving on to subsequent hexes until their movement allowance dwindles to 0. A unit's movement allowance is replenished (returned to its full printed value) at the start of each game turn.
8.2 Movement Into Enemy Hexes
With two exceptions, units can enter hexes containing enemy units without penalty. However, AFV armed only with machine guns cannot enter the same hex as enemy AFV armed with one or more Guns. And, transport units can never enter enemy hexes – although the enemy can enter their hex. Only AFV units can leave a hex containing enemy units; every other unit type is held in place by the presence of enemy units in the same hex.
8.1 Movement Allowances
Moving units spend their printed allowance as they move in running tally fashion. That is, a unit moves into a hex and then lowers its movement point allowance by the movement point cost of that hex. Units can continue moving on to subsequent hexes until their movement allowance dwindles to 0. A unit's movement allowance is replenished (returned to its full printed value) at the start of each game turn.
| Unit Type | Move. Allowance |
|---|---|
| Armored Car/Truck | 18 |
| Cavalry | 12 |
| Shock | 4 |
| Non-Shock Infantry | 3 |
| Tank: Whippet | 4 |
| Tank: French or German | 3 |
| Tank: British except Whippet | 2 |
| Caisson | 3 |
| Ordnance 155mm or less | 1 |
| Ordnance >155mm | 0 |
8.2 Movement Into Enemy Hexes
With two exceptions, units can enter hexes containing enemy units without penalty. However, AFV armed only with machine guns cannot enter the same hex as enemy AFV armed with one or more Guns. And, transport units can never enter enemy hexes – although the enemy can enter their hex. Only AFV units can leave a hex containing enemy units; every other unit type is held in place by the presence of enemy units in the same hex.
8.3 Vehicles and Trenches
Transport units cannot enter trench hexes. AFV can, but they must immediately roll two dice. On a result of 10 or more that AFV is immobilized in that trench hex, otherwise proceed as normal.
8.4 Immobilization
AFV can be immobilized by trenches and hostile fire. When immobilized, an AFV counter should be flipped over to its immobilized side. An immobilized AFV never falls below commitment level "1"; it is always at least engaged. It can escalate to spent and recover to engaged, but is never free. Otherwise, an immobilized AFV functions normally.
8.5 Cavalry Charge
Cavalry that move into enemy occupied hexes can conduct a charge concurrent with their movement. First, such cavalry must declare a charge at the start of their move under the following conditions.
- The cavalry unit or units must designate a target hex or hexes for their charge.
- The target hex(es) cannot contain enemy AFV and must be open ground and/or concealment terrain only.
- The target hex(es) must be at least 3 hexes away from where the cavalry start their move.
Condition 2 can be relative. Cavalry cannot charge up hill against a height advantage as that would be cover. However, they might charge the very same hex, so long as it is otherwise open ground or concealment, if they entered it from the same elevation, i.e. along the same hill top.
If all of the previous conditions are met, the moving cavalry can charge. Simply move the cavalry as usual to the first target hex. The cavalry charge itself does not escalate the cavalry's commitment – it is a part of their move. Charging cavalry are subject to reaction fire as usual. After surviving all reaction fire, including any conducted in a target hex, charging cavalry can execute their charge in each target hex they enter. Cavalry that enter a target hex will execute their charge there even if engaged or spent by reaction fire as a consequence of entering that hex. Further note that a given cavalry unit can only go on to charge additional hexes if it has cleared all enemy units from the hex it previously charged.
Execute a cavalry charge making a Casualties Dice Roll against enemy units in the affected hex. The only modifier is +1 per cavalry unit, regardless of strength, in the charging stack. Note that one could only have a stack if the cavalry in question activated as a formation.
9.0 Close Combat
Close combat represents fighting at very short range including, but not limited to, hand to hand combat. To initiate close combat, units must be free or engaged. However, all units, even spent ones, can participate in close combat as units can always defend themselves in close combat. Once any unit starts close combat, all free or engaged phasing units, regardless of formation, as well as all non-phasing units regardless of status or formation, in that hex participate in that close combat.
Forces that begin their activation in the same hex(es) as enemy units may declare close combat against those units. With the exception of Flamethrower and Sappers, Units on OUT and/or wire counters CANNOT initiate close combat against Units in a fortification; however they can defend themselves should someone else initiate close combat against them. Formations with some units on OUT and/or wire counters, and others not on them, could declare close combat, but those units of the formation on OUT and/or wire counters would not participate. Similarly, formations with some units in enemy hexes and some not can still conduct close combat against multiple contested hexes at once, but those units not in hexes with enemy units would not participate. Only sappers and flamethrowers can engage in close combat against enemy units IN a fortress.
Once close combat is declared, all units in each affected hex must participate and none can conduct fire attacks, dig, or move. Mark affected hexes with a close combat counter as a reminder. Participating in close combat escalates a unit's commitment level by one. Once placed, a close combat counter remains until units of only one side occupy the hex.
To resolve the combat calculate odds and roll dice as follows.
9.1 Close Combat Odds
Start by having each side sum the close combat values of all its STEPS. Then compare the competing sums to get an odds ratio of phasing strength to non-phasing strength. On the Quick Reference Card, find the nearest ratio that does not exceed the calculated ratio and note the corresponding odds ratio modifier.
9.2 Close Combat Table
The phasing player then rolls two dice, sums them normally, and adds the odds ratio modifier. Read the result next to the modified dice roll to determine losses. Each player allocates his own losses.
[Table omitted: the Close Combat Table (9.2) and the odds ratio modifiers are printed on the Quick Reference Card, which is not included in this rules PDF. See the gap note in the Table of Contents.]
Close Combat Example: 3 Full-Strength German Rifle Units (6 steps x 3 CCV each = 18 CCV) initiate Close Combat against two Full- and one Reduced-Strength Marine Unit (5 steps x 3 CCV = 15 CCV). 18:15 reduces to 1:1. The dice roll has no modifier, and the result is an "11": four losses for the Americans, and one for the Germans. As a result two American Units are eliminated. Now the German CCV is "15", and the Americans "3". The Americans do not initiate Close Combat at these terrible odds! On the following round, the German Player initiates Close Combat again, at 5:1. He rolls a 5 and adds 5 to it for a 10, eliminating the last Doughboy step, but at the cost of two Step Losses on his own side.
10.0 Terrain
Terrain affects movement and fire. When moving into hexes, units pay the single highest terrain cost that applies, i.e. do not add costs when multiple types are present. When fired upon, units can claim the single best cover modifier that applies; again, do not add multiple cover modifiers, chose only the most advantageous and apply it.
Any amount of artwork grants a hex that cover. That is, a sliver of woods or the edge of a hill just over the hex side is enough to make a hex a woods or hill hex with corresponding cover modifiers and movement point costs. However, only the artwork itself obstructs line of sight.
Units are always assumed to be at the highest elevation in their hex. This can create an anomaly easily resolved with reference to this rule. For example, a unit may be in a hex where the center dot is on a level "1" hill but a small crescent of level "2" hill spills into the hex. The unit is assumed to be at level "2". In this case, incoming fire would still be traced to the dot, as a point of reference, which would be assumed to be at level two – where the actual target exists.
Craters printed on the map do not negate other terrain in the hex as the crater counter does.
Infantry units can enter a crater hex at a cost of only 1 movement point if they agree to forsake the crater cover modifier against ensuing fire while moving.
10.1 Cover Modifiers
Cover Modifiers are listed on the Quick Reference Card. There are two types of cover, natural and fortifications:
- Natural cover includes buildings, craters, elevation advantage (being uphill relative to a shooter) and woods. Units in formation CANNOT claim dice roll modifiers for natural cover.
- Fortifications include dugouts, forts, scrapes, strong points and trenches. Units in formation CAN claim dice roll modifiers for fortifications.
10.2 Cost of Terrain
The costs for terrain are listed on the Quick Reference Card.
10.3 Concealment
Concealment is a generic term for any feature that might obscure vision but does not provide hard cover. Examples include: bushes, darkness, falling snow, fog, grain etc. With the exception of smoke, concealment must lie in a hex BETWEEN a shooter's hex and a target's hex to be relevant. Smoke, and only smoke, also affects fire when it is in the shooter's hex.
Concealment along a line of sight will either reduce firepower by ½ or block that LOS completely. If a line of sight intersects Concealment in 1 or 2 hexes, reduce firepower by ½. If it intersects a third Concealment, the LOS stops in that hex, with firepower into that hex halved as in the first two.
Certain types of concealment, falling rain and snow, are infinitely high in elevation.
10.4 Craters
Craters are holes created by high volume shell fire.
When a preliminary bombardment craters a hex, mark the hex with a crater counter. From that moment forward, the hex is treated as crater for all purposes. Except for hills, all other terrain (buildings, scrapes, trenches, woods, etc.) ceases to exist. There is no additional penalty to units in the hex when it changed from its previous form to craters.
10.5 Fortifications
Fortifications include: scrape, strongpoint, trench, dugout and fortress. Units in a fortification hex are not necessarily IN that fortification. Units must actually be IN a fortification to derive cover from it. Only infantry and ordnance can enter fortifications. All other units are always assumed to be outside of the fortification, even if in the same hex with it, and derive no cover from it.
Entering a fortification costs one movement point. This point is separate from the cost of entering the hex. So, units that enter a fortification hex are not IN the fortification until they spend that extra point. Furthermore, after paying the cost to enter the hex, these units must pause to receive reaction fire BEFORE they can pay the one point required to enter the fortification. Units that are in a fortification hex but not in the fortification should be placed atop an "OUT" counter as a reminder that they derive no cover from the fortification – note this is only necessary for infantry and ordnance as other units can never enter a fortification. Units on an OUT counter cannot initiate close combat against Units in the fortification. Units stay on the OUT counter until they pay the one movement point necessary to enter the fortification.
10.51 Scrapes and Trenches
Once in a trench or scrape, units can move to adjacent trenches along the trench line or adjacent scrapes without having to repay the one point to enter a fortification. That is, these units could enter the adjacent trench, by crossing a trench hex side, or the adjacent scrape hex at a cost of only one movement point, regardless of other terrain in the hex, and enjoy appropriate cover modifiers the whole time.
By default, infantry and ordnance units in a scrape or trench hex without an "OUT" marker are assumed to be in the fortification unless that fortification is a dugout or fortress.
10.52 Dugouts and Fortresses
A unit must be beneath a "DUGOUT" or "FORT" counter to be considered IN a dugout or fortress.
Starting with mid war, dugouts exist beneath all trench, strong point and village hexes. Infantry and ordnance (only) can enter a dugout or fort in their own hex by paying one movement point to enter a fortification. To exit a dugout or fort to a location in the same hex costs one movement point. Units IN a dugout are covered with a "DUGOUT" counter; those IN a fortress wear a "FORT" counter.
Units IN a dugout have no lines of sight and cannot be seen, even by other units in the same hex. Therefore, units IN a dugout can neither be targeted by nor conduct direct fire attacks. However, they can still participate in close combat. And, opposing units do not need to be IN a dugout to initiate close combat against units IN that same dugout. However, those opposing units could not be on an OUT counter. Hence, if a unit pays the one movement point required to enter a trench, that unit would shed its OUT counter and thereby be able to initiate close combat against other units IN a dugout in the same hex.
A unit may not go IN a fortress hex that is already occupied by at least one enemy unit.
10.53 Wire
Wire is a type of fortification. If entering a wire hex from other than a connecting trench moving infantry units must pay 3 movement points and AFV 2 movement points to be placed on top of the wire counter. When they next move, units on a wire counter can move beneath it by paying the usual cost of terrain of the hex after which they are placed beneath the wire and no longer hindered by it. Units can move onto and then beneath a wire counter in the same round if they have sufficient movement points to do so. Units ON a wire counter have a cover modifier of 0 regardless of what other cover may be available in their hex. AFV and operation-designated sappers remove a wire counter from play when they move beneath it.
10.6 Elevation
Terrain elevation is described by whole numbers in levels, i.e. level 0, level 1, level 2, level 3, etc. The ground is level 0. Most obstacles and concealment (features) rise up one full level from their base level; however, falling precipitation rises up (falls down) an infinite number of levels. Hence, ground level woods and wheat fields rise up to, but not through, level 1. That is, the top of a feature based at level 0 is at the same level as the feet of someone standing on a hill at level 1. Woods based at level 1 rise up to level 2, etc. Intervening obstacles and concealment interfere with lines of sight between a viewer and a target if both are based at the same level as the feature. Units at higher elevations can see past and possibly down behind lower level obstacles and concealment without penalty. Therefore, if a viewer and a target are both elevated or on different levels they may be able to see each other despite intervening features.
If elevation allows a unit to see past an obstacle or concealment to a same level target or over and down behind an obstacle or concealment to a lower elevation target than that obstacle or concealment has no affect on that LOS or any resulting shot. For example, a shooter that can see past 4 hexes of wheat field (concealment) has an unblocked LOS past that wheat field and would not have its fire power reduced by that wheat field.
10.7 Hills
Generally, hills are depicted in levels by dotted lines. Several concentric lines indicate a hill of multiple levels. Units are always considered to be on the highest level of hill in their hex.
Units on hills may be able to see over and even down behind obstacles and concealment at lower levels.
To see past an obstacle or concealment to a target, the viewer and target must both be at least one level above the base level of that feature. For example, a shooter on a level 1 hill can see past a building anchored at level 0 to a target also on level 1.
To see down behind an obstacle or concealment a viewer needs to meet several conditions.
- One, the viewer's base level needs to be at least two levels above the base level of that feature.
- Two, the viewer must be in a hill crest hex, a hill hex showing at least two different elevations.
- Three, there cannot be any intervening obstacle equal in height to the viewer's base level along the line of sight.
Note, the presence of any hex with the same base level as the viewing hex along a viewer's line of sight will block downward line of sight. For example, a unit on a level 2 hill hex could usually see down behind woods in a level 0 hex. However, if the viewer encountered another level 2 hex along his line of sight before reaching that woods hex, he could not see down behind it. In fact, he could not even see that woods hex as the intervening level 2 hex would block all downward line of sight beyond it.
Units in a crest hex can claim a cover dice roll modifier of 1 against fire from a shooter at a lower elevation. These upper level targets are said to have a "height advantage." However, this modifier falls to 0 if the lower elevation shooter includes at least one mortar or howitzer unit.
10.8 Roads
To move along a road, units must follow its course across hex sides. By moving along a road, units negate the cost of other terrain in their hex. For example, entering a woods hex along a road costs less than entering that same hex without the road.
Units moving along a road still retain their claim to other cover modifiers in the hex if otherwise able to claim them. So, a tank moving alone along a wooded road could claim the woods cover modifier against incoming fire even though it paid the road movement point cost to enter the hex. However, an infantry platoon moving in formation along that same road could not claim the woods as cover since moving in formation negates natural cover.
10.81 Road Bonus
Units moving along a road gain the ability to move additional "bonus" hexes.
Transport units earn one road bonus point per movement point they spend on a road. These bonus points must be spent immediately after a "real" point or they are forfeit, they cannot be saved. So, for example, a truck moving along a road might have a sequence that looks like this.
- First Hex: 1 movement point spent, 1 bonus point earned
- Second Hex: 1 bonus point spent
- Third Hex: 1 movement point spent, 1 bonus point earned
- Fourth Hex: 1 bonus point spent
- Etc.
Non-transport units earn one road bonus point per move if they conduct that entire move along a road. That is, at the end of their usual movement, they can move just one more hex if they spent all their "real" movement points on a road.
Design Note: Experienced war gamers might have noticed the lack of a "front" on vehicle and ordnance counters. Unlike many other tactical war games there are no vehicle or gun facing rules in ITT. Most WWI tanks bristled with weapons pointing in all directions. Given that all of these weapons could rarely if ever be brought to bear on a single target, trying to account for all their aspects seemed like more trouble than it was worth. So a reasonable compromise that covers most situations is to allow each AFV to fire half of its guns and half of its machine guns, but always at least one of each, as two separate attacks, each in any direction. The values printed on the counters reflect this, i.e. not all weapons are accounted for in the firepower value as it is assumed some will be of little use given the effort necessary to bring them to bear. The evolution of tanks seems to support this approach. As the years went by, the number of guns and machine guns on tanks decreased as did the practice of mounting them in all directions – a single turret with one gun and one machine gun facing the same direction became the norm. Additionally, WWI tanks were so thinly armored that there is little practical benefit in detailing armor and its aspect since even the best armor of the day had little hope against even small ordnance.
11.0 Unit Details
11.1 Armored Fighting Vehicles
All AFV have one step at full strength and share various characteristics. They are immune to area fire attacks; but point fire and indirect fire do affect them. All AFV have a resolve of 8. AFV guns and machine guns both have a normal range of 5. AFV cannot conduct indirect fire.
For each direct fire attack it declares, an AFV is entitled to one shot with its gun firepower and another one with its machine gun firepower. Hence, AFV get two shots per attack. These two separate shots must be conducted one after the other. One cannot be saved, if unspent it is forfeit. These two shots do not have to be directed at the same target, although they can be if the shooter wishes. After performing or forfeiting these shots that AFV's commitment level escalates by one for having conducted a direct fire attack.
Note, given this two-shots-per-attack, an AFV could potentially fire as many as four times in a single turn. The first two would escalate the AFV to engaged and the next two would spend it.
| AFV | Gun FP | MG FP |
|---|---|---|
| British* | ||
| AC | 0 | 3 |
| Mark I Female | 0 | 9 |
| Mark I Male | 4 | 6 |
| Mark IV Female | 0 | 9 |
| Mark IV Male | 4 | 6 |
| Mark A Whippet | 0 | 6 |
| French* |
* Note: American Tankers utilized British/French tanks.
11.2 Horse
At full strength, all cavalry have FP 1, Normal Range 2 and Resolve 8. At half strength, firepower drops to 0. Barring a special rule in the operation at hand, cavalry cannot dismount to serve as infantry.
Design Note: Cavalry that dismounted before an operation began are in fact infantry in this game.
11.3 Infantry
As a frame of reference, firepower (FP), range and resolve values for the Great Powers of the Great War are provided on the table on the page following.
| EARLY WAR | Full FP | Full NR | Full Res. | Reduced FP | Reduced NR | Reduced Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austrian | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Austrian: Schutzen | 3 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| British | 5 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| British: Imperial Serv. | 3 | 2 |
| MID WAR | Full FP | Full NR | Full Res. | Reduced FP | Reduced NR | Reduced Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austrian | 3 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| British | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| French | 4 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
| German | 4 | 2 |
| LATE WAR | Full FP | Full NR | Full Res. | Reduced FP | Reduced NR | Reduced Res. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austrian | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| British | 5 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| French | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| German | 5 | 2 |
Design Note: Where do these numbers come from?
An adage of the Napoleonic Age, an era when combatants were very similar riflemen, stated that an attacker needed a 3 to 1 advantage in numbers to be more likely to succeed than not. So, we can conclude that in a rifle-fight an attacker is likely, but not certain, to win if he can muster a 3 to 1 advantage. And, we should define "winning" in game terms as spending and reducing a unit, i.e. a roll of 10 or more. This makes sense because engaging a unit, although useful in stopping movement, is essentially a tie since the shooter is also engaged by the very same shot.
Therefore the worst riflemen – the French army of 1914 – should be able to beat back almost three times their own number. In the Trenches makes this likely by assigning 1914 French rifles a firepower value of 3. Imagine a single French platoon on an empty map opposed by three German platoons two hexes away. If the Germans charge, then the first rushing platoon gets hit by 6 FP (3X2 for adjacent) and a +1 to the roll for moving for a total modifier of +3. The French would have to exceed the German morale of 8 (7+1 for formation) to stop the rush. A likely original roll of 6 or more would do that; a somewhat likely 7 or more would actually spend the target and inflict a step loss! The second charging platoon would get hit with only 3 FP from the already-engaged French, again doubled for an adjacent target. Hence an original 7 or more would stop the 2nd platoon. The third could then rush into melee for a 50-50 shot at victory. Given the chance that one of the first two French shots could have failed to stop its target we see that ultimately, the Germans have a slightly better than 50% chance of winning when charging at rifles with a 3-1 advantage. Of course, the Germans could just fire at the French with 3 platoons for a total of 12 FP. With all other things being equal, that would spend and step reduce the French on an easy-to-make roll of 6 or more; a much more likely result than the 8 or more required if only 2 platoons (8 FP) fired. So again, we see that 3-1 is the tipping point where an attacker is more likely to win than lose.
Back to adages, Robert E. Lee noted that he could hold off 5 times his own number with entrenched defenders. That holds true in this game. The French could make that "just fire" option outlined above nearly useless by digging in. If three German platoons (12 FP) fired over two hexes at an entrenched French unit (cover 3) they would need to roll a 9 or more to spend and reduce the target – highly unlikely and even less so if you increase the range by just one hex and thereby cut the firepower in half. However, six German platoons (a ratio of over 5-1) could conduct two such shots or have one company fire and the other move to have a much better chance of success.
What about the normal range assigned to units? Various accounts of WWI note that in most places on the western front opposing trenches were 200-300 yards apart. Since the trenches emerged from pre-trench battle lines we can use this average distance to deduce a few things about rifle range. First, rifles were extremely effective out to about 200 yards. Beyond that, rifles posed a threat but soldiers had enough "safety" to start digging trenches. This jibes well with anecdotal evidence. German infantrymen have explained that they rarely fired beyond 400 yards – the limit of long range for those with a normal range of 2. And, that in turn provides a good rationale for the early war British range of 3 as the "Old Contemptibles" were famous for concentrated, long range rifle fire. Since opposing riflemen persisted in their trenches at 200-300 yards for years we can deduce a few things about trenches. Rifle fire at 300 yards against entrenched targets should be nearly useless. And this is the case. A single German platoon shooting over a range of 3 hexes at a lone mid-war Tommy would need to roll an 11 or more to engage him and could not inflict a step loss: 4 FP divided by 2 for long range yields 2 FP, not enough to get a + modifier for volume of fire, then apply a -3 for the trench. Indeed, an entire German rifle company with a total of FP 12 firing at the same target would need a 9 or more to hit and an 11 or higher to inflict a loss. So, it's extremely tough for riflemen to dislodge each other from trenches – a defining characteristic of WWI.
But there are machine guns! These grim reapers do not negate the previously described adages of Napoleon and Lee, rather their performance in WWI adds a corollary - one machine gun equals 100 rifles. On the defense, machine gun platoons, that can keep firing until they roll doubles, essentially function as 2-3 rifle platoons each, depending on how well they roll. Recall that in 1914, 2-3 rifle platoons had 160-240 men and a machine gun platoon had two weapons. Hence, in the game a machine gun is the equal of about 80-120 men – right around the 100 described by the old adage. So, In the Trenches exemplifies the old rifle adages and the machine gun corollary. Also, from a statistical point of view, I wanted to make sure that machine gun fire at a range of 1 hex (100 yards) was murder as it was on the Somme. And, this is the case. A single MG platoon with FP 6 hits an adjacent target moving in the open with a total modifier of +5. That means a dice roll of 5 or higher will spend and reduce that target – highly likely.
Additional anecdotes defined artillery. During the war, 105s earned a reputation as good against trenches. The game illustrates this, at normal range, or via indirect fire, a single 105 mm howitzer section (7 FP and a plunging fire bonus) negates the value of a trench (cover 3) with its +3 attack modifier. At Verdun, even the mighty 420mm guns (18 FP, +6 dice modifier) failed to crush the French forts (cover 18). During mid war, dugouts (cover 5), are not seriously threatened by anything less than a 150mm battery (18 FP for a +6 modifier).
So, all firepower and range numbers are derived from carefully considered anecdotal evidence and the timeless wisdom of military greats. Taken together, these sources of information allow a reasonable recreation of the War of Material.
11.4 Ordnance
Ordnance firepower values vary based on barrel width and possibly weapon age. Machine guns have firepower as assigned below. Determine the firepower of full strength gun units based on barrel width. For the first 120mm, award one point of FP for every 15mm – plus one for any leftover fraction of 15mm. For units that include guns with multiple barrels, multiply the number just calculated by the number of barrels on a single gun in that unit. For example, a full strength unit with 20mm guns has a fire power of 2. But, if those guns were 20mm quad (4 barrels per gun) that unit would have a fire power of 8. After 120mm, award one point of FP for every 30mm and drop all fractions. If an operation special rule indicates that a given unit's guns were manufactured before the year 1897, then reduce the FP value just calculated by ½. Ordnance units that lack a normal range cannot conduct direct fire. Half strength units have half the firepower of their full strength side.
Design Note: Quick Firing (QF) artillery, the norm in WWI, did not appear until 1897. During the war, several nations did use pre-97 pieces that lacked the recoil mechanisms which made QF artillery so deadly. So, pre-97 artillery has lower FP values.
| Size in mm | Firepower Full | Firepower Red. | Normal Range | Indirect Fire Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MG, Aust./Russ. | 5 | 2 | 4 | 27 |
| MG, Brit./French | 6 | 3 | 5 | 27 |
| MG, German | 6 | 3 | 5 | 27 |
| MG, USA | 7 | 3 | 5 | 27 |
| 13 (Anti-Tank Rifle) | 1 | 1 | 2 | Nil |
* The French 77mm gun (mle 1897), only, has a FP of 6. All other 75s have FP 5.
11.5 Transport (Trucks and Caissons)
All transport units have a resolve score of 6. They cannot conduct fire attacks of any kind and are automatically captured if alone with enemy units in a hex during or at the end of close combat. Transport cannot enter enemy hexes.
Transport can carry friendly infantry and ordnance of 155mm or less on a transport-step-per-passenger-step basis. To carry passengers, the transport and its passenger activate as a same-hex formation. From that point on, for the duration of the current move and for movement purposes only, the passenger is absorbed by the transport. As a practical matter, this means that all movement point costs are calculated against the transport and the passenger is not assessed separately. However, the passenger's move ends when the transport stops moving. The passenger cannot move separately in the same turn either before or after riding transport. Before leaving its start hex, the transport pays 1/3 of its printed movement allowance as usual for moving as a formation. The pair then move as a stack. There is no additional cost for loading, towing or unloading as that is all included in the formation coordination penalty. After moving, both transport and passenger have their commitment levels increased as usual, i.e. ordnance that moves one or more hexes will be spent. And, the passenger is assumed to be unloaded and fully capable of other actions as befits its current commitment level. If the pair wish to move together again in a later turn, they must pay the coordination penalty anew at that time like any other formation.
There is no special treatment of passengers if their transport suffers an attack of some kind. The passengers would suffer the attack as usual.
12.0 Leadership
Operation special rules may assign leadership points to a particular type of units on a given side.
To use leadership, when a unit or formation is activated or reaction fires, the activating player simply declares that he or she is spending one point of leadership on the activation or reaction fire attack. He or she then defines which statistic he will increase: firepower or range or resolve or movement. Any and all units in the activated or reaction-firing force then have the relevant score increased by one point for the duration of that activation or reaction fire only. This increase occurs before any other modification.
Leadership points can only be spent one per activation or reaction fire attack.
13.0 Operations
Operations are the "matches" one plays in ITT. The rules for the Operation will describe: the historical action that inspired the card, which forces are involved, where they set up or enter, which situation specific special rules apply and how to win. An operation is played for a number of turns indicated. Keep track of this on the Game Turn Record Track.
To keep track of "orders remaining" put the "Central Powers/Allied Powers" chit on the records track with the phasing side up. It starts atop the "spread" counter and then slides to 0 as orders are spent. This way there's no memory problem and the spread remains clear too as that chit stays put.
Design Note: Operations do not necessarily represent entire battles – although sometimes they do. Often, operations will recreate only the critical hour or so of a given engagement.
13.1 Pre-Game
Before set up, players must record any hexes that are pre-registered for indirect fire.
13.2 Set-Up
Players consult the operations card to see which units they have available. When selecting units from the "pile" for use in the current operation, players are free to choose units with the letter IDs they wish within these limits. Up to and including 4 identical infantry units can share the same letter ID, for all other units, up to and including 3 identical units can share the same letter ID.
For example, if the operation assigns a given player 6 identical artillery sections, he could have 3 with the letter A and 3 with the letter B or he might have 2 with the letter A, 2 with the letter B and 2 with the letter C. However, he could NOT have 4 artillery sections with the letter A. Four of anything with the same letter ID is only possible for infantry. So, if an operation assigned a player 12 rifle platoons he could chose to have 4 rifle platoons with the letter A, 4 with the letter B, 2 with the letter C and 2 with the letter D or some other combination but never more than 4 with the same letter.
Players set their forces up as per instructions on the operations card. After set up, but before game turn 1, conduct any preliminary bombardments – including the movement of shock troops during those bombardments.
13.3 Entering From Off-Map
Sometimes operations will indicate that some forces must enter the map during the operation. On the indicated turn, these forces join their respective side's off map pool. This pool is an abstract "area" adjacent to the map. While in the pool, units can assume they are in the same hex and/or adjacent to one another as required to facilitate their entry onto the map. There is no stacking limit in the pool. The pool is immune to all types of fire.
When ready to enter, units are activated as usual and move onto the map paying the usual number of movement points for the first hex they enter at which time they are out of the pool and all regular rules apply. Although units cannot enter before their indicated turn, they can wait until after it passes. Units can remain in the pool past their schedule turn of entry to enter on a later turn at the same proscribed locations with no additional penalty.
13.4 Victory
Victory Conditions define what must be done to win. If conditions are listed for only one side, that side must fulfill those conditions to win or else it loses. Victory often rides on two key events, exiting the map and controlling hexes.
13.41 Exiting the Map
Sometimes operation victory conditions require that units exit the map. To do this, just move a unit to the edge and pay one more movement point to leave the map. Units that exit the map cannot reenter.
13.42 Hex Control
A side controls a hex the instant it solely occupies that hex with a non-transport unit. Players may wish to mark the hexes they control with appropriate alliance counters: Allied or Central Powers.
14.0 Conclusion
That's it! You're ready to play!
Table of Formations and Units
| Unit Type/Sub-Type | Formation | Full-Strength | Reduced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV) | |||
| Tank (TNK) | Platoon | Tank | - |
| Armored Car (AC) | Platoon | Armored Car | - |
| Horse (HRS) | |||
| Cavalry (CAV) | Squadron | Troop | Patrol |
| Infantry (INF) |
Devil Dogs Base Set Operations
The Base Set I scenario sheet ("Base Set I: Devil Dogs") gives the three Devil Dogs Operations. Its historical introductions are kept in italics; the operation rules follow each.
Operation 1: Hill 142
The Kaiser's last spring offensives rolled to a halt on June 3, 1918, near Chateau Thierry, France when the 461st Imperial German Infantry Regiment (1,169 men) tangled with the 5th U.S. Marine Regiment at a so-far-unscarred place called Belleau Wood. With no way forward, the Germans entrenched. On June 6th, the Marines counterattacked. Before dawn, the first battalion of the fifth Marine Regiment (1/5) struck east at the local high ground – Hill 142. Two companies surged forward. German machine gun fire inflicted terrible losses, slowing them to a crawl. Then two more companies piled on to carry the fight uphill into bloody hand-to-hand combat. At a cost of 9 officers and 325 Marines, the Americans had captured the summit by 0700.
- Map: Hill 142
- First Placement: Germans
- Game Length: 8 Turns
- Victory Conditions: The Americans win at game end if they solely occupy Hex K05.
- Special Rules: On game turn 1 only, all hexes afford concealment due to early morning/low visibility. The Americans fire a preliminary saturation bombardment at every hex of Hill 142. Reduce and place a Spent marker on each unit that fails the saturation bombardment roll. Ignore rule 7.861.3, third bullet point, for this operation. Units that fail their saturation bombardment roll are not eliminated.
- German Set-Up: On any hexes of Hill 142: (4) RFL platoons, (1) MG, (1) MTR.
- American Set-Up: In any stream hexes (row D): (8) MAR platoons. In any hexes in row A: (8) MAR platoons.
Operation 2: Lucy's Corner
Twelve hours after the attack on Hill 142, a brief artillery bombardment paved the way for the 3/5 and 3/6 Marines to attack Belleau Wood. They advanced from the west through waist-high wheat fields. German machine guns decimated 3/5. Nonetheless, galvanized by Gunny Daly's rebuke, "Come on ya sons-of-bitches, ya want to live forever?", the Marines captured the southwest corner of Belleau Wood at a cost of 1,087 casualties.
- Map: Lucy's Corner
- First Placement: Germans
- Game Length: 7 Turns
- Victory Conditions: The Americans win at game end if they solely occupy Hexes F04 and G05.
- Special Rules: The Americans fire a preliminary saturation bombardment at the German set up area. Reduce and place a Spent marker on each unit that fails the saturation bombardment roll. Ignore rule 7.861.3, third bullet point, for this operation. Units that fail their saturation bombardment roll are not eliminated. Immediately after the first U.S. Marine platoon is destroyed, all remaining U.S. Marine platoons become shock troops (activation is 1/2 order, MP is 4, Close Combat is 6, can be in a formation with any other unit). The wheat fields are provided for historical interest only and have no effect on gameplay.
- German Set-Up: On any trench hexes (G01-I05): (4) RFL platoons, (2) MG.
- American Set-Up: In any road hexes: (16) MAR platoons.
Operation 3: Wasteland
After three days of seesaw struggle, both sides unleashed their heavy guns on June 9. The Americans drew infantry back and blasted Belleau Wood into the Stone Age. A wasteland of twisted branches, upturned earth and shattered stumps emerged from the dust. The Germans answered by pounding Lucy and Bouresches into rubble. Then on June 12, the Marines bombarded what was left of Belleau Wood for three hours before 2/5 and 1/6 resumed the attack. Almost immediately, 2/5 stumbled into rifle and bayonet combat. Nestled in rocky ravines, German machine gunners bled the Marines by the yard as German artillery rained down from above. Regardless, the Marines pushed forward expanding their perimeter to the north and east. Indeed, although the slugfest for Belleau Wood dragged on until June 25, the Marines earned the name Teufelhunde by June 12.
- Map: Hell's Corner
- First Placement: Germans
- Game Length: 7 Turns
- Victory Conditions: The Americans win at game end (or immediately) if there are no German troops left on the map.
- Special Rules: All U.S. Marine platoons are shock troops (as in Operation 2). Shattered woods (E-I, 01-06 inclusive) are concealment terrain, not cover, and cost only 1MP to enter. Treat non-Shattered Cratered hexes (for example, C02) as normal Cratered hexes.
- German Set-Up: In any Shattered Woods hexes: (4) RFL platoons, (1) MG, (1) MTR.
- American Set-Up: In any hexes in Column A: (16) MAR platoons.