Sergeants D-Day
Sergeants D-Day Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Card-Driven and Action-Oriented
Two important concepts: “Card-Driven” and “Action-Oriented.”
“Card-Driven” means different things to different people. Here we mean that cards will be the main force that drives the mechanics within the game. There are different types of cards and all are important because they do different things.
First, there is a “Story Deck” that contains “Phase Cards” which regulate Action and monitor the possibility of some sort of random event happening. For now we’ll just focus on the Action.
Each Soldier comes with Action Cards that incorporate his skills, abilities, and personality. When you pick your Soldiers for a scenario, you will put together all their respective Action Cards to create an “Action Deck.”
What does “Action-Oriented” mean? First, look at some of the Soldiers’ Action Cards. You will see at the top left, there is a horizontal bar of color with just one word in it. SDD has 4 main Action “categories.” They are:
- LOOK (green)
- HIDE (blue)
- MOVE (yellow)
- SHOOT (pink)
Note that each Soldier Action Card has at least ONE of these terms on it.
Now take out the Story Deck. You will notice that there are TWO of these terms and color bars at the top of each card with the phrase “and then” between them. So, one card might say, “MOVE (and then) SHOOT,” or “LOOK (and then) MOVE.” The four Actions may come in any sort of combination.
Early in each turn, you will turn THREE of these Strory Cards face up and place them in order—1, 2, 3—on the Story Deck placemat in a panel provided for this. Each turn, players form “hands” by combining a scenario’s base draw (usually three cards) and the draw value found in the LOOK actions of their squad’s Soldier Cards. Players will then look at the Action Cards he or she is holding and play ONE Soldier Action Card that matches EITHER of the choices on EACH of the three Story cards.
So if the three Phase Cards were: HIDE (and then) MOVE, MOVE (and then) SHOOT, LOOK (and then) HIDE. You would place ONE Action Card that has EITHER a HIDE OR a MOVE Action, place a second card which had EITHER a MOVE OR a SHOOT Action and place a third card with EITHER a LOOK OR a HIDE Action. Each player puts these cards face down at the same time and without knowing what the other players are putting down. The turn will proceed from there, and we will explain how in the proper place.
One more element for the Introduction covers terrain and those same four Actions and color bars. Take a look at some of the map squares (the squares with 8 jigsaw attachments) and Landmarks (made up of multiple squares with large attachment points). You will see a variety of terrain art on each one and you can also find an Identification Plaque.
Each Map Square or Landmark has a unique number, to be used in scenario set up. If a person is trying to Look through or into a certain map square, the green number (which matches the LOOK Action) will affect the range that the Soldier who is trying to Look can see. If a Soldier is trying to Shoot Action across or into terrain, the number in the pink box modifies the Soldier’s range, not the distance counted. Likewise a blue box modifies a Hide attempt in that square and a yellow box modifies a Move from that square. Some of the squares do not have one or more of the color boxes, which means that square has no effect on the Action. When firing at Long, Short or Close range, these numbers modify the “squares” of the soldiers range. So at Long, Short or Close range, firing across or into L1A decreases the soldier’s range by “-2 Squares.” The range can be reduced to 0 Squares, but not below it. (Note that most modifiers subtract, rather than add.) Counting Distance is always a simple count, counting map squares as 1 and Landmarks as 2. All modifiers are applied to the Soldier’s ratings.
Now you are ready to get started. Have fun!
Components
A Sergeants D-Day starter set comes complete with everything needed to begin playing:
- Soldiers – Cards, Standees and Bases
- Mapboard
- Rule Book
- Scenario Book
- Story Deck
- Player Placemats for Soldiers, Action Cards and Story Deck
- Markers and Tokens
Designer’s Note: Most players will find there is some residue from our cutting process on the thick board pieces and Soldier bases. We find a simple paper towel or microfiber towel will easily remove the residue from the edges (Do not use any liquid or wet cloths when cleaning the edges as the boards could absorb the moisture and may cause warping). The surfaces of the boards however are specially coated to prolong the life of your game pieces for years of enjoyment!
Soldiers
The Soldiers are the essence of any army. Each Soldier in SDD includes cards, a silhouette standee, and a base which includes the Soldier’s name and Dog Tag number, in a distinctive shape. The Soldiers in SDD are Privates, Leaders, Characters and Specialists.
Designer’s Note: Soldiers are recruited into service and bring with them both skills and flaws that are part of who they are as individuals. No two are exactly alike. The training and combat experience gained while in military service adds skills and flaws to the soldier.
IMPORTANT: Soldiers that are Wounded use the red side of the Soldier card.
Privates
These are your grunts and will most often make up the bulk of your force. Each Private has a single Soldiers Card, four Core Action Cards, and three Rank Action Cards.
Leaders
SDD works on the idea that every Leader started out as a Private somewhere. Leader packages consist of two soldiers each with a private, a junior NCO and a senior NCO for each leader. Leaders are also categorized as any Soldier with a Draw ability. During force selection, a player may choose any one of the Soldier ranks for his force – counting the Soldier’s Victory Points (VP) against the total for the forces allowed in the scenario. Once the selection is made, add the Soldier’s four core Action Cards and the three Rank Action Cards that match the Soldiers Cards rank into the Action deck. (See Soldier Selection on page 13)
Characters
Characters are similar to other Soldiers in all ways save one. The difference is that there are Characters that come with each new SDD Story that are the same in everyone’s box. If you have Sergeants D-Day and a friend has Sergeants D-Day, your other Soldiers will be different, but your Characters will be the same (these are the only Soldiers in SDD that are not unique). Characters have some cards integrated into the Story Deck for certain scenarios. If you are playing a scenario that does not “name” the Character, you may use him as a normal Soldier in all ways.
Specialists
Specialists are Soldiers who have successfully attended special training, which prepares them for very specific roles, missions, or jobs such as Scouts, Combat Engineers, Snipers, etc. The advanced training results in the Specialists having increased abilities and new capabilities focused on their specialized areas. Specialist abilities are part of the Advanced Rules.
Mapboard
Play takes place on a map made up of 2½ inch Map Squares and Landmarks that are built from 4 or more squares. All Map Squares are identified by a number, Landmarks are identified by the letter ‘L’ followed by a number – for example, L2A is a Landmark where 2A is a Map Square. Around the Identification Plaque are the Terrain Effects. For ease of assembly, each piece will have the same number and A/B on opposite sides. Each map number is unique. Future additions will pick up the series numbers, so scenarios will be easy to setup. Landmarks labelled with a “U” are Urban Landmarks and use the rules from the Advanced Rules section.
Map Squares
The smaller squares that measure 2½ inches on a side are Map Squares. These allow the construction of the game board by filling in areas between the Landmarks. Story Cards may have Terrain Events that affect various map squares.
Landmarks
Landmarks count as two squares and have special Story Events. Associated with each Landmark are two to five Story Cards that add Random Events to the Story Deck. If a Landmark is in play then the Landmarks Story Cards should be added into the Story Deck and removed when that Landmark is not in play. Some Landmarks also have Orders cards associated with the Landmark. When designing your own scenarios, make sure to dismiss Orders for Landmarks that are not in play.
Terrain Modifiers
Each Map Square or Landmark has the potential of having modifiers on them to take in account the actual terrain featured on the map. These dictate how hard or easy it is for Soldiers to take a Shoot, Hide, Look and Move action into, out of, and through the squares. Some Landmarks or Map Squares may have modifiers located on actual terrain art (buildings). When using these for Cover or determining Distance, these override the modifiers on the Identification Plaque.
Area Modifiers
Certain Map Squares and Landmarks might have something also known as Area Modifiers. These Area Modifiers are only applied when Units either Move through them or when Line of Sight for Looking or Shooting passes over them. The Modifier’s color will match the Action color being modified.
Measuring distance
IMPORTANT: Map squares count as one (1) square. Landmarks count as two (2) squares when determining distance.
In order to check the possibility for Shooting, Sighting, and Hiding, one must be able to check the “Distance” between two squares on the map. The map squares are used when counting for Sighting, Shooting ranges, and Movement. Landmarks and Urban Areas count as two squares (no matter how large or what shape) when counting distance on the map. Rooms in Urban areas are covered in the Advanced Rules.
To determine distance, lay a straight line between the squares Identification Plaque of the beginning and ending squares involved in the Distance check. All squares cut by the Line of Sight are counted in the distance. (In the rare cases where the line is exactly on the corners use the square or Landmark with the most negative modifier for the action being taken.) Count the squares between the Unit taking the action and the ending square. The distance does not include the starting square but does include the ending square – and then factor in the appropriate modifiers. When Shooting, sum all (pink) SHOOT Terrain Modifiers from all squares that are passed through, excluding the Shooter’s square. For Sighting, sum the green LOOK modifiers. Soldiers in a map square with the target are in Combat Contact and have a Distance of “0.”
Designers Note: In Sergeants Distance is the simple measurement that does not change. Think of it as the actual yards of separation that exists between any two points. Range is instead used to refer to the effective range between two points. Range = Distance + Modifiers.
So why does all this work? Well effective action is a combination of all kinds of environmental factors - each one uniquely related to what is being done. In the case of shooting the factors are protection related (can the stuff along the line of sight stop a bullet.) In the case of looking it is concealment related. Each question in the game needs different factors to get an answer.
In computer games all these factors are computed for you and the play can be rather simpler than table top games. In Sergeants we designed the game to give you a rich environment in an easy to play format. Rather than simplicity it is instead aiming at easy sophistication of play.
Often players will develop methods of counting that appear simpler from those expressed here in the rules. You are welcome to use them however when other factors enter the game play the currently simpler method may become much harder to use when those other factors are added in. Be sure you understand the principles of Distance and Range. Once those are second nature the play of Sergeants is easy.
IMPORTANT: Remember that your Soldiers can use the Terrain to cover approaches and choose the best engagement range. Opening distance can be a game winning move.
Here is a Sighting example in which US Soldier Pvt. Digby is attempting to Sight the German Soldier Soldat Pfeifer. Drawing a Line of Sight to Pfeifer, we count the LOOK modifiers in the squares leading up to and including the target’s square. The total modifier number is -8. Digby has a Sight Range of 15 squares. We subtract the -8 modifier from his 15 Sight Range and end up with 7 squares. Counting the actual squares now there are 6 squares, outlined in green, of Distance between him and the target is 6 which is LESS than or equal to 7, so Pvt. Digby can successfully see Pfeifer. The hidden movement marker is removed and replaced by the Pfeifer‘s soldier base.
IMPORTANT: The modifiers in the Soldier’s square don’t interfere with LOOK or SHOOT Actions taken by them. The HIDE Action lets the Soldier use the advantages of the ground he is on. In the case of HIDE, the Soldier must apply the modifiers for his own square.
Sighting and Shooting are very similar. Here we are determining if US Soldier Pvt. Digby can shoot at German Soldier Soldat Pfeifer now that he has been Spotted. Pvt. Digby has a Long Range of 13 squares and a Short Range of 7 squares. When drawing Line of Sight and counting the SHOOT modifiers in the squares leading up to Pfeifer, we have a total of -6 in modifiers. Checking Short first we subtract -6 from his 7 square Short Range and that now becomes a 1 square Short. Obviously, Pfeifer is more than 1 square from Digby so he is not within Short Range. Checking Long Range however, we subtract -6 from 13 squares and get 7 square distance. Counting the actual squares now we have a distance of 6 squares. 6 is LESS than or equal to 7 so Digby does have a Long Range shot at Pfeifer. The player controlling Digby would then pull an Action Card from the deck and check his Hit Check at Long Range.
Distance in Landmarks
Landmarks are multi-square locations that count as 2 Squares when counting Distance. This affects all SHOOT Actions except Toss Distance, and LOOK Actions using Sight Range. It does not affect Actions such as Take Cover which only uses the Modifiers, Rally and Move Actions which use Distance. Line of Sight Checks are used in Take Cover, Shoot and Sight Actions which may cut accross a square or Landmark and require the use of Modifiers as part of the Action. When Shooting into a square use the Modifiers normally and Distance by Square.
Story Deck
The Story Deck controls the sequence of Action using Phase Cards. At the beginning of each game turn, three Phase Cards are turned face up to reveal the order of Actions that may be taken during the turn. (See illustration below) Those Actions will be things like “Move” (and then) “Shoot” or “Look (and then) Move.” Players must play one Action Card that matches either of the Actions listed on the Phase Card for each of the three Phase Cards in play for that turn. The top Action will be resolved in game play before the bottom Action (note the “and then” part, which reminds you of this). If multiple players play the same Action during a Phase, the player with the highest initiative goes first. (See Initiative on page 15). In addition to regulating Action, the Phase Cards contain story elements that may produce Random Events.
Random Events (Cause and Effect)
IMPORTANT: Events happen only in the Turn that they occur unless the Event says for the remainder of the game, such as exiting soldiers or game altering weather effects.
Every turn, three Phase cards are placed in play. While the top portion of the cards that contain the Action sequence is always used, the lower portion of the cards include Event Boxes which may sometimes trigger a Random Event to occur in the scenario. Because this requires a two-part combination, we call this “Cause and Effect”, or Event Phase. Look at the Event Boxes of the Phase Cards and note that there is a large colored box of text (Effect Box), followed by a small colored box of text (Cause Box). Both are labeled with terms like “Weather” or “Landmark.” Note in the example that the first card’s Cause Box “Weird”—does not match the second card’s Effect Box—“Ordnance.” But note also that the second card’s Cause Box—“Landmark,” is matched by the Landmark Effect Box on the third card. When two cards match up in this way—with boxes matching from the 1st to 2nd card or 2nd to 3rd, then the Effect Box card is carried out before Players begin the Turn. (See Step 3 of the Play Sequence – on page 17.) In the rare case where TWO Random Events are generated, execute the Event Box on the 2nd card, followed by the Event Box on the 3rd.
IMPORTANT: Normal rules apply on all events. Even compelled Actions cannot happen if they would violate the rules.
Random Events impact the overall storyline of the scenario. Because these combinations are totally random, there is no way of knowing if a scenario will have any unusual happenings or several events as part of the battle. Many times there are no random events. On very rare occasions there can be 7 or more random events. The unexpected can happen on the battlefield. Enjoy the opportunity to adapt to a change in the situation.
Action Cards
All Action Cards have many elements that are used for different game effects.
IMPORTANT: When you draw your last Action Card, reshuffle the Action Deck and continue play.
The following describe the numbered callouts on the Action Card illustration, in the order given:
- This designates which Action type the card may be applied to.
- The Dog Tag identifies which Soldier “owns” this Action Card. When it is played during a Phase, the Soldier who owns the card may do any sub-Action that belongs to that Action type.
- This is the area that designates Rank and Core cards.
- This is the Damage Result, used to find out what happens after a “Hit” is determined.
- This is the “Team Bubble” which contains the group Action description.
- The space between the Hit Check and the Team Bubble may sometimes include a “Narrator Box.” A white Narrator Box is a “permissible Action” that the NAMED Soldier may do. If the Narrator Box is blue, it is a “mandatory Action or effect” and something the NAMED Soldier must do if this card is played. Normal rules apply to both of these Actions. A Red Narrator Box is a cost that must be paid or a condition that must be met otherwise the Action Card is cancelled.
- This is used for “Hit Checks” to determine results from Shooting, Tossing Grenades, other explosions or Story Events. These results are drawn from atop the Action Deck and NOT from the Player’s hand.
The Team Bubble Actions can be applied to any soldier under your command, including the Dog Tag soldier. Soldiers may only act once per Team Bubble. Actions (Dog Tag, Team Bubble, Narrator Box) may be executed in any order; however, once an Action is started it must be completed before starting one of the others.
Designer’s Note: The Dog Tag Action by the named Soldier is in addition to anything in the Team Bubble. It does not exclude the named Soldier from being one of the Soldiers selected for the Team Bubble Action. By allowing the Soldier to take an Action above and beyond the basic game Actions when his named card is played, we inject opportunities for heroic Actions. SDD incorporates both opportunity for heroics and the gaffes on the battlefield through the use of the Action Cards. Every Soldier has a moment during the battle when his Actions may change the outcome.
Types of Action Cards
Single Action Cards
Most Soldiers have Action Cards with a single Action (HIDE, LOOK, SHOOT or MOVE). These Actions dictate what kind of Action your Soldiers can partake. However, the Actions listed on the card (Team Bubble, Narrator Box, and Dog Tag) may be executed in any order, multiple Actions listed within a bubble or box must be executed in the order they are listed (e.g. – If a soldier’s Action Card has a Team Bubble that states “2 Soldiers Shoot, 2 Soldiers Sight” – the shooting must occur before the sighting and the soldiers that take a Shoot action cannot be the ones that take a Sight action). For more details on Actions, see Game Play, page 17.
Multi-Action Cards
Some Soldiers (e.g. those with a medal) may have Action Cards that allow a choice between several Actions. These Action Cards may be played in any Phase in which either of the listed Soldier’s Actions match either Action shown on a Phase card. Also, the player must decide on which of the Actions to take. Let’s look at an example:
For this example, imagine Carter is “Spotted” and the current Phase Card is “SHOOT (and then) MOVE.” Carter’s Action Card matches the “MOVE” action on the current Phase Card, so it can be played. (Note: If a Soldier’s Action Card matches both Actions on a Phase Card, the player must declare how the Action Card will be used when the Action Card is revealed. This is necessary to establish the Initiative order in the Phase.) Once the player begins the Phase, the first Action the player chooses, is to have Carter use the Narrator Box to spot the nearest unspotted enemy Soldier. The second Action the player then chooses to perform, is the Team Bubble to have three Soldiers Take Cover, and then to have three different Soldiers Move. The player’s final Action uses Carter’s Dog Tag Action as a HIDE to have Carter, Rally a pinned Soldier (the player is allowed to choose either of the two Actions listed on the Soldier’s card, even if that Action does not match the current phase – in this example using the Dog Tag to execute a HIDE Action).
Dog Tag
The Dog Tag is much more than a label on the cards and base of the figure. In addition, when an Action Card is played during a Phase, the card “belongs” to a single Soldier. That Soldier whose Dog Tag is on the Action Card may take an Action of the type on the card. Note: this will add an additional HIDE, LOOK, SHOOT or MOVE Action to those listed on the card. The soldier may do the same Action as described by the “Team Bubble” on the card, or any other task that the Action allows (such as Rally during a Hide.) Dog Tag Actions are never taken as part of REACT or PREEMPT card play.
Identity Check
Identity Checks are used to see if an event, action or shot happens to a particular Soldier or to choose a Soldier that is impacted by an event.
To pass an Identity Check draw an Action Card from a players Action deck to see if his Dog Tag comes up. If it matches that Soldier, the Check is successful. Some checks may require multiple cards to be pulled and others a single card. Only Action Cards with Dog Tags count as Identity Checks.
For example, Smith 990-691 is hit by a killing shot. A medic is nearby and can “possibly” save his life if he can pass an Identity Check x 2. The player pulls two cards from his action deck and draws a Soldier’s Dog Tag and a Tactics Panel Action Card - 2 cards - but the Tactics Panel card is not valid for an Identity Check so it is discarded and replacement card is drawn. One of the two cards has the Dog Tag Smith 990-691, so the Soldier is saved by the medic - see page 29 for more about Medics.
Damage Results
IMPORTANT: Soldiers that are Wounded use the red side of the Soldier card.
- Zip – nothing happened, the hit was ineffective.
- Pin – place a pinned marker, ALL attributes are halved (excluding VP) and are rounded down, while pinned.
- Wound – Turn the Soldiers Card over to the Wounded side. Use the new stats on this side of the Soldiers Card. (If he is already Wounded, he is Killed instead.)
- Kill – Give the Soldiers Card to the opponent that killed the Soldier for VPs and remove the Soldier’s markers from the map.
Scenario Setup
SDD is played using scenarios. Each scenario contains a situation report that describes who is fighting and why, their orders, force levels and number of game turns. The situation report also contains special instructions for Equipment, Characters, story deck construction, and the map layout used in the scenario. Setup should follow the steps below.
- Pick a scenario and assemble the map to match the scenario map.
- Choose a force level to play. Scenarios have suggested “force levels” defined by VP limits for different numbers of players.
- Randomly select your Orders from the options available in the scenario Orders section.
- Select your forces. Combine the Soldier Action Cards for those troops into a single Action Deck for each player.
- Remove all Landmark cards from the Story deck that are not part of the map and insert Landmark cards that are.
- Remove or add Story Cards specified in the scenario’s Special Instructions section.
- Depending on Scenario instructions, deploy on-map Soldiers and group Soldiers that are coming in from off-map locations.
- Shuffle all decks and proceed to the Sequence of Play.
Scenario Selection
All scenarios may be played with as few as 5 figures on each side. However, organizing your own squad, selecting Soldiers and equipment to match your play style by spending VPs on them is one of the most engaging parts of the game. The scenarios have force levels for different numbers of players, ranging from 2 to 6 players. Basic ammunition is assumed to be sufficient for the scenario. Additional ammunition and equipment options, requirements, and limitations are included in the special instructions. The cost for special equipment like a radio, AT device, satchel charge, etc., is specified on the Equipment cards or the Munitions Card found in a Starter game. Grenades are specified in the scenario as a starting number of grenades and the VP cost for additional grenades. Scenario maps will also designate areas like A, B, C, or X, Y, Z, which may be important for set-up and entry. Each scenario will have certain Story Cards removed to reflect the number of Turns in the game. Also included in the scenario description is a quick reference guide that indicates the number of turns and the typical force level for the scenario.
Designer’s Note: Sergeants Scenarios allow for small variations in rules to be covered in the Orders, Equipment and Special Instructions sections of the scenario. By placing the exceptions to the usual rules in these sections we can add unusual battlefield conditions, ammunition restrictions, movement constraints, or almost anything into a Sergeants Scenario.
In addition, Characters may also appear in scenarios to inject elements of the back story or plot that may appear during the game. These points of variation combined with the Story Deck and Soldiers give any scenario a healthy number of possible play experiences. One of our design goals is to have a vast number of scenarios that can be used in campaign play and competition. You can try out Sergeants replay value by switching sides in some of your first scenarios. It is a great way to learn the game.
Entry Areas
Soldiers enter the map using Entry Areas. They require no Move+ or Move++ markers to enter the map. The Move onto the map may use either the corner or side of the Entry Area as long as the square entered does not have blocking terrain, usually shown with a No Move label.
Once a Unit enters from an Entry Area the lettered location may not be used to enter the map by another player, either friendly or enemy. However, any Entry Area may be used to Exit the map, unless the Special Scenario Instructions restrict this action.
Soldier Description and Selection
Each Soldier has cards that are added to the player’s Action Draw Deck and Soldier Placemat.
IMPORTANT: Some Rank Cards do not contain a symbol. These Rank cards are used for Privates unless otherwise noted.
- These consist of a Soldier Card, which has detailed information about the Soldier.
- The Soldier Card seen to the left may be placed on a Team Panel of a Tactic Module. Review the Advanced Rules for an explanation of Team panels.
- Four (4) Core Action Cards which have a symbol at the bottom designating his nationality.
- Three (3) Rank Action Cards which have a symbol also located at the bottom.
When choosing a Leader, select the Soldier Card of the rank you wish to play, his four Core Action Cards and the three appropriate Rank cards that match the rank on the Soldier Card.
When choosing your forces for a scenario, select Soldiers based on the available Victory Points from the scenario. On the bottom of each Soldier Card there is a VP number indicating how much he will cost.
Medals and Badges
Players can earn medals and badges for their Soldiers, either through convention competitions, special offers, upcoming campaign system or company design. Having one or more medals and a badge will provide enhanced Action Cards which have more flexible abilities. Soldiers may only ever have three (3) medals attached to one rank at one time. Soldiers may only ever have one (1) badge attached to one rank at one time.
Purchasing Equipment Cards
Equipment Cards may be found with the Story Deck cards that come in starter sets, expansions or with Specialists. When selecting your forces, instead of choosing more Soldiers, a player might want to add Equipment that will be attached to Soldiers for use. You will pay for these with your allocated VPs from the Scenario. When designating which Soldier is carrying the Equipment, place the Equipment Card underneath the Soldier Card. Typical Equipment may include grenades, entrenching tools, rockets, rifle grenades. More expensive Equipment may include items such as radios, explosives, panzerfausts, recoiless rifles and field telephones.
Three grenades may be purchased for one (1) VP, unless the scenario specifies a different amount. Use the grenade markers to represent the number of grenades bought and place these on your Soldier Cards. Some scenarios require extra Equipment cards to be purchased for certain forces.
Some equipment cards represent items of significant weight or bulk. The Munitions Chart that is in the SDD base game describes certain equipment that have an equip value are counted towards the soldiers equip limit.
Table Etiquette
Players will line up their Soldiers on the Soldier placemat, placing any additional equipment they carry underneath the Soldiers Card and any grenades they have on top. Items like each Soldier’s Victory Points and abilities should not be shared with the opponents, and players should not try to view each other’s Soldiers Cards. Players also do NOT ask what the VP value of a Soldier is or which Soldier is a Leader or machine-gunner. While players are learning, sharing any and all information can be helpful, but, once they start playing for “winner/loser,” such things should be kept apart. Feel free to place an inverted Pin marker to cover the Soldier’s VP. Obviously, information like who has a machine gun or is carrying a Panzerfaust may be visible on the figure (and MGs certainly make themselves noticed when they shoot), but it is a better game if players find out details the old fashioned (and tougher) way.
Orders
Each player in a game randomly draws one Order card at the start of the scenario. These cards provide additional Victory Points for certain Actions or give specific instructions that may guide the player for that scenario. There will usually be several choices of Orders cards available to each player. It is possible that players will get different Orders cards when they play a scenario again, which helps to keep things fresh, because the circumstances needed to achieve Victory in that scenario have been altered.
SDD NOTE: Even though you are encouraged to not share Orders with teammates, you are encouraged to help each other in other ways. Sighting a pesky enemy or even rallying a friendly Soldier can really help out. Work together as a team!
Reminder—Some Orders cards involve specific Landmarks and should not be included in the Orders deck if that Landmark is not included in the map set up.
Some Orders cards have a bonus VP value that also shows a national symbol (star for US, cross for Germans). Those cards can only be used by their respective sides. Orders that do not list Entry Areas allow troops to enter by any unused Entry Area. All Soldiers from one player must enter using only one area unless the scenario states differently. Entry on to the map requires a MOVE Action. Each Landmark has an “L” in the ID. The Event Story Cards use the ID to associate the cards and square.
Players should keep the details of their Orders card a secret from other players, even those on the same side. In scenarios that have multiple players, each player will have an Order card. The cards can encourage players to look to their own self-interest in ways that make the game even more interesting!
Meaning of Order Terms
- Hold – Requirements are met by the Landmark being free of enemy Soldiers and occupied by a player’s Soldiers at the end of the last Game Turn. (Friendly Soldiers do not count against it.)
- Search – Requirements are met by a player’s Soldier entering the Landmark and spend a Move action to Search it.
- Capture – Requirements are met by a player’s Soldiers being the only Soldiers in a Landmark for a complete Game Turn. (Friendly Soldiers do not count against it. Partial Game Turns do not count as a capture.)
- General Attack – Players earn additional VP for each enemy Soldier killed or Captured.
- Patrol – Players must enter Soldiers from the designated Entry Area. Requirements are met when any of the player’s Soldiers exit the predetermined Exit Area.
- Registered Fire – Requirements are met when the radio operator is alive on the designated Turn. Artillery then falls at the beginning of the designated Turn.
- Demolition – Requirements are met when the player has successfully occupied the Landmark for three (3) consecutive Turns with the Soldier who is carrying the explosives Equipment card. Player must then exit the Landmark to detonate the explosives.
- Attack – Requirements are met when a player has Captured over half (50% + 1) of the Landmarks in play.
- Skirmish – Requirements are met when a player or players in the same side has killed over half (50% + 1) of one opponent’s force. In multi-player games, score for each opponent’s force you have killed over half of. For example, if two American players are facing two German players and both German players have lost half of their initial force and American with Skirmish orders would score double the number of VP listed on the order card.
Scenario Base Draw
During each turn of a scenario, players draw a base number of Action Cards before drawing any additional Draw cards due to the capabilities of the Soldiers. The Scenario Base Draw is assumed to be 3 cards, unless otherwise stated in the scenario.
IMPORTANT: Initiative can change during play. Whoever has Initiative must go first and that is usually the Player holding the most cards in their hand. The Hold Cards ability, command ability and the Draw cards ability all allow you to take timing away from your opponent. Be creative and think about what you want to do several moves ahead.
Initiative
Initiative determines the order in which players may perform Actions or use Fight cards in close combat. Initiative is based on the number of cards a player is holding in their hand after placing their Action Cards down on the Action Deck placemat for the Turn. Each player counts and declares the number of cards left in their hand. This will set the Initiative order. If there is a tie between players as to how many cards are held, the first tiebreaker is which player currently controls the highest VP Soldier. If players then tie with the highest VP Soldier, the final tiebreaker is the player with lowest serial numbered Soldier.
For example, if a Player plays an Action Card which has a Narrator Box that instructs him to “Draw 3 Cards” it is possible for Initiative to change at that moment, which may allow him to SHOOT first in the next Phase of that Game Turn. Initiative can change for other reasons, so remember to check it during the course of play.
The number of cards in a player’s hand can increase or decrease during play. Or the highest VP Soldier may be killed or exit the map, changing initiative if the card count is tied. Or the lowest serial number Soldier may be killed or exit the map. Be aware of changes in initiative.
How to Move
Each Move Action taken allows a Unit to MOVE the number of squares indicated on the Unit. Moves are made to any directly adjacent square through a side or corner. Please refer to the chart below to understand the restrictions on movement.
Some squares have Movement Modifiers that increase the cost of movement. If a unit does not have enough movement in Squares to pay the Movement Cost the Move Action is saved with the unit it is used on by placing a Move+ Marker with it or increasing the Move+ to a Move ++ marker. Again this stores the assigned Move Action with a specific unit in the game.
For example, an Action Card that says “4 Soldiers may Move and Move again” may be used to Move 3 Soldiers twice and Move another Soldier once into a “MOVE S” square and then place a Move+ marker on the Soldier. This allows him to Move through a corner the next time the player can use a Move Action on that Soldier.
When a Move Action is played on a unit that has a Move+ double the number of squares available to Move, and if it is a Move++ triple the Move available. Physical movement on the map cannot exceed the printed Wheel or Track value of the unit during any single Movement Action.
For example, a truck with a “Wheel 5 sq.” movement that has a Move+ marker may Move 10 squares, however the truck cannot move more than 5 squares DISTANCE during a Move action. In that case excess movement is lost when the truck ends its move.
Movement Modifiers
Movement modifiers limit Movement. A Movement Modifiers limitation can be satisfied by using multiple Move actions to satisfy the limitation of the modifier for any Unit. Movement Modifiers are paid based on the square the unit is occupying. A Move Action may be spent to place a Move+ Marker or increase a Move+ to Move++.The stored Movement can then be used to satisfy the Move Modifier and leave the Square.
There is no restriction on entering a square unless it is Blocked by a “No Move.”
The Movement Chart shows the effects that are imposed by Movement Modifiers on Units. in the Square. moving through a Corner, or moving through a Side, and the effect of Pin on movement. Soldiers that are Pinned cannot Move unless caused by an Event, and then may not enter or exit MOVE S or MOVE R modified terrain. MOVE T is ignored in Sergeants D-Day.
SDD NOTE: Most players prefer the “fog of war” of not knowing which Action their opponents choose for each phase. When getting started, you may wish to place the Action cards face up, to speed play and help each other understand the process.
IMPORTANT: Units that have been sighted should have the Soldier, emplacemnt or vehicle placed on the map.
IMPORTANT: Units that fire a weapon using Close, Short or Long values become Spotted.
Hidden Movement
Soldiers enter the map using the Hidden Movement Markers that matches the Soldier’s Dog Tag. Once a Soldier is sighted replace the Hidden Movement Marker with the Soldiers Standee or optional miniatures base. Place the Hidden Movement marker to the side since it will likely be used again in the game when the Soldier Takes Cover. If a Soldier’s Standee of Miniatures marker is on the Map he is sighted by all and is a valid target.
Play Sequence
SDD is played in turns, each consisting of three Phases, as detailed here in the sequence of play. Once all steps are completed a new turn is started back at Step 1.
- Players draw Action Cards equal to the scenario Draw Cards value and additional Action Cards equal to the Draw Cards value found in the LOOK box on their Soldiers. (If they have any Hold cards under a Soldier, they may add them to their hand now.)
- Reveal the top three Phase Cards from the Story Deck and place them in the order drawn on the Phase Panel, 1, 2, 3. (If there are less than three Phase Cards remaining, the game ends. Determine victory.)
- Resolve any events that are triggered by the Cause and Effect Boxes in the order they occurred. Normal rules apply to Random Events.
- Determine which player has the Initiative. In a game with more than 2 players, determine which PLAYERS have Initiative, as the sequence works from one player to another, not just one side over the other.
- Players place Action Cards on their sequence panel, face down, to match either Action on the corresponding Phase Card. All empty phases must be filled – playing the most possible cards from the hand. If a player is unable to fill all phases with Action Cards from their hand, play as many cards as possible face up and declare the shortfall. Show all remaining cards to the opponent so they can confirm you have played as many cards to fulfill each Phase as possible. Discard all remaining cards from your hand and draw one Action Card at a time until one can be played on the empty phase, face up, discarding any unplayable cards. (So if the “missing” phase says “MOVE and then SHOOT,” you will draw until you find a MOVE or a SHOOT card and immediately place it in the empty space face up.) Continue until all phases are filled.
- Begin Phase 1 by having each player reveal Phase 1 Action Card. Players take actions in order of the Phases on the Story Card based on the Action Card they played. Players taking the same Action in the same Phase, execute Actions in Initiative order. At the end of each phase, Soldiers in Combat Contact with enemy Soldiers Fight (see Combat Contact page 20 under the MOVE Action for an explanation).
- Repeat step 6 for Phases 2 and 3.
- Discard all remaining cards from your hand. (Note: Action Cards placed under a Soldier as part of the Hold Action are not discarded.)
Game Play
Using the Soldier’s Action Cards
Each of the four main Actions in Sergeants D-Day is more than just one simple Action. Each has several different sub-Actions that can be performed. A player’s ability to capitalize on the various choices their HIDE, LOOK, SHOOT and MOVE Actions provide, brings out the true “Action-Oriented” game play. The following sections describe in-depth how to perform those various Actions.
LOOK
LOOK Actions are taken to observe the battlefield, direct Actions and maintain Initiative. These are Draw, Sight and Command.
Draw
At the start of a Turn, all leaders contribute their Draw Cards value to the number of Action Cards drawn from a player’s Action Card Deck. Leaders may also use their Dog Tag Action to Draw additional Action Cards during the turn. Players should recheck Initiative cards are drawn.
Sight
When sighting targets, you must attempt to sight the “closest” enemy soldier who is unspotted. “Closest” is defined as the distance in squares. If more than one enemy is in the same square, the Looking player may choose. If two or more Soldiers are an equal number of squares from the spotting Soldier, spotting happens on the Soldier in the square with a LOOK modifier that is the least negative or highest positive. If LOOK modifiers are equal, the Looking player may choose. If a Soldier cannot be spotted because of cumulative LOOK modifiers but a Soldier farther away could be spotted (due to open terrain), then you may spot the next furthest Soldier.
You may measure from the closest corner of the Sightings Soldier’s Map Square or Landmark Identification Plaque to the target Map Square or Landmark Identification Plaque. The sighting player may select any unspotted Unit in the square to reveal. When the Sight attempt is successful, remove the hidden movement marker and place the Unit in the square. The revealed enemy is now considered “Spotted” for ALL players and will remain on the map until he or it successfully Takes Cover. (See Take Cover, page 19.)
Soldiers who have Narrator Boxes sometimes “Spot” enemy soldiers. If the nearest enemy is already spotted, move to the next available unspotted enemy. If the box states “Spot”, it is automatic within the Sight Distance rather than Sight Range, modifiers are ignored. (see Measuring Distance, page 6.)
Designer Note: Soldiers on a battlefield sometimes have uncanny abilities. Squads that survive learn to listen to the intuition of a trusted team member, hence Spot. It keeps them alive.
Command
Leaders with Command ratings are officers. An officer can effect play of several players on the same side with his Command rating. An officer’s Command rating represent his ability to direct the forces under their command.
Each Command allows a squad (commanded by a player) to play an additional Action Card in any one phase. Play the Command Action Cards during STEP 5 of the Play Sequence. No more than 1 additional Action Card may be played in any phase. And all commands must be played by the officer’s own squad or a squad under his command.
HIDE
IMPORTANT: Pinned Soldiers who have positive Cover values halve those numbers, rounded down toward zero. Soldiers who have negative Cover values also “halve toward zero,” meaning a Soldier with a cover value of -2 who is Pinned now has a cover value of -1. Yes, this means that Soldiers with poor Cover values can Take Cover more easily, while those with good Cover values lose some of their ability.
HIDE Action allows a Soldier to try and Take Cover, Rally his buddies, or keep a few tricks up his sleeve by holding cards. These are Take Cover, Rally, and Hold Cards.
Take Cover
Soldiers may exchange their Soldier base for their hidden movement marker when they successfully Take Cover. Only Soldiers that are In Cover (in a square with a negative Hide Modifier) are able to attempt to Take Cover. The second requirement to Take Cover is to have enough visual obstruction between the hiding Soldier and the nearest enemy Soldiers to escape notice. This is done by driving the Cover value of the Soldier below “0 sq” as modifiers from the squares and other terrain in between the two soldiers is summed.
Using the Cover value of your Soldier, sum the HIDE terrain effects value of all Map Squares and Landmarks that are on a straight line from your Soldier’s square to the nearest enemy Soldier’s square. (See the Measuring Distance section on page 6.) If the modified cover value is negative (less than zero), your Soldier is able to Take Cover – replace his Soldier base with his Hidden Movement marker.
Taking Cover is slightly different than Sighting and Shooting in two ways. The first being you don’t count squares, only the modifiers. The second, is this time you count the modifiers within your square leading up to and including the target you are attempting to hide from.
IMPORTANT: For a Soldier to attempt to Take Cover they must first be in a square with a negative Hide Modifier.
In this example, German Soldier Soldat Pfeifer is Taking Cover against US Soldier Pvt. Digby. Pfelfer is indeed In Cover due to a “-2 Hide” modifier on the field map square. Pfeifer has a Cover of 6 squares in his HIDE Box on his Soldiers Card. In order to successfully Take Cover there must be enough negative modifiers to sum with his Cover 6 squares and bring it to at least a -1. Counting the modifiers of all the squares that connect from drawing Line of Sight, we get a summed total of -9. Summing -9 from 6 gives us -3 squares. That brings Pfeifer Cover squares into negative numbers so he can successfully Take Cover from Digby. He may now remove the Soldier and replace it with the Hidden Movement marker. Digby may not (hide in plain sight) since his map square does not have a nagative Hide Modifier.
Rally
IMPORTANT: Removing the Pin marker does not change a Soldier’s Spotted status.
Rally actions remove Pin markers from Soldiers. There are two ways to Rally troops: the first is from a Narrator Box or Team Bubble Action that says Rally some number of Soldiers; the second is when a HIDE Dog Tag Action is played, the Soldier that owns the Action may Rally up to the number of Soldiers listed in his HIDE box on his Soldier Card.
Each Soldier’s Rally Distance is 2 map squares if unpinned and 1 map square if pinned. Sum any Hide Modifiers from the squares beyond the Soldiers own square. Soldiers must always Rally themselves first before rallying any friendly Soldiers.
Hold Cards
If a Soldier has a Hold value in the HIDE box and plays a HIDE Dog Tag Action, any Action Cards up to the Hold value may be moved from the player’s hand and placed under the Soldiers Card. (This may change Initiative.) Cards under a Soldier are not part of the player’s hand. Cards may be moved from the Soldier to the player’s hand: after the player has drawn cards at the start of the turn; or at the beginning of any Phase, after Action Cards are revealed but before either player has begun to Move; or at the start of a Player’s Phase; or at the end of any Phase before Fighting has begun. (Either case may change Initiative.) If a Soldier is killed while holding cards, those cards are discarded (unless the card says otherwise). A Soldier may never hold more cards than are listed as his Hold Cards value, however, a Soldier that is currently holding cards and becomes Pinned does not discard currently held cards.
MOVE
The MOVE Action allows Soldiers to change the location of their Soldiers and engage in hand-to-hand fighting. The Move Actions are Walk, Equip and Fight.
Walk
Walk is the distance a Soldier Moves when taking a Move Action. Each Square of available movement allows a Soldier to change location to an attached Square on the Map or attached Urban Room. Movement may be made through corners or sides of map squares or landmarks, or through an Urban Door. Soldiers may not move through a map side or feature that has a NO MOVE legend - such as a hedge row or deep stream or canal. Also, a Soldiers may not be placed on a terrain image in a square that has a NO MOVE legend. This only matters when a Soldier is spotted and he is using his Soldier Base. These may not be stacked - only hidden movement markers, prisoners or weapons team members may stack.
Soldiers that are slowed by terrain may place a Move+ marker under their base to record that a Move Action was taken by a Soldier. If a soldier has a Move+ marker and takes another Move action, flip the Move+ to the Move++ side. When a Soldier moves to an another square the Move+ or Move++ marker is discarded. (See page 16 for How to Move and Modifiers)
Designer’s Note: The ability to Move multiple times in a Phase simulates the Soldier jogging, running and sprinting. Moving multiple times is different than Move+ and Move++. The Move+ and Move++ is about paying the movement cost of a square before leaving it.
Equip
Some types of Equipment are large enough or heavy enough to encumber the Soldier. The maximum number of encumbering cards a Soldier can carry is listed by the Equip Cards statistic found on the Soldiers Card. See the Munitions Chart to determine if the Equipment Card counts toward the Equip Cards limitation. Any lost Encumbering Equipment may be recovered using a Move action. All other lost Equipment may be recovered by a successful Identity Check performed using a Soldiers Dog Tag Move action in the square where the equipment was lost. Soldiers may exchange equipment using a Move Action for both the Soldiers involved in the exchange.
Combat Contact
When Soldiers are in the same Room in Urban Landmarks or the same square in all other cases with an enemy Soldier, they are both said to be in Combat Contact and will Fight at the end of that Phase. When moving into Combat Contact any Soldiers involved in Combat Contact are immediately spotted. Combat Contact in Urban Rooms is Close Combat and allows Soldiers to take a Shoot action at Close Range even when in Combat Contact. In all other cases NO other Actions are allowed while in Combat Contact.
Combat Initiative
Combat Initiative is determined for each Fight. The Fight Cards drawn are also counted as Initiative cards. For example, if you have 3 Initiative cards and you draw 4 Fight cards your Combat Initiative would be 7 cards. This is the Initiative Number used to determine who can play the first Fight Card against an enemy soldier. In case of a tie in card count the Player with the highest VP soldier in the fight goes first, and if there is a tie in soldier VP the Player with the lowest Serial Number Soldier in the Fight goes first.
Combat Initiative also is applied for all combat inside a single Urban Room. Only the Fight initiative matters since Close Combat Shooting does not use Combat Initiative.
Fight
IMPORTANT: When Fighting, the player draws cards from the Action Deck for the Combat Results and not the cards currently held in his hand from the Scenario Draw.
The Fight is not hand-to-hand it includes point blank firing where aiming accuracy is not really a factor. Hence, Fight in a square is also allowed through Blocking terrain. However, Taking a prisoner is a Movement that requires the soldier to be crewed with the capturing soldier. You cannot do that across a blocking (water or other) feature since the captured soldier cannot join the captor. This means you can Fight in all cases, but you cannot take prisoners in all cases.
“Fight” involves very close ranged combat, including shooting, bayonets, clubbed weapons or hand to hand. Soldiers must Fight at the conclusion of each Phase if they are in Combat Contact. If you have more than one case of Combat Contact, resolve Fights with the most Soldiers in Combat Contact first and continue to the least number of Soldiers in a Fight. Ties are resolved by the group with the lowest serial number Soldier going first.
To resolve the Fight, first check Initiative, (To see who strikes first), then set your current hand of Action Cards aside.
For each Soldier in this specific Fight, and with Combat Contact (see the above section), draw Action Cards equal to the Fight value on the Soldier Card – found in the MOVE box. Soldiers that are out numbered 2 to 1 or more by the enemy lose 1 Fight Card each.
After drawing and examining their Fight cards, the player with the Combat Initiative selects one card and applies its Damage Result against any enemy Soldier that is contacted by any of the player’s Soldiers in this Combat Contact. The card takes immediate effect. The next player in Combat Initiative order may now select an Action Card to play against any enemy Soldier in Combat Contact with one of his own Soldiers. Play continues until Soldiers are no longer in Combat Contact.
In this Fight example we have multiple Soldiers in Combat Contact. Setting their cards aside they now both begin to Draw Fight cards to resolve the Fight. All Soldiers have a Fight 2 Cards count in their MOVE Boxes. The German player Draws 4 cards, even though they are outnumbered they are not outnumbered 2 to 1. The US player Draws 6 Cards for his 3 Soldiers. The German player has Combat Initiative because he had 3 cards more than the US player to start with. German player has pulled a Kill, Pin and 2 Zips for his 4 cards. The US player has pulled a Kill, Wound, Pin and 3 Zip cards. German player gets to play one of his Fight cards first, thus playing the Kill against US Soldier 1. He is removed. US player now plays his Kill card against German Soldier 5 and he also is removed from the melee. German player playing his next card plays the Pin against US Soldier 2 and places a Pin Marker next to him. US Player then plays the Wound against German Soldier 4 and he now flips over his Soldier Card to reflect his Wounded status. The Germans last cards are Zips which do nothing. The US Player then plays his Pin against German Soldier 4 and he is now pinned. The 3 last cards for the US player are Zips, which have no results.
IMPORTANT: Soldiers in Combat Contact may not take any Action except Fight (and Close Shoot if in Urban Areas).
If there are still Soldiers from both sides that survived and still have Combat Contact after all Fight cards are used up, then they remain locked in combat through the next Phase and, after both Actions on the Story Card are complete, renew the combat in the same sequence as before (determine Initiative first).
Results like Pin and Wound carry over beyond the Fight. A Wounded Soldier who receives a second Wound result is killed and is removed from play. When a Kill result is played, the Soldier surviving the Fight may choose kill or to capture the losing Soldier and take him Prisoner (see section below). You may never take Prisoners in an active Fight, only at its conclusion.
Designer’s Note: Having additional Fight cards increases the chances of finding a lethal result, but does not guarantee a success. However, controlling Initiative can make for a very short fight!
Prisoners
When a Kill result (not a consecutive Wound result) is played in a Fight, the Player may opt to take the Soldier as a Prisoner. The player whose Soldier is taken Prisoner now hands over his Soldier’s Card to his opponent. The escorting player now has control over the captured Soldier, treating the Soldier as the opponent’s own Soldier. Prisoners may also be assigned by an event or scenario special rule. All prisoners use their hidden movement markers and are stacked under an “escorting” Soldier. Prisoners held at the end of the game count double VP and may also receive a bonus from the player’s Orders Card. Prisoners are always considered to be in Combat Contact, regardless of facing. If the escorting Soldier is forced to Fight by another un-captured Soldier (either by contacting the Escort or the Prisoner), the Prisoner first becomes Pinned; and his card is returned to the original owner; then he will replace the hidden movement market with his Soldier base and also enter the Fight.
An Escort and Prisoner may only be fired on by Soldiers from the Prisoner’s side who are at Close range. Any hits caused by the fire alternate between the target (Escorting Soldier) and Prisoner, with the Escort taking the first hit. While Escorting a Prisoner, a Soldier cannot take a Shoot action or try to Sight enemy Soldiers. The Escort and his Prisoner(s) Move at the Escorting Soldier’s modified Move rate (but may not do more than one Move per Action Card), taking the Prisoner(s) wherever he goes, regardless of the Prisoner(s) condition (Wounded or Pinned). He can choose to exit the board through an appropriate Entry area and not an enemy Entry area, to secure his Prisoner(s). He can also attempt to Take Cover/Hide, and if successful, the Prisoner(s) are unspotted.
If a player captures more than one Prisoner, he may use the same Escort Soldier to guard and Move up to two Prisoners. Additional Prisoners will require their own Escort. Escorts may also “swap” Prisoners with another escorting Soldier. This requires moving a friendly Soldier into the same square or urban room with the Escort or Prisoners. Once done, the friendly Soldier becomes the Escort and places the Prisoner’s hidden movement marker under the Escorting soldier. An Escorting soldier may “release” his Prisoners by simply returning the enemy soldier to the owner at the end of a Phase after Fight is resolved. The (former) Prisoner may make an immediate move in any direction and is immediately unspotted and Unpinned. He reverts to normal play on the next Phase, as a normal part of his original unit.
Designer’s Note: Prisoners can be worth a lot of VPs, but they do tie up your Soldiers. Probably the best thing to do with them, if you can, is just escort them off the board, where your VPs are safe. It is amazing how prisoners can change the nature of a game and spawn frequent close fighting, where Soldiers use their high-tech weapons for clubs!
SHOOT
IMPORTANT: The closer you get to the target, the more of the Hit Check ranges are used to determine hits.
The SHOOT Action is used to attack enemy Soldiers with either small arms or explosives. Only Soldiers that are Spotted may be shot at. A Soldier taking a SHOOT Action selects a target Soldier that is Spotted, determines the Distance to the target Soldier (See the Measuring Distance section on page 6), makes one or more Hit Checks, and, if hits are scored, the target Soldier’s player determines the Combat Results using his Action Deck. Once a Soldier fires his weapon by making a Hit Check using Long, Short, or Close, he becomes Spotted.
Shooting Arc
Soldiers may SHOOT in any direction.
Hit Check
IMPORTANT: Soldiers pulling a Hit Check as part of a Long, Short, or Close SHOOT action are Spotted.
“As range decreases accuracy increases” – The Hit Check is used to determine if a shot has hit the target. All direct fire arms – rifles, pistols, automatic rifles, submachine guns and machine guns – check for hits by applying the Distance to the ranges found in the Shoot box of the firing Soldier’s card. Grenades and other ordnance (including indirect fire) use the Blast Check. Draw from the Action Deck and look at the Hit Check box, using ALL the results that are equal or LONGER than the Distance you determined.
For example, if the Distance to the target is 1 square and the shooting Soldier’s ranges are Long 8 squares, Short 5 squares and Close 2 squares, then all three Hit Checks apply to the shot. Draw one Action Card and check ALL THREE Hit Checks results for Hits. Yes, you can get more than one hit on a single card! If the modified range to the target was 7 squares, you would draw an Action Card and look at only the Long portion of the Hit Check area. Any and all hits scored on the Hit Check are applied to the target that is being shot at. For each hit on a target, the owning player pulls one Damage Result from his Action deck. If the Hit check result is “Hit+” see the next section.
Use Hit+
IMPORTANT: The shooting Soldier’s player uses his Action Deck for the Hit Checks and the target Soldier’s player uses his Action Deck for the Damage Results.
(If the shooting Soldier or Heavy Weapon does not have Use Hit+ on the card, a Hit+ result is treated as a single regular hit.)
The “Use Hit+” effect in the SHOOT box appears for Soldiers who are armed with high rate of fire weapons, such as automatic rifles, submachine guns, and machine guns. When one of these Soldiers gets a Hit Check result of Hit+, there is the chance of the shots being fired striking multiple targets or times. Once a Hit+ is scored, the shooting player MUST nominate a target for the additional Hit check. He can either choose to remain shooting at the same target (to try for additional hits) or shift the fire onto a different Spotted enemy within 1 Square.
IMPORTANT: Soldiers pulling a Hit Check as part of a Long, Short, or Close SHOOT Action are Spotted.
Once the shooting player has decided, the target player pulls a Damage Check for all the hits scored from the first Hit Check, then the shooting player performs a new Hit Check. There is no limit to the number of Hit+ results that can be strung together in a single SHOOT Action (as long as Hit+ is one of the applicable results on the Hit Check). Shots at other Soldiers use the same original Distance calculation results.
For example, the first shot was checked at Short range, ALL additional shots continue to Hit Check at Short range, even if the new target is at a longer range than the original target.
Grenades
During any SHOOT Action, Soldiers with grenade markers on their Soldiers Card may Toss one grenade. Tossing a grenade does not cause a Soldier to become spotted. The grenade can be Tossed at any Spotted Soldier within the thrower’s Toss Distance. Toss Distance is NOT affected by the SHOOT terrain modifiers. Grenades (as well as rockets, such as Panzerfausts, bazooka or PIAT rounds and Light Mortars) attack Units in only 1 physical square on the map, or an Urban Room in Urban Areas that is smaller than 4 Squares.
IMPORTANT: Certain High Explosive grenades, rockets and artillery may cause more than one Blast Hit Check. Closely check the Equipment Card or scenario for the appropriate amount of Hit Checks to pull for.
Blast Hit Checks
Explosive ordnance causes Blast Checks to soldiers in a Square or Urban Room. In some cases special scenario instructions or events apply that can increase the area of effect to include an entire Landmark. Blast attacks are described on Vehicle Panels, Equipment Cards, Scenario Rules and Events. In all these cases the “#” x Blast Hit Checks is the number of times each Unit in the Square must take Blast Checks.
For example, 1 Soldier and 1 Crew are in a Square and are hit by a 3x Blast Hit Check he attack from a medium mortar. The Soldier takes 3 Blast Checks and the Crew Takes 3 Blast Checks. Damage in the crew is applied using Identity Checks. In the case of the Crew this can casue soldiers to recieve a Kill result or second Wound results and be removed as Soldiers able to take further damage. The dead do not soak off Damage in Sergeants.
Grenade Hit Check Procedure
Grenades pull up to 4 Blast Hit Checks per grenade – 1 for each Unit in a square. Pulling an Identity Check for a Crew member Hits the Crew with any remaining Hits up to the number of Crew members. For example, a 2 Man MG Crew that is hit would take a second hit if available.
- STEP 1. Blast Hit Checks are made from the shooting players deck.
- STEP 2. If the Hits achieved total less than the number of Units in a square then use the Identity Check procedure to see which Units are hit. If the Units in the Square belong to multiple players the shooting player chooses the order of the Identity Check taken by the opponents. Crew members and soldiers are Hit if their Dog Tag is pulled during an Identity Check.
- STEP 3. For each Hit achieved, the shooting Soldier’s Player and an target Soldiers’s Player each make a Damage Check.
- STEP 4. Apply both damage results to the identified target.
- STEP 5. Repeat steps 2 - 4 for each additional Hit that was achieved, or until all targets are killed or destroyed.
Victory
Some scenarios call for a specific number of turns. If there is no such fixed time, scenarios end when it is not possible to place three Phase Cards from the Story Deck on the Turn mat, Phase area. The player with the most victory points at the end of the scenario is the winner.
Victory points are gained from various methods:
VP from Soldiers
All Soldiers that are killed by a player during the game are awarded to the opponent for Victory Points. Captured Soldiers count double the value of Victory Points on the Soldiers Card. Friendly fire casualties have their VPs awarded to the opponent. In multi-player games, friendly fire casualties act as negative VPs for players who kill their teammates. Soldiers who are killed by Random Events or never make it into game play, do not count for VP.
VP from Orders
Orders Cards each have requirements that must be satisfied. Once the player is able to complete his Orders, announce it out loud and place it in your VP card pile.
VP from Events
Certain Random Events may allow Victory Points to be scored instantly by a player. When an Event scores Victory Points, make a note of the amount on a piece of note paper (or use the VP tokens available in the Game Master’s Kit), confirming the record with an opposing player.
VP from Equipment
Equipment Cards have VP values. Unless specified, the VP value is only scored by an opposing player if the Equipment is captured.
VP from Actions
Tactics Cards may provide players with a significant game advantage but come at a potential cost. When USED, these Action Cards should be removed from the game and placed in the owning player’s Victory Point stack, scoring negative points.
Instant Victory
If all the soldiers on one side are eliminated, the other side wins an instant victory, (unless Scenario Victory Conditions dictate otherwise).
Stop and Play the Basic Game Rules before moving to the Advanced Rule Section.
Advanced Rules
SDD NOTE: [The first line of this SDD NOTE box is missing from the captured page text.] Starter sets like Sergeants D-Day may not have these cards.)
The following sections cover the “How” and “Why” things are done for advanced aspects of SDD. They focus on rules for additions to SDD such as Specialists and Tactics Modules. These supplements enhance the gaming experience; however, it is important to note that these additions are NOT required to play the game.
Specialists
Specialists are Soldiers who have successfully attended special training which prepares them for very specific roles, missions, or jobs such as Scouts, Combat Engineers, Snipers, etc. The advanced training results in the Specialists having increased abilities and new capabilities focused on their specialized areas.
IMPORTANT: Dog Tag Actions are NOT permitted with the use of React Cards and players may NOT React to an opponent’s React.
A Specialist comes with 1 Soldiers Card and 3 Action Cards each with a training badge; and various other types of Cards such as Equipment Cards, Story Cards, Preempt Cards, Command Cards or React Cards. Each Specialist Card has a badge on it which correlates to the type of specialization, and also differentiates these cards from the normal Soldier and Action Cards. The Specialist Cards are used with the 4 Soldier Core Cards to play the Specialist Soldier Card. The use of Story Cards, Equipment Cards, Preempt Cards, React Cards, and Command Cards are optional – the player may choose to use all, some or none. Not all Specialists will have each type of card.
Let us look at an example of a Engineer Soldier. Above are his Soldier Card, three Rank Cards and his four Core Cards. Each Action Card has 1 or more Phases it can be played in or ANY.
Specialist Story Cards
Some Specialists have personal Story Cards. If the player decides to use the Story Card, then it is added to the Story Deck prior to the start of any game in which the Specialist participates. A maximum of 3 Soldier Story cards may be added to a Story deck by each side.
Specialist Tactics Cards
Above are 3 Command Cards (with ANY in the type) and 1 React Card (with REACT in the type). Notice how each card contains an Engineer badge just above the Dog Tag.
Specialist Equipment Cards
Specialist Equipment Cards are similar to other Equipment Cards in SDD, but can only be used by the Specialist or other Soldiers that meet a specific requirement (e.g. a combat knife usable by the Specialist or any other Soldier with a cover value of 2 or less).
Above are three Equipment cards and another Command Card. The equipment that a soldier has may be unique to him or usable by his squad. All of them will have a Dog Tag and Badge.
React Cards
IMPORTANT: React cards, Command Cards, and the “Random Event” listed on a Specialist’s Story Card are only played if the Specialist is alive and on the game board. Once a Specialist is killed or exits the game board then the React and Command Cards become non-playable, “dead” cards. When drawn at the beginning of a turn “dead” cards remain in a player’s hand until the turn is over and then are discarded.
React Cards allow a player to react to the Actions of an opponent. React Cards may only be played during an opponent’s turn after an opponent completes one of his Actions. The use of a React Card will cost Victory Points which are permanently taken from the player that uses the React Card. After an opponent has completed an Action, the player holding the React Card may announce “React” and play the card.
If multiple players declare a React, then resolve them in normal Initiative order. Players without the Initiative must wait until the other friendly player completes his React and then decide whether they still desire to play their React Card or discard it, instead of taking any of the Actions allowed by their React Card.
If a player takes any Action allowed by the React Card, then the card is placed in the owning player’s VP pile (unless otherwise specified on the card).
Command Cards
There is only one type of Command Card with the Specialists, which is the “ANY” Action Card. When the card is revealed at the beginning of a Phase the player announces which Action the card will be used for (the Action must match one of the two Actions on the Story Deck Phase Card). However, regardless of the Action selected by the player, the Dog Tag Action may be any of the 4 Actions. Let’s look at Gapp’s ANY Card and go over an example of its use.
IMPORTANT: The Team symbol on the Equipment Cards will also match the Team symbol on the Team panel.
Example: Gapp’s ANY Card is played on a Phase in which the Story Deck Phase Card is Shoot (then) Move. At the beginning of the Phase the player reveals the ANY Card and declares that it will be used during the Shoot Action. When it is his turn during the Shoot Action, he has 3 Soldiers may either Move and Shoot, or Move and Hide. Then the player may use Gapp’s Dog Tag Action to execute any of the 4 Actions since he has “ANY” on the card – in this case he chooses to use a Hide Action to Hold an Action Card.
Preempt Cards
A Player may only play a Preempt Card at the start of a phase, after the opponents Action Card for that phase is revealed, but before the opponent attempts any of his Actions. A player says “I am Preempting” and follows the same process used by React Cards. In case of multiple Preempt Actions, the Initiative of the Preempting players is used to resolve the opposing player’s Action Card.
IMPORTANT: Dog Tag Actions are NOT permitted with the use of Preempt Cards. Also, players may not play Preempt Card against an opponent’s Preempt.
The opponent’s Action Card that is being Preempted must satisfy any requirements found on the Preempt Card, such as “opponent must play a Move.” Command Cards are immune from Preempt, because no phase Action is specified on the Action Card. If the opponent plays an Action Card with multiple possible Actions, it may be Preempted if it has the required Action. The opponent’s choice of Action is not considered, only the required Action on the Action Card matters.
Many Preempt Cards allow the player to choose for the opponent – such as “Choose up to 2 enemy Soldiers to Move, Shoot at each.” This text means that up to 2 enemy Soldiers are chosen by the Preempting player and must use the Team Bubble Actions on the opponents Action Card. Any Action taken by a Soldier is expended by the opponent. The Preempting Player does not perform the Action, he only decides which Soldier will take an Action before the opposing player completes the remaining Actions on his Action Card.
Preempt Cards apply only to the Team Bubble Actions and allow the player of the Preempt Card to choose which Soldiers the opposing player will take Actions for. If the Preempt Card specifies more Preempts than Actions allowed on the Action Card, use the lower number of Actions specified on the Action Card. For example, if an Action Card says 2 Soldiers may Move – and the Preempt says “Preempt 3 Enemy Moves then Shoot them” – only 2 Soldiers take Move Actions. After the opponent moves his Soldiers the Preempting player selects one of his own Soldiers to Shoot at the enemy Soldiers that just moved.
IMPORTANT: Medics that move to rescue a critically wounded soldier are placed in contact with the Soldier. This matters when a Medic joins the stack of a Crew to treat an injured soldier. While in the Crew the Medic is treated as a valid target without penalties since he is not the target of any shooting, but rather the Crew is the Target. This is the only way that a Medic can be killed in action and awarded normally for victory.
Designer’s Note: Preempt Cards are meant to affect command control of an opponent, not deny him the ability to play or to make his forces do suicidal actions. Don’t interpret the Preempt as a way to play for the opponent, only to disrupt his control.
Medics
Medics focus on saving squad member’s lives rather than fighting, and while their Soldier and Action Cards explain their capabilities, they all have one unique ability - Medic. If a Soldier within modified walk distance of a Medic is killed (whether from a second Wound or Kill result), the Medic reacts by immediately moving into contact with the “dead” Soldier’s base or the Weapons Crew - see IMPORTANT note at side. This reaction is free and automatic. The Medic then conducts a number of Identity Checks for the “dead” Soldier which is equal to the Medic value found on the Medic’s Soldier Card (located within the Hide section). If he successfully draws an Identity Check for the “dead” Soldier, then the Medic successfully applied first aid and saved the Soldier’s life – the Soldier is now Wounded instead of Killed. If the Identity Check was unsuccessful, then the Medic was unable to save the Soldier and he remains dead and is removed from play.
While Medics can be targeted and killed by opponents, there is a very negative impact from killing them. If a Medic is killed by direct fire (small arms fire; panzerfaust; rifle grenade; etc.) then the Medic’s VPs (and Soldier Card) are awarded to the owning player if killed by the opponent and to the targeted opponent if killed by the owning player in friendly fire (e.g. killed by shooting into Combat Contact or at an opponent escorting a Medic who is a prisoner). If the Medic is killed by indirect fire (mortars and artillery) then no one is awarded the VPs.
Medics MAY NOT willingly enter Combat Contact. If they are in Combat Contact alone with enemy soldiers they surrender and become prisoners. Medics may only take a Shoot action while in Close Combat in Urban locations.
Officers
SDD treats officers as Specialists and they are distinguished from other Soldiers by an additional LOOK Action called “Command” on their Soldier Card. An officer’s Command value will range from 1-3. The Command Action allows the officer to play an additional Action Card from the player’s hand in a phase. No more than one Command Action may be executed per phase and the additional Action must match one of those on the Story Deck card for that phase.
The Command Action is executed during step 4 in the Sequence of Play. The player places his additional Action Card, along with his normal Action Card, face down on a phase slot of the player’s choosing (as long as it matches one of the Story Deck actions for that phase), which will result in the player having two Action Cards face down on one of the phases (or more phases if their officer has a Command value of 2 or 3).
When Action Cards are revealed for that phase then the player reveals both cards. If both cards are for the same Action (e.g. both are Shoot cards) then the player will play both cards consecutively when it is his turn. If the cards are for two separate actions then the player will play each card during its respective Action in normal Initiative order. Only one additional Action Card may be played in any phase, meaning the maximum number of Action Cards that may be played per phase, per player is two. The maximum number of Command Actions that may be conducted during the turn is equal to the officer’s Command value. A player may only use one officer during a game.
Tactics Modules
SDD NOTE: Team panels replace soldier mats. Each panel will have 2 to 8 slots for Soldiers and will add 2 to 16 Team cards to your deck. Tactics Modules work with all Sergeants Products.
A Tactics Module allows part of a squad to form into teams, reflecting enhanced teamwork and communications. Teams combine the Soldiers’ individual capabilities and the extra teamwork cards into a single fighting force. They move and fight as an organized force with a definite set of tactics. There will be various types of Tactics Modules introduced into SDD (e.g. Infiltration, Assault, Battle Patrol Tactics Modules, etc). Each Tactics Module consists of Team panels (the number of panels varies between types of Tactics Modules), markers (smoke, over watch, and fallback points, etc. – which vary depending on the mission focus of the Module), and Team cards. As an example – the German Light Infantry Infiltration Tactics Module includes markers, 5 Team panels, and 16 Team cards. Each type of Tactics Module is different and will have varying types and amounts of Team panels and Team cards.
There is NO requirement to assign all squad members to Team panels – players may choose to use as few or as many panels as they desire and may “mix and match” panels from different tactics modules within their squad. Players may NOT use multiple copies of the same panel within the same squad. Players do NOT have to fill all the slots of a Team panel to use it; however if a Team panel is used then all the cards that come with that panel MUST be added to the player’s Action Deck. Once the game starts all Soldiers are locked into their respective Team panels – switching Soldiers from one Team panel to another is not permissible (unless specifically allowed by an Action Card). However, players may move Soldiers from one slot within a Team panel to another slot within the same Team panel as long as the Soldier meets any requirements for the newly assigned slot.
Team panels will vary in size from 2 – 8 Soldier slots per panel. The Soldier slots on the panel are either unmarked (usable by any Soldier) or have requirements that a Soldier must meet to fill that slot on the Team.
Each Team panel shows “open” Soldier slots (or positions) that you may fill with Soldiers from your squad. In the Team panel shown above, the left and center slots require Soldiers Cards with a Jaeger, Gebirgsjaeger or Deutsches Afrikakorps training badge or any Soldier with six grenades (the symbols or badges shown would be on the Soldiers Cards of these types of Soldiers). The slot on the right doesn’t require any special training or equipment, but does require an experienced Soldier (assault badge), an NCO, or any Soldier with a Sight value of 18 or higher.
IMPORTANT: If a Team panel is used then all the Team cards with the panel MUST be added to the player’s Action Deck.
If a slot with a required role is not filled the cards that require that role are not usable by the team – they become “dead” cards. The team is simply missing the skill to undertake the action(s).
Team cards with the Tactics Modules are similar to Specialist cards, but focus on the team vice an individual. The types of cards that may come with Team panels are: Equipment cards; React cards; Command cards; and Teamwork cards. The Equipment, React, and Command cards are used in the same manner as described in the Specialists section of the advanced rules section. The Teamwork cards specify team actions. Some team cards will state certain “costs” or restrictions that must be met in order to use them. An example of a “cost” might be “discard one Action Card.” An example of a restriction might be “Team members must be in 1 map square” (they must only be in the same square before starting the actions on the card – not during or after the actions). Each Team card and Team panel has a Team symbol on it which has varying number of bars behind the Team symbol. These bars are used to correlate the Team cards to the correct Team panel: this is how players will know which equipment card goes with a Team Panel, since equipment cards don’t share the same artwork as the Team panel.
The three TEAM cards are tied to the Team panel shown. The left most Team card has a requirement on it, shown by the Roman numeral II in the yellow circle, corresponding to the NCO (right) slot on the TEAM panel. If the slot on the panel is filled (by a qualifying Soldier) then the React card has the requirement satisfied and the card is playable. When a Team card says “TEAM may Rally...” then all Soldiers on the team panel may Rally themselves, Team Members, and other Soldiers within Rally distance.
IMPORTANT: The Team symbol on the Equipment Cards will also match the Team symbol on the Team panel.
Equipment Cards
There are some unique and powerful equipment cards with Tactics Modules. Like other Equipment Cards their use is explained on the card. For example, if the ammunition Equipment Card for a MG42 team is assigned to an MG assistant gunner who is in base-to-base contact with the MG gunner, then the MG is able to take a free shot every phase.
React Cards
React Cards are used in the same manner as Specialist React Cards, which is explained under the Specialist section of the advanced rules section; however, if the React Cards states “Team may …” then the entire Team may participate in the actions described on the React Card.
Command Cards
There are two types of Command Cards with Tactics Modules – the “ANY” Action Card and Action Cards that are not Team specific. The ANY Card is used the same way as the ANY Card that comes with some Specialists, except the entire Team may execute the chosen Action.
This Command Card has a unique mandatory Narrator’s Box. In addition to the Team Bubble Actions this card allows the player to draw three cards to conduct Identity Checks. For each Action Card drawn (not Tactics Module because they do not have Dog Tags) that specific Soldier may perform one of the two listed Actions (in the case of this card it would be either a Shoot or a Move Action). If multiple Action Cards belonging to the same Soldier are drawn during the Identity Check, then that Soldier may take as many matching Actions up to the number of Action Cards drawn.
Teamwork Cards
Simply put, Teamwork cards are those Tactic Module Action Cards that provide Actions to the entire team; easily recognizable by the Team box specifying “Team” instead of a specific number of Soldiers.
This unique Teamwork card allows all the Teams in a player’s squad (whether the Teams are from the same Tactics Module or not) to conduct Hide Actions (as long as the requirement for this team is met, which is that this Team’s panel must have a slot with the Roman numeral “I” on it filled). This means that each Soldier the player has assigned to a Team panel may conduct any eligible Hide action – to include holding cards for all Team members with this capability and to rally any Soldiers within Rally distance.
Designer’s Note: The Tactics Panels are designed to work with Soldiers trained as certain types of units – such as US Airborne, German Light Infantry, British Airborne, US Armored Infantry, Panzergrenadiers, or Fallschirmjagers to name but a few. As I was developing the basic Soldiers, it became obvious that two types of training existed. The first is Specialist Training that is covered in Specialist Soldiers. However, there was clearly additional training that derived from the organization. Each small unit would take the theory in the field manual and then adapt it into “Practical” military teamwork.
One clear example is the VP difference between a US Para Private and a German Light Infantry Soldat. Although the Battle Patrol for the US Paras and German Light Infantry are comparable, the US Tactics are a bit stronger and are reflected in the Soldiers’ increased VP cost. This is because the US trained heavily to trained heavily with a focus on perfecting teamwork.
Sergeants is a gamers’ view into the life of Soldiers at all levels of combat operations, and Tactics Modules are playable with any form of Sergeants that a player wishes to use them. These work with table top miniatures and board games for any Sergeants product, because they develop the organization’s teamwork through increased actions.
Optics
Binoculars and scopes are Optics that provide modifiers to the Soldiers using them. There are 2 levels of Optics: 3x Optics and 6x Optics. The 3x Optics allow a Soldier to completely ignore all LOOK modifiers of 3 and below, and all Shoot modifiers of 2 and below in all squares between the Soldier and his target (including the target’s square). The 6x Optics allow the Soldier to completely ignore all LOOK modifiers of 4 or 5 below (depending on quality), and all SHOOT modifiers of 3 and below in all squares between the Soldier and his target (including the target’s square).
Markers
Smoke Markers
IMPORTANT: If Smoke is in the path between the Soldier and the target, then all smoke modifiers are applied before the Optics modifiers.
Smoke provides a degree of concealment to Soldiers and is reflected by using a Smoke marker. Smoke affects the ability to spot and shoot at Soldiers. There is light smoke (e.g. from a thrown smoke grenade or other equipment) and heavy smoke (e.g. from artillery). The difference is that Heavy Smoke places 2 Smoke Markers. The effect of smoke is determined in the following manner: for all Soldiers sighting and shooting through the smoke square the Look and Shoot modifiers are doubled (2x smoke) for the square the smoke is in and for each square between the smoke and the target (including the target’s square) for each smoke marker present. Smoke between a Soldier attempting to Take Cover and the nearest enemy also doubles the Hide modifiers for each marker present. Smoke may be used by players in one of two ways – it may be delivered by any artillery that has a blast check of 3 or more, or with equipment cards that specify smoke ability.
To deliver smoke via artillery, a player who has purchased artillery simply indicates a round of artillery will be smoke vice explosive and then places 2 Smoke markers in the sighted square. When Optics (binoculars and scopes) are used in a game, all smoke modifiers are applied before Optics modifiers.
IMPORTANT: Smoke markers treat Landmarks as a single Map Square.
The duration of the smoke is a minimum of one turn. After one turn, players determine when the smoke is removed in the following manner: at the start of the turn reveal the Story Deck cards for the turn and compare the color surrounding each Story Deck card number in the top right-hand corner. The card for the first phase establishes the color for the turn and if the card for the second phase is different than the first card, then 1 Smoke marker is removed after the second phase. If the colors are the same, then the smoke remains for the second phase and players compare the color of the card for the third phase. If the color of the third card is different than the first card, then 1 smoke is removed after the third phase. If all three cards have the same color, then smoke continues for the entire turn and a check is made again in subsequent turns until it is removed.
IMPORTANT: Some Equipment and markers listed may not be available yet for use. However, they are listed here for future reference. Check our website for the latest products and releases.
Fire Markers
Fire is caused by either a Random Event or Equipment. When a fire starts, place a Fire Marker in the affected map square, landmark, or urban feature. No Hit checks are done at this time – Blast Hit checks are done at the beginning of each Phase, before any Actions are taken. One Blast Hit check is made every Phase for each Soldier in the affected area. Fire does not go out – it continues to burn for the remainder of the game. If a building is on fire, the entire building is affected regardless of the number of floors.
Explosive Markers
Explosives markers are carried by Soldiers equipped with Explosives Cards or as part of Special Instructions found in the Scenario. These are placed on the map if used and as yet undetonated or dropped by soldiers that are killed in action. Explosives that are on the map may be recovered by any soldier before detonation.
IMPORTANT: Refer to the actual Equipment Card for Look and Shoot modifiers.
Ammunition Markers
Ammunition Markers or Rounds are carried by Assistants and handed to the Gunner for use. When using rounds, Crews must be formed as described on page 36 to service the weapon. Each Shot taken by the Crew consumes one Round of Ammunition.
Improvements
Improvements are placed on the map during setup as part of the scenario Special Instructions. All modifiers found in Sergeants terrain (except urban) replace the printed value with the new value.
IMPORTANT: Soldiers protected from Hits apply the protection once each Action. For example, a Talk Bubble that says “4 Soldiers may Shoot” is a single Shoot Action. If the Dog Tag Action was used after the Talk Bubble Action the protection would take effect all over again since that is a separate Action. The same applies to the Narrator Box or Story Card Event.
Land Mines
Soldiers conduct land mine Hit Checks (using the Blast Hit Check) when they start a move in a square containing land mines (not when they enter the square), or when exiting a square that contains land mines. The number of Hit Checks applied is found either in the Scenario Special Instructions section, or as bought Ordnance from the Munitions Chart.
Land mines cannot be cleared during Scenarios unless special engineering vehicles or engineering Ordnance is used to detonate the mines. Minefields are always marked and obvious to players. Soldiers are not surprised by mine fields.
Designer Note: Minefields are deployed to slow enemy movement and shape the battlefield. To do this best they are obvious even if they are filled with dummy mines.
Booby Traps
Booby Traps are hidden Ordnance that is meant to surprise attack an enemy as a result of movement trough a location. These are often used to stop infiltration by attacking infiltrators and triggering an ambush with a Blast attack. Ordnance used to create a Booby Trap is found in the Scenario Special Instructions or as bought Ordnance from the Munitions Chart.
IMPORTANT: Soldiers that suffer a Blast Hit from Land Mines or Booby Traps are Spotted immediately.
Foxholes
Foxholes and nests are military improvements to the basic terrain of a square. They may not be built in Urban Areas. The Soldier in a foxhole or nest ignore the first hit scored during a Shoot action. In addition, the soldier receives an additional Shoot Modifier when shot at. Only 1 soldier may occupy a foxhole at a time.
Nests
The Nest allows 2 soldiers to get the benefits of being dug in. Or the Nest can hold a Crew by placing the hidden movement markers of excess Crew members under the Gunner or Assistant Soldiers. All hits on the Nest are resolved using Identity Checks to determine which Soldier was hit.
Trenches
Some map segments have fighting positions marked with Hit and Shoot Modifiers. These positions can each hold 1 Soldier. They provide protection against attackers outside the trench system but are ignored by attackers that are in the trench adjacent (directly attached with a line).
Bunkers and Fortifications
These Improvement types have special rules found in the product they come with.
Weapon Crews
Sergeants uses individual Soldiers to create Squads or Sections. But smaller groups of soldiers serving as crews for lighter arms can also be formed. A crew can be formed for any crew served weapon - such as a machine gun, mortar or rocket launcher.
Forming a Crew
To form a Crew you must have a Soldier that is a Gunner and soldiers that can Assist him. Soldiers that have the attribute of “Assistant” or “Assist” under their name are able to form crews with other Soldiers that are armed with crew served weapons. To form a crew, place the Assistants in base contact with the Gunner or stack the hidden movement markers together as a stack. The newly formed Crew is treated as a single Soldier for all Actions once the crew is formed.
Identity Checks for a Crew
Soldiers in a crew taking an Identity Check apply the result to the Crew if it does not apply Damage, otherwise apply the result to the identified Soldier.
Targeting a Crew Served Weapon
The crew is sighted as one target. So if a soldier in the crew is Spotted, the whole crew is spotted.
If the Crew is shot at, the soldier that is Hit is selected by Identity Check before applying the Damage Result. Crews continue to act as a single target until the group splits up. When that happens the Crew is reformed from the Gunner and any remaining Assistants.
Moving a Crew Served Weapon
As long as the Gunner is alive, the Crew may Move using a single Soldier action. So if a Move Action Cards says that “Two Soldiers may Move and Move Again.” then the Crew may Move and Move Again using 1 Soldiers Action. If the Gunner has been killed, the Crew may remain with the Weapon and operate it but may not Move. If any remaining crew member leaves the Crew after the Gunner is killed, then the Weapon is abandoned and the Crew is disbanded.
Shooting a Crew Served Weapon
Once formed the Gunner fires the weapon until he is killed. After that, the gunners weapon continues to be fired by the Crew with a -2 Penalty. So if Long on the Gunner is 16 Sq. then the Assistants can Shoot using Long at 14 Sq. this continues until the crew has only 1 remaining member, who can service the weapon left by a deceased Gunner. If only 1 Assistant remains the Crew is broken and the Weapon is abandoned if he is Pinned or Moves. Pass the Gunner’s Soldier Card to the player that has the Gunner’s hidden movement marker – see below. And place the Gunners hidden movement marker FACE UP in the square to mark the recoverable Weapon.
Marking a Gunner as Killed
When a Gunner is Killed, the weapon he carries remains in play. Instead of giving the Soldiers Card to the opponent that Killed him, give him the Soldiers Hidden Movement Marker to add to his VP pile. Then place the Gunners Soldiers Card Partially under the Assistant that takes over the Gun so that the Shoot Box can be clearly seen. Once the crew is disbanded, or the Game ends, pass the Soldiers Card for the deceased Gunner to the opponent in exchange for the Hidden Movement Marker.
Urban Warfare
Urban Areas
Urban Areas are Landmarks that start with a “U” in place of the “L” and block Line of Sight through them. Soldiers inside Urban Areas have a normal Line of Sight: to a location inside the Urban Area; or out of the Urban Area from a Urban Room that is directly attached normal map square or Landmark. No Line of Sight may cross into an Urban Area and then exit it.
Urban Rooms
Urban Rooms are the locations inside a single Urban Area. Each Urban Room is segmented from each adjacent Urban Room by walls, debris, hedges or red lines of demarcation. They may occupy less than 1 square of the map or up to 10+ squares. As long as the room is clearly segmented treat it as a single room.
IMPORTANT: Measurement inside of Urban areas is performed Soldier to Soldier for all Line-of-Sight based rules. This is used for SHOOT, LOOK and HIDE actions where all Soldiers are inside one Urban Area.
If you are in doubt as to what is a room confirm it with an opponent. The game will not suffer as long as you are playing by the same understanding. This interpretation by players is a reasonable accommodation to the large complex game environs needed for Urban Warfare.
The Urban Rooms may have modifiers in them. These modifiers are summed with the Urban Area Modifiers. This is different from all others modifiers found in Sergeants which in other cases replace the printed value with the new value. Urban combat is meant to be different.
Each Urban Room counts as a single Map Square for Distance. Soldiers may move from 1 Urban Room to another Urban Room through doors and windows – or special mouse hole markers joined to explosive charges. See the Mission Special Instructions for using breach/explosive markers since they are dependent on the scenario.
Urban Doors
Urban Doors is a general term that us used for windows, crawl spaces, doors and breaches of all kinds. These are always represented by a circle on the Urban Map. The circles with numbers in them indicate the maximum number of soldiers that may move through the passage during each Phase of the Game Turn. Blue Circles always cause the Soldier to become pinned when crossed. Yellow circles do not Pin Soldiers when crossed.
Urban Shooting & Close Combat
Soldiers shoot normally through Urban Rooms that are walled only by red dividing lines. These are typically courtyards alleys and foot paths that are open to a ranged shot. All ranges and modifiers are handled normally. You will notice that some shorter shots are at Short where longer shots are at Close. This is because nervous soldiers in closed environments tend to snap shot at close ranges which drops accuracy significantly. This is as intended in the design.
Soldiers that are in the same Urban Room with enemy Soldiers may Shoot using Close Range. Soldiers with Hit+, Shoot 2x if their Short Range value summed with the Shoot Modifier is zero or negative. Apply all results simultaneously after all soldiers have shot – this occurs before Fighting.
Urban Concealment and Morale
All Soldiers in Urban are In Cover at all times and may attempt to Take Cover. If no enemy Soldier has a line of Sight to the Soldier Taking Cover the attempt is automatically successful. Soldiers that are Pinned and cannot see any enemy Soldiers automatically Rally at the end of each Phase if they see a friendly Soldier or their Pinned Rally is at least 1 Man.
Glossary
This section is for context and easier understanding of the rules. Other SDD products may include additional Glossary sections and may also have a Rules addendum. This allows SDD to grow and to reduce the rules that a player needs to learn to begin playing SDD.
- ACTION – An Action is the core of the game. Each Action is distinct and separate for each Soldier. A single Action Card allows multiple Actions to be taken by a player. When a player’s Action Card is in play (determined by the Phase cards and Initiative) any Action allowed by the card may be taken by various Soldiers he controls, in any order he wishes. Actions are the heart of SDD play and are grouped in four types: LOOK, HIDE, SHOOT and MOVE.
- ACTION DECK – A deck comprised of all the Action Cards belonging to each Soldier in a player’s force. These cards are combined, shuffled, and used to ‘draw’ from throughout the game.
- CHARACTERS – The storyline in SDD is tied to Characters and events. Characters are Soldiers that are the same in all Chapters of the various stories. For example, Day of Days comes with six named Characters. These Characters have cards in the Story Deck that may trigger events during the battles. Other Soldiers do not have Story events that call them by name, but may still be affected by random events.
- CHECKS – All checks are made by pulling the top Action Card from the Action Deck. Hit Checks determine if a shot hits the target. Damage checks determine the result of a hit. Some additional checks use the Dog Tag.
- COMBAT CONTACT – Soldiers are in the same square with an enemy Soldier. When moving into Combat Contact, you must move in a straight line at your target.
- CLOSE COMBAT – Soldiers in an Urban Room that in Combat Contact are in Close Combat.
- DAMAGE CHECK – When checking for Damage, use the bottom right result on the Action Card.
- DISTANCE – Distance on the board is measured in individual map squares (sq.) This number is a positive integer. It is measured by counting the squares along a straight line. All distance measures are performed using a straight line and use whole numbers.