1945

WW2 Era Skirmish Rules By Tom Hinshelwood

1.0 Introduction
This game uses the rules mechanics of 5.56mm, a modern era skirmish game written by myself, though with modifications and additions for the WW2 era. 1945 follows the ethos of its parent game in providing and easy to use system able to handle a wide range of realistic combat situations. Last month WargamesJournal.com released another WW2 skirmish game by the name of FUBAR. Like 1945, FUBAR uses a 5.56mms rules with some modifications to suit the WW2 era. As you might expect with both games being heavily based upon 5.56mm they share many similarities as a result. WargamesJournal.com has released both sets of rules to give you two different takes on modifying my 5.56mm rules for gaming in the WW2 era. 1945 is designed with 28mm miniatures in mind, though it is able to accommodate miniatures of smaller or larger scales. Though the game has been designed with realism as an important consideration, simplicity and ease of use have taken precedence over absolute realism to allow for that most important of factors, fun.

2.0 Game Mechanics

1945 uses a few core rules to handle all aspects of play. The term, character, is used throughout this manual to describe all combatants taking part on either side.

drawn for a character who has been killed before their go that turn, remove the card from the deck and draw another card. Infantry characters usually only have one card assigned to them, but it is possible that a character may be assigned two cards. This is the case if the character possesses the Veteran special skill. Therefore that character is able to be used twice during the turn by the player. In this instance when a characters second card has been drawn the character may go again, taking only a single action instead of the usual allowance of two (see 2.2 Actions) In this way the character gets two actions in his first go and then a third action when another card assigned to him is drawn. Characters who are Veterans may not use a special action when their second card is drawn. It is possible to have special events take place in a scenario by drawing one or more Jokers from the turn deck. This wont be the case in every scenario but if so there will be special rules to cover such events in the scenario. The scenario in question will state whether it is necessary for the inclusion of a Joker in the turn deck. Otherwise it can be left out. When a Joker is drawn refer to the scenario to establish what happens then continue drawing cards as normal. In any deck their will possibly be a number of Leadership Cards for either side. This is based upon how adept at command the squad leader is. When a Leadership Card is drawn any character within the squad leaders Command Range, including the squad leader himself, is able to take an additional single action. Alternately the player may hold back this card for use at a later point during the game. The above rules still apply and the card must be played after another characters card has been drawn and before the next card is drawn. It cannot be played during a characters go. If a squad leader is entitled to multiple Leadership Cards then the player is allowed to hold back as many cards as he likes and then play them one after the other. This represents a particularly skilful commander waiting to use his troops at the right moment for the best possible result. Should the squad leader be killed then all Leadership Cards should be ignored when drawn and removed from the deck at the end of the turn.

2.2 Actions
When a characters card is drawn that character is allo wed to perform one or two of the actions described in the Action section (3.0). He can perform two different actions, such as Move and Fire, Fire and Move, Move and Stealth, or any combination the player decides. The character may also take two of the same action; two Fire actions, two Move actions etc. A character who takes two actions must take both actions independently from one another, such as taking a Move action then a Fire action once the Move has been completed. He cant perform part of the Move action, pause to Fire, and finish the Move action. Alternately a character can take a special action (see section 4.0) in place of two normal actions. These special actions include amongst others, Auto-Fire, Treat Injured, and Hide. Should the player wish, a character is allowed to take just one action or even no actions when his card is drawn, though this isnt recommended if the player has any intention of keeping him alive. The player cannot hold his card back in reserve like he can with the Leadership Card.

2.3 Turns
This game is intended for two opposing sides controlled by two players or multiple players on the same side and a referee controlling the opposition. To determine in what order characters can act a turn deck is used. Before the game can begin each character on either side needs to be assigned a card from a pack of standard playing cards. This information is then recorded on the Squad Sheet for easy reference and to save any arguments. For simplicities sake use all black cards for one side and all red cards for the opposition. Then those cards that have been assigned to the characters are shuffled together to form the turn deck and each player alternates in drawing a card from the deck. The card draw will then correspond to a particular character and the appropriate player is then allowed to control that character. When the character has used up their action allowance or the player decides, the characters go is ended and another card is drawn until all cards have been used and every character has been controlled. The turn is then ended. All cards are then reshuffled ready for the next turn. Cards for characters who have been killed should not be reshuffled into the deck. If a card is

2.3 Target Number

With the exceptions of the Move action and the Sprint special action, the success or failure of all actions in the game are determined by whether or not a character can equal or beat the

Target Number (TN) of task attempted. To do this the player controlling the character rolls a D6 and adds one of four Ability Scores (section 9.0), depending on which action the character is performing. If the total of this roll is equal to or higher than the TN of the action it is a success, if not the action fails. This game mechanic is used to determine such things as whether a Hiding enemy is spotted, whether a shot hits its target and the effects of the wound, etc. For example: A British Paratrooper, Sgt. Jeffreys, takes a Fire action at a German SS Officer. The TN of the Officer is 6 (5 because of the range, and +1 because he is in partial concealment). Jeffreys rolls a 4, but scores a hit because his Weapons ability modifier of +2 means the TN of 6 is equalled. In certain instances the same dice roll to reach the Target Number can be used to determine a degree of success or degree of failure, whether it may be a narrow scrape, glorious triumph or tragic error. For example: Jeffreys, having wounded his enemy, uses his second action to Move of and, away from the advancing German armour. To do so he has to go through a ruined building, which counts as difficult ground. The TN for this is only 2, a simple roll, but the more the Sgt. Jeffreys can beat the number by, the quicker he can cross the building. His player rolls a D6 adding his Movement modifier of +1 for a total of 5. This result of 3 more than required means he can move across the building at full speed, heading to safety as fast as possible.

modifier and use the second below table (3.13) to determine how successful the characters leap is. The third below table (3.14) lists positive modifiers that aid a characters Movement roll.

3.12

Modifiers to the TN +1 +1 Character has a Heavy Load Character makes a standing jump.

3.12

Movement Result -2 The character fails to make the distance by some way. Work out any damage as per the falling rules. The character just fails to make it, but manages to grab hold. If he has another action this turn he may attempt to pull himself up (Strength test TN 3). Otherwise he must wait until his following turn to make the attempt. If he fails the attempt he cannot hold on and falls. If another character is adjacent to the hanging character he may pull him up automatically during his turn. Doing so counts as an action. The character makes it, just, but can do nothing else this turn. The jump is successful. The character may continue his turn as normal. The distance jumped counts towards his total movement allowance.

-1

3.0 Actions (Single)

3.1 Move
All characters move a standard distance of 4 across even ground when performing this action. Even ground counts as grassland, fields, light woodland, streets etc. Other types of terrain count of difficult ground and require different TNs to cross successfully (see Battlefield Environments section 8.0). A character who takes two Move actions during their turn runs a total of 8 . Alternatively a character may take a Sprint special action instead (see section 4.1) with the chance of moving further, but also the chance of moving less. Unless otherwise stated all characters on both sides are considered to be carrying a normal amount of encumbrance, that is equipment, supplies and ammunition. In the game this is referred to as a combat load. In some instances a character will be considered to have more or less encumbrance than this standard amount. A character who as a light load is considered to only be carrying the bare essentials, ie his weapon, ammunition and not a lot else, in this way he is able to move faster than normal. A character who has a heavy load is weighed down by the weight of his kit and therefore is penalised in his movement. The table below (3.11) shows how far characters with different amounts of encumbrance are able to travel by taking a Move action. 3.11 Encumbrance Light Load Combat Load Heavy Load Move Distance 5 4 3 +0 +1 or more

3.13

Modifiers to Movement Roll +1 +1 The character is using the Sprint special action The character has more than 2 run up before the jump

3.2 Fire
To shoot at an enemy a character first needs to be able to see him, and to do this there must be a line of sight between the character and the target. If there isnt then it is impossible for the character to score a hit by shooting at him. All characters have a 180-degree field of view with which to shoot at the enemy. If the line of sight is partially obscured the character is still able to shoot as long as he is able to see 50% of more of the target. If the characters line of sight on the target is less than 50% there is a chance that he may be able to see the target and therefore will not be able to Fire at him. To determine wheth er the character can see the enemy roll a D6 and add his Morale ability modifier. The TN of the enemy is dependant on far away he is from the character and shown on the below table (3.21). On the second below table (3.22) is a list of factors that affect the TN. 3.21 Distance 1 to 2 2 to 4 Target Number 1 2

It is possible for a character too jump during his movement to cross a gap or stream for example. To do so is not without risk however. Measure the distance of the gap, with the number of inches becoming the TN for a Movement roll. Round any fractions down. This TN is subject to the penalties shown in the below table (3.12). Roll a D6 and add the characters Movement

4 to 8 8 to 16 16 to 32 32 + 3.22 Modifiers to the TN +1 +1 +2 3.23

3 4 5 6

+2 +2 +1 +1 +1

Target is using Take Cover action Spotter can see less than 25% of target Target is using Hide special action

Modifiers to the Morale Roll +1 +2 +1 Firer is using the Aim action Target has used Fire action or Auto-Fire special action previously in the current turn. Target has used Fire action or Auto-Fire special action in the previous turn but not Moved since.

+1 +1 +1 +1 +1/+2 +1

To successfully shoot a target the character must equal or beat the enemys TN by rolling a D6 and adding the characters Weapons ability modifier. The TN of the enemy is determined by working out the distance between him and the character and comparing this number to the range categories of the Firing characters weapon. When the range category of the target has been found, refer to the below table (3.23) for the TN. This is the base TN needed to score a hit, but the number can be modifier by many different factors, described in the second below table (3.24). 3.24 Range Category Close Short Medium Long Extreme TN 2 3 4 5 6

Firer is on vehicle moving at Full Speed Firer is using a specialist weapon without the appropriate special skill Target is using Take Cover action Firer is using Auto-Fire special action at a second target Firer is using Auto-Fire special action with a machinegun at a target more than 2 from the first target Firer is taken a second Auto-Fire shot with a machinegun Target is not the closest enemy to the character to which he has the best line of sight Target is a vehicle moving at Full Speed Firer is using Cover Fire action Firer is cooking a grenade Throwing a grenade through a narrow space, such as a doorway or window

3.26

Modifiers to Fire Action +1 +1 +1 +1 +2 Target is incapacitated Target does not have a line of sight to the character Firer is using Aim action Target is using Carry special action Target is a vehicle

For example: Sgt. Jeffreys tactical withdraw runs into trouble. He is spotted by German infantry and he uses a Fire action to shoot at the closest one. The distance between them is worked out to be 22. The player refers to the range categories for SLR Jeffreys is using. 22 falls in the Long range (20 to 29). As shown in the table above (3.23), an enemy at Long range has a TN of 5. As demonstrated above the TN for the action is determined by the range, but can be modified by one or more factors as show in the table below (3.24). These represent negative situations that make an enemy more difficult to hit. However, there are also favourable situations that aid a characters Fire action, as shown in the second below table (3.25). 3.25 Modifiers to Target Number +1 +2 +1 +1 Target in partial concealment (25% obscured) Target in full concealment (50% obscured) Target is using Sprint special action Firer is on moving vehicle

If the fire action equals or beats the TN of the enemy a hit is scored and any wound can be determined (see Injury section, 5.0). It is possible that an enemy may have a TN that the character cannot equal, and in this case the shot is impossible for the characters skills and it would be wise for him to do something else. It is possible for a character to take two Fire actions as part of his turn but if he does so he can only shoot at the same target twice, not a different target with the second shot. To shoot at two separate targets requires the use of a special action: AutoFire. Grenades If a character wants to throw a grenade instead of shooting a slightly different process is used to determine success. First of all the player chooses where he wants to throw the grenade to and measures the distance as per a normal Fire action, except that the player does not have to select an enemy character, he can select a point on the ground. He then rolls a D6 and adds the characters Strength modifier to try and reach the TN, worked out from the range like a firearm. If he equals or beats the TN the grenade lands and explodes in the exact place aimed for. If the result is less than the TN consult the table below (3.28) and then the second table below (3.29) for what happens. 3.28 Strength Result -1 -2 Effect The grenade travels D3 inches as described on table 3.27 The grenade travels D6 inches as described on table 3.27

-3 or less

The grenade travels D6+1 inches as described on table 3.27

+1 +2

3.29

D6 Result 1 2 3 4 5 6

Effect The grenade lands 90-degrees to the left of the target The grenade lands 45-degrees to the left of the target The grenade lands directly short of the target The grenade lands directly long of the target The grenade lands 45-degrees to the right of the target The grenade lands 90-degrees to the right of the target +3 or more

The mortar travels 1d6+6 inches as described in the below table (3.211) The mortar travels 1d6 inches as described in the below table (3.211) Perfect. The mortar round lands exactly where it was supposed to. Effect The mortar round lands 90-degrees to the left of the target The mortar round lands 45-degrees to the left of the target The mortar round lands directly short of the target The mortar round lands directly long of the target The mortar round lands 45-degrees to the right of the target The mortar round lands 90-degrees to the right of the target

3.211

D6 Result 1 2 3 6 7 6

If a grenade lands within of a character he may attempt to pick it up and throw it away. To pick up the grenade and throw it away before it explodes requires the character to make a Morale test against TN 4. If he fails this then he is not quick enough and the grenade explodes in his hand. Should the roll be successful he may then take a Fire action with the grenade as normal, though he may only select a target in Medium range or less. If he does not equal the TN for the throw he is too slow getting rid of it and the grenade explodes in his hand. No grenade can be thrown back more than once. To prevent a thrown grenade being thrown away like this the character using the Fire action to throw it in the first place may hold onto the grenade for as long as possible to make sure no one is able to get rid of it before it explodes. To do this the TN of the action is subject to a +1 penalty. This is called cooking the grenade. A technique used during the Second World War was cookin g the grenade for as long as possible so that when it was thrown it exploded in the air over the target before it landed. In this way the more shrapnel is able to travel further increasing the kill radius of the grenade. If a character wants to do this the blast radius of the grenade is increased by 1 , but because of the difficulty in getting the timing just right the TN is increased by an additional +1 to that of cooking normally and is therefore +2 TN in total. Mortars When a mortar is fired, like when a grenade is thrown, a point is selected on the ground instead of a target chosen. The character then must equal or beat the TN for the range category for that distance. This TN is not subject to the usual rules for line of sight and cover, in fact the TN is unmodified by any of the usual factors. The degree by which the TN is beaten indicates how accurate the mortar has been. Consult the below table (3.210) for the result. If the TN is not equalled then the firing is considered so inaccurate that it does not strike anywhere on the board. 3.210 Fire Result +0 Effect The mortar travels 2d6+6 inches as described in the below table (3.211)

3.3 Take Cover

A character can take a Take Cover action to make himself more difficult to hit by dividing for cover, crawling or just keeping his head down. Doing so means that the character has the equivalent of partial concealment and any enemy Firing at him must do so at a +1 modifier to the characters target number. A character who takes this action can receive both the modifier for being in concealment as well as the modifier for performing the action. This modifier applies until the characters card is drawn next turn, regardless of what other action he takes.

3.4 Aim
A character taking this action ignores everything else going on around him and concentrates on hitting his target. If a character selects this as his first action he receives a +1 modifier to his subsequent Fire action as well as Morale roll to spot a target. He may not take it as his second action and have the +1 modifier carry over to his next turn.

3.5 First Aid

A character who elects to use this action can temporarily reduce the negative affects an injury has on a wounded character. The character performing the action must be adjacent to the wounded character. The player rolls a D6 and adds the characters Morale ability to equal or beat the TN of the injury (table 3.51). If the test is successful the characters wound improves one level, a Serious becoming a Minor etc. However, this is only short term and after D3+1 turns the wound reverts to its original state, but can be subject to another First Aid action. In this way a character with a Mortal Wound (see Injury section 5.0) is able to be kept from dying but only by a constant effort. A character may perform First Aid on himself, but doing so is difficult and as a result the character suffers a +1 modifier to the TN of the injury. A

character with a Mortal wound cannot perform this action on himself.

+1

For each defender

additional

3.51

Injury Minor Serious Critical Mortal

Target Number 2 4 5 6

3.6 Covering Fire

A character who uses this action does nothing else during his turn but watches an area intently, ready to fire if the enemy reveals themselves. The character may take a single Fire action at any target he has a line of sight on during an opposing characters turn, at any point, even during an action. The target must be within a 90-degree field of view in front of the character. The character cannot receive the benefits of an Aim action whilst using Covering Fire.

3.7 Engage
As well as using the Fire action to shoot at targets a character can attack an enemy in hand-to-hand combat by using the Engage action. If the character is either already within 1 of the enemy or can reach within 1 through use of the Move action hand-to-hand combat begins between the two combatants. The attacking character rolls a D6 and adds his Strength modifier (plus any other appropriate modifiers and those for weapons) against a TN determined by the defending character doing exactly the same. A list of factors affecting hand-to-hand combat is listed in the tables below (3.71 and 3.72). If the attacker equals or beats the TN then he has hit the defender and a wound may be caused. See Injury section (5.0). Should the defender survive the attack and hand-to-hand combat is continued either in a subsequent action or in the next turn any modifiers from the table below (3.71) that the attacker had are no longer applicable except that gained for additional attackers. The defender retains his modifiers 3.71 Modifier to Attackers Roll +1 +2 Character is Engaging Defender does not have a line of sight to the character (ie from behind) Character is attacking from higher ground For each additional attacker

The best way to take on an enemy in hand-to-hand combat is with some help. To receive the modifier for having an additional attacker that attacker must already be in hand-to-hand combat with the defendant. The defending character receives the modifier for having an additional defendant only if that defendant is within 1 of the attacking character. If a character wishes to Engage an enemy in hand-tohand combat but the enemy is further than 4 away he may do so either by taking two Move actions, or by using the Sprint special action. In this case a character has used up his turn to get close to the character but cannot make an attack roll. However, both characters involved then count as being in hand-to-hand combat. It is possible that a character who has either Engaged an enemy or who has been Engaged himself may want to withdraw for any number of reasons. If the opposing player agrees (though this is unlikely) then the character can use the Move action or the Sprint special action to disengage. If the opposing player does not agree then the character either has to continue to fight or try and escape. To do the latter the character rolls a D6 adding his Movement modifier against a TN determined by the opposing character rolling a D6 and adding his Strength modifier. In such instances no additional modifiers for weapons may be used. If the character equals or beats the TN he has managed to withdraw from the melee and can take two actions or a special action as normal. If he fails to do this the table below (3.73) shows what effects his failure has. 3.73 Movement Result -3 or less Effect The character fails to escape and the enemy character automatically scores a hit on him whilst doing so. Roll for damage as normal. The character manages to escape but the enemy character automatically scores a hit on whilst doing so. Roll for damage as normal. Any action the escaping character makes is at a +2 TN penalty for the rest of this turn The character manages to escape, but any action he makes is at a +1 TN penalty for the rest of this turn

-2

-1

4.0 Actions (Special)

4.1 Sprint
Instead of taking two Move actions to move a total distance of 8 a character can attempt to Sprint instead, representing a sudden dash by which the character may be able to move further, but not without risk. The character rolls a D6 and adds his Movement modifier and consults the below table (4.11) to determine how far that character is allowed to move in addition to the distance he is able to move by taking two Move actions. For example: Sgt Jeffreys is in real trouble. To have any chance of evading the rapidly closing German forces he must reach the safety of the woodlands, 10 away. He can only Move 4 so two Move actions will leave him 2 short. He must therefore Sprint. He rolls a D6 adding no modifier for his Movement ability getting a 5. With this additional 2 he just makes it into the cover of the trees.

+1 +1 3.72 Modifier to Defenders Roll +1 +1

Defender is behind an obstacle Defender is on higher ground

4.11 Movement Result 1 or less 2-3 4-5 6-7 7-8 9+

Distance Moved 0 1 2 3 4 5

Taking a Sprint action to attempt to move further than normal is not without its risk. A character who uses this action must roll a D6 and add his Strength ability modifier against TN 3. This roll is to determine whether the character has expended his stamina by the effort in using a Sprint. If the Strength test is less than the TN the character has to have a quick breather before he can continue. In the characters next turn he is only able to take a single action instead of the normal two as he spends the first action recovering from the exertion. If the player wishes, the character doesnt bother to rest and has his normal action allowance. If so all TNs for that turn are at a +1 penalty and he travels 1 less taking a Move action. The character then needs to spend an action in the next round resting to recover from this extra exertion, but because he is even more exhausted he must make a Strength test (TN 4) or the +1 penalty endures until the end of the turn. If the player is desperate enough the character can negate resting and continue as normal, but doing so in such an exhausted state means all TNs are at a +2 penalty and he moves 2 less taking a Move action. The next turn, however, the character collapses and can do nothing during the whole turn except lie on the ground gasping for air.

full benefits of this special action, but does instead receives the benefits of the Stealth action. However, if the line of sight between the enemy and the character is obstructed, if only slight, then the enemy cannot take any action against the character without first making a successful Morale roll to spot him. The enemy character rolls a D6 and adds his Morale ability to reach a Target Number based on the distance between them, see table below (4.24), with the addition of possible modifiers depending on whether the character is in concealment (table 4.25). In this way it is like the check made to see if a character can Fire on an enemy, but if the enemy is using the Hide action the chances of detecting him are significantly less. If the enemy character fails to equal or beat the TN he is unable to Fire upon the character and may elect to perform another action instead. If the roll is successful and the character is spotted he may be Fired upon, but he still receives a +1 modifier to his TN for Hiding in addition to a +1 or +2 modifier for being in concealment. 4.24 Distance 1 to 2 2 to 4 4 to 8 8 to 16 16 to 32 32 + 4.25 Concealment Partial Full Target Number 3 4 5 6 7 8 Modifier to TN +1 +2

4.2 Hide
If a character takes the Hide action he does everything possible to avoid being detected by the enemy, staying absolutely still if necessary. Doing so means that any rolls to spot the character do so with a +2 modifier to the TN. To determine how far the character is able to move, if at all, roll a D6 and add his Movement ability modifier against the TN of the terrain, as determined by the below table (4.21). How fast the character manages to move across the terrain is determined by with what degree of success he beats the TN by, as shown in the second below table (4.22). If the character fails to equal the TN he still counts as being Hidden, but if he wishes to remain so he cannot move from his position. 4.22 Target Number 3 4 5 6 4.23 Result 0 +1 +2 +3 or more Terrain Even ground Light undergrowth, brush Light rubble, dense undergrowth Dense rubble, obstacles Distance Moved 1 2 3 4

4.3 Auto-Fire
Some WW2 firearms available to characters are capable of autofiring. This represents using a weapons ability to fire on fully automatic mode. Any character with any gun can take two Fire actions in their turn if they so wish, but only at the same target. If they wish to shoot at different targets then they must take the Auto-Fire special action. Characters armed with sub machineguns, assault rifles or clip-fed light machineguns, make a normal roll to hit as per the Fire action. In addition to this they may make a second to hit roll for using this special action. This must be at the same target or another within 2 of the first target. The second target is, however, more difficult to hit and as such has its TN subject to a +1 penalty, accounting for the inaccuracy of firing on automatic. If the character is armed with a belt-fed light machinegun, medium machinegun or heavy machinegun he is able to take more than one additional shot, usually two for a total of three shots in the characters turn. Like a sub machinegun or assault rifle a machinegun can fire at targets within 2 of the first, but because machineguns are more effective when firing on automatic, the TN of the second target is not subject to the +1 modifier that other weapons receive. In addition to this a machine gunner may select targets up to 4 away from the first, but targets over 2 away are subject to a +1 modifier to their TN. In this way machineguns can be devastating weapons if deployed correctly.

4.4 Suppressing Fire

Unlike the Covering Fire action where a character waits until a target appears before shooting at it, Suppressing Fire represents a character firing continuously at a particular area, regardless of whether there are actually any visible targets, with the aim of

If an enemy has a completely unobstructed line of sight to the character or is less than 1 away the character cannot claim the

keeping an enemy pinned in one place or stopping them moving to another location. Machineguns are naturally considerably better at Suppressing Fire as their high rate-of-fire means they are able to fill an area with hot lead. To use this special action the character must first select a point to concentrate his fire. The area of affect is 3 in radius from this point. Using a template is particularly useful here. Any character who either enters the 6 diameter area has a chance of being hit by the Suppressing Fire. In addition a character who passes between the character using this Special Action and the point of Suppressing Fire is also at risk of being shot, though this risk is not as high. In either case the character must make a Morale roll against a TN determined by what kind of weapon is using this Special action. This shown in the below table (4.41) and the modifiers to the TN in the second below table (4.42). 4.41 Weapon Handgun/SLR SMG/Assault Rifle/LMG (CF) LMG (BF) /MMG HMG 4.42 Modifiers to TN +1 +2 Target is at Short range Target is at Close range TN 1 2 3 4

Minor Serious Critical Mortal

2 4 5 6

4.6 Carry
Carrying is a special action that can be taken by a character to aid a wounded characters movement, whether by picking up a Mortally wounded character of just helping a Critically wounded character to move to safety, such as a nearby medic or the extraction point. To perform this special action both characters must be adjacent to one another and neither can perform any other action. The character performing the Carry special action rolls a D6 and adds his Strength ability to reach a TN dependant on the injury of the character he is helping. See below table (4.61). How fast the characters manage to move is determined by with what degree of success he beats the TN by, as shown in the second below table (4.62). If the Carrying character fails to reach the TN then he struggles with the wounded character and is unable to make any distance. If two characters perform this action on a wounded companion then they automatically move 6 . 4.61 Characters Injury Critical Mortal 4.62 Result +0 +1 +2 +3 or more Target Number 2 3 Distance Moved 3 4 5 6

If the character is not inside the 6 area, but the fire lane between it and the character firing, he receives a +1 modifier to his Morale roll. If a the character fails to equal or beat the TN he has been hit by the weapon in question and must check for wounding. See Injury Section (5.0).There is no limit to the amount of characters that a single weapon may hit in this way. It is possible for multiple characters to use this Special Action on a single area. If so any character entering it must make a Morale roll for every weapon used in this way. The Suppressing Fire is continuously in place until the characters go in the following turn. At the start of the next turn the character must make an Ammo roll for the weapon used for Suppressing Fire. If it fails then the weapon is considered to be Ammo-Low status for the rest of the game.

4.7 Use Radio

During a scenario it is possible that a Patrol Radio can be used to create a number of different events, as determined by the scenario played. To perform this Special Action the character in possession of the Patrol Radio rolls a D6 adding his Morale modifier to determine if the TN of the task is reached. Alternatively, if the leader of the squad is within 2 of the character with the Patrol Radio, his Morale modifier can be used instead as he shouts commands at the signals operator.

4.5 Treat Injury

Any character can use the First Aid action to temporarily help another injured character, but only a character with the Medic special skill (see section 7.0) can use the Treat Injury special action. Dead characters cannot be helped, obviously, but ones with any other injuries can be treated. To successfully treat the injury the Medic rolls a D6 and adds his Morale ability to reach the TN of the injury, as described on the table below (4.51) Should the attempt be successful the injured characters wound is be reduced to the next one down, a Critical becoming a Serious etc, (see Injury section (5.0)). A character who has a Minor wound treated counts as having no wounds at all and is considered to be on full health. Like the First Aid action, Mortally wounded characters cannot treat themselves, but a character with another injury may attempt this special action on himself, but with a +1 modifier to the TN. A Medic is not able to use this special action to cure an injury of a character whom he has already healed the same injury. 4.51 Injury Target Number

5.0 Injury
When a character has been hit by an attack there is a chance he has been wounded. The attacking player rolls a D6 and adds the Damage modifier of the weapon to form the TN that the player must reach to avoid an injury. The player controlling the character hit rolls a D6 adding the characters Strength modifier to try and equal or beat this TN. If the defending characters result is equal or higher than the TN then no wound is caused. If it is less then consult the below table (5.01) for the result. 5.01 Strength Result -1 Effect Minor wound No effect, but treat

-2

-3

-4

-5 -6 or less

a second Minor Wound as a Serious Wound Serious Wound Character suffers a +1 modifier to the TN of all actions and goes 1 less when taking a Move action Critical Wound Character suffers a +2 modifier to the TN of all actions and can only perform one action per turn, so cannot perform special actions. When taking the Move action he goes 2 less Mortal Wound Character is incapacitated; unable to take any action. He will die in D6+1 rounds unless treated. Dead The character has been Killed in Action. Horrific Death The character is dead but has been killed in a particularly gruesome way. See Morale, (section 9.4)

moves 2. Jeffreys chances of escape arent good but he would rather die than face capture. With the same German sniper preparing for his second shot, Jeffreys might just get his wish

5.1 Mortally Characters

Wounded

The more characters who survive the game the more chance of the players side securing a victory. For this reason it is important to have a Medic who can save as many characters from death as possible, though even with a Medic it is possible that one or more characters might end the game with a Mortal Wound. Simply making it until the end of the game does not mean that the character survives, but it does mean that they have a good chance of making it. If it can be assumed that the character can receive medical attention either immediately post battle, or be hospitalised a short time later the character receives a Treat Injury attempt, as per the special action. Make the roll using either a Morale of +3 or a surviving Medics Morale if it is higher. If the attempt is successful the character receives emergency treatment and survives, just.

For ease of play this game doesnt use hit locations but should a character be particularly skilful or lucky and beat the requisite TN by 2 or more with a firearm, the DMG of the weapon is increased, representing the bullet hitting a vital location, such as the chest or head. See the below table (5.02) for details of this. 5.02 TN Result +0 to +1 +2 to +3 +4 and higher DMG +0 +1 +2

6.0 Environments

Battlefield

6.1 Difficult Terrain

As mentioned earlier all characters can move a basic 4 across level terrain by taking a Move action. Should the character want to cross difficult ground they are required to make a Movement roll against the TN of the ground in question. If the character is moving over an obstacle as opposed to crossing rough terrain, measure the vertical height of the object, such as a wall and use this number for the distance needed to be crossed. Make the Movement roll as normal. The table below (6.11) shows various types of terrain and the TN required to cross them. The second table (6.12) shows the degree of success gained from the result. For example: Emerging from his hiding place in the undergrowth rushes a Royal Marine, sprinting to aid Sgt Jeffreys in his hour of need. Jeffreys is still in the trees so the Royal Marine takes a Sprint action, moving 10 in total. However, he is moving through dense woodland that counts as difficult terrain and is TN 2. In itself the Royal Marine automatically makes the roll by having a Movement modifier of +1, but the more he can beat the TN by the more of his 10 Sprint hell be able to move. He makes the D6 roll, getting a 3, which becomes 4 in total with his Movement modifier. This result is 2 more than needed so he is able to use his full 10. He subsequently makes his Strength roll to recover from the Sprint and is ready to lay down a hail of fire to cover Sgt Jeffreys retreat. 6.01 Target Number 1 2 3 4 5 Terrain Dense undergrowth, sand dunes, light rubble. Shallow water, dense woodland, mud, snow, climbing a rope. Dense rubble, obstacle (1 height), bog, thick mud, heavy snow. Deep water, obstacle (1-2 height), barbed wire, steep incline. Obstacle (2-3 height)

In hand-to-hand combat the attacking players TN for damage receives a +1 modifier for each number hed beaten the defending players TN by when rolling to hit: For example: Having expelled both the ammunition from his SLR and Handgun Sgt Jeffreys has no choice but to attack his enemy in hand-to-hand combat. The TN for the German soldier is 3 (D6 roll of 2, plus rifle butt +1). Sgt Jeffreys rolls a D6 adding his Strength modifier of +1, and the +2 modifier of his trusty knife, Gutter, for a total of 7 (D6 roll of 4, plus Strength +1 and knife +2). In a complete frenzied attack Jeffreys beats his foe by a total of 4. When rolling for damage Jeffreys gets 10 in total (D6 roll of 5, plus Strength +1 and hit +4). The German soldier only gets to roll a D6 to try and beat the TN 10. He rolls a 4 and the difference of 6 means he is butchered by Jeffreys, who wipes his blade on his downed foe and leaves, not forgetting to take his rifle. Remember, TN penalties due to injury are stackable, meaning that a character who is injured twice suffers a TN penalty equal to the total of both TN penalties, but the wounds remain separate and dont combine to form a more severe wound. For example: Whilst escaping through the trees Sgt Jeffreys is shot in the thigh (Serious Wound, +1 TN). He doesnt let this deter him and battle on but is shot by a German sniper. The TN for the new hit is 8 (D6 roll of 4, +3 DMG for the sniper rifle and, +1 for the Serious Wound). With a Strength of 1 he can only get an 7 in total, but rolls a 5 for a total of 6. The difference is 2 means he suffers a second Serious Wound. He can still take two actions per turn, as the two Serious Wounds do not count as a Critical Wound, but any action he does take will be at a TN penalty of +2, and when he takes a Move action he only

6.02

Result +0 +1 +2

Effect movement movement Full movement

Please note that what is difficult ground and what type of difficult ground it is, is subjective owing to the vast amounts of different types of scenery available. As such players are likely to have different ideas about the scenery used and it is therefore helpful to quickly discuss what scenery being used counts as what kind of difficult terrain before a game begins. If any disagreements occur they can be settled by that most respected of judges, the humble D6.

and had no give in the parts to account for freezing like the Russian weapons did. Unless stated in a scenario it can be assumed that the weather during the game is mild and has no bearing on the combatants on either side. Should it be required though the below conditions can be used to present additional problems for the forces taking part. Wind Even light winds have an affect on bullets, but for simplicities sake this is ignored in the rules. However, the below table (6.31) demonstrates the penalties to 6.31 Wind Strong Effect +1 TN when shooting at Long Range, +2 TN when shooting at Extreme Range. +1 TN when shooting at Medium Range, +2 TN at Long Range and +3 TN when shooting at Extreme Range.

6.2 Night Fighting

These rules assume the battle is being fought during the daytime and as such there is plenty of light. Battles fought under less light conditions provide significant advantages and disadvantages for those involved. Unless otherwise stated by a scenario the battle is fought during the daytime, but alternatively should both players consent a roll on the below table (6.21) can determine what level of light is available. 6.21 D6 Roll 1-2 3-4 5-6 Light Level No Light Low Lig ht Full Light Gale Force

Precipitation Getting wet is a sure fire way of annoying anybody, but when theres a real downpour it can be a liability. The table below (6.32) demonstrates the penalties applied to spotting rolls for heavy rain. Use the same table for the effects of snowfall. 6.32 Rain Heavy Storm Effect +1 TN to all spotting checks over 16 +1 TN to all spotting checks over 16 , +2 TN to all spotting checks over 32

No Light If the battle is being fought under these conditions there is virtually no ambient light save that of the stars or perhaps moon. Any action or special action a character performs in No Light is done so with a +2 penalty to the TN. In addition a character cannot attack an enemy, even one they have an unobstructed line of sight on unless the character first makes a Morale roll to spot them as though the enemy were using the Hide special action. If the enemy is using the Hide special action the character must roll to spot him twice. Both rolls are subject to the +2 TN penalty. Low Light This condition assumes a battlefield where there is some light, but not as much as during the day. Typical Low Light settings include dawn or dusk, or a village at night. Any action or special action a character performs in Low Light does so with a +1 penalty to the TN. In addition a character cannot attack an enemy, even one he has an unobstructed line of sight on unless the character first makes a Morale roll to spot them. This uses the table in the Fire action section (3.23), not as per the Hide special action like under No Light conditions. This roll is subject to the +1 TN penalty for Low Light. Full Light Such environments would include daytime exteriors or a well-lit city street at night. Characters suffer no modifiers for fighting in such conditions.

Temperature Heat and cold generally does not affect short combats as the combatants have far more important things to worry about. However, if the characters have been in a particularly hostile environment, such as the desert or the Russian tundra for a prolonged period of time it has an affect on their level of fitness. This is shown in the table below (6.33) 6.33 Temperature Severe Extreme Effect +1 TN when determining exhaustion from using Sprint +2 TN when determining exhaustion from using Sprint

7.0 Weapons
Characters can be equipped with a variety of armaments, but all fall under the following groupings: Melee Weapons, Handguns, Shotguns, Sub-Machineguns, Assault Rifles, Machineguns, Heavy Weapons and Grenades, some of which have special rules which only apply to them. Often a character will have a number of different weapons such as a knife, handgun, assault rifle and grenades. No character can carry more than 4 weapons at any one time, machineguns and heavy weapons count as 2 weapons not 1. All weapons have eight characteristics, five for range categories (Close, Short, Medium, Long and Extreme) showing at what distance a target falls under each category and a

6.3 WEATHER CONDITIONS

The Second World War was fought in a variety of different climates from the blistering heat of the Sahara to the bitter cold of the Alps. Certain weather conditions proved decisive. During the invasion of Russia, German troops found the extreme cold a fierce adversary. They discovered their weapons had very poor reliability in the Russian winter as they were precision crafted

Maximum Range (MR). The number indicated under each category is the distance at which that category takes effect. So, an MP5 has a Medium range of 12 , meaning that any target 12 or further away is at Mediu m range until the distance for Long range is reached. Enemies who are so close to a character that they are below the number given for Close range are too near to effectively shoot at and the character must increase the distance between them in order to take his shot. Weapons that have a Close range of 0 are able to Fire at targets even if they are adjacent to them, as long as neither character has Engaged. Damage (DMG) indicates how powerful the weapon is and is the number added to a D6 roll when a character is hit and any injuries are being determined. Lastly Ammo represents a weapons reliability and is used to determine whether or not a weapon runs out of ammunition. Depending on the scenario or a particular weapon, it may be that one or more characters in the squad become AmmoLow either for all or some of their weapons. If any character with Ammo-Low status rolls a 6 while Firing, he still makes his shot as normal, but roll an additional D6. If the new number is less than the Ammo characteristic of the weapon the character has expelled his last round and the weapon is useless. If the rolls equals the Ammo number the character has managed to resist letting rip and has some rounds left, but every time he Fires he must follow the roll with another Ammo roll to check to see if that was his last round. If the roll was above the Ammo characteristic then the character has been practicing good ammunition management and only needs to make another test should he roll another 6 to hit.

Garrotte A garrotte can be nothing more than a length of piano wire or it can be a sophisticated weapon. Either way its only use is when attacking an enemy from behind. In this instance the attacking character receives a +4 modifier to his Strength roll. In any other situation the garrotte give no bonuses.

7.2 Handguns
Handguns are primarily carried as backup weapons, as there combat effectiveness is limited to only short distances. The fact that they are small and light means that they benefit from very fast target acquisition and as such it is easier to hit targets at lower ranges with a handgun than it is with most other weapons. Handguns cannot Auto-Fire. Handgun: C 0 S 9 M 11 L 13 E 15 MR 17 DMG 2 AMMO 6

7.3 Shotguns
Though outclassed by more sophisticated weaponry, shotguns are common weapons amongst civilians and can be devastating in close combat situations. Shotguns cannot Auto-Fire. Shotguns differ slightly from other weapons in that the damage caused by them is affected by range, as shown in the below table (7.31) 7.31 Range Close Short Medium Long Extreme Damage +2 +1 +0 -1 -2

7.1 Melee Weapons

Characters armed with melee weapons may attack or defend when Engaged or Engaging in hand-to-hand combat. They cannot be used for any other action. Unarmed Every character is capable of fighting unarmed in hand-to-hand combat and does so by rolling a D6 and adding his Strength ability modifier. Knife Most characters carry knives as tools, but used in hand-to-hand combat, giving the character a +2 modifier to his Strength roll. If the knife is used to attack a target who does not have a line of sight to the attack, ie from behind, the modifier to the Strength roll is +3 instead. It is also possible to throw a knife as a way of silently killing a foe. Once thrown the character has lost the knife unless he either moves adjacent to the target or has another in his inventory. The knife is thrown using the characters Weapons modifier, but the damage of the thrown knife is also subject to the characters Strength modifier. Knife: C 1 S 3 M 5 L 7 E 9 M 11 DMG 2 AMMO na

Shotguns are generally double-barrelled weapons that are capable of firing both barrels at the same time. If a character opts to do this then the TN of the Fire action is subject to a +1 penalty, but if he hits his target he may make two rolls for injury and the target must make a Strength test to resist both. Because the shotgun is then empty the character must spend an action reloading it. Shotgun: C S 4 M 12 L 14 E 18 MR 24 DMG 3 AMMO 6

7.4 Sub Machineguns

Sub machineguns fill the gap between the range and stopping power of SLRs and the target acquisition of the handgun. Sub machineguns tend to be quite accurate at lower range categories, but suffer when shooting at targets at greater distances. Sub machineguns can Auto-Fire once at a target within 2 of the first, but do so with a +1 penalty to the TN.

Rifle Butt If a character is armed with a rifle or SMG he can use it as a melee weapon, giving the character a +1 modifier to his Strength roll in hand-to-hand combat.

10

SMG: C S 8 M 12 L 14 E 18 MR 24 DMG 2 AMMO 4

7.5 Self-LOADING RIFLE

The humble SLR was the standard infantry weapon of the Second World War because of its all round combat capabilities. It cannot Auto-Fire. SLR: C 1 S 5 M 10 L 20 E 30 MR 40 DMG 3 AMMO 5

be carried by a character if they are accompanied by a loader. This character must have the Machine Gunner special skill and must remain within 2 of the MMG at all times. If he does not the MMG cannot Auto-Fire. MMG: C 1 S 4 M 8 L 26 E 39 MR 52 DMG 4 AMMO 4

7.6 BOLT-ACTION RIFLE

This is the weapon of the sniper due to the significant accuracy gained by having a bolt-action to load the rounds. Snipers first proved their usefulness in the First World War and have been used ever since. A bolt-action rifle with a telescopic sight is also referred to as a sniper rifle and its purpose is to deliver highly accurate fire at long range, primarily to take out important targets. To do so requires proper training and aptitude and as a result to use a sniper rifle without penalty requires the Sniper special skill. All sniper rifles come with a telescopic sight allowing for precision shooting so that a character taking the Aim action receives a +2 modifier to his subsequent Fire action instead of the usual +1 modifier. Sniper rifles cannot Auto-Fire. Sniper rifles are unable to Auto-Fire and in addition to this a character using this weapon who takes a second Fire action on his go does so at a +1 modifier to the TN of the second shot because of the difficulties in using the bolt-action quickly. BA Rifle: C 1 S 3 M 6 L 30 E 45 MR 60 DMG 4 AMMO 5

Heavy Machinegun The true beasts of the battlefield. These weapons are capable of enormous carnage thanks to their high calibre rounds and accuracy at range. HMGs can Auto-Fire twice. HMG are always fixed weapons and cannot be carried by a character. HMG: C 1 S 4 M 9 L 28 E 42 MR 56 DMG 5 AMMO 5

7.8 Grenades
Grenades were and still are a standard issue for most of the worlds infantry because of their ease of use and killing capabilities are short distances. A character armed with grenades is counted as having Ammo-Low status for the grenades, meaning should he roll a 1 whilst using his grenades he must make an Ammo roll to see if he runs out. Any character caught within the blast radius of the grenade must make a Strength test to avoid injury as shown on the below table (7.81). If a grenade is thrown into an enclosed space, such as a room or a tank, the DMG of the grenade is increase by +2. Grenade: C 1 S 3 M 5 L 7 E 9 M 11 DMG 3 AMMO 6 7.81 Distance from Grenade 0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 Damage D6+3 D6+2 D6+1

7.7 Machineguns
With their ability to deliver automatic fire more accurately than other weapons combined with their range capabilities, machineguns are one of the most feared infantry weapons. To use a machinegun effectively requires specialist training, therefore to use this weapon without a penalty requires the Machine Gunner special skill. Unless otherwise stated machineguns can Auto-Fire twice, with the last shot at a +1 penalty to the TN. In addition they can Auto-Fire at enemies up to 4 from the first target, but enemies over 2 away have a +1 modifier to the TN. Light Machinegun The LMG is a weapon either belt or clip fed and carried as an infantry weapon. LMG: C 1 S 4 M 8 L 24 E 36 MR 48 DMG 4 AMMO 4

Gammon Grenade Composed of TNT, the Gammon Grenade is designed to take out tanks and other armoured vehicles. It is used just like an ordinary grenade, except that it differs significantly in statistics from normal frag grenades. Grenade: C 1 S 2 M 4 L 6 E 8 M 10 DMG 9 AMMO 6 7.82 Distance from Grenade Damage D6+4 D6+1 D6

Medium Machinegun The MMG fills the gap between the LMG and the HMG with its capabilities as a machinegun likewise somewhere between the two. The MMG can Auto-Fire three times, but the third shot is at a +2 penalty to the TN. MMG are usually fixed weapons but can

0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3

7.9 Heavy Weapons 11

The vehicle expansion for this game lists weapons for taking out tanks such as the Bazooka or PIAT. Below are statistics for the use of mortars in games of 1945. Mortars require a two man crew to operate effectively, but can still be used by only one character but in such instances all TNs for firing are subject to a +2 penalty. In addition using the mortar requires so much ti me that the characters operating it can only use it once per turn, with their other actions spent loading and readying it for shooting next turn. Mortars are considered to have Ammo-Low status from the beginning of the game. Mortars are unable to fire at targets in the Close range category. With their large blast radius and long ranges mortars are very effective and are capable of blowing up most of a squad with a well targeted shell. Because of this they should only be used in particular scenarios and as such cannot be purchased in the same way as other weapons. Light Mortar C 1 S 10 M 20 L 40 E 50 M 60 DMG na AMMO 6 7.81 Distance from Mortar Round 0 1 2 3 to 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 Damage D6+6 D6+4 D6+2 D6+1

modifier to his subsequent Fire action instead of the usual +1. If the player gives this piece of equipment to a character armed with a sniper rifle then if that character uses the Aim action he gains a +3 modifier to his subsequent Fire action at targets at extreme range accounting for having a more powerful sight. Characters do not receive the benefits of using a Telescopic Sight at targets who are either in the Close or Short range categories.

Patrol Radio Every squad has one and it is possible to have more than one. A character in possession of a radio can call in air strikes, radio for extraction, order an artillery barrage or any number of other things as determined in the scenario played.

Engineering Kit A character equipped with this has a variety of tools and gizmos to enable him to cut threw barbed wire, shut down electric circuits and about anyth ing else that the scenario entails. TNs for such tasks will be provided by the scenario but all such tasks require the character to make a Morale roll. To cut threw barbed wire the character equipped with an engineering kit makes a Morale roll against TN 3. The greater the character beats the TN by the more barbed wire he has managed to clear, as shown in the below table (8.01). Clearing barbed wire counts as a single action. 8.01 Morale Roll +0 +1 to +2 +3 to +4 +5 and above Barbed Wire Cleared 1 2 3 4

Mortar C 1 S 24 M 36 L 48 E 60 M 72 DMG na AMMO 6 7.81 Distance from Mortar Round 0 1 2 3 to 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 Damage D6+8 D6+6 D6+4 D6+2

8.0 Equipment
In addition to the normal supply of ammunition and rations a character is said to have in his possession, he may also have special equipment which he can make use of during the battle. Some items of special equipment are one shot only items, whilst others can be used at any times. Most often special equipment will be assigned as part of the scenario played and can be assigned to any character in the squad First Aid Kit A character who has a first aid kit in his possession receives a considerable advantage when either using the First Aid action or the Treat Injury special action. When performing either he can elect to have a +1 modifier to his Morale roll.

It is up to the character to decide in what pattern he clears, wherever it be length, width or a combination thereof.

Lock-Picking Kit Shooting a locked door off its hinges is not always the most effective or subtlest way to get by. A character equipped with a lock-picking kit is able to pick locked doors by making a Morale roll against the TN of the lock door. The table below (8.02) gives some typical doors and their respective TNs, though these are just a guideline. Specific scenarios may differ. Picking a lock is considered a special action. 8.02 Door Typical (House) Good (Important Building) Excellent (Bunker/Military Building) TN 4 5 6

Telescopic Sight The characters weapon has a sight attached to it for increased accuracy. When using the Aim action the character gains a +2

9.0 Characters
12

All characters on both sides are represented by four basic abilities: Movement, Weapons, Strength, and Morale. The majority of tests the character makes will be based on these plus any additional modifiers. To make an ability test the player rolls a D6 and adds the ability modifier against a pre-determined Target Number. The ability scores range from +0 to +3, representing differing levels of prowess: +0 being the lowest, +3 the highest. Most characters abilities will be either +0 or +1, with only a select few able to have +2, or +3. The below table (9.01) shows the equivalent levels of skill real world armed forces would have in this game. 9.01 Ability Score Equivalent 0 1 2 3 Novice soldier, conscript Competently skilled soldier Elite/Commando Legendary hero

- A character is within 2 of a friendly character who is killed - A character is within 4 of a friendly character who suffers an horrific death - Each time 25% of the squad is killed. 9.01 Morale Result -3 or less Effect The characters courage has failed and on his next and subsequent turns he must take two Move actions or a Sprint special action to get as far from the enemy as possible. If he is unable to do this without coming in the line of fire of another enemy he may Hide The characters courage has suffered a severe blow. On his next and subsequent turns he must take a single Move action away from the enemy as he tries to withdraw. If this takes him into the line of sight of an enemy he may Stealth instead The character is shaken and must take a single Move action away from the enemy on his next turn only. If this takes him into the line of sight of an enemy he may Stealth instead. After this he suffers no other effects

-2

9.1 Movement
This ability represents how fast a character is capable of moving. It is used to determine how far in inches a character moves when he takes a Sprint special action and how well a character can cross difficult ground such as rubble or water. See the Movement section (8.0) for further details. -1

9.2 Weapons
Any time a character uses a ranged weapon this is the modifier that is added to the D6 roll. Though used for all weapons, certain weapons (called specialist weapons) require special skills to use correctly. Such weapons include machineguns and sniper rifles. If a character attempts to use a specialist weapon without the appropriate skill he suffers a penalty for his incompetence. In such circumstances the TN is increase by +2.

9.3 Strength
This is the modifier a character adds when he rolls for the result of being wounded and also for resolving hand-to-hand combat battles. See the combat section (9.0) for more information on hand-to-hand fighting.

If a character has failed a Morale Test he is allowed to take another at the end of his turn. If he passes this then he has swallowed his fear and can rejoin the fighting. If he fails he continues to flee as described in the above table (9.01) but can make another Morale Test at the end of that turn, but this time at a +1 penalty to the TN. If the same should happen again he receives another +1 penalty for a total of +2 TN. This way it is possible that a character who flees will not rejoin the fighting.

10.0 Special Skills

Not everyone is capable of headshots at 400 yards, in the same way not everyone knows just how to patch up a wounded companion. Special skills allow certain characters to do just that. The Squads (11.0) section deal with the acquisition of these skills, but below is the list of special skills available and the benefits they have to the character.

9.4 Morale
This ability covers a characters intelligence, ability to keep cool under fire, follow order and take special actions such as Treat Injury, Pilot and calling in air strikes. It is used the same as any other ability with a D6 roll plus the ability score. Morale Test Getting shot at is not a pleasant experience and most people go out of their way to avoid it. During a game certain situations require a character or multiple characters to make a Morale Test to avoid breaking. These situations are described below. When this happens the character must roll a D6 adding his Morale modifier to try and beat TN 3. If he equals or beats the TN he suffers no ill effects, but should he score less he suffers the effects as shown in the below table (9.01).

Nails You stab me with that morphine syrette and Im gonna stab you wit h by bayonet. You got me?
Hard asA character with this skill can re-roll any Strength test for resisting the effects of damage, taking the best result. He can do this once per game.

Sharpshooter Zitezev? Dont talk to me about Zitezev. My little sister could out shoot Zitezev. 13

Factors requiring a Morale Test

- The squad leader has been killed or is fleeing.

Some just have an uncanny knack for shooting whilst others practice to perfection. A character with this skill can re-roll any failed Fire action once per game.

as he likes, limited only by being able to use one +1 modifier per turn.

Sniper One shot, one kill.

Assault rifles and machineguns are toys for boys. A sniper rifle is the weapon of the professional. A character with this skill is able to use any sniper rifle without negative modifiers and is also able to ignore the +1 TN penalty for not firing at the closest target. As such snipers are to be feared, but are, thankfully, rare.

Fearless Theres only fifty of em!

This character is quite simply scared of nothing. He can re-roll any Morale test for fleeing, once per game, taking the best result. If he ever does leg it, its only so he doesnt miss The Si mpsons, of course

Tracker I wouldnt go any furt her forward if I were you.

A character with this special skill possesses extraordinarily good senses. When making Morale checks to spot enemy characters he receives a +1 modifier.

Medic Check that leg, see if its south of cheese.

Every squad needs one, and most could use a lot more. A medic can keep others alive, simple. A character with this skill can perform the Treat Injury special action using his Morale ability modifier.

Machine Gunner Dont think I carry all this ammo cause I miss a lot.
The character with this special skill is trained with the use of all machineguns and can use any of those weapons without negative modifiers.

Heavy Weapons See that Tiger? Well, look again in two seconds, Ive got a funny feelings it wont be there anymore.
A character with this special skill is proficient with the use of all heavy weapons and can use any of those weapons without negative modifiers.

VETERAN Listen, sir When youve been fighting this war as long as I have, then, and only then, will I pay attention to any God damn word you say.
A character with this skill is an extensively trained or someone who has survive a great many conflicts. A character with this skill has two cards assigned to them as described in the Turns section (2.3).

Leader Remember boys, no guts, no glory! Now, Ill see you if you make it back..
To be a true leader requires more than just a rank. This skill represents a characters ability to inspire his men and make sure they dont quit. Any character within 8 inches of a character with this skill can re-roll any failed Morale check to avoid fleeing. Only the squad leader may have this special skill.

11.0 Squads
This game is designed for two squads fighting one another, but is perfectly capable of supporting multiple squad fighting or even platoons. Because of 5.56mms level of detail larger battles may become cumbersome to run.

Black-Belt If youre gonna draw that knife boy, youd best know how to use it
Whether picked up on the streets or in a dojo this character knows how to handle himself in a ruck. When making Strength tests to resolve hand-to-hand combat this character receives a +1 modifier.

11.1 Creating the Squad

This can be done a number of ways, the fastest and simplest is to use the forces dictated by the scenario being played. That way with a minimum of preparation the battle can get underway. In some instances this will be a fully created force, in others the player will select his squad from a number of options. Alternatively a squad can be created using the below method.

Lucky Bastard Yeah, Ive got no idea why they picked me, but Im off home straight away to defend Wales from a possible invasion. What are the odds?
Protected by something other than his favourite rabbits foot, this character always seems to get the right cards at the right time. To represent this roll a D3 at the start of the game. The result equals the number of +1 modifiers the characters has to do with

11.1 The Random Squad

The Random Squad consists of ten characters, one of which is the leader of the force and an officer of at least Sergeant rank. All characters have a profile like the sample character shown below (11.11).

14

11.11 Sample Character Profile

01 Card: Ace Spades Upgrade Cost: Name: Sgt Jeffreys Movement: +0 Weapons: +2 Strength: +1 Morale: +2 Special Skills: Nails, Fearless. Weapons/Equipment: SLR, Handgun, Knife, Grenades. The sample character above represents a particularly experienced character who might have survived a number of battles or could be created to be part of a small elite unit. To create a Random Squad roll a 2D6+12. This is the amount of points available to the player with which to buy his men. The below table (11.12) shows the cost of the three different types of troop available. 11.12 Troop Squad Leader Basic Trooper Rookie Cost 5 2 1

After the squad has been created it needs to be equipped and fleshed out. All characters begin with all characteristics at +0 and have no weapons or equipment. The player rolls 3D6+12, the amount of which equals the number of points he has to spend on upgrades. The below table (11.31) shows what upgrades can be purchased and what cost those upgrades have. 11.31 Upgrade +1 to one characteristic +2 to one characteristic +3 to one characteristic One Special Skill Additional Special Skills 5 points of purchases Cost 2 4 8 1 2 1

If a player decides he does not have to buy a Squad Leader, but having one is a significant advantage and almost essential if the player decides to take any Rookies. In addition to this no squad may have more than 75% of its number made up by Rookies or less than 25%.

It should first be agreed by both players if characters with a +3 in an ability score is allowed. A +3 modifier indicates a truly unique character, such as Vasili Zitzev, and should therefore be rare as their effectiveness is very great. Weapons but be bought with purchase points, and for each upgrade the player spends on purchases, he gets 5 purchase points to spend. The costs of the various weapons are shown on the below table (11.32). 11.32 Purchases Melee Weapon Handgun Sub Machinegun Shotgun SLR BA Rifle LMG MMG HMG Grenades Cost 1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 6 3

11.2 THE SQUAD LEADER

The Squad Leader is most often the most i mportant member of a players force. Not only does his death provide the opposition with significant victory points in most scenarios, but his death is also a possibly courage shattering moment for the rest of the squad. As well as the negative factors attributed with his death, the Squad Leaders presence also provides a number of advantages. All Squad Leaders have a command range, whereby the leader can give one or more Leadership Cards to any friendly character within this distance. See below table (11.21) 11.21 Squad Leaders Morale +0 +1 +2 +3 Command Range 8 10 14 16

In addition characters within 8 of their Squad Leader are able to use his Morale modifier instead of their own for any test requiring Morale, including fleeing and recovering from fleeing.

11.3 ROOKIES
The majority of combatants in the Second World War were conscripts who were anything but extensively trained. A Rookie begins with the same profile as a Basic Trooper, but he must stay within 12 of the Squad Leader or suffer a +1 penalty to all TNs where Morale is used. If there is no Squad Leader, or he is killed, this penalty applies for the whole game.

11.3 Upgrades 15