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a miniatur min iatures es game gam e by a n d y c h a m b e r s
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Dust CreateD by paolo parente Game DesiGn
proDuCtion manaGer
Andy ChAmbers ChAm bers And m ACk mArtin mArti n
eriC kniGht
Content Developement
liCensinG CoorDinator
AdAm sAdler sAdle r And ross WAtson
deb beCk
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exeCutive Game DesiGner
Alessio Alessi o CAvAtore (river horse ltd.) And Alex dAvey
Corey konieCzkA
proofreaDinG
exeCutive exeCuti ve proDuCer proDuCer miChAel hurley
GrAhAm dAvey, miChAel Gernes, mArk PollArd, And zACh teWAlthomAs
publisher
GraphiC Graph iC DesiGn DesiGn
ChristiAn t. Petersen
Chris beCk And shAun boyke With briAn sChomburG, evAn simonet, And Wil sPrinGer sPri nGer
Dust stuDio
interior art
Game DesiGn & Continuit Continuit y
dAvide FAbbri, mAthieu hArlAut, mAtthiAs hAddAd, kArl koPinski, lAurent leCoCq, mike nAsh, domeniCo neziti, AlessiA zAmbonin, And PAolo PArente
olivier zAmFiresCu
art DireCt Di reCtion ion vinCent vinCe nt FontAine
terrai n anD tables tables bexley AndrAjACk
proDuCtion manaGement ChAn yuk
photoGraphy keith hurley And ryAn thomPson
liCensinG & ContraCt manaGement dAvid Preti
FANTASY FLIGHT GAMES TM
2
TM
Fantasy Flight Games 1975 West County Road B2 Roseville, MN 55113 USA
table of Contents
Chapter 4: battles ........... 62 GAme setuP ................................................ 63
introDuCtion ....................4
tournAment sCenArios ......................... 64 terrAin ........................................................67
hoW to use this book ............................... 5
FortiFiC Ations .......................................... 68
the history oF dust ................................... 5
CAmPAiGn sCenArios ................................71
the biG three ..............................................11
mArCh bAttle ............................................. 72
Chapter 1: basiC traininG 16 required ComPonents ............................16 rollinG CombAt diCe ................................17
Front lines ................................................ 73 niGht enGAGement ...................................74 seCret mission ...........................................75 AssAult ....................................................... 77
miniAtures & units ...................................17 meAsurinG ..................................................18
Chapter 5: the allies ....... 80
movement And FirinG ArCs ....................19
leAders ........................................................81
unit ChArACteristiCs .............................. 20 WArFronts ..................................................81 WeAPon ChArACteristiCs ........................ 22 Armed ForCes .............................................81 units ........................................................... 23 Allies Army list ......................................... 82
Chapter 2: the Game ........ 26 the initiAtive PhAse ................................. 28 the CommAnd PhAs e ................................ 30 the unit PhAse .......................................... 32 the end PhAse ........................................... 35
Allied WeAPons ........................................ 83 PlAtoons ................................................... 86 PlAtoon uPGrAdes ...................................87 CombAt PlAtoon ...................................... 88 elite PlAtoon ............................................ 90 AssAult PlAtoon ...................................... 92
move ACtions ............................................ 36 AttACk ACtions ......................................... 40
Chapter 6: the axis .........107
suPPression & retreAt ............................ 46
leAders ......................................................108
heAvy WAlkers .......................................... 48 WArFronts ................................................108 the bAttle At the mills ............................ 50 Armed ForCes ...........................................108
Chapter 3: speC ops .......... 52 sPeCiAl Abilities ........................................ 52 sPeCiAl WeAPon Abilities .........................57 heroes ........................................................ 59
Axis Army list ...........................................109 Axis WeAPons ........................................... 110 PlAtoons ..................................................114 PlAtoon uPGrAdes .................................115 sturmGrenAdiere PlAtoon ..................116 sChWer PlAtoon ..................................... 118 blutkreuz PlAtoon ................................120
speCial thanks to alessio Cavatore, ron Devalk, anD our playtesters!
“Projekt Z” - Anthony Gallela, Roger Gerrish, Andy Hoare, Matt Keefe, Chad Martens, Christopher O’Reilly, Tim Pollard, Stephan Reber, Jason Richards, Ivor Whitten & André Winter “The EC Playtesters” - Andy Coffman, Thomas Deuell, Andrew Fischer, Tim Flanders, Alex Friedrich, Chris Gerber, Jay Paul, Drew Peterson, Wade Piche, Simon Radecki, Jake Richards, Matt Root, Matt Running, Christopher Seefeld, Jeremy Stomberg, Ken Thomas, Joe Veen, & Dennis Walter “Gobbo’s Forge” - Lee Langston with John Lacy, Tammy Stillson, William Stillson, & Eugene Waara “Veterans of Psychic War” - Benn Williams with Chris Doyscher, Aric Wieder, & Rebecca Williams “The Librarians” - Pim Mauve with Keesjan Kleef, Gerlof Woudstra, Jan-Cees Voogd, & Joris Voogd “No Guts, No Glory” - Sean Connor with Mathieu Booth, Michael Dewberry, Adam Lloyd, & Stephen Pitson
3
I n t r o d u c t I o n
introDuCtion
“…No truce or parley mitigated the strife of the armies. The wounded died between the lines: the dead moldered into the soil. Merchant ships and neutral ships and hospital ships were sunk on the seas and all on board left to their fate, or killed as they swam. Every effort was made to starve whole nations into submission without regard for age or sex. Cities and monuments were smashed by artillery. Bombs from the air were cast down indiscriminately. Poison gas in many forms stied or seared the soldiers. Liquid re was projected upon their bodies. Men fell from the air in ames, or were smothered, often slowly, in the dark recesses of the sea. The ghting strength of armies was limited only by the manhood of their countries. Europe and large areas of Asia and Africa became one vast battleeld on which, after years of struggle, not armies but nations broke and ran…” – Winston S. Churchill, The World Crisis Welcome to Dust Warfare , a tabletop miniatures game set in Paolo Parente’s Dust universe. In Dust Warfare , players take command of a force of soldiers, vehicles, and other weapons of war to do battle with the enemy in the ongoing struggle for world domination. 4
War has advanced swiftly and strangely in the Dust universe through the application of VK technology – a limitless source of energy in its simplest form and an unthinkable weapon in the wrong hands. Tanks have evolved into striding engines of destruction, able to traverse any terrain in all weath er. Advanced weapons and armor are coming into use by all sides as the global conagration burns ever hotter.
Dust taCtiCs Dust Warfare has
several elements in common with another game set in the Dust universe – Dust Tactics , which is a board game that uses miniatures on a grid. Dust Warfare uses many of the same rules, but is designed for a tabletop. Dust Tactics players will nd many familiar concepts also used in Dust Warfare , however, there are differences in the turn sequence and how special abilities work. Players should pay careful attention to take advantage of new strategies.
How to use tHis book 1937
The Dust Warfare rulebook is divided into six chapters, each detailing an important part of t he game. The Basic Training chapter describes how things work in a tabletop game. It is designed to give new players an overview of how to measure distances, roll dice, and perform other common game play tasks. This chapter also covers how units (groups of miniatures) work together, and how characteristics are used to denote the differences in units. The Game chapter details the game rules. It covers the different phases of a game turn, as well as the various actions units can take. The Spec Ops chapter lists the various special abilities that both units and weapons might have. These rules help to further differentiate units on the battleeld. The Battles chapter provides a variety of scenarios that make Dust Warfare an exciting and tactical game.
The nal two chapters, The Allies and The Axis, describe the individual Allied and Axis blocs, and the units that make up their platoons. These chapters explain how players choose their forces.
tHe History of Dust Another Earth. A different 1947. The Second World War has raged for nearly a decade and its grip has spread to every continent on the planet. Entire nations have been stamped out, whole peoples subjugated, and great cities beaten at by the titanic conicts unleashed across the globe. Three monolithic power blocs have emerged from the threats, machinations, diplomacy, and outright conquests perpetrated by the major nations’ strife. For some, that victory means conquest, glory, and world domination; for others, freedom – but few now talk of simple peace. This is the world of Dust.
July: Japanese forces invade mainland China. World War II starts in Asia.
I n t r o d u c t I o n
1938
March: A German military expedition led by Manfred Kreuzer returns from Antarctica under great secrecy. A U- boat bearing “vital cargo” is sent directly back to Germany. April: The Blutkreuz Korps is formed in Berlin under the leadership of Baron Leopold von Thaler. Its goal is to study the Antarctica discoveries. 1939
September: Germany invades Poland. Great Britain, France, Australia, and New Zealand declare war on Germany. World War II starts in Europe. 1940
March: Blutkreuz Korps scientists make a breakthrough in their research, opening t he “vital cargo” and waking an alien life form. June: Paris falls and the rst Battle for Britain starts the following month. Saigon becomes the new capital of the French Republic. September: Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact. The foundations of the Axis bloc are made. December: The war reaches North Africa. The next month, Allied troops take Tobruk.
1939-1940: WAr i n the West
The Axis bloc sparked the European conagration with Germany’s invasion of Poland, the most agrant in a series of increasingly expansionistic moves by Germany’s egomaniacal Führer, Adolf Hitler. In response, Britain and France formed the Allied bloc and declared war on Germany. The Allies proved to be only a short-lived foe for the triumphant German Wehrmacht streaming back from their victories in Poland and Norway. In 1940, mainland France was overwhelmed by the Wehrmacht’s terrifying new doctrine of Blitzkrieg – “lightning war” – in just six weeks. Britain and France were unable to stop Hitler’s legions as they swept through neutral Belgium and the Low Countries. The Allied armies were broken and driven back by a relentless tank battalion blitz and overwhelmed by Axis air power supremacy, even as a anking Axis thrust emerged
from the “impassable” Ardennes region to complete their encirclement. Britain’s army barely escaped disaster through the miracle of Dunkirk, evacuating hundreds of thousands of French and British soldiers while under continual air attack. Axis armored spearheads then swept south, relentlessly carving through the Allied lines until mainland France was forced to capitulate weeks later. Bitter resistance stymied any immediate invasion attempt of the British Isles, but the Führer’s attention was already being drawn elsewhere. Why bother with the British when U-boats and bombers would soon reduce them to ruins? Meanwhile, ambitious, unscrupulous men of many nations were lining up to join their fates to Germany’s rising star.
5
With mainland France conquered and the whole of Western Europe overrun, Germany found willing allies to the east and south. Nations that resisted the Führer’s overtures were ruthlessly subjugated and forcibly joined to the Axis bloc under puppet governments. Efforts by the British Commonwealth forces to stem the tide proved futile and they were pushed back across the Mediterranean to North Africa and the vital artery of the Suez Canal. America strained the limits of its declared neutrality by supplying
1941
June: Operation Barbarossa is launched. The invasion of the USSR begins. December: The Japanese navy attacks Pearl Harbor. The USA enters the war. The Battle for Moscow occurs. Newly arrived Soviet ski troops push back the Wehrmacht. 1942
February: Japanese forces attack Darwin, Australia. A few days later, a Japanese submarine bombards Santa Barbara, CA. Mainland USA is vulnerable to attack. April: The rst American raid on Tokyo is achieved by ying Army bombers from Navy carriers and then landing in China. August: The rst American offensive begins with the Battle of Guadalcanal. October: The Germans test re the rst V2 missile. The Second Battle of El Alamein occurs. Allied troops inflict their first serious defeat on the Afrika Korps. Axis Forces eld test the new Panzer Kampäufer. Mass production is slowed by difculties importing the VK mineral from Antarctica. November: Operation Torch begins. Allied forces land in North Africa. Operation Uranus begins. Russians launch a massive offensive around Stalingrad. The Axisdominated part of the city holds, thanks to the new walkers.
6
arms to Britain, but it was too little, too late. Disaster loomed everywhere. Only a handful of brave airmen, the constant vigilance of the Royal Navy, and the onset of winter saved the Allied cause from being extinguished in 1940. 1941 brought an unexpected reprieve for the nascent Allies as the mighty Axis juggernaut swung east. The Führer had set his sights on the Soviet Union as the philosophical, political, and cultural antithesis of Greater Germany and the Third Reich. Bolshevism would be destroyed root and branch, while the wide lands of the Soviet Union would be rendered little more than efdoms of the Axis bloc. The Allies’ last weapons against the A xis – embargo and blockade – would be rendered useless by the vast resources that could be plundered from the east. 1941-1942: WAr in the eAst Operation Barbarossa opened the greatest invasion in history as millions of Axis troops and thousands of tanks crossed the Soviet border. The vast Red Air Force, the VVS, was caught on the ground by the at tack and lost most of its planes in the rst days of the invasion. The lethal prongs of Panzer armies thrust across Russia on a grand scale, bringing Blitzkrieg on a new level. They surrounded tens and then hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers in a tightening net of steel. The Red Army resisted bitterly but their bravery could not stop the mass of war machines ranged against them.
In the Pacic, Japan had already been at war for four years, following its invasion of China in 1937. The blockades and embargoes imposed on the Axis were having little effect in occupied Europe, but against Japan their grip would soon become decisive. Even as the home islands suffered privation, the colonial possessions of the shattered European powers lay ready for the taking all across the Pacic with only hesitant, isolationist America standing in the way. In December, as Hitler’s legions ground to a halt just short of Moscow, Japan struck at the American Pacic Fleet base at Pearl Harbor. Of the eight American battleships of the Pacic Fleet, four were sunk and all the others critically damaged. At a stroke, Japan held naval supremacy in the Pacic. From Malaya to the Indonesian archipelago, Japanese invasion forces were already on the way.
While the USA joined the Allies, Japan called upon Germany and Italy to declare war on the USA in accordance with the Tripartite Pact. In 1942, war fully encircled the globe. On the Russian front, the Wehrmacht recovered from winter ghting and unleashed a formidable campaign in the south. Panzers crashed through Soviet lines at multiple points and drove east, their objectives t he mighty river Volga and the oil-rich Caucasus region. In North Africa, Rommel’s Libya-based Afrika Korps consistently outfought or outthought Allied forces, seriously threatening Egypt and the vital Suez Canal. In the Pacic, the Japanese routed the Allies from Indonesia, Malaya, Thailand, Singapore, and Burma in quick succession. They even went so far as to raid India and Australia with their superior air and naval power. By June, Japan had achieved all of its strategic objectives but overreached itself and lost its carrier superiority at the battle of Midway. Naval balance in the Pacic was altered, now in the Allies’ favor, as the lessons of carrier-based warfare were absorbed and integrated into the modern ghting doctrine. The Axis offensive against Russia terminated in an apocalyptic struggle for the city of Stalingrad on the banks of the Volga river. Red Army soldiers of th e 62nd Army clung doggedly to the ruins, replenished continuously from the eastern bank. The Axis employed previously unseen new technologies in the battle for the city. Walking tanks appeared that proved to be murderously efcient in street ghting. Only their limited numbers prevented the Axis walkers from pushing the Soviets completely into the Volga. On other fronts the Axis was beginning to feel pressure from the constant Allied build-up. The Afrika Korps was driven back from Egypt at El Alamein. A month later, Operation Torch saw major landings by Allied forces in Morocco and Algeria. The Soviets launched a long-planned offensive against the over-extended Axis army embroiled at Stalingrad. The steel vice of Red Army troops struggled to close around the embattled Axis forces, but once again the new Axis walkers proved unbeatable and the encirclement failed.
1943 (Continued)
April: Adolf Hitler organizes a victory parade in Berlin for his birthday and to celebrate taking Stalingrad. During the parade, Hitler is assassinated. A few well informed people connect the killing to the Blutkreuz Korps but nd no culprits. May: German troops are disorganized on all fronts for weeks; the chain of command is in chaos and nobody really knows who now controls the country. What remains of the Afrika Korps and the Italian army surrenders to the Allies in North Africa. The war there is over, for now. After a brief but bloody power struggle in Berlin, the military aristocracy asserts control. Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz is appointed Protector of the Axis. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel takes control of the whole Wehrmacht. Nazis are arrested all over the Reich and SS troops are disbanded or integrated into the Army. Many are put on trial. June: The Axis bloc is reformed around Germany. The ofcial ag of the new bloc is the black Ritterkreuz (Knight’s Cross) on a red background. July: The battle of Kursk starts on the Eastern front. Allied troops land in Sicily. August: The battle of Kursk ends. It’s a strategic defeat for the Axis whose walkers aren’t yet efcient on open ground. Still, the front stabilizes itself.
1943
September: Allied forces land on mainland Italy.
February: The Wehrmacht nally conquers Stalingrad. Axis forces occupy the entire west bank of the city. The Eastern Front will stay stable in this region for a long time. All is not lost f or the Soviet army; it captures a brand new Axis walker in perfect working condition amid the ghting.
October: Axis and Allied talks take place to negotiate a separate peace on the Western Front.
The Battle of Kasserine Pass takes place. The US Army is defeated for the rst time by Axis forces in a ground battle.
I n t r o d u c t I o n
March: To make up for the huge number of casualties among Axis forces, the Blutkreuz Korps starts testing the Wiederbelebungsserum on fallen German soldiers. The experiment looks promising.
November: German troops are on defensive positions on the Eastern Front. Soviet attacks are deadly but are pushed back. December: The peace talks for the Western Front prove indecisive. When Stalin learns of these secret meetings, he severs all relations with the Allies.
The Soviet army retakes Kharkov. They lose it again shortly afterwards along with fty-two divisions destroyed or captured. The new German walkers are deadly, and the Russians still don’t have anything to counter them. 7
1943-1944: the World in FlAmes As 1943 opened, the Axis had reached its greatest extent, and everywhere along its borders conict fumed and spat dangerously. By February, weary Axis troops nally cleared Stalingrad’s west bank of Soviet forces. However, another Red Army offensive into Kharkov absorbed all available forces into a huge battle that eventually dealt the Red Army a serious defeat. In North Africa, resurgent Axis forces temporarily routed the Allies at Kasserine Pass. A breathing space had been gained but the most far-sighted Axis leaders could read the writing on the wall. Axis armed forces were already stretched to their limits and their casualties were mounting inexorably. An ongoing war under current conditions was unjustiable.
In April, the Führer attended a victory parade in Berlin to celebrate his recent triumphs and his birthday. Under circumstances that remain shrouded in mystery, Adolf Hitler was assassinated at the parade. The Axis splintered apart in the aftermath, confusion bringing its far-ung legions to a temporary halt. In Nor th Africa, the Afrika Korps was forced to capitulate under pressure from Allied forces advancing from the east and the west. Eventually the military leadership of the Axis reasserted itself, cleansing the armed forces of Nazi supporters and placing Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz in control. Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was placed in overall control of the Axis armed forces. The Axis bloc was formally re-established in June 1943, with Japan choosing to remain a separate sovereign state under the terms of the Tripartite Pact. A fresh Axis offensive at Kursk on the Eastern Front restored some stability to the lines, but only at a terrible cost in men and machines. The Allies capitalized on Axis difculties by making landings in Sicily and then Italy, directly threatening one of the A xis nations for the rst time. In the Pacic, Japan was already struggling to keep American warships and submarines out of its extended “Co-Prosperity Sphere.” Toward the end of 1943, the western Allies were approached with proposals to make a separate peace for themselves and abandon Russia to its fate. Experienced Axis generals from the Eastern Front warned the Allies that they might soon nd t hemselves facing the Red Steamroller as Stalin’s ambitions extended far into Europe. Ultimately the peace talks failed to achieve anything other than the alienation of Stalin. When Stalin became aware of the negotiations between the Axis and the Allies, his most deeply held suspicions about the West were conrmed. The Soviet Union promptly severed all relations with the Allies. 1944 opened with no end to the war in sight. The Axis stayed on the defensive, husbanding its strength against the Allies and the Soviet Union. Allied bombing campaigns against the industrial heartland of Germany resulted in huge aerial battles that dwarfed the aerial Blitz against Britain but produced a similar lack of results. The Soviet winter offensives made little progress against entrenched Axis forces.
8
1944
January: The battle for Monte Cassino in Italy begins. The Soviet winter offensive starts around Leningrad and Novgorod. After a few initial successes the offensive breaks on German defense lines. The Soviet army entrenches. In San Juan in Argentina, German scientists in a secret laboratory build a new VK-enhanced bomb. An accident causes the device to explode and unleashes an earthquake that kills over 10,000 people. Further research of this type is completely banned by the Axis amid fears of causing catastrophic damage to the Earth’s crust. Allied forces land in Anzio, Italy. The bridgehead is attacked day and night for four months. Allied soldiers have to ght A xis walkers in close combat. June: Allied forces enter Rome, the first Axis capital to fall. Operation Overlord begins. Allied forces land in Normandy. The rst V2 missile is launched at London. To counter American landings in the Pacic, Japan asks for Germany’s military help. Whole regiments of walkers are sent via U-boat to the Pacic theatre along with German pilots. July: During a bold amphibious operation, Soviet troops overwhelm the French and British garrison on Madagascar. The USSR is now at war with the Allies. August: Japan starts the “Steel Samurai” program to develop its own war walkers. Turkey stops all economic and diplomatic relations with Germany and declares its neutrality. Istanbul quickly becomes the most dangerous spies’ nest in the world. Allied troops liberate Paris. December: An Axis counter-offensive opens in the Belgian Ardennes. Allied forces are slowly pushed back.
In June, the Allies delivered two heavy blows to the Axis. After six months of stalemate, Allied forces in Italy fought their way through to Rome, effectively knocking Italy out of the war. Axis forces moved swiftly to take over Northern Italy and establish a virtually unbreakable defensive line along the Po Valley. Meanwhile, in Normandy, a vast armada of ships landed Allied forces in the rst stage of Operation Overlord, the liberation of mainland Europe. Fierce ghting on the beaches did not prevent the Allies gaining the shore and pouring massive reinforcements into France. Throughout the rest of the year the Axis were pushed back, and Paris was nally liberated in August. But by this time other events had overshadowed the achievement. In July, Soviet troops seized control of the island of Madagascar through a bold and unexpe cted coup. The Allies were unwillingly plunged into war with the USSR. Their intelligence services were barely able t o explain how Soviet forces had suddenly appeared thousands of miles away from their territor y. Strong suspicions emerged that the Soviets were utilizing captured Axis technology t o make great strides of their own. Under the circumstances the Allies, already fully committed in Northwestern Europe and the Pacic, could make no effective response. At the end of 1944, an Axis counter-offensive crashed into the Allied lines in France from the previously quiet sector of the Ardennes. The Allies were pushed slowly backwards, their defenses beaten back by massed Axis walkers. Despite Axis success, this operation would lead to the capture of a new Axis walker in early 1945. Allied scientists would nally gain their rst real glimpse of its new technology. The “VK” power source of the machine exceeded anything encountered previously, and the Allies’ failure to create th eir own walkers using conventional engines was explained. Within weeks, scientists narrowed down the properties of the strange VK ore sufciently to identify its most likely point of origin – Antarctica. Allied landings were made there in March and Axis forces were found to be heavily entrenched at many sites. VK ore was positively identied soon afterwards. 1945-1946: the rise oF the ssu The battle for France raged relentlessly throughout 1945. The Allied forces were slowly driven back, unable to defeat a veritable torrent of new troops and machines from Germany. There seemed to be no end to the grisly inventiveness of the Axis laboratories. Ghastly new weapons were unleashed alongside frightening Ax is “soldiers” reanimated from the dead or created from intelligence-enhanced apes. Axis jet-powered ghters scoured the skies and long- range rockets bombarded London. The horrors of the Western Front came to mirror those of the East.
Japan struck suddenly to occupy Ceylon, key to the Indian Ocean. Axis walkers shipped in secret from Europe assisted in the rapid conquest of the island. Its occupation left the whole of India’s long coast open to attack, while blocking all shipping into the western Pacic. President Truman believed that a rapid Allied recapture of the island was of such importance to the war effort that he sanctioned the use of an entirely new weapon, the atomic bomb. Enhanced by VK technology, the rst A-bomb exceeded all expe ctations. Ceylon was all but obliterated, wiped from the map. Tsunamis caused by the detonation spread devastation throughout the region.
1945
January: The Second Battle for France takes place. During a covert operation, Captain Joe Brown captures the VK technology from the Axis army. Japanese troops invade Ceylon with the assistance of Axis walkers. The island falls rapidly. March: The rst Allied base is built in Antarctica. American and British scientists quickly nd what they were looking for. July: From Ceylon, Japanese forces threaten the supply lines of all Allied armies in Southeast Asia. The USA decides to use a VK-enhanced nucl ear bomb on the island before attacking it. The result is beyond their imagination; the whole island is wiped out by the blast. The earth cracks and the ocean swallows 90% of the land. The Allies ban any further use of nuclear weapons. August: The Japanese Empire, terried by the new weapons, formally joins the Axis bloc. Emperor Hirohito now has only a symbolic role. September: Fighting in France is erce as Allied forces are slowly pushed back to their landing points by Axis troops in Normandy. October: Japanese forces simultaneously land on the west coast of Australia and in New Zealand. Many Commonwealth regiments are pulled back from the war in Europe to defend their homeland. November: The USSR and Communist China join forces for good, forming the Sino- Soviet Union. December: Axis forces invade Nepal and Tibet. Nobody understands how they got there, and the region, poorly defended by the Allies and th e SSU, is quickly overrun.
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I n t r o d u c t I o n
The impact radiated political as well as physical shock waves. Japan formally joined the Axis bloc, accepting German leadership out of fear of the new weapon. The Allied governments were shaken to their very core by public outrage. An absolute ban was placed on all f uture development and use of the atomic bomb, a declaration tacitly agreed to by the Axis and the USSR. There could be little doubt that all three would continue to pursue their research in secret for “deterrent” purposes, but none of them could dare risk its use. As 1945 drew to a close, a renewed Axis offensive in France drove the Allies inexorably back toward Normandy. The Allies began to discuss plans for a complete withdrawal from occupied Europe. These became a reality when Japanese forces made landings in western Australia and New Zealand, necessitating the withdrawal of many Commonwealth troops from the warzone. In China, the Communists controlling much of the country turned their backs on the ineffectual Allied efforts to help them and aligned themselves fully with the USSR. The Sino-Soviet Union (SSU) was formed.
1946
March: The SSU organizes a series of Marxist revolutions in South America. As soon as the regimes change, Sino-Soviet troops arrive. May: The Allies are pushed back to the sea on the Normandy Coast. The Allied army sails back to Great Britain for the second time. July: Operation Red Sun commences. SSU forces land in Alaska and in Florida on the same night. They manage to claim control of a large por tion of the Alaskan coast before the Allied army joins the ght. In Florida, the Allies react more quickly and the Soviet advance is stopped by the Second Marine Division in the Everglades. August: As their situation deteriorates every where, the western powers join forces to ofcially form an alliance. The third bloc is born out of the Allies. Operation Highjump begins. Allied forces launch a massive assault on Antarctica. September: The revived Afrika Korps lands on the coast of Libya and the gulf of Guinea. The war in Africa begins anew with bloody conict. December: The NNO – Neutral Nations Organization – is created in Bangkok, Thailand.
The Axis response was swift, their forces invading Nepal and Tibet in the mountainous Himalayas with a devastating surprise attack. Neither the Allies nor the SSU possessed any signicant forces in the region with which to oppose the Axis, nor could they bring in reinforcements in time to change the outcome. As with the invasion of Madagascar, no satisfactory explanation could be found for how the Axis had moved forces so quickly and secretly halfway around the globe. 1946 saw increasing political instability in South America, culminating in a cascade of Mar xist revolutions. Wherever these regimes sprang up, the SSU moved quickly to secure their acquiescence. The Allies, trapped in a grinding war of attrition in France, could spare little energy to stem the advance of the Red Menace. By May, this particular problem disappeared as the Allies were nally pushed out of France altogether. Allied forces withdrew to the British Isles to prepare for the inevitable Axis invasion. Winston Churchill began to push for a complete union of t he Allies after the model of the Axis and the SSU, without which, he believed, the Allies were doomed. In July, the SSU launched simultaneous attacks in Alaska and Florida, bringing the war to mainland USA. Desperate ghting halted the Soviets in Florida but couldn’t prevent their forces seizing several lodgments along the Alaskan coast. Desperation soon swept away any remaining barriers to unity and the Allied bloc was formed behind the leadership of America. In August, the Allies launched Operation Highjump, a long-planned offensive against the Axis VK mines in Antarctica. The Axis quickly responded by sending the revived Afrika Korps to reopen hostilities in Libya and the Gulf of Guinea, drawing off Allied reinforcements heading south. Even so, the Antarctica offensive made steady progress, opening several new VK sources up to the desperate Allies. In December of 1946 the few surviving neutral nations met in Bangkok, Thailand, to form their own bloc, the Neutral Nations Organization (NNO), to protect their mutual interests. 1947… At the opening of 1947, the Axis went onto the offensive on all fronts. Massed airborne landings in Great Britain heralded the opening of the long-feared invasion of the British Isles. The Eastern front was set aame once more by Axis assaults on Leningrad and Moscow. Japanese attacks intensied in Australia and China. The Allies and the SSU did what they could to brace themselves against the breaking storm…
1947
January: The Axis launches a massive offensive on all fronts and on all continents. Operation Blue Thunder begins in Antarctica, followed up by Operation Cyclone. The Axis airdrops walkers on Dover in Operation Seelöwe and Operation Cerberus, the Axis invasion of England, begins.
10
tHe big tHree Almost every country in the world now belongs to one of the three great power blocs. The Allies, the SSU, and the Axis have gained control of more than 90% of the planet. The power struggle remains as intense as ever, with each bloc clawing for any advantage it can gain over the oth ers. Only a few countries have managed to remain neutral, thanks to their geography, diplomacy, or powers of intrigue. This doesn’t mean the neutral states are not dangerous. They have become home for spies, soldiers of fortune, traitors, and backstabbers. These are the places where dangerous deals are made and where death waits around every corner.
the allies As 1947 begins, the Allies have never been in such a dangerous situation. They now have to ght to protect their own lands, not just to free those of others. It is a bleak time for the Western Powers. The Allies are now geared for a total war economy. Nothing is produced that doesn’t go directly into the war effort. Every young man of every nation among the Allies knows that he’ll have to go to war one day.
The only good news at the moment comes from the Allied scientists. They are making new walkers, new weapons, and new discoveries with VK technology every day. Despite the bravery of their soldiers, it is these men and women who are, for now, the Allies’ only hope. the united stAtes oF Ame riCA The United States bears a heav y burden, supplying the Allied bloc with the majority of its manpower and resources. After the USA was attacked on its own soil by SSU forces, President Truman gained full authority over the entire Allied bloc. Since taking ofce he has had to make some of the most difcult choices in his career, but the worst is yet to come. the oCtAGon The Allies’ military HQ is the Octagon, a formidable structure built in the heart of Kansas. There lies the High Command of the United Army of the Allies (UAA). It is also home to ASOCOM, Allied Special Operations Command, which controls the Rangers’ deployment across the globe. the united kinGdom Three years ago, British troops landed on Normandy to free Europe from the A xis’ grasp. Now they must ght near Dover against German walkers and paratroopers that have besieged the city. If the Axis forces are not driven back quickly, the position of Great Britain will soon become precarious indeed. Prime Minister Winston Churchill is slowly recovering from the attempt made on his life 6 months ago. He is now once again ready to lead his people to victory.
British troops are already stretched thin on ever y continent, ghting for the Crown. It has been centuries since Englishmen had to ght for the freedom of their own land. Now is the most dangerous time of all. FrAnCe It’s been seven years since the French Republic fell to th e invading Wehrmacht. Now, the homeland seems lost for good, but it is every Frenchman’s dream to be there on the day it’s liberated. The capital city of the French Fourt h Republic is now nominally Saigon in Indo-China. The real center of power is in Dakar, Senegal. This city is home to the Free French headquarters under General de Gaulle. Free French forces are integrated in the Allied Armies and ght from the African desert to Southeast Asia. brAzil Soon after the USA joined the Allies six years ago, Brazil chose to follow. This powerful South American nation now nds itself surrounded by many enemies. Deep in the Amazonian forest, Brazilian Marines ght a dirty war against SSU troops. This theater of operations is of the utmost importance for the Allies, as many scientists believe it holds huge VK reserves.
11
I n t r o d u c t I o n
the axis 1947 will be a crucial year for the Axis powers. They must conquer the rest of the world before the dire predictions of the Blutkreuz Korps materialize. Even though Axis armies have been decimated by years of war, the bloc believes it has enough resources remaining to win a denitive victory. Then the Axis can prepare the world for what’s coming. GermAny Germany is the Axis’ central power. It’s where all the discoveries that will win this war are made. It’s where the Protector of the Axis rules over the bloc. There are some who say Germany is tiring of this endless war. They couldn’t be more wrong. With its new walkers and weapons, the Wehrmacht has never been so powerful, and its resolve to win the war and conquer the planet has never been stronger. sChloss Adler This hidden Alpine fortress is the home to t he Blutkreuz Korps, and is where the most advanced VK research on the planet happens. It holds many well guarded secrets t hat Allied and SSU scientists would give anything to get a hold of. All attempts to inltrate spies or double agent s into the Schloss Adler have met with complete failure. jAPAn With vast territories under its control, the Japanese Empire is one of the cornerstones of the Axis power. It has gained immense wealth with its conquests, as well as many new foes. The war in the Pacic and Southeast Asia has taken its toll on the army, though, and the proud Japanese still have trouble adjusting to the fact that a German is now leading them. With the powerful enemies that Japan has made, however, they know the Axis bloc offers their only path to victory. itAly Even with half of its territory in Allied hands, Italy is still a loyal member of the Axis. Northern Italy
12
has been transformed into a fortress to stop the Allies. The concentration of troops there is extremely high. The Axis army must also face a strong resistance movement in Northern Italy. Some groups are backed by the Allies, others by the SSU, and both are inclined to ght each oth er as well as the Axis. In the South, the situation is similar. Here the Allies must deal with Axis and SSU-supported resistance movements instead.
the sino-soviet union As 1947 begins, the SSU is fully engaged, ghting off the deadliest offensive by the Axis in four years. Brave Soviet troops face endless assaults from Axis Panzer divisions. They must deal with Untertoten and Kampfaffen, often in close combat. Tons of artillery rounds fall on their defensive positions every day. It’s an especially dangerous time for the SSU on its western front. Still, this bloc’s resolve to win the “Great Patriotic War” is stronger than ever. New heavy tanks and walkers are joining the ght every day from great factories east of the Urals. Hundreds of new divisions are being raised in the Far East from the limitless manpower of Asia. Joseph Stalin’s rule over the largest territory on Earth remains undisputed.
I n t r o d u c t I o n
14
I n t r o d u c t I o n
15
Chapter 1: BasiC training
“Wars may be fought with weapons, but they are won by men. It is the spirit of the men who follow and of the man who leads that gains the victory.” –General George S. Patton There are a number of common rules used t hroughout Dust Warfare – the basic mechanics that are the foundation of advanced rules of movement and combat. This section of the rulebook serves as an introduction that will prepare players with common terminology, basic rules, and other concepts. If a player is already experienced with tabletop games, much of this will be quite familiar. Such players may wish to skip ahead, or skim the concepts quickly, and may nd it more convenient to refer back to this chapter lat er. Players who are already familiar with Dust Tactics will also nd rules in this chapter which they recognize, such as weapon characteristics and the Combat Dice mechanics.
16
required Components Dust Warfare is a tactical miniatures game for two players. In addition to this rulebook, players will need several other items to play the game and begin experiencing battles with Dust miniatures.
• Two players. • A playing surface, such as a tabletop or unobstructed floor. • A selection of Dust miniatures. • A tape measure. • At least twelve Dust “Combat Dice.” • At least two colors of counters (there are counters available to photocopy in the back of this book).
rolling ComBat diCe
miniatures & units
Dust Warfare uses just one kind of die – the Dust “Combat Die.” These custom dice are included in the Dust Tactics Revised Core Set . Players will nd it benecial to have at least t welve of these custom dice on hand, as it greatly speeds up play. Combat Dice are six-sided dice with two ∆ (or hit) faces and four ≈ (or blank) faces. If players do not have access to these custom dice, they may use standard six-sided dice instead. When using standard dice, treat the results of 5 and 6 as ∆ results.
Dust Warfare is a tabletop miniatures game. This means that players use miniatures to represent opposed forces on a tabletop battlefield. One of the greatest pleasures of a tabletop game is the shifting tapestry of superbly sculpted and painted armies in combat. This section of the book helps combine the game rules with the practicalities of using miniatures.
ReRolls Some special situations may call for the rerolling of a number of dice. This simply means the player ignores the rst result rolled and rolls the dice again. Sometimes the player must choose whether or not to reroll all of his dice and other times he may choose which dice to reroll. A player must always accept the result of the second roll, even if it is worse than the rst, and may normally not reroll a die more than once. Rerolls can be used to get a player out of a tricky situation, but they are never a guarantee!
A miniature has two main parts, the gure and the base. The base has the practical purpose of allowing the miniature to stay standing despite the pose of t he gure and possible bumping of the table. Mechanically, it serves to give a position for the miniature, helping the players determine which miniatures can see each other, and who is ghting in melee combat. Dust miniatures come mounted on two sizes of bases. Soldier units are mounted on 30mm bases, while Vehicle units are mounted on 80mm bases. Some very large walkers are not mounted on bases at all, and they require additional rules (see "Heav y Walkers" on page 48). A unit is a collection of miniatures that functions as a single ghting group, led by a Unit Leader. A unit can consist of a single miniature (like a Hero) or several miniatures.
FiguRe The main part of this miniature is called the “gure.” It is the character and his weapons. The gure tells us what kind of miniature this is. In this case, it is an Allied Ranger armed with a M9 Bazooka.
Base The round disk on which the gure is mounted is called “the base.” It helps the miniature remain standing, and has many mechanical functions, such as determining a miniature’s distance from another miniature and measuring movement. This gure is mounted on a standard 30mm diameter base.
17
C H A P T E R 1 : B A s i C T R A i n i n g
measuring
PRe-MeasuRing
In Dust Warfare , the distance miniatures are from each other, or from where they began their movement, is important to the tactical decisions and abilities of the units. Measuring distances for movement and attacking is done using the miniature’s base.
In Dust Warfare , a number of elements depend on how far apart the miniatures are, and some critical circumstances may come down to ne judgment. For this reason the default rule is that players can pre-measure distances at all times.
Miniatures can move by taking Move actions (see "Move Actions" on page 36) or as part of other actions, such as being forced to retreat. When a gure moves, no part of a miniature’s base may travel beyond the allot ted distance from its starting position. This measurement is done from any point on the base, and players use a measuring tape to make accurate measurements.
In the interest of promoting a more enjoyable experience, this “pre-measuring” is allowed in Dust Warfare . Being able to pre-measure ranges promotes confidence about where things are and lets both players get along more amicably, as they do not have to worry about “wasting” actions. As Dust Warfare involves a good deal of miniature movement, premeasuring distances also means that everything tends to move decisively and accurately.
When measuring distance between two miniatures (such as during an Attack action, see page 40), players measure from the base as well. Players measure from the cl osest point on the at tacking miniature’s base to the closest point on the target miniature’s base. When measuring distance between two units, players measure from the closest miniature in each unit. When a rule calls for a miniature to be “completely within” a range, all of the base must be within the distance. In Dust Warfare , miniatures can nd themselves at different elevations. Distances are always measured horizontally, and the elevation is not factored into the distance. The section on Move actions (see "Move Actions" on page 36) provides rules for moving up and down on terrain.
When measuring movement, no part of the base may move more than the movement distance. For this Axis soldier, that is 6”. When measuring distance between two miniatures, measure the shortest distance between their bases, from closest point to closest point.
18
movement and Firing arCs Soldier miniatures in Dust Warfare are capable of freely turning while they are moving. They are not concerned with what direction the gure is currently facing (soldiers can turn around pretty quickly) and they are able to see their surroundings despite what direction the miniature is facing. Vehicle miniatures, however, have special rules that restrict movement to represent their size and slower turning speed. A vehicle has four distinct movement and ring arcs: Front, Rear, Left, and Right. These each cover a 90° arc, using the hull of the gure and not the turret (if it has one). The 90° facing arcs are Front (F), Rear (R), Left (Lt) and Right (Rt). Some miniatures or weapons are restricted to particular elds of re, such as weapons built into a vehicle’s hull. These are specically noted with the corresponding arc of F, R, Lt, or Rt. Vehicle miniatures also have bases with rivets positioned in 15° increments, which help players visually dene the ring arcs on the tabletop. tuRRet Mounted WeaPons Many vehicles are equipped with turrets, allowing the weapons mounted in the turret to re all around the miniature as if it were a Soldier unit. These weapons have a 360° ring arc.
tiP: KnoW YouR WalKeRs!
The Axis and Allied forces use vehicles that may, on the surface, appear similar, but each force uses these walkers in very different ways. Players should consider carefully which vehicle is right to support the infantry they have selected. Most light walkers, both Axis and Allied, mount a single primary gun in a Front ring arc. While the weapon usually has a range of bet ween 24” and 36”, the restricted re arc makes them vulnerable against enemy units that are able to close that distance and circle to the sides or rear.
C H A P T E R 1 : B A s i C T R A i n i n g
Medium walkers vary depending on the faction. While Axis walkers have many of the same re arc limitations as their lighter counterparts, the Allied walkers make use of turrets. These turrets make the Allied walkers much more difcult to close with, as they can react to enemy movements with most of their re power. Heavy walkers are massive feats of engineering, and while Allied heavy walkers are equipped with anti-infantry machine guns, the primary weapon is mounted on a Front ring arc, just like the Axis heavy walkers. These weapons will be most effective if they can keep the enemy at range!
FRont aRc
leFt
Right
aRc
aRc
ReaR aRc
Every vehicle has four arcs which are used for movement and ring. These arcs are illustrated above. 19
unit CharaCteristiCs Each miniature has unique abilities and attributes that grant it different properties from other miniatures. The effectiveness of miniatures in Dust Warfare is dened by their characteristics. There are three primary characteristics: Move, Damage Capacity, and Type. Additionally, many miniatures have special abilities, which allow them to act in unique ways.
chaRacteRistic icons
Unit characteristics are abbreviated with the characteristic icons shown below.
6
Move
1
Damage Capacity
2
20
3
1
Move The Move characteristic shows the distance, in inches, the miniature can travel during a Move action. For most miniatures, this will be 6”.
Vehicle miniatures have some restrictions during movement. For more on the Move action limitations of vehicles, see "Vertical Movement" on page 39. daMage caPacitY The Damage Capacity characteristic represents how difcult a miniature is to take out of action. Weapon hits inict damage, and if a miniature’s Damage Capacity is equaled or exceeded by the damage inicted by an at tack, the miniature is removed as a casualty (see "Attack Actions" on page 40). In the unit entries presented in Chapters 5 and 6, this is abbreviated to “DC.”
If the damage inicted is insufcient to destroy a miniature, the damage taken is tracked, and the next hit will need to do less damage to destroy the miniature.
Type
Typically, only Heroes or Vehicles will have a Damage Capacity greater than 1. Most Soldier miniatures are killed by a single point of damage, because they have a Damage Capacity of 1.
tYPe In Dust Warfare , there are three t ypes of miniatures: Soldiers, Vehicles, and Aircraft. Each type is further classied according to how heavily armored (or otherwise protected) it is. SoldierS Soldiers include the different kinds of infantr ymen employed by the warring powers, armed with a wide variety of weaponry. Ten years of bitter warfare have raised the dirty business of infantry ghting to a high ar t, and Soldiers make dangerous opponents – particularly in close ter rain. Soldiers are vital for taking and holding ground in support of vehicles. Soldiers generally work in units of ve or more and have four armor classications.
Soldier 1: Unarmored infantry with only helmets and fatigues. Soldier 2: Infantry in light body armor. Soldier 3: Infantry in heavily armored suits. Soldier 4: Infantry with unearthly or extraordinary protection. VehicleS Vehicles encompass all kinds of units from jeeps and trucks to heavy assault walkers and land fortresses. Most commonly in Dust Warfare , this category has come to be dominated by walkers, although older wheeled and tracked vehicles still sometimes see service in rear areas. All vehicles are hard to damage by their very nature, even if they aren’t heavily armored. Fully armored walkers are tru e behemoths that can only be stopped by specialized antitank weaponry. Vehicle miniatures normally constitute units on their own. Vehicles have seven armor classications.
Vehicle 1: Any light vehicle, including “softskins” like trucks. Vehicle 2: Vehicles with armored protection against bullets, but little else. Vehicle 3: True armored vehicles with protection against shrapnel and light anti-tank re. Vehicle 4: Medium-armor battle vehicles expected to dish out and receive punishment. Vehicle 5: Heavily armored assault/breakthrough vehicles. Vehicle 6: Super-heavy armor; vehicles of this armor class rst appeared in 1945. Vehicle 7: True land fortresses with armor that is virtually impossible to breach. Aircr Aft Aircraft can seldom boast the protection of land vehicles, but some types make a surprisingly strong attempt. Aircraft have three armor classications that reect a combination of armor and maneuverability. Aircraft are not a focus of the basic Dust Warfare rules, but their characteristics are included for future expansions.
Aircraft 1: Standard aircraft and helicopters. Aircraft 2: Dedicated ground-attack craft. Aircraft 3: Heavily armored air vehicles.
These Rangers are classied as a “Soldier 2” unit as they are infantry in light body armor.
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C H A P T E R 1 : B A s i C T R A i n i n g
Weapon CharaCteristiCs Weapons in Dust Warfare are dened by their own characteristics. There are two weapon characteristics: Range and Combat Dice/Damage per ∆. Certain weapons like amethrowers and lasers have additional rules as detailed in the special weapon abilities section (see "Special Weapon Abilities" on page 57). Some weapons will include a number in parentheses. This number indicates how many of that weapon the unit has equipped. It is common for a miniature to carry several weapons. By default, when a miniature attacks it may use all of its weapons in the attack, however not all miniatures in the unit must use the same weapon.
coMBat dice & daMage Each weapon has a profile like the one shown below, which shows the number of Combat Dice it rolls (the number before the slash) against different unit types. The number after the slash indicates how many damage points each ∆ inflicts. Example: The Rangers’ standard armament, the M1 AR rie, is rated 1/1 against Soldier 2 units. This means each miniature ring a M1 AR rolls one Combat Die, and will do one point of damage if that die rolls a ∆.
Some weapons have a ≠ after the slash, instead of a number. These weapons are typically weapons, such as amethrowers, that spray a controlled area. For more information on Spray weapons, see page 58.
Range This shows the range of the weapon in inches. For example, weapons with a range of 16” can re on targets up to 16” away. Some weapons have a special type of Range characteristic designated by a letter as f ollows: (c) cloSe combAt weAponS Close combat weapons are specialized for hand-to-hand combat and very close engagement ranges. When a unit is attacked with close combat weapons, it can only retaliate with close combat weapons of its own. For more on close combat weapons see the Close Combat weapon rules on page 57. minimum rAnge weAponS A few weapons have a minimum as well as a maximum range. These weapons will have their minimum range noted in the weapon description. Weapons with a minimum range cannot target miniatures that are closer than the distance indicated. (A) Artillery rAnge weAponS Trajectory weapons like mortars, rockets, and howitzers may be rated as having “Artillery” range (A). Artiller y range weapons ring directly at a target have a range of 36”. Additionally, Artillery weapons can hit anywhere on the tabletop using the Artillery Strike special ability (see page 53). When ring indirectly, Artillery weapons have a minimum range of 12”.
M1 Assault Rie (5) Combat Knife
22
Each weapon has a characteristic line on a chart like this one, showing how many dice it rolls (before t he slash) and how much damage each hit does (after the slash) against each type of unit (the numbers along the top, under th e type icons).
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
units While the rules for single miniatures are important, to expedite play (and better represent the player as a commander of his force), miniatures are grouped into units. A unit moves and attacks together, taking its actions at the same time. Chapters 5 and 6 detail the t ypes of units players can choose for the Allies and the Axis forces. Most units consist of several miniatures and may have additional options listed in their unit entr y. unit FoRMation Each miniature in a unit must be close enough to the Unit Leader in order for the unit to function properly. This is referred to as a unit being in formation. While they are together, the unit functions as a cohesive whole making it a ghting force to be feared. Miniatures cannot stray too far from their Unit Leader (see Leadership Range).
When the rules make reference to a “unit,” they mean all miniatures that are a part of the unit. In the text, the distinction between “unit” and “miniature” is used deliberately. A miniature is an individual combatant while a unit is the tactical element that miniatures create. In Dust Warfare , the terms are not interchangeable, even when the rules refer to a unit with a single miniature (such as a vehicle).
This Unit Leader commands his unit, who must stay close enough to him to hear his orders. Each miniature must stay within 6” of its Unit Leader. This is referred to as being within Leadership range or “in formation”.
unit leadeRs In Dust Warfare , infantry and vehicles do not act on their own. Every unit has a Unit Leader in control, even units with a single miniature. Units that consist of only one miniature (such as vehicles and Heroes) typically t reat that miniature as the Unit Leader. Players can easily see which miniature in a unit represents the Unit Leader. Not only is the Unit Leader miniature posed differently than other miniatures in the unit, but they are also noted in each unit’s entry in Chapters 5 and 6. leAderShip rAnge All miniatures in a unit must always be within Leadership range of their Unit Leader in order to perform efciently. Leadership range, unless stated other wise, is 6”. If a miniature is ever outside of the Unit Leader’s Leadership range, the miniature must be moved back within range of the Unit Leader when it next activates. loSing unit leAderS Unit Leaders in Dust Warfare coordinate the individual members of their squad. The rest of the unit lo oks to the Unit Leader for command in the heat of conict. Units are based around a Unit Leader and almost always require one to function optimally.
If a unit loses its Unit Leader, the unit must promote a new Unit Leader when next activated. If a unit that does not currently have a Unit Leader must use a Unit Leader for some reason (for instance an enemy action calls for players to check range to a Unit Leader) then the opposing player may nominate a miniature to act as a Unit Leader for t he event. Afterwards the unit returns to having no Unit Leader.
This Soldier miniature is more than 6” from his Unit Leader, and must move back into Leadership range as soon as possible.
This miniature has part of its base within 6” of the Unit Leader, which means it is in Leadership range.
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C H A P T E R 1 : B A s i C T R A i n i n g
24
C H A P T E R 1 : B A s i C T R A i n i n g
25
Chapter 2: the Game
“In a man-to-man fght, the winner is he who has one more round in his magazine.”
Dust Warfare is played over the course of several game turns. During the game turn, players activate units to perform actions that allow them to maneuver for position –Erwin Rommel, The Desert Fox and unleash their repower on the enemy. Battles last f or a limited number of turns before players assess victory Dust Warfare games represent battles between two conditions to determine a winner. evenly matched forces on a battleeld. Each player attempts to achieve an objective while his opponent stands in the Each game turn is divided into an Initiative phase, two way. Units and platoons ght for supremacy through tactical Command phases, and two Unit phases (with each player movement, planned attacks on priority targets, and reaction receiving one Command and one Unit phase). During each to ever-changing battleeld conditions. turn’s Initiative phase, the players roll dice to determine
To achieve their goals, the players each select a force of up to an agreed upon Army Point (AP) limit (see page 80 for more information on selecting an Allies f orce, and page 107 for selecting an Axis force). They then use those forces on the battleeld, taking turns acting and reacting to each other’s decisions to achieve a scenario goal.
26
which player goes rst. The player going rst becomes the Initiating player for the game turn; his opponent becomes the Responding player.
The players then take alternating turns executing their Command phases, followed by their Unit phases, in th e following sequence: • Initiative phase • Initiating player’s Command phase • Responding player’s Command phase • Initiating player’s Unit phase
Winni ng Scenario victory conditions are used to determine who wins the battle. Normally, this will encompass a range of objectives like destroying enemy units, keeping forces intact, seizing a hill, or breaking through the enemy lines. To paraphrase General George S. Patton, killing more of the enemy than they manage to kill of you is always a good way to win. For more information on scenarios, see Chapter 4: Battles.
G A m E
• End phase the game tUrn
In the Command phase, players use Orders issued by Command Sections to take special actions. Command Sections are chosen as part of the force ( see page 80 for Allies and page 107 for Axis force selection). This phase gives the player an opport unity to position units for an attack, lay down preparatory re, or pull back before the Unit phase. During the Unit phase, a player activates all of his units, but they are subject to enemy reactions. These reactions allow enemy units to respond during the Unit phase (see “Reactions” on page 34 for more on reactions). ending the game Battles normally proceed for a pre-set number of game turns before ending the scenario. The number of turns is either dictated by the scenario or decided by the players beforehand. The more game turns there are in a bat tle, the longer it will last. Four to six game turns is a t ypical length for most games. For more guidance on game length, see “Chapter 4: Battles” on page 62.
2 : T H E
• Responding player’s Unit phase
Command and Unit Phases Players wishing to move or attack with their units must do so during the Command and Unit phases. During the Initiative phase, no units act; the players simply determine who is the Initiating player and who is the Responding player.
C H A P T E R
sUmmary Initiative Phase
Players roll to determine initiative (see “The Initiative Phase” on page 28). The player with the lowest number of ∆ becomes the Initiating Player. Initiating Player: Command Phase
Each ∆ scored by the Initiating player during the Initiative phase provides one Order to be issued in the Command phase. Enemy units do not make reactions. Responding Player: Command Phase
Each ∆ scored by the Responding player during the Initiative phase provides one Order to be issued in the Command phase. Enemy units do not make reactions. Initiating Player: Unit Phase
The Initiating player activates each of his units, including those that took an action in the Command phase. Enemy units are allowed to react to actions within 12”. Responding Player: Unit Phase
The Responding player activates each of his units, including those that took an action in the Command phase. Enemy units are allowed to react to actions within 12”. End Phase
Once all units have been activated, the game t urn is over. Each unit removes a single Suppression marker and all of its Reaction markers.
27
the InItIatIve phase In the Initiative phase, the players roll their Command Pool to determine who has initiative, and is therefore going rst in the game turn. That player is declared the “Initiating player” and the other player becomes the “Responding player.” This decides the order in which the players take actions for the rest of the game turn. In addition, the number of ∆ scored in the Initiative phase will determine how many Orders can be issued during the Command phase (to a minimum of one). The Initiating player goes rst, but the Responding player typically has more Orders to issue. the Command Pool The Command Pool represents a force’s battlefield ability, its resources, and its officer training. A player’s Command Pool contains a number of Combat Dice equal to the number of units in the player’s force that are currently on the table and not retreating. Heroes who have joined a unit become part of that unit, and do not themselves add to the Command Pool. The Command Pool has a minimum of one Combat Dice in it. determini ng initiative To determine initiative, each player rolls his Command Pool and compares the number of ∆ rolled. In the event of a tie, players must reroll until there is no longer a t ie. The player who has the fewest ∆ is now the Initiating player for the game turn. He also generates a number of Orders equal to the number of ∆ he scored. His opponent is now the Responding player, and generates Orders equal to the number of ∆ he scored. The player with the most Orders therefore goes second, but will have more options in the Command phase. Example: Mack and Sam are determining initiative. It is a critical game turn and both players want to go rst, so that they can move for ward to take position in cover before the opponent has a chance to respond. The players count their units. Mack has ve units on the table, giving him a Command Pool of 5. Sam has eight units, one of which includes a Hero. However, because the Hero is joined to a unit, it does not count as its own unit and does not provide an additional Combat Die to the Command Pool. This gives Sam a Command Pool of 8.
Mack rolls ve Combat Dice, scoring three ∆, while Sam rolls eight Combat Dice and scores three ∆. They are tied, so each player must reroll his dice. Sam scores four ∆, and Mack scores two. At the end of the phase, Mack is the Initiating player and may issue two Orders in the Command phase. Sam is the Responding player, but he gets to issue four Orders in the Command phase.
28
imPortant game terms Activation
During a player’s turn he will have a chance to move and attack with his units. This is known as activating the unit. During a unit’s activation, it may perform up to t wo actions as explained on page 33. Order
Orders are issued during each player’s Command phase and enable units to rally, maneuver, or attack out of the normal sequence, free from immediate enemy response. In the Command phase players do not activate their units, but may still perform actions with them by issuing the proper Order (see “The Command Phase” on page 30). Action
When units are activated they may perform actions, such as moving, attacking, and using other abilities. For more information on actions, see page 33. Reaction
Sometimes units will have the chance to react to enemy units without being activated themselves. This is known as a reaction and is tracked in the game by using Reaction markers (see “Reaction Markers” on page 35). Suppression
A unit can become suppressed during battle, usually from taking heavy re. This represents the unit’s morale failing and is tracked in the game by using Suppression markers (see “Suppression Markers” on page 46). Platoon
A platoon is a group of units that makes up part of a player’s force. A player’s force may contain several platoons. Command Section
A Command Section is a unit that commands a platoon. Each platoon has a Command Section assigned to it and the Command Section is used to issue orders to units during the Command phase (see page 30).
Sigrid is in quite a bind. Her Laser Grenadiers might be able to hold off the Ranger Attack Squad, but only the Axis Zombies have a chance at damaging the Fireball. She wants go rst so that she can attack with full force.
C H A P T E R
Axis Zombies
2 : T H E
Sigrid
G A m E
Laser Grenadiers
Fireball Ranger Attack Squad
In this situation, Sigrid wants to go second. When the Allied infantry res, several of her units are in range t o react to the attack. This forces the Allies to choose their target carefully, while the Axis waits to take advantage once the Allies commit.
Sigrid
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the Command phase The Command phase is a player’s chance to issue Orders to units in an attempt to suppress enemy targets or maneuver into position for action without his opponent being able to react (see “Reactions” on page 34). During the Unit phase, a player may react to enemy actions, but during the Command phase he cannot. Each player may issue a number of Orders equal to the number of ∆ he rolled in the Initiative phase (with a minimum of one). Command seCtions During the Command phase, units take actions when a Command Section issues an Order. Command Sections are units chosen as part of a platoon, but any Command Section may issue Orders to any friendly unit. A unit must normally have at least one of its miniatures within 12” of a Command Section’s Unit Leader to receive an Order, but does not require line of sight.
Note that this is not the same as the requirement that miniatures remain within 6” Leadership range of th eir Unit Leader. Miniatures must remain within Leadership range of their Unit Leader for the unit to function effectively; units only need to remain within 12” of a Command Section Unit Leader if a player wants to issue them an Order in the Command phase.
Two basic Orders are available—”Take Action” and “Regroup,” but some units will make additional special Orders available. A unit may only be issued one Order during each Command phase. Take acTion
The ordered unit executes a single action. This does not count as activating the unit (so the unit does not remove Suppression markers or retreat). It may always take one action, regardless of the number of Suppression or Reaction markers on the unit. When a unit is given a Take Action Order, it gains a Reaction marker at the end of its action, if it did not already have one. As a result, it will not be able t o react during the Unit phase, and it will take one less action as well (see “Reactions” on page 34). RegRoup
The ordered unit removes all of its Suppression and Reaction markers (see “Reaction Markers” on page 35 and “Suppression Markers” on page 46). It may then have a new Unit Leader designated. Lastly, every miniature that is not the Unit Leader may move up to 6”, following normal movement rules.
This unit is completely within 12” of Sigrid, who is acting as a Command Section with her “Leadership” special ability. It can be given an Order during the Command phase.
This unit has only one member with part of its base within 12” of Sigrid. That is all it takes, however, to relay her intentions, so the unit may be issued Orders in the Command phase!
This unit does not have a member within 12” of Sigrid, so it cannot be issued an Order in the Command phase.
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extended Command range Some units have additional special abilities that extend their Command range. This extension could be situational, have certain requirements, or be a at bonus extending their command distance.
Some Command Sections include a Radioman. This allows the Command Section to issue one Order per Command phase to a unit outside of Command range (for more on this, see “Radioman” on page 56). This includes any unit in the force, even those not on the t he table yet. However, However, it does not include units that have retreated off the table or those that have been killed, as radios that communicate with the dead are still not standard issue.
hero Command seCtions Some Heroes may lead a platoon and act as a Command Section. If they are selected as a Command Section for a platoon then they may issue orders as if they were a Command Section, with a normal 12” command radius. They are not granted this extra range if they be come a Command Section mid-battle mid-batt le (they are still limited to 6” just as any other temporary Command Section).
C H A P T E R 2 : T H E G A m E
off-table Units Units that are off the table awaiting a chance to enter play (such as those that are using an Air Drop, or are Reserved) may only be issued Orders through a Radioman or another ability that allows them to disregard Command range, range, such as the t he Blutkruez Ape special ability. They may still be activated during the Unit phase, however, following the rules presented in the special ability that allows them to be off the table. loss of Command seCtions If a player has lost the Unit Leaders of each of his Command Sections, he still rolls his Command Pool as normal during the Initiative phase. The player must spend one Order to promote a temporar y Command Section – this represents higher command stepping in to give direction. This does not count as issuing the promoted unit an Order, so they may still be issued an Order during the Command phase. Any unit may be chosen as the temporary Command Section, and one miniature in that unit must be designated the temporary Command Section’s Unit Leader and will remain as such until killed.
The new Unit Leader of the temporary Command Section has a Command range of only 6”. It is also highly unlikely that he will have access to a Radioman, Radioman, so try tr y to keep those ofcers safe! Example: Disaster strikes Mack’s force of Rangers as the Command Section is destroyed. The force now rolls only two t wo dice (for the two t wo units remaining). remaining). In the next Command phase, one Order must be spent to nominate a temporary Command Section – the force’s force’s cohesion is almost completely gone and Mack’s Rangers will be lucky to issue any Orders at all in the coming Command phase.
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the UnIt phase In the Unit phase, every unit in a player’s pl ayer’s army attacks, moves, attempts to shrug off suppression, or is forced to retreat. The Unit phase is when the action happens, and all the planning and positioning of the Command phase is acted upon. In the Unit phase, each of the player’s units activates, one after another, normally in any order desired (some scenarios may dictate activation order for f or units). Each unit must complete its actions before the next unit activates. As with the Command phases, once the Initiating player has completed his Unit phase, the Responding player takes his Unit phase. The important difference between the Unit phase and the Command phase is that enemy units can react to actions during the Unit phase. If an enemy unit is attacked by another unit within 12”, or spots a unit moving within 12”, it can make a Move or Attack action of its own in response. aCtivation When a unit is activated, it follows a series of steps to resolve its actions. A lot can happen to a unit, and there are several factors that can affect the battleeld prowess of the combatants from turn to turn.
Each unit is activated once in the Unit phase. The game turn does not end until every unit has been activated, although the unit may choose to take no actions when activated.
Replace losT uniT leadeR
If the unit has lost its Unit Leader, the unit now nominates a new Unit Leader. This can be any miniature in the unit. If the unit replaces a missing Unit Leader in this way, it gains a Suppression marker (but may remove it as normal later in this activation). activation). It can be helpful helpf ul for a player to simply replace the new Unit Leader’s miniature with that of the killed Unit Leader (if they both carry the same weapon) for easier recognition during play. Move ouT-of-foRMaTion MiniaTuRes
Dust Warfare miniatures represent highly trained soldiers who do not simply run away when left on their own. In the unlikely event that a miniature is not within Leadership range at the beginning be ginning of its activation, it is moved the minimum distance directly toward the Unit Leader to be within 6”. This is not an action, does not trigger reactions, and does not count towards the unit’s maximum movement. ReMove suppRession
The unit rolls to remove suppression, regaining regaining some lost morale. Units that are suppressed l ose a single action, so it can be vitally important for a unit to clear suppression to get the most out of its activation (see “Removing Suppression” on page 46). Make ReTReaT Moves
Units that are suffering f rom too much suppression will attempt to retreat. If, after rolling to remove suppression, suppression, it still has too many Suppression markers, the unit will retreat (see “Retreat!” on page 47). 47). declaRe acTions
It’s important to note that units may sometimes be limited to taking only one action when they are activated – or may even be in such dire straits that they cannot take any actions! Such units are still activated, giving them a chance to shake off adverse effects or being forced to retreat, even if they can take no actions.
The player declares what actions act ions the unit will be executing. If the unit has t wo actions, it must declare what those actions are at this time. It does not have to decl are targets, direction, or any other variables of the declared actions. The actions a unit can take are described in more detail on page 33. 33.
When a unit is activated, it resolves the activation in the following steps:
Resolve acTions
1.
Replace lost Unit Leader
2. Move out-of-formation out-of- formation miniatures 3. Remove suppression suppres sion 4. Make Retreat moves 5. Declare actions 6. Resolve actions
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The player then resol ves the actions declared. The rst action must be fully resolved before the unit can take a second action. All of the miniatures in the unit must perf orm the same action together at the same time – in other words, they act as a team.
aCtions There are two actions available to all units when activated: Move and Attack. Some units have additional special actions they may take instead of the standard Move and Attack actions. Move: The unit can move a distance equal to its Move characteristic in inches (terrain permitting). Attack: The unit can attack with its weapons.
A unit may complete its actions in any order it wishes; it can Move and then Attack, or Attack and then Move, take no actions or only one action, or take a double action. doUble aCtions Rather than taking t wo different actions, units may choose to spend twice the t he amount of time concentrating on a single action – this is referred to as executing a double act ion. When using a double action, the unit must declare that it is doing so, and spend both actions to perform one double action. If a unit opts to perform per form a double action, it gains additional benets over a standard Move or Attack action.
Sustained Attack (Double Attack): The unit takes careful aim, attempting to do as much damage with its weapons as possible. A unit taking a Sustained At tack action may choose to reroll some or all of the Combat Dice during its Attack action (typically players will only want to reroll those dice that fail to succeed). Note that the number number of Combat Dice is not increased, rather the attackers take their time and re more accurately. The unit makes only one attack roll (not t wo consecutive rolls) during the activation. March Move (Double Move): A unit taking a March Move action moves twice its Move characteristic. In addition, the unit may ignore difcult terrain (but not impassable terrain) during the movement. This does not affect soldiers often (as they rarely become slowed by terrain) but walkers are able to break through tough terrain with a March Move action. sPeCia l aCtions sPeCial aCtions Due to their weaponry or special abilities, some units have special actions they can take. Examples of special actions include Reload actions to reload certain heavy weapons and Repair actions to fix damage to a vehicle. See the Spec Ops chapter starting on page 52 for more about special actions.
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C H A P T E R 2 : T H E G A m E
reaCtions The opposing force isn’t necessarily going to sit still and let a commander have it all his way! During the opposing player’s Unit phase, units are allowed to react to enemy actions if they do not have a Suppression or Reaction marker. There are two circumstances in which a unit can react:
• Enemy miniatures make a Move action that begins or ends within 12” of any miniature in the unit. • An enemy unit declares an Attack action that includes the unit as a target. The unit may only react if at least one miniature in the attacking unit is within 12” of one of the unit’s miniatures. The reacting unit can choose to take a single Attack or Move action immediately (or, in the case of Soldiers, “Hit the Dirt!” – see page 35). If a unit chooses to make a reaction, it gains a Reaction marker. When the unit is next activated it loses one of its actions if it still has a Reaction marker. Normally, a unit may only react once per game turn. Units with a miniature out of Leadership range of their Unit Leader cannot react. ReacTion ResTRicTions
A unit must declare its reaction either directly bef ore, or directly after the enemy action is resolved (depending on the triggering action). Units cannot take a reaction in response to a reaction.
Each miniature has its own 12” radius, shown as overlapping green areas. If the Hot Dog moves within any of them, it will provoke a reaction by the entire unit, not just the miniature within 12”.
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Units reacting to a Move action are subject to the following restrictions: • The reacting unit must declare and execute its reaction either before the activating unit moves or af ter it has completely nished moving. • Attack reactions may only target the activating unit; the reacting unit cannot divide its attacks among multiple units. Units reacting to an Attack action are subject to the following restrictions: • The reacting unit must declare its reaction before the activating unit rolls Combat Dice to resolve the attack. • Attack reactions may only target the activating unit; the reacting unit cannot divide its attacks among multiple units. • Attack reactions are resolved at the same time as the triggering Attack action. Move reactions may move the unit into cover or potentially out of range or line of sight entirely; this would cause the Attack action that triggered the reaction to be wasted. The activating player must always give his opponent a chance to chose whether or not to react before he moves any miniatures or rolls the dice. Rolling or moving quickly to avoid reactions is against the rules, and very poor sportsmanship!
HiT THe diRT!
Soldier units have a special reaction they can take when being shot at: “Hit the Dirt!” Unlike other reactions, which are restricted to units within 12”, a “Hit the Dirt!” reaction can be taken regardless of the distance of the attacking unit. The reacting unit automatically receives a Suppression marker in addition to the normal Reaction marker, but this allows it to improve its cover as per the rules for having suppression on page 46. This is a potent defense for vulnerable soldiers, allowing them to elect to gain the benets of being suppressed when they are caught in a tough spot.
reaCtion mark ers When a unit reacts it is marked with a Reaction marker. Units with a Reaction marker take one less action than normal when they activate. At the end of a game turn, both players remove all Reaction markers that are currently on their units.
Units that are issued a Take Action Order in the Command phase gain a Reaction marker after they act. This causes them to lose an action during the next Unit phase and makes them unable to react to enemy actions.
Example: During the Unit phase, Sam’s “Luther” takes a Move action that brings it within 12” of Mack’s Combat Ranger unit and a two-man Observer Team. The Observer Team wisely reacts by moving away, and the Combat Ranger unit opts to react with an At tack action. Alternatively, the Combat Rangers could take a Move action, or elect not to react – saving their reaction for when the Luther res on them or moves again, or in order to respond to the actions of a different enemy unit.
2 : T H E G A m E
MulTiple ReacTions
It’s possible for an enemy unit to provoke multiple reactions by moving close to several units at once or shooting at multiple targets. Each unit can opt to react differently, or not at all, at the discretion of the units’ controlling player. The reacting player is free to choose the order in which his units react, resolving one reaction completely before moving on to the next.
C H A P T E R
the end phase Once both players have taken a Unit phase, activating all of their units, the turn is almost over. The End Phase is a time to assess the current situation and prepare for the next Initiative phase. • If a scenario calls for actions to be taken during the End Phase, they are done rst. • Then, each unit on the table removes a single Suppression marker. • Lastly, all Reaction markers are removed from all units.
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move aCtIons Moving forces on the battleeld is a vital part of Dust Warfare . Often a force’s objective will be to take ground from the enemy, and many Soldiers’ weapons are most deadly at close quarters. Additionally, control over key terrain features is often vital to ultimate victory. Miniatures performing a Move action can travel a distance across the tabletop of 1 inch for each point of their Move characteristic. Typically, miniatures have a Move characteristic of 6, so most miniatures travel up to 6” per Move action. Soldiers ignore Movement arcs and can turn freely during movement. Most Vehicles, however, can only move into their current Front arc and may rotate at the beginning or end of their movement. move aCtion ProCedUre When a unit performs a Move action, the controlling player indicates the moving unit and checks the Move characteristic of its miniatures. He may then Move any miniatures in the unit up to 1” per point of their Move characteristic. Most of the time, an entire unit will have the same Move characteristic, but in the rare event that a unit has multiple Move characteristics, each miniature may move up to its Move characteristic. A miniature cannot move within 1” of an enemy miniature during its movement, nor may it end its movement within 1” of any enemy miniature. A Soldier unit’s base is slightly more than 1” in diameter and makes an excellent tool for judging this distance.
Miniatures cannot move through friendly vehicles, but can move through friendly soldiers. Soldier units can travel in any direction, regardless of their facing. When a unit takes a Move action, all miniatures in the unit move, and each miniature must end its movement within 6” of the Unit Leader. A miniature may move outside that range during the Move action, as long as it ends t he Move action within Leadership range.
Each miniature in the unit ended its Move action with every part of its base within 6” of its starting position (the unit’s Move characteristic), more than 1” away from the enemy walker (the red area), and within 6” of its Unit Leader.
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vehiCle movement A Vehicle unit can normally only move into its Front arc during a Move action. A vehicle may adjust its facing up to 90° either before or after it moves, but not both. It cannot adjust its facing during its movement. spoT TuRning
Instead of moving during a Move action, a vehicle may choose to adjust its facing completely. If it does, it may change its facing to any direction it wants but does not move. Backing up
Vehicles can elect to “back up” as a Move action instead of moving forward. While backing up, a Vehicle unit must move into its Rear arc. The maximum distance the Vehicle unit may move while backing up is limited to 3”, but no further reduction is made for moving through difcult terrain. A vehicle taking a March Move action may move up to 6” when backing up.
This walker is moving 6” (a single Move action) and is choosing to rotate 90° at the end of the movement. A walker must restrict its movement to its Front arc (the red area).
veHic le oveRRun s
A Vehicle may move through enemy Soldier units. I t is not required to maintain a distance of 1” during its movement, or at the end, from enemy Soldier units. When a Vehicle moves through a unit of Soldiers (either friendly or en emy) it causes an overrun. If the vehicle would end its movement within 1” of any Soldier miniature, that miniature must move the minimum distance to be at least 1” away from the vehicle, by the shortest route possible. Being overrun can cause a unit to become suppressed. The moving vehicle rolls a number of Combat Dice equal to its Vehicle type (so a Vehicle 3 would roll three Combat Dice). The unit that was overrun gains one Suppression marker for each ∆ scored by the vehicle. If a vehicle is able to overrun multiple units, each unit’s suppression is rolled separately. Remember that vehicles cannot move through other Vehicle units (friendly or enemy).
By rotating 90° before moving, the walker changes the position of its Front arc. This gives the player different options when moving his walkers.
Front Arc
Front Arc
The player could have decided to rotate the walker before its movement instead, changing the position of the Front arc (see diagram on right).
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terrain effeCts on moveme nt In Dust Warfare , terrain helps to dene the tabletop battleeld and presents unique challenges and opportunities for both sides. Terrain can provide cover for units to protect themselves, or it can simply impede movement. open TeRRain
Miniatures moving entirely in open terrain can travel a distance of 1” for each point of their Move characteristic. Miniatures moving in the open do not easily claim cover against enemy re. For more on cover, see page 43. difficulT TeRRain
Difcult terrain is anything that impedes, but does not completely block, movement. Examples include forests, broken or rocky ground, craters, deep snow or soft sand, jungles, streams, steep hills, shallow rivers, rubble, swamp, marsh, and low walls and fences. Soldiers are rarely affected by terrain and move their full Move characteristic through most terrain t ypes. A miniature’s move distance is reduced to 3” when it moves across any terrain that is rated difcult during a M ove action. The move distance of miniatures that are Fast (or have another ability that increases their Move characteristic) is reduced to 3”. Terrain does not reduce a miniature’s Move characteristic, it limits the maximum distance it can move. A miniature’s Move action is impeded if it moves through any difcult terrain, and it will be affect ed whether it moves into or over the terrain at the beginning, middle, or end of its move. This also means a miniature can’t enter difcult terrain that is over 3” away at the st art of its Move action. When a miniature makes a March Move action, it does not suffer from this restriction and may move twice its Move characteristic as normal for a March Move, even if it moves through difcult terrain.
This walker has a few choices for dealing with the difcult terrain directly in f ront of it. It can take a single Move action and move only 3”, its movement reduced by the terrain. It could also take a March Move, ignoring the terrain and moving 12”. Lastly, it could move around the terrain, either as a single move, or as a March Move action.
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iMpassaBle TeRRain
Impassable terrain blocks all basic movement and cannot be moved through at all, though it may be possible to move over or under it with the right form of special movement. Impassable terrain includes cliffs, high walls or fences, and deep water. A miniature that is confronted by a high concrete wall, for example, cannot move through the wall and must go around it instead. Sometimes terrain counts as impassable to one type of miniature while being only difcult for another. Tank obstacles, for example, are impassable terrain to vehicles but open terrain to soldiers, while barbed wire entanglements may damage soldiers but are only difcult terrain to vehicles.
deClaring terrain
It is important to note how vital it is for players to determine what the terrain effects will be before the game begins. This prevents any confusion. Before deployment areas are determined and units are placed, the players should briey discuss each piece of terrain and come to a consensus on how it will affect different unit movements and what type of cover (if any) it will provide. Despite this precaution, debates are sure to arise. If the players fail to declare a piece of terrain’s difculty (and it is not readily apparent on the Terrain Movement Difcult y Table), they should lean toward the terrain being as difcult to pass as is reasonable. After all, it’s a dangerous world out there and soldiers need to proceed carefully.
defining terrain areas One of the most difcult aspects of ruling on terrain can be deciding where it begins and ends. All terrain encompasses an area, and it is important to dene where the t errain boundaries lie. Any miniature with its base touching, inside, or partially inside an area of terrain is aff ected by it, either for movement purposes or for the purposes of cover (see “Cover” on page 43).
It may be easy to determine the boundaries of terrain if the terrain is mounted on a base of its own, but some may be more complex. If the terrain does not have a base, the players should draw an imaginary line between the outer geometry of the terrain (from a top-down perspective) to determine where the terrain begins and ends. coveR
Many terrain elements provide different types of cover in addition to affecting movement. The two types of cover provided by terrain are Soft cover and Hard cover. Miniatures beneting from cover have a better chance of surviving enemy re (see page 43). Players may decide that some terrain, such as walls, do not provide the benets of cover unless it interferes with line of sight. This prevents a miniature standing against a wall f rom gaining the benets of cover when attacked by enemies that have a clear shot.
This terrain has its boundaries clearly dened by the base. Any unit on or touching the base will be counted as in the tank trap terrain.
saMple TeRRain TaBle
The following table is intended as a guide; players should adapt it as appropriate for their available tabletop terrain. Terrain Type
Cover Type
Soldier
Vehicle
Movement
Movement
Craters
Soft
No Penalty
Difcult
Fences
Soft
Difcult
No Penalty
Forest/Jungle
Soft
No Penalty
Difcult
Hedges
Soft
No Penalt y
No Penalt y
Hills
Soft
No Penalty
Difcult
None
Difcult
Difcult
Rubble
Soft
No Penalty
Difcult
Stone/Brick Walls
Hard
Difcult
Difcult
Swamp
None
No Penalty
Difcult
Tank Obstacles
Hard
No Pena lt y
Impa ssa bl e
Trenches
Hard
No Penalty
Difcult
Vehicle Wrecka ge
Hard
No Penalty
Difcult
Water (Deep)
Hard
Difcult
Impassable
Water (Shallow)
Soft
No Penalty
Difcult
Barbed Wire
vertiCal move ment Many pieces of terrain have a vertical component t hat a miniature might stand on or move across. Terrain such as buildings or the ruins of buildings may even have multiple stories, complete with oors (or what is left of them) for miniatures to position themselves on.
Normally a unit cannot move more than 3” vertically during its activation. Some units (such as t hose with the Climb ability) may vertically move more. This vertical movement is in addition to a miniature’s normal movement; the miniature is simply restricted from ending its turn more than 3” above or below where it began. A building with a oor is an exception to this vertical movement rule. If a oor is more than 3” above the oor below it, a unit may move up to that oor without a special move ability. Players may agree on additional exceptions for specific terrain. As always, it is important for the players to discuss the terrain before the game begins. Players might, for instance, declare that the ruins of a building do not allow miniatures to freely move up and down floors that are more than 3” separate, to add realism, or an interesting challenge.
This terrain does not have a base, so the players note the boundaries of the tank traps and decide together that it covers an area outlined by the red lines. Units within (or touching) the red lines are treated as within the tank trap terrain.
Partially imPassable terrain
Some terrain may have only parts that are impassable, while the rest is clear, or difcult terrain. This is most common in buildings. A unit might be able to move through a doorway or window as open terrain, but the stone walls would be impassable. 39
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attaCk aCtIons A miniature taking an Attack action res its weapons at the enemy. Attacking miniatures can make use of all of the weapons they possess that remain functional and that can be brought to bear in the ring arc. attaCk aCtion ProCedUre When a unit takes an Attack action, all of the miniatures in the unit strike as part of the same action. Some units may have miniatures equipped with different weapons and these miniatures should roll their Combat Dice separately, so that each different weapon’s attack result can be determined. Close Combat Attack actions function differently than other Attack actions and are discussed in detail starting on page 57.
When a unit attacks, the controlling player declares what weapons are being red at which targets. A player may choose to not re certain weapons if he wishes. Each weapon being red must roll all of its Combat Dice against one target unit. The player must also check for line of sight and range. Attacking miniatures without line of sight or range to at least one miniature in a target unit cannot contribute to the attack. The player then resolves his attack by checking the unit’s weapon characteristics against the target unit’s armor type and making an Attack roll. The target unit then makes any Armor rolls and removes miniatures that have been killed.
steP 2: determine range and line of sight Once targets have been declared, the unit must determine which miniatures are in range, checking to ensure th e weapons can reach at least one visible miniature in the target unit. Any weapons from attacking miniatures that do not have range to at least one visible miniature in the target unit cannot participate in the attack. fiRing aRcs
Some miniatures (like vehicles) have ring arcs for the weapons noted on their unit descriptions. At least one miniature in the target unit must lie inside a weapon’s ring arc for it to be able to re during an Attack action. Only one miniature must be within the ring arc of the weapon for the entire unit to be within the arc. cHeck line of sigHT
Terrain situated between the attacking miniature and the target may block line of sight, either partially or completely. Line of sight is used to determine if the miniatures in the target unit of the attack are entitled to cover rolls, which are very important to the defending unit! First, the player determines which miniatures have their line of sight completely blocked. The player then determines if the miniatures in the target unit are obscured and therefore entitled to a cover roll.
aTTack ResTRic Tions
In order to attack, individual miniatures must have the target unit: • Within range of each weapon they are using. • Within the ring arc of each weapon they are using. • Within their line of sight. steP 1: PiCk a target When a unit takes an Attack action, the controlling player declares the targets of the attack. The unit may split its attacks against several targets, but it must declare what weapons are ring at which targets before rolling any Combat Dice. Each individual weapon may be declared separately. For instance, a unit with 7 M1 ARs could re each one at a different target. This may trigger reactions from multiple enemies.
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attaCk aCtion sUmmary
1. Pick target unit(s) and allocate unit weapon(s) ring. 2. Check range and line of sight to the target unit(s). Determine cover quality (if any). 3. Roll Combat Dice for weapons. Each result of ∆ deals damage to the target unit based on the Weapon Characteristics. 4. The target unit’s controlling player makes an Armor roll. Each result of a ∆ negates one point of damage. 5. The target unit’s controlling player assigns remaining damage to the unit and removes casualties.
Blocked line of sigHT
oBscuRed line of sigHT
Line of sight is determined miniature to miniature. To determine if a miniature has line of sight to another miniature, a player must look to see if any part of the target miniature’s gure is visible to the attacking miniature. He does this from a viewpoint at the center of the attacker’s base at the top of the miniature. If no part of the target miniature’s gure can be seen, then line of sight is blocked.
Just because terrain doesn’t completely block a miniature’s vision, it doesn’t mean that the shooter has a clean shot. Terrain that lies between two units might grant some form of protection. The enemy doesn’t just stand in a static spot, and the terrain might take a hit for the target, or make an attacker miss. Unlike blocked line of sight, which is determined on a miniature to miniature basis, obscured line of sight is determined from the attacking unit’s Unit Leader to the target unit. Because the Unit Leader is in charge of directing the re of his unit, his position is very important when the unit attacks.
Blocked line of sight affects at tacking in three ways: • An attacking miniature that has its line of sight blocked to every miniature in the target unit cannot fire its weapons. • If no miniatures in an attacking unit can draw line of sight to a target miniature, that miniature cannot be damaged by the attack. • If even one miniature in the attacking unit has an unblocked line of sight to a target miniature, it may be assigned damage during Step 4: Assign Damage.
Players draw an imaginary line between the center of the attacking Unit Leader’s base and the center of each miniature’s base in the target unit. If the line crosses any terrain area at all, then the target miniature is obscured (even if it is already blocked). This area of terrain does not have to be taller than either unit, the line simply has to pass through any area of terrain to be obscured. If at least half of the miniatures in the unit are obscured, then the unit is considered to be obscured and the unit will gain the benets of the the terrain’s cover type. A Unit Leader that has its base touching or within an area of terrain ignores that terrain for the purposes of obscured line of sight, but not blocked line of sight. The unit treats the area as open terrain. This includes terrain that both the target and the attacker are within. tiP: obsCUred vs. bloCked
Line of sight to a miniature is blocked if the gure isn’t visible, but if any part is visible, then it can only be obscured. Miniatures only ignore the cover they are in for the purposes of obscured line of sight, not blocked, so they still can’t shoot through a wall! The line to this miniature passes through an area of terrain. Even though the line of sight is blocked, it also counts as being obscured when determining if the unit will gain the benets of cover.
The front miniature is in the open, and does not count as being obscured. In addition, the Unit Leader’s base is partially out of the area of terrain. The line reaches the miniature’s base before it crosses an area of terrain, it is not obscured either.
The remaining two miniatures are obscured within the area of terrain. At least half of the miniatures (three of ve) are obscured to the Loth ar, so the entire unit benets from the protection of cover. 41
C H A P T E R 2 : T H E G A m E
veHic les and lin e of sigHT
Vehicles aren’t as nimble as soldiers; they cannot duck out of the way quickly. Because of their size, it is rare for a vehicle gure to be blocked. Additionally, the vehicle has a difcult time claiming obscured line of sight, or gaining the benet of cover, because of the following rule: If an attacking unit can draw a line of sight to any part of the target vehicle’s base without intersecting terrain, then it is in the clear, and the vehicle gains no benefits from being in cover. It is very important to protect vehicles by having them completely within an area of terrain. Anything less and they may be denied the benets of cover!
MiniaTuRes in THe Way
Miniatures can block or obscure line of sight in a variety of ways. Vehicles and Soldiers interfere with line of sight differently. A miniature never obscures other miniatures in its own unit. Soldier miniatures do not obscure or block line of sight from a friendly attacking unit. Enemy soldiers obscure line of sight to other Soldiers out to the edge of their base and up to the gure’s height as if they were an area of terrain. Vehicles obscure any unit (friend of foe), treating the base of the vehicle miniature as an area of terrain. When making an attack a Vehicle ignores enemy Soldier units when drawing line of sight. Soldiers only obscure the shots of other soldiers. In addition, soldiers that are suppressed are keeping low to the ground. If a unit of soldiers has any Suppression markers, it does not obscure other Soldier units. Units obscured by soldiers are granted Soft cover, while units obscured by vehicles are granted Hard cover. It is perfectly permissible (and often advisable) to arrange units so that they will protect one another from incoming re by obscuring lines of sight. If a unit is being protected by another unit, it is often a good idea to suppress or destroy the unit in front before trying to take out the one in the back.
This Pounder can draw line of sight to a part of the Luther’s base without intersecting terrain, so the forest does not protect it!
The terrain lies between this Unit Leader and every point on the Luther’s base, so the Luther gains the benets of the forest terrain’s cover when the unit attacks it.
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This Unit Leader can draw line of sight to the Luther’s base (in this case the center) without intersecting terrain, so the Luther gains no benet from the cover.
steP 3: roll Combat diCe Once the attacking unit has determined how well it can see the target, it’s time to let bullets y and resolve th e attack.
Every weapon has its own characteristics, which are compared against the target unit’s Armor type to determine how many Combat Dice the weapon will roll. On the weapon prole, each weapon has a pair of numbers separated by a slash. The rst number is the number of Combat Dice rolled, while the second number is the amount of damage dealt by each ∆ scored. Sometimes a weapon’s prole will also contain a ≠ symbol (see below). Example: Sam’s unit of ve Grenadiers res its StG 47 assault ries and MG 48 machinegun at a unit of Mack ’s Rangers (Soldier 2). The StG 47’s have a rating of 1/1 against Soldier 2 Units, so each Grenadier with a rie will roll one Combat Die that inicts one point of damage if it rolls a ∆. The MG 48 is 4/1 so the miniature using it rolls four Combat Dice. In total eight Combat Dice (four for ries, plus four more for the MG) are rolled for the Grenadiers’ Attack action.
A unit may have weapons capable of inicting more than one point of damage; ensure that the Combat Dice for these weapons are rolled separately. Additionally, miniatures ring at a different unit should be rolled independently from any others. Example: Mack’s Ranger squad is ring its M9 bazooka and M1 ries at an enemy truck (Vehicle 1). The M1 ries are 1/1 against Vehicle 1 units, while the bazooka is 1/3 so its Combat Die is rolled separately as it will inict three damage points if it scores a ∆. The dice for the M1 ries are rolled rst, then the die for the bazooka. The four Rangers score two ∆ and the bazooka also rolls a ∆ for a total of ve damage to the enemy truck. spRay Weapons
Some weapons have a ≠ symbol in their prole. These weapons do not roll Combat Dice like other weapons and are governed by special rules, as denoted by the symbol (see “Spray Weapons” on page 58).
steP 4: make ar mor rolls Soldiers know how to rely on their armor, and how to duck and cover, living to ght another day. Miniatures can make Armor rolls to avoid taking damage when they are attacked. Different terrain is rated for the protection it provides as either Soft or Hard cover, which can bolster this Armor roll. In addition, units that have one or more Suppression markers (see page 46) gain or improve cover, and can be more resilient targets. Rolling THe dice
Armor rolls are made by the unit and not individually by each miniature. The defending unit’s controlling player then decides which miniatures suffer any damage not cancelled by the Armor roll. After damage has been inicted by an attack, the defending player rolls a number of Combat Dice equal to the unit’s Armor rating to defend against the damage. A Soldier 2 unit would therefore roll t wo dice. Each ∆ scored on the Armor roll will negate a single point of damage. Cover
Units can gain additional protection from enemy attacks by making good use of cover. There are two different types of cover in Dust Warfare : Soft cover and Hard cover. Units can only benet from one type of cover at a time. If a unit would benet from both Soft cover and Hard cover, the effects of Hard cover apply. sofT coveR
Soft cover is lightweight and offers more concealment than real bullet-stopping potential. Woods, jungles, trees and bushes, long grass or tall crops, wooden buildings, fences, crates, and barrels all count as Soft cover. When a unit beneting from Soft cover makes its Armor roll, it is treated as having scored one additional ∆. HaRd coveR
Hard cover is something resistant to attack such as rocks, gullies, trenches, ruins, sandbags, brick walls, concrete buildings, and vehicles. When a unit beneting from Hard cover makes its Armor roll, it is treated as having scored two additional ∆.
teams tiP: target Priority
It is important to know what kind of units a miniature’s weapons can best damage, so that shots aren’t wasted on a target that can’t be hurt. Remember, units in Dust Warfare are free to split their re any way they want. A unit may re its M9 Bazooka at a vehicle, while the rest of the unit splits its M1 AR’s amongst nearby infantry... just watch out for those reactions!
Teams are Soldier units comprised of only two miniatures, the most common types being sniper teams and observer teams. Teams make extremely good use of cover and normally do little to betray their presence. To represent this, teams in Soft cover count as in Hard cover instead. Teams that are already in Hard cover gain no additional benets.
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C H A P T E R 2 : T H E G A m E
steP 5: assign damage After the Armor roll has determined how much damage the target unit has canceled, the remaining damage must be assigned to miniatures in the unit.
The defending player assigns damage to any miniature in the unit as he sees t with the following restrictions: • No miniature may be assigned more damage than its remaining Damage Capacity. Miniatures with a Damage Capacity above 1 may already have some damage on them from previous attacks. A Hero with a Damage Capacity of 4 who has already taken two damage from a previous Attack action may only b e assigned two more damage in this step. • Miniatures that are not obscured must be assigned damage before miniatures that are obscured.
ReaR aRMoR
Vehicles mass the bulk of their protective armor to their front, where most incoming re comes from. The rear of the vehicle is considerably more vulnerable to enemy re. To represent this, a vehicle cannot make an Armor roll when more than half of the attacking unit’s miniatures have their bases completely within its Rear arc. Being in a vehicle’s Rear arc only negates protection it has from its Armor rating, not from cover. The vehicle still benets from the effects of cover, even when attacked in its Rear arc.
veh iCle damage table
≈
No additional effect.
∆
Blinded: The vehicle’s vision has been compromised. When taking a Sustained Attack action, the vehicle cannot reroll any Combat Dice for the rest of the game.
∆∆
External Fire: Part of the vehicle’s armor is on re. As long as the re is burning, the vehicle suffers 1 damage at the end of each of its activations (do not roll for this on the Vehicle Damage Table). While the vehicle is on re, the vehicle will resolve a ≠/1 Attack against any Soldier unit it Overruns. The vehicle must spend an action to put the re out.
• Miniatures that are blocked to every miniature in the attacking unit cannot be assigned any damage. The defending unit’s controlling player must assign all of the damage he can. Any damage that cannot be assigned is ignored. Any miniature that has been assigned damage equal to or higher than its remaining Damage Capacity is considered a casualty. Casualties are removed from play; they no longer participate in this battle. After damage is assigned, Soldier units gain a single Suppression marker. Any Soldier unit that was hit by an attack gains a Suppression marker, even if all the damage was negated by the Armor roll. It is only required that the attacking unit score one or more ∆ on the initial attack. Vehicles do not gain Suppression markers. Instead, vehicles suffer additional effects on the Vehicle Damage Table (shown on the right). attaCki ng vehiCles Vehicles are heavily protected by their armor and are incredibly difcult to knock out even with spe cialized weaponry. Because of this, vehicles do not suffer suppression like Soldier units do.
A vehicle is destroyed and removed as a casualty if it suffers damage equal to or higher than its remaining Damage Capacity. When a vehicle suffers one or more damage, but is not destroyed, the attacking player rolls a number of Combat Dice on the Vehicle Damage Table equal to the amount of damage dealt to the vehicle before the Armor roll. Cover reduces the damage dealt, and therefore reduces the number of dice rolled. Add up the number of ∆ scored and reference the Vehicle Damage Table to see what effect the vehicle suffers. A unit may only suffer each effect once. If a vehicle is currently suffering from an effect that is generated again, the attacking player may choose any lesser effect from the table. If there are no lesser effects available, the roll is ignored.
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∆ ∆ ∆ Weapon Damaged: One weapon may not be red for the rest of the game. The vehicle is treated as if it did not have the weapon, any abilities conferred by the weapon (such as Repair) are lost. The attacker rolls a Combat Die. On a ∆, he chooses the weapon, on a ≈ the defender chooses.
∆∆∆ ∆
Drive System Damaged: The vehicle may not take Move actions for the rest of the game.
∆ ∆ ∆ Ammunition Detonation: One weapon of the Attacker’s choice is ∆∆
damaged and may not be red for the rest of the game. In addition, all Soldier units with a miniature within 12” of the center of the vehicle (and any Soldier units embarked in the vehicle, see “Carry Capacity” on page 54) suffer a 5/1 Attack.
∆∆∆ ∆∆∆
Hull Breach: There is a massive hole in the vehicle. It cannot make any Armor rolls, and all weapons with a “-” against the vehicle’s type are instead treated as “1/1.”
C H A P T E R 2 : T H E G A m E
sUppressIon & retreat Courage can’t stop bullets, and even the most hardened veterans will duck for cover when death thunders down from the sky. The suppression rules replicate the eff ects of morale in Dust Warfare . Units may hesitate momentarily, or even pull back under heavy re, but they rally quickly and return to the ght, especially with a Command Section present. Suppression plays an important role in Dust Warfare – it can pin down the enemy or stall an attack, so players should be aware of its effects and turn them to their advantage. sUPPression marke rs If a unit has one or more Suppression markers, it is considered to be suppressed. Suppression markers represent temporary disruption inicted on a unit. This is most commonly caused by incoming re, but exhaustion, confusion, and even low ammo can also suppress a unit. Suppression markers have the following effects on a unit:
• A unit with one or more Suppression markers takes one less action when it activates during the Unit phase. The unit only loses one action, regardless of the number of Suppression markers it has. This loss is cumulative with the effects of the unit having a Reaction marker. • A unit with one or more Suppression markers cannot make reactions. • A unit with more Suppression markers than it has remaining miniatures is retreating. • A unit with one or more Suppression markers does not obscure other Soldier units. • A unit with one or more Suppression markers improves its cover by one step. Units with no cover gain the benets of Soft cover. Units in Soft cover gain the benets of Hard cover. Units in Hard cover gain no additional benet. soldieRs and suppRession
Each time a Soldier unit is the target of an at tack that scores one or more ∆ during its attack roll, place one Suppression marker on the unit after all damage is resolved. The attacking unit needs only to hit the target; damage may be completely negated. It doesn’t matter if everyone survives, they are still being shot at and suppressed! Example: Mack’s ve-man Assault Ranger squad is shot at by Sam’s Ludwig and suffers t wo points of damage. The Rangers are in Hard cover, and both damage points are negated by the Armor roll. The Assault Rangers still take one point of suppression, because they are coming under re.
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veHic les and su ppRes sion
Vehicles cannot gain Suppression markers. Instead, when a vehicle is attacked, it may suffer other negative effects (see “Vehicle Damage Table” on page 44). If a situation arises in which a Suppression marker is to be placed on a Vehicle unit, it is ignored. removing sUPPression When a unit is activated, the controlling player rolls a Combat Die for each Suppression marker on the unit. For each ∆ scored, a Suppression marker is removed and has no further effect. If any Suppression markers are left, the unit takes one less action during its activation.
During the End phase, each unit automatically removes one additional Suppression marker, and at the same time it removes all Reaction markers. Note that a unit may be suppressed over multiple game turns, as the effect lasts until the unit has no Suppression markers left on it. Example: Sam’s Recon Grenadiers come under heavy re and are shot at by three enemy units. Each Att ack action scores a ∆, so three Suppression markers are placed on the Grenadiers during this phase. When the Grenadier unit next activates, it rolls three Combat Dice and scores one ∆. The Grenadiers remove one Suppression marker. At the end of the turn, one more Suppression marker is removed, leaving one Suppression marker on the unit that will continue to restrict the actions of the Grenadiers.
sUPPression sUmmary
Soldier units receive a single Suppression marker if they suffer any hits from the attack of an enemy unit, even if no damage is caused. Vehicles are never suppressed. Suppression markers are placed on the unit after the attack is completely resolved. Units with one or more Suppression markers have the following limitations: • They take one less action when activated. • They cannot make reactions. • They retreat if they ever have more Suppression markers than miniatures remaining in the unit. • They do not obscure other Soldier units. • They improve their cover by one step. When a unit activates, it rolls a die for each Suppression marker on it, removing one marker for each ∆ rolled. During the End phase, a unit removes one additional Suppression marker automatically.
sUPPression and reaCtions Suppressed units cannot make reactions. If a unit is activated and becomes suppressed by a reaction from an enemy unit, it still completes its activation as normal. Units determine their number of actions at the beginning of the activation (after rolling to remove Suppression markers) and do not, therefore, lose an action if suppressed during their activation. Note: Losing actions because of both Reaction and Suppression markers is cumulative. So, if a unit has already reacted and is then suppressed, it’s possible the unit might not get any actions at all when it is next activated, should it fail to remove its Suppression markers! Example: Sam’s Recon Grenadiers have a Reaction marker and a Suppression marker. When activated, the unit rolls a Combat Die to try to remove the Suppression marker but rolls a ≈ and fails. The Grenadiers take no actions for this activation. retreat! A Soldier unit is forced to retreat when it gains too many Suppression markers. Whenever a Soldier unit has more Suppression markers than it has miniatures lef t alive, it is retreating. This will restrict the actions a unit can take during the Unit phase.
When a retreating unit activates during the Unit phase, it rolls to remove Suppression markers as normal. This may reduce its suppression equal to or below th e number of miniatures alive in the unit. If so, the unit immediately stops retreating and proceeds with the activation, with actions reduced by Suppression and Reaction markers as normal.
If the unit is still retreating after attempting to clear suppression, it takes a Move action. Every miniature in the unit must move directly toward the table edge nearest to the Unit Leader by the shortest route possible. Any miniature that contacts a table edge during this movement is removed as a casualty. Example: Mack’s Combat Ranger squad has been reduced to three miniatures and there are four Suppression markers on the unit, so it is considered to be retreating. When it activates, it must roll to remove Suppression markers as normal. If no ∆ results are scored, it will still have more Suppression markers than miniatures and must immediately retreat. the regroUP order Players shouldn’t abandon hope for retreating and suppressed units! A clear order from headquart ers can transform a unit from a leaderless rabble into a ghting team again. The best way to remove Suppression markers is with a Regroup Order issued in the Command phase. A unit that is given the order to regroup removes all of its Suppression and Reaction markers, and then may consolidate its position.
A new Unit Leader can also be nominated as part of the Regroup Order, and the miniature acts as the Unit Leader for the rest of the game (or until he is killed). Generally, if a unit is carrying both Reaction and Suppression markers, a Regroup Order is probably a wise course of action.
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heavy Walkers The largest walkers used in Dust Warfare do not have a base. These miniatures require special attention wh en drawing line of sight or moving the vehicle. range and line of sight Heavy walkers treat their hull as the miniature’s base. The hull includes the weapon mountings, legs, feet, and central body. It does not include the barrels of weapons or antenna that may extend out from the miniature. When drawing line of sight to a heavy walker, the line is drawn to any part of the hull. When drawing line of sight from a heav y walker, such as when it attacks, the line is drawn from the center of the gure. movement Each walker has a center point shown on its diagram. When moving a heavy walker, measure from the center of the miniature, so that the center of the miniature moves no more than the movement rate and the entire hull moves into the vehicle’s front arc. Miniatures that rotate do so from this same center point.
The center of the Punisher and the Fireball is located forward of the central hatch, passing through the orbiting weapon ring (where the two lines intersect).
Front Arc
Left Arc
Right Arc
Rear Arc
arCs Walkers have arcs derived from their center point and are treated like any other vehicle to determine weapon ring arcs and rear armor value. Each walker has its arcs shown on its diagram.
The center of the Sturmkönig and the Königsluther Heavy Walkers is located in the center of the top hatch on the main hull of the vehicle (where the lines intersect). Its weapon barrels, while intimidating, are ignored.
Left Arc
Rear Arc
Front Arc
Right Arc
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C H A P T E R 2 : T H E G A m E
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the Battle at the mIlls Mack and Sam are playing a medium-sized Skirmish scenario. Game sizes and scenarios are discussed in Chapter 4.
This Pounder is in Command range of Mack ’s Ranger Command Squad. This allows it to receive an order to re during the Command phase, and then re again when it’s activated in the Unit phase.
These Axis Zombies make good use of the force’s special “Blitzkrieg” order. Sam uses the nearby Heinrich Light Panzer to suppress targets he wishes his Zombies to engage in melee.
Sam’s Ludwig dominates the ring lanes, forcing Mack to hold his Pounder back near the bridge. Any advance will be met with a swift response.
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Every game table is different. It is vitally important for players to discuss the terrain beforehand. Mack and Sam have agreed that the mill and bridge are both Hard cover. The trees provide Soft cover to miniatures near them. The board also has several rock ledges. They have decided that t hese ledges provide Hard cover to units obscured by them. The river is impassable to Soldiers, but only difcult terrain for walkers.
C H A P T E R 2 : T H E
Before the game began, Mack and Sam agreed th at any area within 3” of a tree trunk is Sof t cover. With his Assault Rangers out in the open, Mack plans t o use an order to get them into the safety of cover.
G A m E
Sam is condent that his Königsluther can deal heavy damage to Mack’s Punisher. He knows that going rst this turn will be a big advantage in this walker duel.
Even with the 36” range of the PSG1, these Sniper Grenadiers don’t have a lot of target options. Sam considers using an order to move them into a better position, but decides to use their single shot against the Command Section currently holding the mill.
In later turns the Mill becomes a critical area of terrain. Mack moves his Assault Rangers into it in response to heavy re. They are able to stop Sigrid and her Laser Grenadiers, but Mack loses “The Priest” and the Ranger Attack Squad in the process.
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Chapter 3: SpeC OpS
“The enemy must be annihilated before he reaches our main battlefeld. We must stop him in the water, destroying all his equipment while it is still aoat.” –Field Marshall Erwin Rommel Many units have special rules and abilities, listed in the unit entry, that go beyond simple movement and attacking. These can come in the f orm of special weapons, abilities, or simply being heroic. In Dust Warfare , these are called special abilities. They are broken into three general categories: Special Abilities, Special Weapon Abilities, and Heroes.
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SpeCial abilitieS Whether due to training, veteran experiences, or science, some miniatures have special abilities beyond that of ordinary soldiers. This is especially true of the Heroes from both sides. Some special abilities are noted as “shared.” If at least one miniature in the unit (including Heroes) has a shared ability, the entire unit is considered to h ave the ability. If all of the miniatures with a special ability in a unit are killed, it can no longer use that special ability.
Agile - (ShAred) Agile miniatures are alert and quick to react to enemy attacks. An Agile unit moves an additional 6” when it makes a Move reaction.
Air drop - (ShAred) Some units are equipped with parachutes and are trained to use them to enter combat from above. A unit with Air Drop may choose not to deploy with the rest of the force and is instead kept off the table using the Reserved rules (see page 56). Instead of entering as normal per the Reser ved rules, the unit is placed anywhere on the board more than 12” away from any enemy miniature.
All in one This miniature knows how to lay down heav y and effective re, blazing away until its gun barrels glow red-hot! Once per game, the unit is capable of doubling the number of Combat Dice it rolls in an Attack action. The strain on the guns and massive expenditure of ammunition means that a Suppression marker is placed on the unit when it completes its All In One action. An All In One attack stacks with the effects of a Sustained Attack, allowing the dice of an All in One attack to be rerolled. Since a miniature does not share this ability with its unit, only his own Combat Dice are doubled. However, the unit still gains a Suppression marker if at l east one miniature uses the All In One ability.
AmphibiouS - (ShAred) Most natural defenses in Europe and the Eastern Front rest upon river lines, and coastal landings are decisive. This has led to research into various amphibian technologies for both vehicles and men. Amphibious units are sufficiently waterproofed to float and propel themselves across rivers, lakes, seas, and other deep bodies of water. Amphibious miniatures treat areas of water as open terrain for movement purposes.
Artille ry Strike Miniatures with the Artillery Strike ability have the equipment necessary to accurately call in supporting fire. Other friendly units with weapons using Indirect Fire (such as Artillery weapons, see page 57) may draw line of sight from the Artillery Strike miniature instead of from themselves.
ASSAult - (ShAre d) A unit with the Assault ability is ready for rapid movement. When a unit with this ability declares a March Move action, enemy units may only react to the unit before it begins its movement, not after the unit has moved.
bAdASS - (ShAred) A miniature with this ability keeps ghting, no matter the odds. If the unit has both Suppression and Reaction markers, it may still take a single action when activated, rather than being reduced to no actions.
berSerk - (ShAred) Miniatures with the Berserk ability can l ose control in combat. Overcome with berserk fury, they become exceptional, if unhinged, ghters. Once per game, when declaring targets for an Attack action, miniatures with Berserk may choose to reroll the Combat Dice of an Attack action as if they were taking a Sustained Attack action. This ability does not stack with the effects of a Sustained Attack action (the player cannot reroll the dice twice).
blAck opS Miniatures with this ability are experienced in stealth, infiltration, and special operations. They know that speed is the key to success. During the Command phase, units with the Black Ops ability may be issued an order for free (the player does not spend an order). In addition, the unit may be issued an order regardless of its position on the battlefield.
blutkreuz Ape Blutkreuz Apes are spawned in the dreadful laboratories of the Blutkreuz Korps. These ferocious beasts gain the following abilities: • Ignore all effects of Suppression markers; never place Suppression markers on a unit with the Blutkreuz Ape ability. This means that they do not gain the benets of the “Hit the Dirt!” reaction (see page 35). • The unit can be given Orders in the Command phase as if it were in Command range regardless of its position. • The unit moves as if it had the Climb special ability. A unit with the Blutkreuz Ape ability may only be joined by a Hero that has the Blutkreuz Ape ability. A Hero with the Blutkreuz Ape ability may only join units with the Blutkreuz Ape ability.
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C H A P T E R 3 : S P E C O P S
blutkreuz zombie
chArge - (ShAred)
Blutkreuz Zombies are raised using the Wiederbelebungsserum. These “Untertoten” gain the following abilities:
A unit with this ability is focused on get ting into close quarters with the enemy before cutting loose. When the unit makes a March Move action, it can take a free Attack action at the end of the movement using only Range 6” or lower weaponry it possesses.
• Ignore all effects of Suppression markers; never place Suppression markers on a unit with the Blutkreuz Zombies ability. This means that they do not gain the benefits of the “Hit the Dirt!” reaction (see page 35). • The unit reduces the effectiveness of any cover it is in, treating Hard cover as Soft cover, and Soft cover as no cover. A unit with the Blutkreuz Zombie ability may only be joined by a Hero that has the Blutkreuz Zombie ability. A Hero with the Blutkreuz Zombie ability may only join units with the Blutkreuz Zombie ability.
cArry cApAcity A unit with the Carry Capacity ability is a transport that may have Soldier units embarked. These Soldier units are removed from the table until they disembark the vehicle. Soldier 3 and 4 miniatures require twice as much space, so a transport with a Carry Capacity 6 may only carry three Soldier 3 or 4 miniatures. When a unit wishes to embark or disembark a transport, the unit must take an action to do so. This is not a Move action, and does not provoke reactions. To embark, the unit must have every miniature within 3” of the transport. The embarking unit is removed from the table and placed aside (until it disembarks). To disembark, the unit is placed so that every miniature is within 3” of the transport and within 6” of the Unit Leader. Units embarked in a transport cannot take any action other than to disembark, although they may disembark and then take another action during the same activation. If a transport is destroyed, any embarked units immediately disembark and gain a Reaction marker. Command Sections in a transport may still issue orders. The Command Section measures its Command range from the hull of the transport. During deployment, a unit may deploy so that it is embarked in a transport. The unit (and any Hero joining the unit) is deployed at the same time as the transport, and must be embarked on the transport. If the transport has an ability that places it off the table (such as Reserved), the unit may be kept off table with it, embarked in the transport. The unit cannot disembark, or take any other action, until the transport enters play.
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climb - (ShAred) Miniatures with the Climb ability are equipped with hooks, claws, lines, ladders, or other devices to enable them to climb over obstacles. Miniatures with the Climb ability may move freely over terrain (even Impassable terrain) that is up to 6” tall when they move. However, they cannot end their movement inside Impassable terrain. These units may also move 6” vertically (or t wo oors) when they move, rather than 3”.
commAnd SquAd A unit with this ability is an experienced unit, trained to lead other units in battle. A force that includes one or more units with the Command Squad special ability in play may issue one additional order in the Command phase.
rAre SpeciAl AbilitieS The special abilities presented here are those that are most common, or that players may see repeated on future units. Some Heroes or exceptional units may have special abilities listed in their unit prole that are not listed here. Units with a unique special rule are either tr uly exceptional, or really bizarre. “The Chef,” for instance, is one of the Allies’ most capable spies, and he has the “Spy” special ability, which is described in his unit entry.
leAder Many Heroes have the Leader special ability. This ability allows them to lead a platoon as a Command Section, including issuing orders. Each Hero leads in a different way, so each Hero has the Leader ability described, as it per tains to him, in his unit entry.
dAmAge reSilient - (ShAred) Jump Miniatures that have the Damage Resilient ability are notably tough and hard to put down. Units with one or more miniatures with the Damage Resilient ability roll one additional Combat Die when making Armor rolls.
dozer blAde A vehicle with a Dozer Blade can move through difcult terrain without penalt y. In addition, a vehicle with a Dozer Blade rolls one additional Combat Die when making Armor rolls against any attack made by units with more than half of their miniatures completely within the vehicle’s Front arc.
FASt - (ShAred) A unit with this ability is particularly swift and often lightly equipped. Its rapid rate of advance on the batt leeld is apt to catch the enemy unawares. Once per turn a Fast unit may move an additional 6” when it takes a Move action. The unit must execute at least one Move action to gain this benet (it would not gain free movement during a Sustained Attack). Even during a March Move action, the unit may only move an additional 6”. The Fast ability cannot be used as part of a Move reaction.
Frenzy The miniature is nearly crazed, but focused on dealing as much damage as possible. It is capable of using weapons in “highly creative” ways to deal more damage than normally possible when the weapon is wielded “traditionally.” After rolling Combat Dice on an attack, roll an additional Combat Die for each ∆ scored. The miniature does not continue rolling more Combat Dice after this second roll. Only ∆ generated in the initial Attack action roll additional Combat Dice.
heroic StAnd - (ShAred) A unit with this ability is marked as a true leader capable of the most incredible feats of daring. Once per game, during the Command phase, the unit may declare the use of Heroic Stand. For the rest of the game turn the unit inverts any Armor rolls it makes ( ≈ count as ∆) and ignores the effects of any Suppression markers.
A miniature with the Jump ability is equipped with powerful servos or booster rockets that enable it to jump over impassable terrain. Miniatures with the Jump ability may move freely over any terrain (even Impassable terrain) that is up to 9” tall when they move. However, they cannot end their movement inside Impassable terrain. These units may also move 9” vertically (or three oors) when they move, rather than 3”. Enemy units cannot react to Move actions made by a Soldier unit with the Jump special move ability. Normal rules on movement and facing must otherwise be followed. Vehicles that have the Jump ability are not permitted to rotate as part of the jump movement. The entire unit must have the Jump special ability to gain the benets of Jump. If any miniature does not have the J ump special ability, the unit is treated as not having the ability.
mechAnic A miniature with the Mechanic ability is knowledgeable about vehicles and the ways of armor. A unit with one or more mechanics may take a special Repair action to attempt eld maintenance on a damaged vehicle. The Repair action requires that the target vehicle be within 6” of a Mechanic miniature in the acting unit, and that the same miniature has an unblocked line of sight to the vehicle. The player removes one effect from the Vehicle Damage Table that is affecting the target vehicle. In addition, roll a Combat Die. On a ∆ the target vehicle unit removes one point of damage. Destroyed vehicles cannot be repaired.
medic A miniature with the Medic ability is trained in the healing arts and equipped with medical supplies to save lives on the battleeld. A unit with one or more medics may take a special Heal action to attempt medical treatment on a target Soldier unit. The Heal action requires that the target unit has a miniature within 6” of a Medic miniature in the acting unit, and that the same medic has an unblocked line of sight to the same miniature in the target unit. The target unit removes one Suppression marker. In addition, roll a Combat Die. On a ∆ the target unit removes one point of damage from a miniature, or returns one miniature removed as a casualty to play with one damage capacity restored. Miniatures returned to a unit must be placed in formation (within 6” of the Unit Leader).
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C H A P T E R 3 : S P E C O P S
rAdiomAn
Spotter
A Radioman is equipped with a powerful two-way radio and all the right communication codes to relay orders from higher command to the troops. Once per Command phase, the Radioman may be used when his unit issues an order, allowing the order to affect a unit outside of Command range. A Radioman also has the Artillery Strike special ability (see page 53).
A Spotter is equipped with binoculars and accurate maps of the area, enabling him to direct re with considerably enhanced accuracy. A Spotter is rarely found alone; he usually works with a Sniper. A miniature with this ability allows the unit it is with to invert its non -Close Combat Attack rolls (even the Spot ter’s own weapon may do this). It considers ∆ as ≈ and ≈ as ∆.
reServed - (ShAred)
tAnk heAd
Some units are not committed to the bat tle during deployment. A unit with Reserved may choose not t o deploy with the rest of the force and is instead kept off the table. When the unit would deploy, the controlling player declares that it will instead be placed off table, as a Reserved unit. While the unit is off the table, it must take a March Move action or take no actions at all. If it chooses a March Move action, instead of moving, each miniature is placed in base contact with any table edge, more than 12” away from enemy miniatures and within 6” of the unit’s Unit Leader.
A miniature with this ability is an exper t on vehicles of all types and is sure to know many unorthodox ways to x one in a hurry. The miniature functions as a Mechanic. In addition, when rolling to repair a vehicle with the Mechanic rule, the Tank Head inverts the roll, repairing a vehicle on a ≈ instead of a ∆.
Scout vehicle Scout Vehicles are customarily used for reconnoitering enemy positions, moving ahead of heavier forces until contact is made. In its rst activation of the game, a Scout Vehicle gains the Fast ability (see page 55). Alternatively, the Scout Vehicle may be Reserved (see page 56).
SelF repAir A vehicle with the Self Repair ability can make running repairs and quickly recover from damage in action. A unit with the Self Repair ability may take a special Self Repair action. This action is identical to the Repair action granted by the Mechanic special ability, but the unit may only repair itself (see “Mechanic” on page 55).
Sniper Snipers can grievously hinder an enemy’s advance or provide pinpoint support in an at tack. Assisted by telescopic sights and uncanny skill, Snipers are able to wreak havoc on an enemy force. An attack made by a unit with a Sniper miniature does not allow the target to make an Armor roll. In addition, cover cannot be used to reduce the damage caused by Attack actions made by a unit that includes a Sniper miniature.
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trAckS Tracks were once the most common propulsion type for tanks. However, tracked tanks have been gradually overshadowed by walkers as rst the Axis and then the Allies produced them in ever greater numbers. If a tracked miniature declares a Move action that begins, moves through, or ends in difcult terrain, roll a Combat Die for it. On a roll of ∆ the miniature’s movement is stopped when it rst contacts any terrain. When a tracked miniature takes a March Move action it does not treat difcult terrain as open terrain.
WheelS A miniature with Wheels moves well enough across open terrain, but can’t traverse difcult terrain easily. If a wheel ed miniature declares a Move action that begins, moves through, or ends in difcult terrain, roll a Combat Die for it. On a roll of ≈ the miniature’s movement is stopped when it rst contacts any terrain. When a wheeled miniature takes a March Move action it does not treat difcult terrain as open terrain. A miniature with Wheels cannot make a spot turn Move action.
WiederbelebungSSerum A miniature with this ability has access to the frightening technologies of the Blutkreuz Korps. The combination of the serum and har vested “materials” from fallen soldiers allows the miniature to reconstruct himself in battle – regrowing limbs and repairing damage in moments! A miniature with Wiederbelebungsserum may take a special Regenerate action to attempt to heal damage he has taken. Roll a Combat Die for each point of Damage Capacity the miniature has lost; a point of damage is restored for each ∆ rolled. The miniature also functions as a Medic that is only able to heal units with the Blutkreuz Zombie special ability (see page 54).
C H A P T E R 3 : S P E C O P S
SpeCial WeapOn abilitieS Man’s ingenuity in destroying his fellow man reached a horrifying new peak in the twentieth century. A new industrial age of warfare dawned with the invention of the machine gun and came of age with the howitzer shell, the air-dropped bomb, poison gas, amethrowers and a thousand other “efcient means of killing.” In the First World War the new industry sliced, pierced, and burned the bewildered youth of entire nations to death on the trench-scarred battleelds of Flanders. By the opening of the Second World War, just two decades later, new means to protect the soldiers became available. The walker rose to reclaim the role of armored knight in the days of yore. A new generation of weapons has emerged to challenge them, weapons fueled by Promethean re stolen from beneath the Antarctic ice – weapons more terrible than anything the world had ever known before. This section of the rules details the special traits of certain weapon types. Most common guns and ries ne ed no special rules, but the deadly traits of artillery, lasers, amethrowers, and their ilk demand them. Full descriptions of the weapons deployed by the Allies can be found starting on page 83, and Axis weapons can be found starting on page 110. Artillery WeAponS Artillery weapons lob their rounds upward in an arc so that they land on a distant target. Artiller y weapons can re in two modes, Direct Fire or Indirect Fire.
Direct Fire is a standard Attack action with a range of 36” and a minimum range of 12”. Indirect Fire can only be called down in conjunction with a miniature with the Artillery Strike ability. In order to re indirectly, the unit with the Ar tillery weapon must take a Sustained Attack action.
When ring indirectly, an Artillery weapon does not gain the benets of rerolling Combat Dice for a Sustained Attack; it must spend additional time aiming according to coordinates that are radioed in. For Indirect Fire, line of sight and range from the ring miniature is ignored. Line of sight is instead drawn from any miniature with the Artillery Strike special ability, and the weapon effectively has unlimited range. The attacking unit cannot attack a unit within 12” when using Indirect Fire. For more on Indirect Fire see the Artiller y Strike special ability on page 53. burSt WeAponS Burst weapons do not rely on direct at tacks to deal their damage, instead exploding on contact with blasts of shrapnel, or lling the air with sprays of re. Cover may not be used to reduce the damage of an Attack action that includes at least one Burst weapon. cloSe combAt WeAponS Most soldiers carry Close Combat weapons, which include a wide variety of tools like simple bayonets, sharpened entrenching tools, or rocket sts. Close Combat weapons have a range of “C”. They may be used to make an Attack action with an effective range of 3”. Close Combat Attack actions have a few special properties:
• The unit may only use Close Combat weapons with other Close Combat weapons. Weapons with a range other than “C” cannot be used during the attack. • Only one unit may be attacked during a Close Combat Attack action, the attacker may not split its attacks between multiple target units. • Cover cannot negate the damage from an attack made with Close Combat weapons. • The target unit cannot react with a Move reaction. • Any Attack reaction to a Close Combat Attack action may only include Close Combat weapons. 57
grenAdeS
penetrAtor WeAponS
Grenades are small bombs designed to be lobbed onto a target either by hand or by some kind of launcher. Grenades are particularly useful for attacking enemies in cover as they can be pitched over walls, into trenches, and through windows. The most commonly used grenades are the under-barrel grenade launchers (UGLs) of the Allies, but many soldiers come equipped with knives and grenades for close combat. An Attack action that includes one or more Grenade weapons will always cause a Suppression marker to be placed on a target unit, even if they do not score a ∆. In addition, like Burst weapons, cover cannot cancel damage from an at tack that includes one or more Grenade weapons.
Either through the sheer velocity of the weapon’s round, its composite alloys, or another trick of physics, a Penetrator weapon is incredibly adept at breaking through enemy armor. When attacking a target Vehicle within 24”, a Penetrator weapon has additional power. Enemy vehicles halve the number of dice they use for their Armor roll (rounding up) against Attack actions that include a Penetrator weapon within 24”. A Vehicle 7, for instance, would roll only four Combat Dice (seven divided by two, rounded up) when resolving its Armor roll against a Penetrator weapon within 24”.
phASerS lASerS One of the newly developed weapons of the Axis forces, lasers are able to cut through any armor in moments. After rolling Combat Dice during an Attack action using a Laser weapon, roll an additional Combat Die for each ∆ scored. The miniature does not continue rolling more Combat Dice after this second roll. Only ∆ generated in the initial Attack action roll additional Combat Dice. Example: A unit of Laser Grenadiers shoots at a unit of Rangers. Four Laser Grenadiers are in range and get one Combat Die each against the Ranger’s armor. The Grenadiers roll four Combat Dice and two ∆ are scored, so these two dice are rolled again to see if additional ∆ are scored by the Laser effect. One die rolls ∆ and the other ≈ so the Ranger squad is struck by a total of three ∆.
Lasers gain the normal benets from Sustained Att ack actions by rerolling any ≈ and then rolling additional Combat Dice for each ∆ to try to score additional ∆ from the Laser effect. However, the reroll granted by the Sustained Attack only applies to the initial attack roll, it does not apply to additional rolls for the Laser effect. Example: In the same situation as above, the Grenadiers are using a Sustained Attack. In the rst roll, t wo ∆ are scored and two ≈ are scored. In this case the two ≈ are rerolled rst for the Sustained Attack, and another ∆ is scored, for a total of 3 ∆. The three ∆ are then rerolled because of the lasers rule, scoring an additional ∆, for a total of 4 ∆.
Phaser weapons re erratic payloads of exploding balls of energy. Armor rolls cannot be taken against an Attack action that includes a Phaser weapon. Cover may still reduce the damage from a Phaser weapon as normal.
reloAd WeAponS Some weapons only get a single shot before they need to be reloaded. After the weapon is used in an Att ack action, place an Out of Ammo marker beside the unit to show that its Reload weapons have been discharged. The unit may take a special Reload action in order to remove the Out of Ammo marker and prepare the weapon for firing again. The unit may not fire its Reload weapons until this marker is removed.
SprAy WeAponS Flamethrowers and other spray weapons project a ery torrent of ignited fuel that engulfs everything in its path or otherwise cover an area with an at tack. Spray weapons have a ≠ in the weapon prole in place of a number. These weapons roll a number of Combat Dice equal to the number of miniatures in the target unit, dealing damage for each ∆ as normal. A weapon with a ≠/2, for instance, rolls one Combat Dice for each miniature in the target unit, dealing two damage for each ∆.
tAnk killer WeAponS Some weapons are so destructive that they have a chance of knocking out even a heavily-armored vehicle with a single shot. Tank Killer weapons invert the Combat Dice rolled on the Vehicle Damage Table, treating ≈ as ∆, and ∆ as ≈.
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herOeS The Dust universe is populated by rare individuals with truly unique capabilities. Their abilities might be bestowed on them by experience, birthright, upbringing, training, or the effects of strange super-science, but they are very real and capable of turning the tide of battle. Some become propaganda darlings, always in the newsreels inspiring the public with their deeds. Others are enigmatic, spoken of only in rumors by soldiers returning f rom the front. All of these characters are known as Heroes and special rules apply to them in Dust Warfare .
heroeS AS unitS Heroes function as units of a single miniature when they are operating independently. Just like normal units, when they are activated they get two actions. They can react to enemy actions in the Unit phase, and receive Orders in the Command phase. Solo Heroes are treated as their own Unit Leader in situations that call for one.
heroeS leAding other unitS During deployment, a Hero may become part of another unit. This is done when the unit deploys, and the controlling player must declare that the Hero is deploying with it, as part of that unit. Only one Hero may join any single unit, but any number of Heroes are free to join different units. The Hero is treated as part of the unit for the entire game. The Hero always counts as the Unit Leader, unless he dies, in which case the normal Unit Leader aut omatically resumes his role (no Regroup Order is needed). If the rest of the unit is destroyed, the Hero reverts to being treated as a solo unit. A Hero may only join units that have the same Movement and armor classication as the Hero. For example, a Hero that is Soldier 3 may only join a unit that is also Soldier 3. A Hero who joins a unit counts as a member of that unit. If the Hero was chosen as a Command Section (see page 31) the unit is now treated as a Command Section.
heroeS And SuppreSSion Heroes operating independently do not receive Suppression markers, for any reason. While a Hero is part of a unit, he is subject to suppression and the unit receives Suppression markers as per the normal rules. However, due to the Hero’s leadership, the unit will never be forced to retreat, regardless of how many Suppression markers are on the unit. The unit’s actions are reduced by Suppression markers as normal. If a Hero is the last miniature alive in a unit, he immediately removes all Suppression markers and is treated as operating independently for the rest of the game (or until a medic restores a member of his squad).
heroic inSpirAtion (or intimidAtion) A unit being led by a Hero inverts the die roll when trying to remove Suppression markers when it activates, removing a Suppression marker for each ≈ instead of each ∆. Heroes can always be issued orders in the Command phase even when outside of a Command Section’s effective Command range. If the Hero has joined a unit, this ability is gained by the unit as well. If a force has no Command Section, the troops will look to a Hero for leadership. A Hero can act as a temporary Command Section in the Command phase without expending an Order to make him one (see page 31).
hero SpeciAl AbilitieS Heroes usually have special abilities of some kind, many of which apply to units they are leading. Many Heroes have Special Abilities with the shared qualit y, which bestows the ability on the unit f or as long as the Hero lives.
Wounding heroeS One of the dening traits of most Heroes is their ability to survive. Heroes have an increased Damage Capacity over normal mortals, typically having a Damage Capacity of four or sometimes even more. A Hero operating independently suffers damage normally, tracking damage that has been dealt to him. When a Hero is part of a unit, the number of damage points allocated to the Hero is at the discretion of the owning player, within the limitations for assigning damage on page 44. When a Hero has suffered damage equal to or greater than the Hero’s Damage Capacity, he is incapacitated and removed as a casualty as normal. 59
C H A P T E R 3 : S P E C O P S
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C H A P T E R 3 : S P E C O P S
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Chapter 4: Battles
“Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based on the best information available. The troops, the air and the Navy did all that bravery and devotion to duty could do. If any blame or fault attaches to the attempt, it is mine alone.”
Lining two forces up and simply ghting is a ne way to have a battle. Variety is the spice of life, however, and this chapter provides two ways for players to make each battle unique. The Tournament Battles section is designed for use in a competitive environment, such as at a tournament, or between two opponents who want to test their skills against one another. Players will attempt to control the variables –Dwight D. Eisenhower of the conict at every turn, including selecting the overall mission parameters. Battles in Dust Warfare aren’t always as simple as two enemies rushing at each other across an open eld. The The Campaign Battles section introduces asymmetrical war fronts of 1947 are littered with battle-scarred towns, the battle scenarios intended for players who wish to play tools of industry and combat, natural defense lines, and the a more story-driven game. These scenarios can form the wreckage of armies. foundation of a long campaign, in which players tell a Key geographical features provide critical positions to be held for tactical advantages that go beyond the conict at hand. Often, it falls to platoons and their ofcers to take the ght to the enemy to secure superiority against any odds, and in far from optimal warfare conditions.
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narrative version of their own war in the world of Dust. Heroes and platoons will create their own l egend, and the spotlight of an entire war can be turned onto a single company of brave soldiers.
Game setup
Determine Arm y Point totAl
Setting up a game of Dust Warfare is broken into a series of steps to ensure that both sides have an equal chance at victory. Players should follow these steps when preparing a Dust Warfare battle:
Players will need to agree upon an Army Point (or AP) total before the game begins. This ensures that the t wo forces are as equally matched as possible. In a competitive setting it is highly likely that the tournament organizer will determine the point total for each player’s army in advance. Dust Warfare divides the game types into three point ranges: small, medium, and large.
C H A P T E R
Small Force (200 aP or leSS) A small force is generally an army list of one or two platoons ghting a skirmish or attempting to take vital locations. Small games are played on a board of 48” x 60”.
B A T T l E s
1.
Determine Army Point Total: Players must agree on an Army Point total for the game. Each unit in Dust Warfare has a specic Army Point (AP) cost. These costs are added together until the agreed AP total for the game has been reached, to ensure that each player is fairly matched against the other.
2. Choose Forces: Each player builds his force secretly and then the lists are revealed at the same time. Players should refer to Chapter 5: Allies and Chapter 6: Axis for information on building their forces. 3. Determine Scenario: Players now determine which scenario they are playing. They can choose to either create a tournament scenario (see “Tournament Scenarios” on page 64) or choose a campaign scenario (see “Campaign Scenarios” on page 71). 4. Place Terrain: Players must now set up the battleeld using the rules listed on page 67. 5. Deploy Forces: With their armies chosen and the battleeld ready, players may now deploy their forces onto the battleeld as determined by the scenario. 6. Play the Game: Players are now ready to begin playing Dust Warfare !
medium Force (201 to 400 aP) A medium (or Tournament Engagement) force is generally an army list of two to three platoons that are expected to achieve a wide variety of objectives. Medium games are played on a board of 48” x 72” large Force (401 or more aP) A large (or Bat talion Engagement) force is generally an army list of four or more platoons attempting to achieve an objective important to the overall war effor t. Large games are played on a board of 48” x 96”, or possibly even larger!
Choose forCes Each player must now construct a force to play the game. This selection is done in secret; players do not know what the enemy will be bringing, although they can probably make some good guesses. Once both players have decided on the units they will be elding, the lists are revealed before determining the scenario. Each player has a number of Army Points to spend on his force as decided during the “Determine Army Point Total” step. The combined total of the units in a player’s force cannot exceed this total.
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4 :
tournament sCenarios Players can play Dust Warfare in either a story-driven game or a competitive game. This is not to say that a competitive game cannot also be story- driven. When playing a competitive game of Dust Warfare , such as in a tournament setting, players should use the Battle Builder to determine the scenario being played. In a more casual setting the players may simply select options they think they would enjoy, bid their Scenario Points secretly, or any other fun selection process the players agree upon.
BAttle BuilDer Designed for competitive play, the Battle Builder is used to create a scenario with a focus on balance and symmetry. Each player will have an opportunity to inuence the game’s three variables: Objective, Deployment, and Conditions. While the Battle Builder is designed for competitive play, it can also be used to create a large variety of scenarios for quick games. When using the Battle Builder, players should proceed as follows: 1.
Determine Army Point Total: Players agree on a point total and select platoons in secret from each other. In a tournament setting the point total will likely be decided by the tournament organizer, and players will need to have a single force list prepared in advance.
2. Exchange force lists: Players should take a few minutes to look over each other’s chosen units so that they are familiar with their opponent’s capabilities. 3. Build the scenario: Use the Battle Builder to generate the unique conditions of the game. 4. Set up terrain: Players should select enough terrain pieces to cover roughly one quarter of the table surface for use during the game. Players will reposition the terrain according to the Competitive Terrain placement rules on page 67. 5. Deploy Forces: With their armies chosen and the battlefield ready, players may now deploy their forces onto the battlefield as determined by the scenario. 6. Play the game: Players are now ready to begin playing Dust Warfare !
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GAme lenGth Tournament scenarios in Dust Warfare are played over the course of ve game turns. The game ends after the fth game turn. At the end of the game, players check to see who has completed their objective and determine the winner of the battle.
GenerAtinG the sCenArio A competent General doesn’t just know how to pick the location of a battle, he also wishes to control all the variables of an engagement. Using the Battle Builder, a scenario is created by the players using Scenario Points to adjust the Objectives, Deployment, or Conditions. Each player has two Scenario Points, and the players will take turns spending them on one of the three variables. The players randomly determine who will be spending the rst point. The players each roll ve Combat Dice, and whoever scores the fewest ∆ must spend the rst point. Players reroll all ties until there is not a tie. The players then alternate spending a single point in either Objective, Deployment, or Conditions on the Battle Builder chart. Once each player has committed both of his Scenario Points, the players consult the following list to determine the engagement’s Objective, Deployment, and Condition based on the total number of points committed to each category. A player must spend a point before the other player and both players must spend both of their points. No variable may have more than three Scenario Points allocated to it. Example: Mack and Sam are ready to build the scenario for their game. Mack rolls the fewest ∆ and will be committing the rst Scenario Point. He knows that Sam is running a full platoon of Gorilla’s, so he puts the rst point into Deployment so that Sam will start further away. Sam sees that this will make “Break the Line” tough for him to achieve, so he puts his rst point into Objective. Mack then gets to place his next point, and chooses to put it into Conditions, so that he doesn’t have to worry about Limited Visibility. Sam gets to place the last point, and decides to put it into Conditions as well, shifting the scenario from “None” to “Off Target Shelling” which will hopefully work in his favor! The nal scenario for the battle is now Eliminate The Enemy as an Objective, with a Force Collision Deployment, and the Off Target Shelling Condition.
oBjeCtives Each engagement has a unique objective that both sides are attempting to achieve. This is the game’s victory condition, and will inuence the way both players form their overall strategy. Break the line (0 Sce nario PointS) The forces are attempting to quickly cover ground, smashing through the enemy position, pushing the battle line forward as part of the larger war. Each player will score a Superiority Point for each friendly Soldier unit with at least one miniature completely within the enemy’s deployment area at the end of the game. The player with the most Superiority Points wins. eliminate the enemy (1 Scenario Point) Each detachment is attempting to halt the enemy offensive permanently, killing as many soldiers and destroying as many vehicles as possible. Each player will score a Superiority Point for each enemy unit completely destroyed. The player with the most Superiority Points wins.
If a unit is led by a Hero, the Hero does not provide an additional Superiority Point if killed. He and the unit he joined are together worth one Superiority Point in total. key PoSitionS (2 Scenario PointS) Holding strategic terrain is key to victory on both sides. Each player secretly writes down two different pieces of terrain after both forces have deployed, but before the rst turn. These will be the objectives they are ghting over. This declaration should be as unambiguous as possible; players may decide to number each area of terrain in advance to prevent confusion in cases where many pieces of terrain are similar.
At the end of the game, these objectives are revealed, and each player earns one Superiority Point for each piece of objective terrain that he controls. If both players named the same piece of terrain as an objective, it is worth t wo Superiority Points. To control an area of terrain, a friendly Soldier unit must have its Unit Leader in base contact with the area of terrain. Units from either side may control t he same area of terrain, but a player may only earn Superiorit y Points from each objective terrain once. The player with the most Superiority Points wins.
aSSaSSination (3 Scenario PointS) Whether it is to capture vital information or demoralize the enemy, one unit must be destroyed at all costs. Each player secretly writes down one of his own Command Section units after both forces have deployed, but before the rst turn. This is the unit of secret importance that the enemy must destroy. If this unit is Reserved (or held for an Air Drop) the unit must enter play as soon as it is allowed (either on its rst Activation, or at a time determined by the scenario).
At the end of the game, the players reveal their hidden target. The player who destroys his enemy’s nominated Command Section, while keeping his own alive, is the winner. If both are dead at the end of the game, the player who destroyed the nominated Command Section worth the most AP is the winner.
BreAkinG ties In a friendly game, it’s ne if a tie happens. Both sides have fought their best, and it just so happens that neither is technically the victor. That won’t always do, however, and sometimes players need to break a tie, such as during a tournament. If both players fail to win, then victory falls to whoever devastated the enemy the most! Both players total the AP value of each of the enemy units that were completely destroyed during the game. The player who destroyed the most AP value of enemy units is the winner. Players get credit for all enemy units destroyed at the end of the game, even if a battleeld condition killed them. In the unlikely event that this number is still a tie, players should simply accept that sometimes ties happen! In a tournament setting, the tournament organizer may wish to break the tie, such as with a coin ip. After all, the game was so close that only the luckiest could hope to claim that this conict ended in a victory.
e r l e t D t l A i B u B
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C H A P T E R 4 : B A T T l E s
DePloyment Forces don’t always begin an engagement in optimal positions. Deployment determines each force’s starting position on the game table, and can greatly alter t he way each player chooses to commit his units to the game. During the Deployment step units must be deployed completely within the player’s deployment zone. Players alternate turns (starting with the player who chose his deployment area) deploying one unit at a time. Heroes joining a unit are deployed with that unit. advancing lineS (0 Scenar io PointS) Forces have broken away from their marching columns to establish a ring line. The player who spent the rst Scenario Point selects a long table edge as his own at th e beginning of the Deployment step. His opponent gets the opposite long table edge. Each player must deploy his units within 9” of his long table edge. This will create a barshaped deployment zone, as depicted.
cloSe engagement (2 Scenario PointS) Advancing forces were caught unaware by each other’s presence and must react quickly. The player who spent the rst Scenario Point selects a long table edge as his own at the beginning of the Deployment step. His opponent gets the opposite long table edge. Each player must deploy his units in an area bet ween 6” and 18” of his long table edge. This will create a bar-shaped deployment zone, as depicted.
12” 6” 6” 12”
9” unPrePared (3 Scenario PointS) The forces were completely unaware of each other’s location and collide while en route to another battle. Marching columns must break quickly and prepare for combat. The player who spent the rst Scenario Point selects a long table edge as his own at the beginning of the Deployment step. His opponent gets the opposite long table edge.
9” Force colliSion (1 Scenario Point) Two forces rush to advance upon each other without time to deploy into strategic positions. The player who spent the rst Scenario Point selects a table corner as his own at th e beginning of the Deployment step. His opponent gets the opposite table corner. Each player must deploy his units within 24” of his corner. This will create a quarter circle shaped deployment zone, as depicted.
No units begin on the table top; instead they move on from their own long table edge using a Move action when they are rst activated. The Unit is considered to be “just barely” off the board, measuring from the board edge as if it were the edge of the miniature’s base when moving onto the board. If a unit cannot move completely onto the bo ard in a single Move action, it may instead be placed on the board in contact with the table edge. Units are automatically activated to enter play on certain game turns based on the section of the platoon they are chosen from. Game Turn 1: Command Sections, 1st Sections and Solo Heroes
24”
Game Turn 2: 2nd Sections, 3rd Sections and 4th Sections Game Turn 3: Support Units
24”
Units must enter play on the game turn listed. Reserved units may enter play as described in their special rule (either through Airdrop, or entering from any bo ard edge using Reserved) when they are activated, but they must enter play on the required turn. In the rst turn (when no units are on the table) each player rolls one Combat Die as his Command Pool.
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ConDitions It is a rare battle that takes place under optimal engagement parameters. Conditions represent some of the unique battlefield elements that can influence a fighting group’s effectiveness. limited viSiBility (0 Scenario PointS) Whether it is do to low light conditions (such as at night) or high winds kicking up debris, the visibility on the battleeld is very limited. It is difcult to make out Soldier targets, but enemy Vehicles’ silhouettes can still be discerned. Miniatures cannot draw line of sight to a Soldier miniature more than 16” away. Burst and Spray weapons are not affected by limited visibility. none (1 Scenario Point) There are no additional battlefield conditions during this scenario.
terrain Dust Warfare benets from having a lot of terrain on the battleeld. Soldiers in the open are vulnerable to enemy re, so it’s better to give them plenty of places to nd cover if possible. Terrain is also particularly important in scenarios in which players are ghting for possession of key locations that will grant victory to the force able to secure them.
Terrain can be many different features on the battleeld – buildings, hills, mangled wreckage, rocks, trees, craters, long grass, tank traps, gullies, streams – the list is endless. The only dening characteristic of terrain is that it isn’t at, open ground.
PlACinG terrAin
oFF target Shelling (2 Scenario PointS) Shelling from artillery or aircraft is off target and plasters this area randomly, rendering the battleeld a hell-storm of terrifying explosions. Soldiers are forced to take additional precautions to avoid a ery death. Units do not remove Suppression markers during the End phase.
In the scenarios, the players work together in placing terrain to achieve a fairly distributed battleeld. In practice, terrain might be pre-placed by the player hosting the battle to save time or a previously used terrain setup may be available. Efforts should still be made to ensure a fairly balanced distribution of terrain for both players, except in scenarios like “Assault” in which the terrain placement is intentionally biased in favor of one side.
Secured are a (3 Scenario PointS) The battle takes place in hastily prepared defensive positions. Each player receives 50 AP to be spent on any combination of the Camouage, Dug-In, or Mineelds Fortications (see page 68).
comPetitive terrain Placement Another method is to have both players place terrain in such a way that they believe they will have an advantage. This represents high command on both sides attempting to choose the optimal location for combat.
The players ll a quarter of the table with terrain to distribute across the board. They choose some pieces that will block line of sight, and some that will simply provide cover for advancing forces.
The players take turns placing a single piece of terrain on the table. In this image, each player has placed two pieces, for a total of four.
The players set aside an even number of ter rain pieces that cover roughly a quarter of the playing surface. Each player rolls ve Combat Dice and the player with the fewest ∆ places the rst piece of terrain. The players then take turns placing a piece of terrain anywhere on the table, at least 4” from another piece of terrain. If terrain cannot be placed 4” away from another piece then the player may place it anywhere on the table as long as it is not touching another piece of terrain.
Here the players have nished, each attempting to place terrain they think is advantageous to their force.
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FortiFiCations Field fortications enable a force to keep a superior en emy in check and inict disproportionate casualties on its attackers. The power of defensive positions so completely dominated the First World War that specialist techniques had to be developed to overcome them, culminating in the invention of the tank. In the Second World War, repower and mobility have proven able to break the deadlock, but a defending force still digs in at the rst oppor tunity. Long stretches of the front lines are marked by trenches, bunkers, and other permanent fortications captured and recaptured endlessly by the opposing armies. Fortications are used in some scenarios to represent battleeld conditions that are more complicated than simple terrain. A fortication may provide additional protection, or even make attacks against miniatures. Fortications are also placed by a player during deployment (see “Deployment” on page 66).
BuyinG fortifiCAtions Fortications are purchased as part of a specic scenario, and not typically as part of a force. Some platoons may purchase Company or Battalion upgrades (depending on the force) that give them access to a fortication, but for the most part an army cannot purchase fortications unless allowed to by a scenario. The scenario will provide additional Army Points for a force to purchase fortications. This shouldn’t stop players from having fun, however, and it can be enjoyable to allow a player to purchase fortications as part of their force to spice things up, or to simply bridge a small point gap between two players’ collections. FortiFication aP coStS The “Army Point” in Dust Warfare is used to determine the relative value of a unit or, in this section, a fortication. Army Points are spent when players choose what units they will bring to a bat tle; both players typically have the same number of Army Points to spend, creating relatively equal forces. This is described in detail on page 80 (Allies Forces) and page 107 (Axis Forces). When purchasing fortications, the Battle scenario will determine how many extra Army Points each player has to spend. 68
CAmouflAGe (10 AP Per unit) Armies commonly use foliage, camouflage nets, and dummy positions to conceal their whereabouts from enemy observers. Camouflage can seldom offer complete invisibility, but it is a key part of upsetting enemy calculations. Miniatures in a camouaged unit are not placed on the table until the unit is revealed. Place a marker in an area of terrain during deployment to represent the approximate location of the unit on the tabletop. It is useful to deploy several units as camouaged to prevent your opponent from using the process of elimination to determine the unit’s identity. The players should write down in secret which unit each marker represents. When a camouflaged unit is revealed, each of the unit’s miniatures is placed anywhere within the piece of terrain containing the camouflage marker. If the unit cannot fit within the terrain, it must be placed so that the unit maintains formation and covers as much of the terrain area as possible. A camouaged unit is revealed when it takes any action or an enemy unit moves within 12” of it. In addition, camouaged units may be revealed if an enemy unit takes an Attack action against the camouaged unit. When a unit attacks the camouaged unit, the att acking unit does not roll Combat Dice as normal. The attacker rolls one Combat Die, and on a result of a ∆ the unit is revealed. Burst and Spray weapons automatically reveal a camouaged unit.
DuG-in (10 AP Per unit) When soldiers dig in, they do what they can to enhance the ground they are holding for defense. This can be as simple as digging holes deep enough for men to hide in (called foxholes, slit trenches, or rie pits by the t roops) to using sand bags and logs to build more permanent emplacements. Dug-in soldiers are better protected from enemy re and much harder to dislodge than ones in t he open. They are also well-motivated to sit tight and shoot anything that comes within range. All Soldier miniatures in a Dug-in unit count as being in Hard cover until they execute a Move action. While DugIn, the unit can be issued Orders in the Command phase regardless of their distance from a Command Section. Once the unit moves, the benefits of being Dug-In are lost permanently.
minefielDs (AP Cost vAries) Mines are simply buried explosive charges triggered either remotely or by t heir own contact switches. Minefields are used to protect vulnerable areas of the front line, creating a veritable “devil’s garden” for attackers. A minefield is designated by a marker placed face down on the tabletop. The owning player secretly notes the density of each minefield marker. Minefield markers always measure distances to the center of the marker; this is to enable players to make Minefield markers terrain pieces if they wish.
Buying mineFieldS A Mineeld marker’s cost depends on its Density value. For every point of Density a mineeld costs 5 AP. A Density 4 mineeld, therefore, would cost 20 AP. For every two Mineeld markers purchased (rounding down) the player also receives a single “Dummy” marker. This is identical to other Mineeld markers, but it has a Density of 0. Instead of making its rst attack, it is simply revealed and removed. mineField countermeaSureS The early war “mine detector” has been rendered obsolete by the introduction of non- metallic mines and by the huge amounts of shrapnel and scrap metal buried on the battlefields of the Eastern and Western fronts. There are two remaining methods for disabling minefields in the heat of combat:
Detonation Procedure: Whenever a unit ends a Move action with a miniature within 6” of a Mineeld marker, the mineeld automatically attacks. The opposing player resolves the attack against the unit as a standard Attack action, rolling 1 Combat Die for each point of Density against the unit. Each ∆ rolled inicts one point of damage. Artillery: Bombardment with high explosives, or just shooting at the ground nearby, can trigger mines A mineeld with a Density of 2, for instance, would be prematurely. If a Mineeld marker is at tacked, each ∆ resolved as a 2/1 attack. Soldier units cannot make Armor scored against the Mineeld reduces its Density by one. rolls against this attack. Additionally, no unit can benet Place a Suppression marker to indicate each point of from cover against a mineeld attack. Density lost in this way. Dummy markers are simply removed After the attack has been made, the mineeld’s Density automatically if at least one ∆ is scored. is reduced by one. Place a Suppression marker on the mineeld to indicate each point of Density lost in this way. A Vehicles: Vehicles can attempt to clear a path through mines by trusting to their armor and bulk to protect them. A mineeld reduced to 0 Density is removed. vehicle that is attacked by a mineeld will likely clear more of the mines’ Density. After the mineeld resolves its attack, roll one die for each point of the vehicle’s armor; each ∆ further reduces the mineeld’s Density by 1.
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oBstACles A good defense uses man-made obstacles to limit enemy movements and channel them into prepared killing zones. In static warfare, entire mazes of obstacles spring up to enmesh the whole front. In smaller actions, a few well-placed obstacles can help split up tanks from their supporting infantry or deny access to a vital area of terrain. Obstacles can be attacked in an effort to remove them. The armor types and Damage Capacities of different obstacles are listed below. An obstacle takes damage as if it were a vehicle, but it never generates results on t he Vehicle Damage Table; it simply tracks damage until it is destroyed. Some weapons, notably demo charges and the kampfzange, are particularly effective for obstacle demolition and follow their own special rules. A number of different t ypes of obstacles exist, along with some nasty tricks to enhance their effectiveness. Obstacles are placed in certain scenarios by a defen ding player according to the rules of the scenario. They can sometimes be used as a general terrain type when placed more neutrally to hinder both sides equally. BarBed Wire Barbed wire is one of a soldier’s worst nightmares; an entanglement can fatally slow an advance and there’s always a risk of being wounded in the midst of it, hung up in the wire where no rescue can reach them. Barbed wire provides no cover. Soldiers and Vehicles treat barbed wire as difficult terrain.
A standard section of barbed wire is 12” long, 1” wide, and 1” high. Barbed wire is difcult to completely destroy, counting as Vehicle 2 armor with a Damage Capacity of 4. If one or more miniatures in a Soldier 1 or 2 unit move through a section of Barbed Wire, the unit suffers a ≠/1 attack once the movement has been resolved. Barbed Wire: AP 10, No cover. Difficult Terrain for Soldiers and Vehicles. Vehicle 2 armor, Damage Capacity 4. BarBed Wire - electriFied Electried barbed wire entanglements were rst conceived as an anti-cut ting measure but proved most effective against tanks.
Electried barbed wire is identical to normal barbed wire, except that it resolves a ≠≠/1 attack against Soldier units (even Soldier 3 or 4 units). In addition, any vehicle passing through is the target of a 1/2 attack. AP 20, No cover. Difcult Terrain for Soldiers and Vehicles. Vehicle 2 armor, Damage Capacity 4. Electrifed Barbed Wire:
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BarricadeS Barricades include sandbag walls, crates, drums, and other improvised measures. Barricades are usually placed to provide cover and rallying points for defenders.
A standard section of barricade is 3” long, 1” wide, and 1” high. Barricades provide Hard cover t o soldiers and Soft cover to vehicles. Barricades are difcult terrain for vehicles. Barricades can be completely destroyed as well, counting as Vehicle 3 armor with a Damage Capacity of 3. Barricade: AP 10, Hard cover. Difcult Terrain for vehicles. Vehicle 3 armor, Damage Capacity 2. tank traPS Tank Traps are heavily constructed steel or concrete tetrahedral shapes that tanks are unable t o step over.
A standard tank trap obstacle covers an area 3” in diameter. They provide Hard cover for Soldier miniatures. Tank Traps are impassable terrain for vehicles. A Tank Trap is extremely hard to destroy, counting as Vehicle 5 armor with a Damage Capacity of 4. Tank Trap: AP 10, Hard cover. Impassable Terrain for vehicles. Vehicle 5 armor, Damage Capacity 4.
trenChes (AP Cost vAries) The default “Dug-in” rules cover the simplest approach to digging in – that of temporary fox holes, hastily created by soldiers with the help of entrenchment tools. These trench rules represent permanent trench lines, often reinforced with stone, brick, wood, or concrete. Trenches can appear as single ring line positions dug into the ground, or an entire network of defensive points. Permanent fortications grant the same benets as Dug- in to any miniatures occupying them, friend or f oe. Trenches are difcult terrain for vehicles. trench aP coStS Trenches are purchased as a system, and have a variable AP cost depending on the number of trench sections purchased. Trench sections are 2” wide and are 12” long. For each 12” section the Trench system costs 5 AP.
Firing positions are often added to Trench systems. These circular areas in the trench are 6” in diameter, and can be placed as part of a trench system at a cost of 10 AP.
CampaiGn sCenarios Unlike tournament scenarios, campaign scenarios are designed for narrative game play. These scen arios are less symmetrical, and often have additional rules. These scenarios are not designed to be “fair” to both players. Often, players will alter much of the setup process when playing a campaign scenario. Campaign scenarios differ drastically from tournament scenarios. Players select their forces knowing the scen ario they wish to play. The placement of terrain and the way forces are deployed may be altered as well.
CreAtinG A CAmPAiGn Players may wish to string several battles together to create a campaign. A simple way to create a campaign is to have the winner of each game gain a small perk in determining the following scenario. Presented here are some simple rules for creating a two-player campaign. • When creating a quick custom campaign, the players should begin by deciding how many games t hey wish to play. Between four and six games is usually best. The players will play this set number of games before determining a winner of the campaign. • The players may wish to agree on a point total for the entire campaign, or simply decide the point total before each game so that the battle ts the time they have to play. Alternatively, each game can be worth an escalating value. The players could begin with 100 AP forces, and with each game they add an additional 50 AP to spend on their force. The players would not rebuild their list, instead they simply add an additional 50 AP worth of units (or save some of t he AP to spend later on more expensive units). • The players begin by playing a standard tournament scenario. The winner of that game will be awarded one additional Scenario Point to spend when determining the next scenario (he will also automatically be the player starting to commit Scenario points). Alternatively, that player may instead choose one of the campaign scenarios to play. • Each battle earns the victor Campaign Points. At the end of the campaign the player with the most Campaign Points wins. The rst two battles are each worth one Campaign Point. The last battle is worth three Campaign Points, while all other battles are each worth t wo Campaign Points. The player with the fewest Campaign Points will earn one additional Campaign Point when he wins a battle.
mAkinG your own sCenArios The best scenarios are ones that weave a story tailored to your own players, forces, and terrain collection. Don’t hesitate to adapt, modify, or invent scenarios suitable for raiding the U-boat pens players scratch-built out of shampoo bottles, or creating underground tunnels utilizing fantasy dungeon tiles. Variety is the spice of life and doubly so when it applies to making up scenarios.
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initiAtive
marCh Battle
Initiative is determined as normal during each game turn.
The force is on a ank march around an ongoing batt le when an enemy force is reported nearby… and it’s already deploying straight from the march into battle against them! Both sides race to form their ring lines and grab advantageous positions while more of their supporting units arrive. The advance must continue!
settinG uP the BAttle Players prepare for this battle in the normal way except for terrain placement. Players should use the “Placing Terrain” rules on page 67. However, no piece of terrain may be placed within 12” of the center of the table. This will create a large empty clearing 24” in diameter across..
fortifiCAtions Neither player has access to additional fortications.
DePloyment Players will deploy their forces using the “Unprepared” deployment rules on page 66.
GAme lenGth The March Battle scenario will end on the four th, fifth, or sixth turn. During the End phase of turn four, the Responding player rolls one Combat Die. If a ∆ is scored, the game ends. If there is a turn five, the Responding player rolls one Combat Die during the End phase. If a ≈ is scored, the game ends. If there is a turn six, it is the last turn of the game.
viCtory ConDitions Victory in the March Battle goes to the player that best sustains his momentum and/or inicts the most damage on the enemy. Each player earns Superiority Points equal to the AP value of all enemy units that have been completely destroyed or are retreating at the end of the scenario. In addition, each player earns Superiority Points equal to the AP value of all friendly units with every miniature completely within 24” of the opponent’s table edge. The player with the most total Superiority Points is the winner.
Terrain is deployed evenly on the board, but no piece of terrain is placed within 12” of the center of the board. The middle of the table will be a ver y dangerous location, but the sides will provide plenty of cover.
No forces begin on the table; instead the armies were on their way to another battleeld when they detected each other. They are not prepared to bring their might against the enemy and take ground quickly!
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Front lines Both forces are occupying sections of a static front. Even though the fighting has bogged down, higher command still demands results and wants to see the enemy line pushed back. Front Lines is a scenario designed for battles between medium or large forces.
viCtory ConDitions Victory in Front Lines goes to the player that can advance on the enemy position despite his strongpoint. Each player earns Superiority Points equal to the AP value of all friendly units that have at least one miniature completely within 12” of the opponent’s table edge and are not retreating at the end of the scenario. The player with the most total Superiority Points is the winner.
4 : B A T T l E s
settinG uP the BAttle Players prepare for this battle in the normal way except for terrain placement. Players should use the “Placing Terrain” rules on page 67. However, no piece of terrain may be placed more than 18” from the long table edges. This will create a large empty corridor 18” across along a line in the center of the table.
No terrain was placed more than 18” from each long board edge. This creates a killing eld in the center of the table… the front line is a dangerous place!
fortifiCAtions Each player may purchase mineelds and obstacles. Each player has an additional 50 AP to spend in a medium game and 75 AP to spend in a large game. These fortications must be placed more than 18” from the long table edges. Fortications are deployed as if they were units during the Deployment phase. Fortications are not worth any Superiority Points if destroyed.
Each player has additional obstacles and mineelds to place outside of either player’s deployment areas, making the center eld even more hazardous.
DePloyment Before the game, both players roll ve Combat Dice. The player rolling the most ∆ chooses which long edge of the table to deploy along (reroll any ties). The opposing player deploys on the opposite table edge. Players alternat e deploying their units starting with the player who chose his table edge. Units are deployed completely within 18” of the player’s table edge.
C H A P T E R
These ruins make excellent strongpoints where a tough unit can dig in and hold the line. Advancing is the only way to ensure victory!
The first unit that each player deploys must be placed completely within a single piece of terrain and is “Dug In” (see page 68). This piece of terrain serves as the player’s “strongpoint.” Note: It’s wise to choose a strongpoint that isn’t too exposed to enemy re unless you’re supremely condent.
initiAtive Initiative is determined as normal during each game turn.
GAme lenGth The Front Lines scenario lasts for six game turns. At the end of the scenario assess Superiority Points to determine the winner.
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niGht enGaGement Two forces clash as they become entangled in a sudden night engagement. Chaos reigns as both sides att empt to claw some kind of victory out of the confused ghting.
settinG uP the BAttle Units are not always able to control the situations in which they ght a Night Engagement. Terrain should be placed using the rules for “Placing Terrain” on page 67. Each player takes a marker for each of his units and shufes them, keeping the markers face down to conceal their contents from both players. These markers will be used to deploy units pseudo-randomly during the deployment phase. Note: Dust Tactics Unit Cards make great markers for this scenario, allowing players to place them facedown to conceal the nature of each unit, oriented to indicate which player owns the unit.
fortifiCAtions Neither player has access to additional fortications.
DePloyment Both players roll ve Combat Dice. The player scoring th e most ∆ chooses whether to deploy rst or not (reroll ties). Players alternate deploying their units starting with the player who rolled the most ∆ in the Planning phase. Units may deploy anywhere on the table. Players must declare which Heroes are joining units before any units are deployed. All units are deployed using the Camouflage rules (see page 68). A unit marker can be deployed facedown anywhere on t he table as long as the center of the marker is not within 12” of the center of any unit markers.
tiP: usinG Dust tACtiCs CArDs As mArkers Dust Tactics unit cards like this one make for great Night Fighting markers, as they can be used to randomly deploy units. Since every card shares the same back, they are perfect for keeping each unit hidden from the enemy... and yourself!
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initiAtive Initiative is determined as normal during each game turn.
niGht enGAGement rules Night vision aids like infrared have done much to mitigate the confusion of night ghting, but few infantry units h ave full access to them. Flares and gun ashes must guide most units to their targets. During a Night Engagement, the rules for Limited Visibility (see page 67) are in effect.
GAme lenGth The Night Engagement lasts for ve game turns.
viCtory Victory in the Night Engagement scenario goes to the player that inicts the most damage on th e enemy. Each player earns Superiority Points equal to the AP value of all enemy units that have been completely destroyed or are retreating at the end of the scenario. Units that are not revealed at the end of the game are worth 50 AP to the controlling player. The player with the most total Superiority Points is the winner.
seCret mission Two opposing forces probing into no-man’s land clash with one another while in pursuit of their secret mission objectives. It’s a game of cat and mouse as both sides attempt to frustrate t heir opponent while achieving their own goals.
C H A P T E R 4 :
settinG uP the BAttle
B A T T l E s
Units are not always able to control the situations in which they pursue their Secret Mission. Terrain should be placed using the rules for “Placing Terrain” on page 67. Before starting the scenario, each player secretly chooses one scenario objective from the Secret Mission Objective List. This selection is done in secret, and should be written down to be revealed later.
fortifiCAtions Neither player has access to additional fortications.
DePloyment
seCret mission oBjeCtive list
After choosing a secret objective, both players roll ve Combat Dice. The player rolling the most ∆ chooses which long edge of the table is his own (reroll any ties). The opposing player deploys on the opposite table edge.
1. caPture PriSonerS The force gains an additional 25 Superiority Points for each enemy unit forced to retreat off a table edge or retreating at the end of the game.
Players alternate deploying their units starting with the player who chose his table edge. Units must be deployed completely within 9” of the player’s table edge. If a single miniature is too large to t within the 9” deployment, it may be deployed touching the player’s long table edge.
2. intel gathering The force scores 25 Superiority Points for each enemy unit with a miniatures within 18” of a friendly Radioman.
initiAtive Initiative is determined as normal during each game turn.
GAme lenGth The Secret Mission scenario lasts for ve tu rns. At the end of the fth turn the players both roll their Command Pool, rerolling ties. The player with the fewest ∆ may choose to end the game, or to play one additional Game Turn.
viCtory Victory in the Secret Mission scenario goes to the player that inicts the most damage on the enemy. Each player earns Superiority Points equal to the AP value of all enemy units that have been completely destroyed or are retreating at the end of the scenario. Players also earn additional Superiority Points based on their own secret mission. The player with the most total Superiority Points is the winner.
3. caPture Strategic PointS The force earns 50 Superiority Points if they control the center of the table. To control the center of the table the player must have at least one Soldier miniature completely within 6” of the table center, and no enemy miniature may be completely within 6” of the table center. 4. vehicle caPture The force scores 5 Superiority Points for each destroyed enemy vehicle, and 25 Superiority Points for each enemy vehicle that is Immobilized but not dest royed. 5. Breakthrough At the end of the scenario the force gains an addition 25 Superiority Points for each friendly unit with every miniature completely within 6” of the opponent’s table edge.
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assault In this scenario, an assaulting force has been secretly mustered to take vital ground from th e enemy. The defending force needs to keep the enemy at bay until reinforcements arrive to hold the line. The attackers must try to clear out the defensive strongpoints quickly enough to ready themselves for the inevitable counterattack.
settinG uP the BAttle Players do not follow the normal rules for setting up terrain. The players each roll ve Combat Dice (rerolling ties), and the player with the most ∆ scored is the assaulting player. The other player is the defending player. The defending player divides the available pieces of terrain into two groups, as evenly as possible. The assaulting player then chooses one of the groups of terrain and must then deploy all of that group of terrain anywhere within 12” of the center of the table. The rest of the terrain is set aside. It will be deployed later by the defending player.
fortifiCAtions The defending player may purchase up t o 100 points of mineelds, obstacles, and/or trenches after the assaulting player places his terrain.
DePloyment The defending player splits his units into two groups, representing their outpost group and reserves. If the number of units in each group is uneven, the larger group must be the reserve. The assaulting player secretly designates a piece of terrain from the terrain remaining for the defending player to place. This is his objective. The defending player chooses a long table edge as his own, and the assaulting player has the opposite table edge. The defending player then deploys t he remaining terrain anywhere on the table, although he would be wise to deploy it all as close as possible to his own table edge. The defending player then deploys all of the units in his outpost group completely within 18” of his own table edge. The assaulting player then deploys his force with each Unit Leader touching his table edge. The defending player now deploys his fortications. All of the defending player’s units that are not part of the outpost line are “Reserved” as per the rules on page 56.
initiAtive Initiative is determined as normal during each game turn.
GAme lenGth The Assault scenario lasts for ve turns. At the end of the fth turn the players both roll their Command Pool, rerolling ties. The player with the fewest ∆ may choose to end the game, or to play one additional Game Turn.
viCtory The assaulting player wins by having sole possession of his chosen terrain at the end of the scenario. To claim possession, the force must have at least one Soldier miniature within the terrain and no enemy miniatures within 6” of it. If the assaulting player failed to capture his primary objective and the Defending player can claim possession of it, the defending player wins outright. The chosen terrain is kept secret until the end of the game, however, so the defending player can’t be certain which is the real objective! If neither player succeeded in claiming the primary objective, add up Superiority Points equal to the value of all enemy units destroyed or retreating at the end of t he scenario. The player with the most Superiority Points is the winner.
The defender divides the terrain into two parts as equally as possible. If an odd number of terrain areas must be used, the attacker will probably choose the smaller one! The attacker must deploy his half of the terrain within 12” of the table center. Some may extend outside, but the center of each piece should be within 12” of the table center. In the planning stage, the defender will deploy the rest however he wants! This creates a central area of terrain for the attacker to cover his assault into the defended line!
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Chapter 5: the allies
“Duty. Honor. Country. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points; to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to b e little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.” – General Douglas MacArthur, US Army, Supreme Allied Commander Southwest Pacifc
The Allies, led by the United States of America with its great eets and air armadas, wield power over the vast majority of the globe. Though the Axis has driven the Allies out of mainland Europe more than once, it has never succeeded in eradicating their great armories across the seas in the British Isles and the Americas. The great industrial heartland of America works night and day building ships, planes, tanks, guns, and munitions to feed the war. The British Commonwealth raises endless divisions to ght its battles, transporting hundreds of thousands of men all over the globe.
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The Allied war effort rests upon a knife-edge, reliant on their current naval supremacy. Great Britain requires constant convoys of ships bearing food and raw materials to sustain her – convoys that must run the perilous U-boat blockade. If the ever-present Axis U-boats start sinking Allied ships more quickly than they can be replaced, the Allied cause will be lost. The Allies have put a great deal of emphasis on developing their air power in order to mitigate their dependence on sea transportation. Allied raids on Germany have escalated steadily over the years, but Axis anti-air defenses have strengthened with them. In the early years of war, the Allies suffered numerous defeats due to their inferior combat tactics and armaments. The bloody Second Battle of France from 1944-45 nally yielded some of the secrets of VK technology to the Allies, enabling them to reproduce the advanced walkers used by the Axis. Allied strategy has since shifted to the mass procurement of the VK ore from Antarctica, but attacks by the SSU on mainland America and widespread Axis offensives in 1947 have severely disrupted Allied plans.
leaders The heroes in command of the Allied forces are brilliant politicians as well as able tacticians. While they rel y upon skilled advisors, they are grand personalities capable of galvanizing the troops and spearheading a war effort on a colossal scale.
President of the Allies, hArry s. trumAn Harry S. Truman became President of the United States of America in 1945, after the untimely death of President Roosevelt. Truman is deeply concerned over the progress of the war and has demonstrated a deter mination to take a more personal hand in its direction than his predecessor. He sanctioned the rst use of a nuclear weapon on Ceylon, and beneted from the worldwide fear created by its devastating effect. With the formation of the Allied bloc in 1946, Truman was the only realistic candidate for its presidency, making him the executive head of a third of the world. Truman has authorized vast expenditures in research and development of VK-based technologies in an effort to close the gap with the Axis.
sPeAker of the Assembly, Winston s. ChurChill Despite concerns over his health, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill has continued to act as speaker for the assembly of the Allied Nations since its formation. Churchill has led the British Empire in its war against Germany and the Axis since 1940, and is one of the few surviving political rulers from that era. Churchill has succeeded in rallying whole nations to the Allied cause despite the innumerable shocks and setbacks that have beset it. His continuing deance – rst of Hitler and now of the military junta ruling Germany – serves as an inspiration to subjugated peoples across the globe.
Warfronts The Allies continue to heavily engage Japanese forces in the Pacific theater, where they are struggling to contain recent landings in New Zealand and western Australia. Meanwhile, a patchwork of island campaigns sputter on in New Guinea, Borneo, and the Philippines as both sides try to reinforce their garrisons and interdict enemy supply lines. In India, the Allies fight in a three -cornered struggle with SSU troops from China and Axis forces occupying Nepal and Tibet. North Africa has become a battleground once again. Here, Allied walkers and infantry ght a revitalized Afrika Korps amid the dunes and rocky massifs of the Libyan
desert. Across the Mediterranean, in Italy, static warfare predominates, with an unbroken line of Axis fortications barring Allied advance from coast to coast. The British Isles, long fearful of invasion, have now become part of the front line with the advent of Axis airborne landings at Dover and Scapa Flow. Across the Atlantic, the American mainland has also been invaded by SSU forces landing in Florida and Alaska. South America seethes with Marxist insurgencies and Brazil nds itself beset on all sides. Last of all, sizeable Allied forces have made the long journey to Antarctica to battle the Axis there for control of the VK mines. With renewed Axis attacks on all fronts, the Allies in Antarctica are isolated, but their task may be the most vital of all.
armed forCes The Allies have developed huge air forces in order to ght wars across oceans and far-ung continents. Tens of thousands of aircraft based in the British Isles and Italy attack Axis industry around the clock, while thousands more ght from aircraft carriers or hidden jungle airstrips all over the Pacic. Long-range aircraft patrol the seas hunting for U-boats, while high performance ghters intercept Axis V-weapons and ground attack planes support the troops. The Allies’ reliance on air power has proven to be of great benet but can also leave them vulnerable in periods of bad weather. Despite years of concerted effort, the Allies have failed to achieve air superiority over Northern Europe. The Allied navies are only really challenged in the Pacic. Here the Japanese Imperial Fleet is being slowly strangled after a ve-year struggle against superior numbers of Allied ships, planes, and submarines. Elsewhere in the world, the navies ght an incessant battle to protect convoys against lurking U-boats and Axis long-range aircraft. The Allied army has had to learn many bitter lessons at the hands of the A xis Wehrmacht, but it is now emerging as its equal. The elite forces of the Rangers prove their value time and again, leading many Allied generals to call for more highly trained troops like them. Improved tactics and equipment have restored the condence of the Allied soldiers to the point where they look forward to giving the Storm Grenadiers a taste of their own medicine.
the rAngers Volunteers from many of the Allied nations come together to train at special U.S. Ranger schools in Alaska, the Midwest, and Florida. The Rangers are an elite fighting force, and they only accept t he best into their ranks. Rangers are always at the forefront in the war against the Axis menace, and their special missions deep into enemy-held territory are the stuff of legend. When a mission calls for a mix of stealth, firepower, and sheer guts, the Rangers are the ones to call.
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Ranger training emphasizes endurance and adaptability, as the Allied theater of war encompasses a tremendous variety of conditions. Rangers nd themselves battling in the snowelds of Antarctica in one mission and in the jungles of New Guinea in the next. In a world war, every part of the globe is a potential battleeld. For many years, Allied weaponry and combat doctrines lagged behind the warmongering Axis bloc, but an ongoing program of technological development and improved training have steadily closed the gap. Recent victories won by the Rangers have shown their increased strength and done much to bolster their growing condence. Rangers are exibly trained in the weapons and tactics necessary for them to perform a variety of roles. In contrast to Axis Storm Grenadiers, individual Rangers might be allocated to different squads and equipped with different weapons according to need. Commanders generally prefer to keep their men together where possible, but the harsh necessities of ghting a global war on many fronts mean that exibility is key. A Ranger’s basic equipment includes the Ranger armor, a lightweight composite body armor and helmet that have become an iconic symbol of the Rangers. All Rangers receive standard issue M1 assault ries, along with hand grenades for some squad types and knives for all.
allies army list The Allied war effort has been a sustained fight to catch up with the aggressive expansionism of the Axis bloc. Experience came at punishing cost across many battlefronts, but gradually the Rangers have emerged as an elite force every bit as tough as the dreaded Axis Storm Grenadiers. Rapid advances in VK technology are giving the Rangers the right tools to get the job done so they can now stand toe-to -toe with the worst horrors bred by twisted Axis science. Players must agree upon an AP limit for a battle. No force may contain units whose combined value is greater than this agreed upon AP limit. An Allies army list consists of at least one platoon, but may contain more. For every 150 AP, or fraction thereof, a force may contain one platoon. A 400 AP army, for example, would contain up to three platoons.
Allied heroes An army may contain one Hero per 150 AP, or fraction thereof, of the force. Heroes often operate outside the platoon structure and are not considered to be a section of the platoon unless they are acting as a Command Section through the Leader special ability. Heroes who are not part of a platoon do not count as a section for any platoon, even if the owning player plans to join the Hero to a unit. When taken as a Command Section, a Hero is treated exactly as if he were a part of the platoon, counting as a Command Section. He may still join a unit as a Hero, but this unit must be from the same platoon as the Hero. A unit joined by a Hero in this way becomes the platoon’s Command Section for the purposes of giving Orders.
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AP Total
Platoons
Heroes
150 or less
1
0–1
151–300
1–2
0–2
301–450
1–3
0–3
Each extra 150
+1 max
+1 max
allied Weapons This section lists information and rules about the many different types of weapons used by an Allied force.
.45 Auto Colt Pistol The .45 ACP is an old design dating back to before the First World War. It’s a solid, dependable weapon built around ring heavyweight “manstopper” forty ve caliber slugs. Though pretty dated and heavy by modern standards, the .45 ACP is still used as a sidearm by some Ranger ofcers, sometimes for sentimental reasons, but often for entirely practical ones like having enough stopping power to knock an opponent off his feet.
4.2” roCket The MCW M2-F “Steel Rain” supplements its Petard Mortar with a steel frame mounting a quartet of 4.2” rockets. A salvo of these weapons fully justies the M2-F’s nickname, unleashing an inferno of cataclysmic proportions that can sweep whole enemy positions clear in the blink of an eye. Even tanks are vulnerable to a hail of the heavyweight explosive projectiles. Unfortunately, the rockets are strictly one-shot weapons – at over seven feet long they are far too cumbersome to reload under combat conditions. Special Weapon RuleS Artillery: See page 57.
Reload: See page 58.
17 Pounder gun The 17 pounder gun is what earned the MCW M2- C “Pounder” its nickname. It was rst used on Sherman “Firey” conversions built to defeat increasingly heavy Axis armor. The 17 pounder proved itself to be a well-balanced, high-velocity cannon capable of hitting a target up to two kilometers away with deadly force. Critics of the M2- C during development predicted that a walker could never survive the recoil of ring such a large weapon. They were proved wrong, partially through a cleverly redesigned muzzle brake which uses more of the exhaust gases to mitigate the recoil.
tiP: don’t forget the rAdio! The 4.2” rocket is a Reload weapon (although the Steel Rain carries four of them). Once it discharges its payload, the vehicle isn’t as prominent a target. To prevent an early death, the 4.2” Rocket pairs well with an Observer Squad’s Artillery Strike ability. Tuck the vehicle in cover and re the 4.2” Rockets anywhere the Observer Squad can see!
75 mm & 155mm hoWitzer One of the earliest designs of Allied walkers, the MCW M2-A “Mickey,” was armed with a 75mm direct-re howitzer as its main armament. The howitzer was originally chosen as a stopgap measure because Allied engineers at the time feared anything with greater recoil would compromise the walker’s stability. Later experiments in the development of the M2-C “Pounder” proved such fears completely unfounded, and unmodied Mickeys with the 75mm howitzer have become a rare sight these days. Still, the howitzer’s “beehive” shrapnel rounds make it exceptionally deadly against soldiers, especially ones caught in the open. The M2-A still nds use as an antiinfantry walker in some theaters, but its lack of real antipersonnel capability means it often needs support from more heavily armed tanks to get the job done. Special Weapon RuleS Tank Killer (155 MM Howitzer): See page 58.
demolition ChArge Demolition charges, usually called “demo charges” for short, are simple canvas bags packed with detonators, fuses, and a large quantity of high explosives. When a demo charge is used, a small pin is pulled to activate the fuse, giving the user a few precious seconds to get clear! Demo charges were originally created for destroying battleeld obstacles like wire or tank traps by either planting them or throwing them from close range. Special Weapon RuleS Demolition: Demo charges can be used to attack defenses like tank obstacles, barricades, and barbed wire entanglements. Each roll of a ∆ removes a targeted defense.
duAl heAvy PiAt The Dual Heavy PIAT is an unusual weapon, currently seen exclusively on the M1-B “Blackhawk” light assault walker which is based on the old British Projector Infantr y Anti-Tank. It mounts a total of four heavyweight 120mm, shaped-charge warheads in two racks on either side of the Blackhawk’s hull. The weapon is unusual because it uses mechanical energy to launch the warheads rather than the more commonplace chemical energy of shells and rockets. A set of large springs kept compressed in the mounting racks hurl their payload at the target with surprising force when the Dual Heav y PIAT is “red.” The advantages of the system are that it is (relatively speaking) recoilless, ashless, and leaves no telltale smoke trail when red. Blackhawks have proven themselves to be exceptional tank hunters in dense terrain and particularly at night.
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flAmethroWer And nAPAlm throWers Flamethrower weapons have proved extremely useful to the Allies for clearing out enemy fortications and ghting off mass infantry attacks. Continual improvements to man-portable amethrowers have produced the Allies’ dependable M1-9 Flamethrower. The Napalm Thrower-M4 is the primary weapon of the MCW M2-B “Hot Dog,” and is fundamentally similar to its smaller cousin. The primary difference is that the 100-liter armored reservoir attached to the back of the Hot Dog’s turret is full of sticky, gelatinous napalm rather than fuel oil. The NT-M4 is particularly dangerous to enemy tanks as the burning napalm eats its way into every gap and joint in their armor. In the wake of the highly effective Hot Dog, the M6 class “Fireball” has been tted with a pressurized “Fireball Napalm Thrower” that extends the weapon’s range and has been known to vaporize concrete and steel. Special Weapon RuleS Burst: See page 57.
Spray : See page 58. Tank Killer (Fireball Napalm Thrower & Napalm Thrower): See page 58.
grenAde lAunCher And ugl Grenade launchers and particularly the under-barrel grenade launcher (UGL) have virtually supplanted light mortars among the Allied forces. Early attempts to create a handheld launcher using converted 50mm mort ar rounds proved unsuccessful and led to a complete redesign based around the idea of a 40mm grenade. Some soldiers complain that the weight of UGLs spoil the balance on their ries and this has led to the development of a variety of spigot-mortar-style UGLs. In these, the barrel of the launcher is actually incorporated into the body of the grenade itself, the whole being tted onto a short rod (the spigot) beneath the barrel of the rie before ring. This has cut the launcher weight by placing it into the ammunition, leading to further complaints from some quarters. Special Weapon RuleS Grenades: See page 58.
Reload (UGL): See page 58.
m1 AssAult rifle The M1 AR is a comparatively recent development from the venerable M1 and M1A1 carbine. Th e new assaul t rifle is highly accurate, and has a long range and a good rate of fire from a 30- round detachable box magazine. The M1 AR has been designed to endure heat, cold, dirt, and moisture with an eye toward the increasingly extreme battlefronts in which the Allies are fighting. The quantities of Axis troops armed with assault rifles have forced the Allies to turn their production over to the M1 AR earlier than anticipated to keep pace. The top brass are hoping the gun lives up to expectations.
m9, m9-d, And m10 bAzookA Effective man-portable anti-tank weapons have become vital with increases in tank mobility and the Allies were the rst to bring anti-tank rockets to battle. The earliest Axis Panzerschreck was little more than a copy of the 3” anti-tank “stovepipe” rocket launcher captured in North Africa, although design philosophies have diverged considerably from there. On the Allied side, work has continued on developing ever more powerful warheads for the armor piercing rockets red by the bazooka. The latest M9-D bazooka is only available in prototype form but initial reports indicate its warhead is considerably more powerful than the old M9. Conversely, the M10 Bazooka that has been developed specially for use by Heavy Rangers features an automatic reloading system that some say is inspired by later models of the Axis Panzerschreck.
PetArd mortAr The Petard Mortar is one of the deadly weapons mounted by the heavily armed MCW M2-F “Steel Rain.” The Petard Mortar fires a huge 20 kilo explosive shell, a round so heavy that it has to be lobbed onto the target over a short arc. This gives the Petard a distinctly limited minimum range and the mortar itself is slow to reload in action as the crew wrestles another 20 kilo monster into place. However, all these drawbacks are compensated for by the deadly ef fects of the projectile on arrival. Special Weapon RuleS Indirect Fire: A Petard Mortar may be fired using Indirect Fire as if it were an Artillery weapon; see page 59 for details. Its range is limited to 24” even when using Indirect Fire.
grenAdes
Reload: See page 58.
While close-quarters combat is rarely the optimal choice for a soldier, the practicality of war makes it a near certainty, and he would be a fool who is not prepared. Most soldiers are issued a knife as well as anti-personnel grenades, used to help assault enemy positions and even some light vehicles.
Tank Killer: See page 58.
Special Weapon RuleS Grenades: See page 58.
84
Long Range: The weapon cannot re at targets closer than 12”.
PhAser gun
shotgun
Experiments with the new VK technology have unlocked incredible new potential, perhaps the most evident being the new destructive energies suitable for use as weapons. Allied scientists have developed a device they call a “phaser gun” and managed to compress the original, house-sized generator down to a size that can be fitted onto a light assault walker. When fired, the phaser gun generates a highly unstable ball of energy that detonates on impact with the target. Testing is still ongoing, but initial reports seem highly favorable and other prototype phaser weapons are being rushed to operational status. While the Dual Phaser Gun typically operates in the 120W range, man-portable 60W Dual Phaser Guns have recently seen deployment.
Shotguns are used by the elite Assault Rangers, men who know that if you want to get a job done you have to get face-to-face with the enemy! The Assault Ranger’s shotgun is no ordinary hunting piece, it’s a heavy gauge pump action weapon, fed by a 12-round detachable box magazine on the underside. Despite the lack of a semi- automatic re option, Assault Rangers can still get a phenomenal rate of re out of their shotguns. The devastating crossre of their blasts can literally tear enemy units apar t and makes them deadly at close range.
Special Weapon RuleS Phaser: See page 58.
Overcharge: The Allied phaser guns have been modied to overcharge their power source to gain additional stopping power. During a Sustained Attack a phaser gun may double the number of Combat Dice it rolls, instead of rerolling misses. If it does so, place an Out of Ammo marker on the unit. The phaser cannot be red again until this marker is removed with a Reload action (see page 61, Reload Weapons).
roCket PunCh And heAvy roCket PunCh The rocket punch was developed in secrecy f or the Allied heavy assault squad program. High command called for a short range weapon that was effective against soldiers or vehicles to be carried by Rangers wearing experimental XM-18-22 series aerial assault armor. Designs were initially stymied because users needed both hands free to maintain balance during jumps. Various recoilless weapons were examined before a miniaturized 60mm anti-tank rocket was tried in a wrist mounting, which proved more practical than chest-mounted weapons. Initial tests were unreliable, however, as often the rocket would fail to detatch properly, hurtling the user’s st foward. ASOCOM was prepared to scrap the project when some of the soldiers participating in eld tests repor ted this “rocket punch” was far more effective against Axis Gorillas and even allowed them to punch their way through reinforced vehicle armor. ASOCOM scientists decided to embrace this unorthodox weapon, and redesigned it as a rocket-powered punch. The result was lightweight, intuitive to operate and quite capable of penetrating the heaviest enemy armor – the rocket punch was born.
sniPer rifle The elite Sniper Corps of Rangers are a conservative bunch. In the face of rapid developments in armaments technology they have resolutely stuck with using bolt-action ries from another era. Individual snipers vary in their preferences – many use one-shot high precision ries chambered for .50 caliber armor piercing rounds, others use .30 caliber Springeld M1s tted with ash suppressors and telescopic sights. Night vision sights have gained favor in some outts like the 832nd “Nighthawks,” despite the bulk and large prole of the infrared sighting array.
viCtory mAChine gun The Axis have always enjoyed an advantage with their machine guns, but Allied designs have come a long way toward closing the gap. The most recent development is the Victory MG, a squad support weapon that uses the same ammunition as the proven .30 caliber machine gun on most Allied vehicles. The Victory MG is a robust gasoperated weapon that uses pressed steel parts throughout its construction. It is fed by a 100-round box magazine on its underside which gives it a creditable rate of re, if still short of the Axis MG48. To close the gap, Heavy Rangers use a specially adapted belt-fed dual Victory MG, fed by a backpack ammunition hopper.
Webley revolver This powerful revolver is the standard issue sidearm of the British forces, and the reliability of the weapon makes it a favorite of many Allied commanders.
Special Weapon RuleS Rocket Punch: Rocket punches and Heavy Rocket Punches reverse their Combat Dice on any attack, dealing damage on a ≈ instead of a ∆.
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platoons Allied platoons are supremely exible organizations formed from different outts constantly being shipped all over the world. A platoon might be formed for a single mission, a battle, a long-term objective, or a whole campaign. It’s common for squads of Rangers drawn from different branches to form rivalries or bonds of brotherhood with their platoon-mates in combat. A successful platoon leader knows how to exploit these relationships to get the best out of his men and weld them into powerful ghting teams.
orgAnizAtion A platoon is formed of a Command Section and one to four subordinate sections. Each section is comprised of a single unit. Every platoon must contain a mandatory Command Section and 1st Section. In addition, regimental combat teams normally include a battalion of vehicles and specialists that are doled out to support individual platoons as required. There are three types of platoons in an Allied army: • Combat platoons have access to a variety of options that allow them both tactical exibility and task redundancy. • Elite platoons are quick and heavily armored, able to dish out serious damage with only a few soldiers. • Assault platoons are rapid response groups able to cover ground quickly to seize vital objectives.
PlAtoon seCtions When choosing which sections a platoon will eld, players have a great deal of freedom. While the plato on must contain both a Command Section and a 1st Section, it is not required to select additional sections in any order. A platoon is not compelled to include a 2nd Section before it includes a 3rd Section, for instance. The only limitations are the mandatory Command and 1st Sections, and the restriction of one Support unit for every two sections. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) The platoon must be led by a Command Section, which is typically a squad of ofcers, but some Heroes can also serve as a unit’s Command Section. A battleeld Command Section usually incorporates Rangers skilled in a variety of tactics and who have several special abilities. 1St Section (mandatoRy) The 1st Section of the platoon is usually the most experienced squad and forms the core of the platoon’s ghting force. This section (like the Command Section) is mandatory, and a platoon must contain one unit chosen from the 1st Section list provided by the platoon entry.
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2nd Section (optional) It’s common for the 2nd Section to “double up” with a reinforcing squad that complements the 1st Section. Some platoons deploy a lightly equipped Recon squad as their 2nd Section to provide anking re. 3Rd Section (optional) The 3rd Section brings the thunder – heavy weapons aplenty to cover the movements of the 1st and 2nd Sections. Sometimes artillery observers or snipers are employed to achieve the same goal. 4th Section (optional) The 4th Section acts as the platoon’s general reserve. The squad chosen for the 4th Section take over positions captured by the rest of the platoon and hold them against enemy counter attacks. SuppoRt unit (one peR tWo SectionS) A platoon may eld one Support choice for each two sections it includes (i.e., a platoon with four sections can choose up to two Support units). The Support units are often vehicles, but some may include specialist infantry, such as snipers. A Support unit does not count as a se ction, and does not unlock additional Support units. platoon upgRadeS (optional) A platoon may purchase one platoon upgrade from the faction’s platoon upgrade list (see “Platoon Upgrades” on page 87).
sPeCiAl orders The ofcers of each platoon have access to a special order, based on the platoon type they are leading. The Command Section of each platoon may issue these orders in addition to any other order types available to the unit. Unless specically noted, a Hero serving as the unit’s Command Section may issue this special order. Heroes leading a unique platoon through their Leadership special ability, such as Action Jackson, do not have access t o these special orders.
AeronCA gb-9 str ike (30 AP)
platoon Upgrades Not every Allied platoon has the same resources, or even combat doctrine, despite their ofcial designation. Each platoon may purchase one Platoon Upgrade at the noted AP cost. Some Platoon Upgrades have additional restrictions (limited per force, or restricted to specic platoon t ypes).
AdditionAl resourCes (10 AP) The platoon may call upon additional Long Tom or smoke screen support. When the Command Section of this platoon executes a “Fire for Effect!” or “Smoke Screen” Order, it may reroll the Combat Die to see if the Long Tom strikes or if the smoke screen is activated.
Air droP (5 AP) The platoon has an additional asset dropping from the sky to assault the enemy. One unit in the platoon (chosen when this upgrade is purchased) gains the Air Drop special ability (see page 53).
imProved CommAnd (5 AP) The platoon has an improved command structure and encoded communications. Add one additional Radioman with an M1 AR and knife to the Ranger Command Squad or Ranger Attack Squad. This upgrade may only be purchased by a Combat platoon led by a Ranger Command Squad or an Assault platoon led by a Ranger Attack Squad.
Aeronca GB-9 Strike
A
The force is suppor ted from the air by B17-Rs equipped with radio-guided bombs. Designed to accurately strike a designated position, ares on the glider allow the bombardier to guide the weapon properly on descent.
C H A P T E R
Once per game, one unit in the platoon with the Radioman special ability may call an Aeronca GB-9 (see prole below) as a Sustained Attack action. No other weapon may be red during the same Attack action as the Aeronca GB9. The Aeronca GB-9 is resolved using Indirect Fire. It has the Burst special weapon rule.
5 : T H E A l l i E s
extrA hero (5 AP) The force may include one additional Hero, paying its AP cost as normal. The Hero cannot lead a platoon, but may be attached to a unit as normal during deployment. Only one platoon in the force may choose this upgrade.
PrePArAtory bArrAge (20AP) At the beginning of the controlling player’s rst Command phase, the player may resolve a barrage against each enemy Soldier unit. To resolve the barrage, the player rolls two Combat Dice. If he rolls one or more ∆, he places a Suppression marker on the Soldier unit.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
12/1
8/1
4/1
2/1
1/6
1/6
1/5
1/5
1/4
1/4
1/3
-
-
-
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Combat platoon Flexiblility is the hallmark of the Combat platoon, who believe that there is a tool for every job. While many Combat platoons “double up,” using the 2nd Section as a duplicate of the 1st Section, this isn’t how every commander chooses to respond. It is not uncommon for a Ranger Officer to handselect completely different squads for l ong term deployment against a variety of threats. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) A Combat platoon is led by a Ranger Command Squad or a Hero allowed to lead the platoon through the Leader special ability. 1St Section (mandatoRy) • Combat Ranger Squad
4th Section (optional) • Assault Ranger Squad
• Recon Ranger Squad • Ranger Weapon Squad • British Paratroops SuppoRt unit (one peR t Wo SectionS) • Ranger Observer Team
• Ranger Sniper Team • Any M1 Series Light Assault Walker • Any M2 Series Medium Assault Walker • Any M6 Series Heavy Assault Walker
• Assault Ranger Squad • Ranger Weapon Squad • Heavy Ranger Attack Squad 2nd Section (optional) • Combat Ranger Squad
• Assault Ranger Squad • Recon Ranger Squad • Heavy Ranger Assault Squad 3Rd Section (optional) • Combat Ranger Squad
• Recon Ranger Squad • Ranger Weapon Squad • Heavy Ranger Tank Hunter Squad
sPeCiAl order Combat Platoons have access to the following Order.
fire for effeCt! Allied Combat platoons always make good use of support re from aircraft and artillery. Ofcers and radiomen are specially trained in calling down artillery strikes, and extra batteries or aircraft are always kept “on call” near critical zones. Once per Command phase, the platoon’s Command Section may issue a “Fire for Effect!” Order to one unit with the Artillery Strike ability (which may include itself). The unit receives a Reaction Marker. Then roll a single Combat Die, and on a ∆ the ordered unit may resolve a 220mm Long Tom attack against up to two target units. Each target unit must be within 6” of each other. The attack may re indirectly, even though the unit did not take a Sustained Attack action. Burst: 220mm Long Tom Artillery is a Burst weapon (see page 57). Additionally, it inicts a Suppression marker on Soldier units even if no ∆ are scored during the attack.
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“the boss” rAnger CommAnd squAd The headquarters squad is the brains of the outt, where guys who are in the know decide how many lives a bridge is worth, or where to hold the line at all costs. It takes men with plenty of guts to step up and command a Ranger force. They must be tough veterans themselves to win the respect of their troops, often “old men” in their twenties and thirties who have seen almost a decade of war. In battle, the Command Squad plans and coordinates the efforts of the other squads in the platoon. A Command Squad includes specialists like medics, mechanics, and radiomen to help the force function better and stay in combat longer. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Special abilitieS Command Squad: This unit commands a Combat platoon. See page 82 for more information on building an Allied platoon.
Additional Support: A platoon that includes a Ranger Command Squad may include one additional Suppor t unit. This unit must be a Ranger Observer Team or Ranger Sniper Team. The AP cost of the unit must be paid as normal. Artillery Strike (Radioman only, page 53) Mechanic (Mechanic only, page 55) Medic (Medic only, page 55) Radioman (Radioman only, page 56)
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Officer, 1 Ranger, 1 Mechanic, 1 Medic, 1 Radioman Unit Leader: Ofcer C H A P T E R 5 : T H E A l l i E s
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
M1 Assault Rie (4)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
.30 Cal Victory MG (1)
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
Knife (5)
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
220mm Long Tom
A
10/1
5/1
3/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
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elite platoon The goal of any Elite platoon is to strike an enemy as decisively as possible, crippling their ghting ability without committing too much manpower to an engagement. The use of XM-18-22 aerial assault armor is nearly ubiquitous with platoons mobilizing in response to enemy advancement. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) An Elite platoon is led by a Heavy Ranger Command Squad or a Hero allowed to lead the platoon through the Leader special ability. 1St Section (mandatoRy) • Heavy Ranger Assault Squad
• Heavy Ranger Attack Squad • Heavy Ranger Tank Hunter Squad • British Paratroops 2nd Section (optional) • Heavy Ranger Attack Squad
• Heavy Ranger Tank Hunter Squad
3Rd Section (optional) • Heavy Ranger Attack Squad
• Combat Ranger Squad • Ranger Weapon Squad 4th Section (optional) • Heavy Ranger Tank Hunter Squad
• Combat Ranger Squad • Ranger Weapon Squad • Recon Ranger Squad SuppoRt unit (one peR t Wo SectionS) • Ranger Observer Team
• Ranger Sniper Team • Any M1 Series Light Assault Walkers • MCW M2-A “Mickey” • MCW M2-B “Hot Dog” • MCW M2-C “Pounder”
• Recon Ranger Squad • British Paratroops
sPeCiAl order Elite platoons have access to the following Order.
An Army of one The Allied media machine routinely presents individuals of exceptional skill as points of inspiration to the common Allied infantryman. Once per Command phase, a Command Section of an Elite platoon may issue the “An Army Of One” order to a Hero miniature anywhere on the table. The Hero immediately takes a Move action. If the Hero was with a unit, he leaves it. All Suppression and Reaction markers stay with that unit. That unit does not count as being issued an Order. At the end of his Move action, the Hero may choose to take charge of another unit that he could normally join. The new unit must have at least one miniature within 6” of the Hero. If the unit is retreating, it immediately stops retreating. The Hero becomes the unit’s new Unit Leader. The joined unit may not be issued an Order during this Command Phase.
90
“CorPs offiCers” heAvy rAnger CommAnd squAd
Special abilitieS Command Squad: This unit commands an Elite platoon. See page 82 for more information on building an Allied platoon.
The British tradition of “leading from the front” is personied tenfold in the Heavy Command Squads of the Allied forces. Equipped with heavy assault armor, the ofcers in charge prefer to command from the middle of the fray. Heavy Ranger Command Squads are as comfortable wrestling with Axis Gorillas as they are inspiring their troops or responding to enemy movement. It is no wonder, then, that the Allied brass want to use many commanders as icons of inspiration back home, presenting them as the best ASOCOM has to offer. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
Additional Support: A platoon that includes a Heavy Ranger Command Squad may include one additional Suppor t unit. This unit must be a Ranger Observer Team or Ranger Sniper Team. The AP cost of the unit must be paid as normal. Artillery Strike (Heavy Ofcer only, page 53) Mechanic (Heavy Mechanic only, page 55) Medic (Heavy Medic only, page 55) Radioman (Heavy Ofcer only, page 56)
Base Cost: 30 AP Base Unit: 1 Heavy Ofcer, 1 Heavy Mechanic, 1 Heavy Medic Unit Leader: Heavy Ofcer
C H A P T E R 5 : T H E A l l i E s
6
3
Rocket Punch (3) Dual .30 Cal Victory MG (2) Flamethrower (1)
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
91
assaUlt platoon Soldiers serving in an Assault platoon are typically possessed of a dark sense of humor and a personal desire to take the ght to the enemy. Usually ad-hoc affairs, the Assault platoon is gathered around a central Ranger Attack Squad and “set loose” on an enemy position. These quick-moving platoons are adept at taking critical locations in a large theater of war. Because of their specialized nature, they have become more popular among the command brass only in recent years. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) An Assault platoon is led by a Ranger Attack Squad or a Hero allowed to lead the platoon through the Leader special ability.
3Rd Section (optional) • Combat Ranger Squad
• Assault Ranger Squad • British Paratroops 4th Section (optional) • Recon Ranger Squad
• Ranger Weapon Squad • Heavy Ranger Tank Hunter Squad • Ranger Observer Team • Ranger Sniper Team
1St Section (mandatoRy) • Assault Ranger Squad
• Recon Ranger Squad • Heavy Ranger Assault Squad
SuppoRt unit (one peR t Wo SectionS) • Ranger Observer Team
• Ranger Sniper Team • Any M1 Series Light Assault Walkers
2nd Section (optional) • Assault Ranger Squad
• Recon Ranger Squad • Heavy Ranger Attack Squad
sPeCiAl order Assault platoons have access to the following Order.
smoke sCreen The Officers of ASOCOM know that impairing Axis visibility is a tactical asset that cannot be over valued. Once per Command phase, a Command Section may issue a smoke screen Order to itself. Roll a Combat Die; on a ∆ the visibility on the board is impaired for the remainder of the game turn exactly as if the “Limited Visibility” rule were in effect (see page 67). This Order is not a “Take Action” Order and does not add a Reaction marker to the Command Section.
92
• Any M6 Series Heavy Assault Walker
“hell boys” rAnger AttACk squAd The Attack Rangers of ASOCOM are some of the bravest men the Allied Forces place on the front. Armed with mere shotguns, amethrowers, and pure grit, they are willing to throw themselves into harm’s way. The Ranger Attack Squads are the eld commanders that rise from the ranks of the attack squads to command a platoon in the heart of conict. Coming from an ofcer, the requisition of a second amethrower is readily granted by ASOCOM command, and has allowed for victories against impossible odds. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
Special abilitieS Command Squad: This unit commands an Assault platoon. See page 82 for more information on building an Allied platoon.
Additional Support: A platoon that includes a Ranger Attack Squad may include one additional Support unit. This unit must be a Ranger Observer Team or Ranger Sniper Team. The AP cost of the unit must be paid as normal. Fast (page 55)
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 25 AP Base Unit: 1 Ofcer, 4 Attack Rangers Unit Leader: Ofcer
C H A P T E R 5 : T H E A l l i E s
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Shotgun (3)
6”
5/1
3/1
2/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Flamethrower (2)
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Knife (5) Grenades (5)
93
“bbq squAd” AssAult rAnger squAd Assault Rangers are the elite of the elite. Only the most battle-proven soldiers are assigned to the Assault Rangers. Assault Rangers specialize in close-quarters combat against enemy infantry and vehicles. They are also trained to destroy bunkers and fortications, and are experts in the art of digging Axis rats out of their holes. They carry an array of short-ranged weaponry – demolition charges, grenades, amethrowers, and the deadly assault shotgun – and know how to advance rapidly across the battleeld to bring their arsenal into effect. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each Special abilitieS Fast (page 55)
Base Cost: 21 AP Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Rangers Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Shotgun (4)
6”
5/1
3/1
2/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Flamethrower (1)
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
Knife (5) Demolition Charge (5)
“the gunners” CombAt rAnger squAd Combat Rangers are usually the soldiers who must hold the line and stave off hordes of Axis infantry while the rest of the Allied force attempts to achieve another objective. Combat Rangers are well equipped to ght any foe, toting an M9 bazooka capable of disabling any Axis walker, and enough riemen with under-barrel grenade launchers to worry Axis infantry squads. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 17 AP Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Rangers unit upgRadeS: • 3 AP: Upgrade one additional M1 AR and UGL to an M9 Bazooka
Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
M1 Assault Rie (4)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
UGL (4)
12”
2/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
M9 Bazooka (1)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
94
“deAth deAlers” rAnger WeAPon squAd Ranger Weapon Squads lug around the ammo and weaponry to support other units in battle. The heavy weapons squads were originally conceived to eld two teams equipped with .30 caliber machine guns, but Axis walker superiority soon led to the adoption of bazookas as their main weapon of choice. While these squads perform well against Axis armor as well as infantry, they lack the focus of Combat Ranger or Recon Ranger squads. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 20 AP Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Rangers Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
M1 Assault Rie (3)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
UGL (3)
12”
2/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
M9 Bazooka (1)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
.30 Cal Victory MG (1)
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
A l l i E s
The Recon Rangers’ main task is to clear enemy positions for larger assault forces. Recon Rangers have limited repower to get them out of a tight spot. This means Recon Rangers rely on cunning and stealth rather than outright aggression. Casualty rates are particularly high among Recon squads, and they are greatly respected by their peers. They know that the sacrices made by the Recon Rangers pave the way to victory. Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 16 AP Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Rangers Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
M1 Assault Rie (4)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
UGL (4)
12”
2/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
.30 Cal Victory MG (1)
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
5 : T H E
“reCon boys” reCon rAnger squAd
Move: 6
C H A P T E R
95
“CrACk shots” sniPer teAm Sniper Teams are deployed to pick off specic targets on the battleeld like enemy ofcers and heav y weapons. The usual Ranger approach is to go in with all guns blazing, but Snipers are a different breed. They wait patiently for the right moment to strike, and in that moment they take down their target with a single shot. Ranger Snipers operate in teams of two, a shooter and a spotter, and bury themselves deep in cover while they watch for their target. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 12 AP
Special abilitieS Agile (page 53), Sniper (Sniper only, page 56), Spotter (Spotter only, page 56), Team (page 43)
Basic Unit: 1 Sniper, 1 Spotter Unit Leader: Sniper
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
M1 Assault Rie (1)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sniper Rie (1)
36”
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Knife (2) Grenades (2)
“13 foxtrot” observer teAm Allied Observer Teams act as the eyes for artillery batteries, aircraft, and walkers by transmitting target coordinates. Supporting fire can be brought down with pinpoint accuracy from miles away by a soldier with binoculars, a radio, and a map. Axis forces have learned to respect the well supplied Allied artillery aft er having attacks broken by it, and do their best to eliminate Observers in battle. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 8 AP Basic Unit: 2 Radiomen
Special abilitieS Artillery Strike (page 53), Radioman (page 56), Team (page 43)
Unit Leader: Radioman (as noted)
6
2
M1 Assault Rie (2) Knife (2)
96
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
“the hAmmers” heAvy rAnger AssAult squAd Hard-won experience against the Axis has shown that mobility is key. The experimental XM-18-22 aerial assault armor was developed with materials stolen from the Axis Raketentruppen program to give Rangers enhanced speed. Initial trials were for air drops, but improvements to the rocket pack allowed rocket-assisted jumps. Customized in later series, aerial assault armor has emerged as the best way to attack the heart of the enemy. A limited number of Heavy Ranger squads have reached the front lines so far, but many more are in training. Move: 12
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 28 AP
tiP: the hAmmer
Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Rangers
A squad of Heavy Assault Rangers can deal with almost any threat, using their double Rocket Punches. Because enemies can’t react to units moving with the Jump special rule, this close combat focused unit can cover ground quickly and strike at tough targets.
Unit Leader: Heavy Ranger (as noted) Special abilitieS Jump (page 55)
12
3
Rocket Punch (6)
1 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
A l l i E s
While initial deployment of the X M-18-22 aerial assault armor met with results far exceeding initial ASOCOM hopes, military engineers believe the true strength of the armor is as a mobile weapons platform. The bracing and reinforced material that allows for the Rocket Punch weapon also makes it possible for a dual-ring “Victory” machine gun to be mounted on one arm. Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 30 AP Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Rangers Unit Leader: Heavy Ranger (as noted) Special abilitieS Jump (page 55)
12
3
Rocket Punch (3) Dual .30 Cal Victory MG
5 : T H E
“grim reAPers” heAvy rAnger AttACk squAd
Move: 12
C H A P T E R
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
97
“tAnk busters” heAvy rAnger tAnk hunter squAd The XM-18-22 aerial assault armor is highly customizable, and Heavy Rangers have looked to the design to fulll a variety of roles on the battleeld. One variant mounts a powerful M10 bazooka to rapidly respond to the Axis walker threat. Combined with the jump packs, the heavier armor allows Tank Hunters to maneuver against a walker’s lightly armored rear. A anking unit of Tank Hunters has forced many an Axis walker to hold a rear position and ignore more favorable re lanes. Move: 12
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each Special abilitieS Jump (page 55)
Base Cost: 35 AP Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Rangers Unit Leader: Heavy Ranger (as noted)
12
3
Rocket Punch (3) M10 Bazooka (3)
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
16”
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
-
-
-
“red devils” british PArAtrooPs In an effort to further enhance the XM-18-22 assault armor, a prototype 60W Phaser gun was later added to the design. Unfortunately, the larger power pack and heat compensation requirements of the weapon system required that the rocket pack be removed from the core system. Refusing to give up the rapid deployment abilities of the soldiers, ASOCOM put the rebuilt armor in the hands of its most capable paratroopers. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 32 AP Special abilitieS Air Drop (page 53)
Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Paratroopers Unit Leader: Heavy Paratrooper (as noted)
6
3
Rocket Punch (3) 60W Phaser Gun (3)
98
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
12”
3/1
3/1
3/1
3/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
m1 series light AssAult Ass Ault WAlker WAlk er
lAW m1-b “blACkhAWk” Move: 6
Light assault walkers represent a new combat doctrine for the Allies. It calls for large numbers of light, fast walkers that can operate in all theaters and react quickly to a variety of threats. The LAW M1 is expected to win its victories through mass production, weight of numbers and, most importantly of all, a heavyweight heavy weight punch. Veteran tankers tankers are disturbed by the trend and make dire predictions about the M1’s prospects but there are always plenty of volunteers for the newly forming light assault walker regiments. Part of this is because the LAW M1 is a joy to drive – agile, responsive, responsive, and demonstrating excellent acceleration thanks to its twin V8 engine. The M1-A “Wildre” “Wildre” mounts quad .50 cal machine guns for a devastating antiinfantry fusillade, the M1-B “Blackhawk” is equipped with tankbusting dual Heavy PIATs, PIATs, and the M1-C “Honey” is armed with experimental new Phaser weaponry that the Allies are hoping will help to turn back the Axis tide.
Type: Vehicle 3
DC: 3
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Light Assault Walker Walker Weapons: Dual Heavy PIAT (F) Special abilitieS All In One (page 53), 53), Fast (page 55)
lAW m1-C “honey” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 3
DC: 3
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Light Assault Walker Walker Weapons: 120W 120W Dual Phaser Gun (F)
lAW m1-A “Wildfire” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 3
Special abilitieS Fast (page 55)
DC: 3
C H A P T E R
Base Cost: 20 AP Basic Unit: 1 Light Assault Walker Walker
5 :
Weapons: Quad .50 cal Victory MG (F)
T H E
Special abilitieS Fast (page 55)
6
3
A l l i E s
3 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Quad .50 Cal Victory MG
24”
10 10/1
6/1
4/1
3/1
6/1
5/1
3/1
-
-
-
-
5/1
5/1
4 /1
Dual Heavy PIAT
16”
3/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
3/ 2
3/2
3/2
3/2
2/2
2/ 2
1/2
-
-
-
120W Dual Phaser Gun
24”
3/1
3/1
3/1
3/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
99
m2 series medium CombAt WAlker
mCW m2-b “hot dog” Move: 6
The most successful Allied walkers, the MCW M2 series, went into production in 1945. The rst model M2 became known as “Mickey the Frog” for its remarkable jumping ability. The M2-A was fast and well armed with a short-barreled howitzer in a turret converted from a conventional tank mounting. Over time, the Mickey has been converted to later models by replacing its retrotted turret armament.
Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker Weapons: Turret Napalm Thrower, Turret .50 cal Victor y MG, and .30 cal Victory MG (F) Special abilitieS Jump (page 55)
mCW m2-C “Pounder” Move: 6
Allied designers had concerns about the M2 withstanding withstanding the recoil of a large cannon. In spite of the skeptics, designers in Chicago mated mated a high velocity anti-tank gun with the M2 and test-red it. The central mounting in the turret mitigated much of the shock, and with reinforcement the chassis’ legs absorbed the rest. The Pounder was born.
Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 40 AP Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker Weapons: Turret 17 Pounder Gun, Turret .50 cal Victory MG, and .30 cal Victory MG (F)
Allied commanders found that with the current M2s they had a gap in their arsenals. Long-range artillery was needed to break up incoming infantry attacks. Experiments had been made with attaching 4.2” rockets to walkers for additional repower. A rack of four rockets mounted on the M2 turret made an exceptional, artillery artiller y weapon. Even with these minor drawbacks the M2-F “Steel Rain” is much feared for its deadly barrage of heavy rockets.
Special abilitieS Jump (page 55)
mCW m2-f “steel “steel rAi n” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 45 AP
mCW m2-A “miCkey” Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 30 AP
The M2-B was conceived to work alongside the howitzer-armed M2-A with a deadly napalm thrower. In practice, both walkers are used independently and the cover-defeating qualities of the napalm thrower have proved essential. As a result, M2-B “Hot Dogs” have become a common sight on the th e Allied front lines.
Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 4
Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker
DC: 4
Weapons: Turret Petard Mortar, Turret 4.2” Rocket System, and .30 cal Victory MG (F)
Base Cost: 35 AP Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker Weapons: Turret 75mm Howitzer, Turret .50 cal Victory MG, and .30 cal Victory MG (F) Special abilitieS Fast (page 55), Jump (page 55), Self Repair (page 56)
6
4
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
.30 Cal Victory MG
16”
6/ 6 /1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
.50 Cal Victory MG
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
1/1
75mm Howitzer
24”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
3/1
3/ 3/1
2/ 2/1
2/ 2/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
Napalm Thrower
8”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
-
-
-
17 Pounder Gun
36”
8/1
4/1
2/1
2/1
7/1
7/1
6/1
6/1
5/1
5/1
4/1
-
-
-
Petard Mortar
24”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
A
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
-
-
-
4.2” Rocket System
100
C H A P T E R 5 : T H E A l l i E s
101 10 1
m6 series heAvy AssAult Ass Ault WAlker WAlk er
hAW m6-A “Punisher” Move: 6
The M6 Series Heavy Heav y Assault Walker is a modern marvel of engineering. The stable six-leg design allows it to mount massive howitzers, or to support armored fuel canisters for a napalm thrower. thrower. This allows the M6 series to engage multiple enemy tanks, shrugging off attacks with its t hick armor while decimating one enemy walker after another.
Type: Vehicle 7
DC: 10
Base Cost: 100 AP Basic Unit: 1 Heavy Heav y Assault Walker Weapons: Dual 155mm Howitzer (F), Turret Dual .50 cal Victory MG, and Turret Dual .30 cal Victory MG (2)
All of this additional repower, however, has not limited the versatility of the HAW. The “spacious” (for a walker) interior can serve as a transport t ransport for Allied soldiers. This is an impressive feature that makes the Fireball pattern particularly popular with Ranger Assault Squads who wish to deploy as close to the enemy as possible.
Special abilitieS Dozer Blade (page 55), 55), Carry Capacity 6 (page 54) 54)
hAW m6-b “firebAll” Move: 6
The Punisher often ser ves as a mobile command platform. Ofcers are able to command effectively from the M6 and nd the protection of the Punisher almost as decisive decisive as the ability to re the Dual 155mm Howitzer by simply shouting a command over their shoulder.
Type: Vehicle 7
DC: 10
Base Cost: 85 AP Basic Unit: 1 Heavy Heav y Assault Walker Weapons: Fireball Napalm Thrower (F), Turret Dual .50 cal Victory MG, and Turret Dual .30 cal Victory MG (2) Special abilitieS Dozer Blade (page 55), 55), Carry Capacity 6 (page 54) 54)
6
7
10 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Dual .50 Cal Victory MG
24”
10 10/1
4/1
2/1
2/1
4/1
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
2/1
Dual .30 Cal Victory MG
16”
8/ 8 /1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
Dual 155mm Howitzer
36”
8/1
4/1
3/1
2/1
9/1
8/1
8/1
7/1
7/1
6/1
6/1
-
-
-
Fireball Napalm Thrower
12”
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
-
-
-
102
bAzookA Joe Captain Joe Brown is a legendary gure in the circles of ASOCOM. No other gure has amassed as many commendations (or as much controversy) in such a short period of time. “Bazooka Joe” leads platoons in actively frustrating the plans of the shadowy Blutkreuz Korps, a role that has led him into direct conict with the deadly Sigrid von Thaler.
Special abilitieS Leader: A Combat platoon may be led le d by Bazooka Joe rather than a Ranger Command Squad. Bazooka Joe still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Black Ops (page 53) 53)
Joe’s Joe’s experience gives him him an ability ability to adapt to swiftly altering conditions. Many have called Joe Brown the nest eld of cer on the planet. In combat, Captain Captain Brown wields a 40mm grenade launcher and his trusty .45 ACP rather than the eponymous bazooka, in spite of strong pressure from t he propaganda ofcers at ASOCOM to live up to his nickname. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 15 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Grenade Launcher
12”
4/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
.45 Auto Colt Pistol
6”
4/ 4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/ 2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife
rhino Bill Springfield earned the nickname “Rhino” long before he joined the armed forces for his tendency to rush headlong into things. After joining the U.S. Army, he quickly earned citations for his bravery in combat and indomitable character. Although he was offered a commission in ASOCOM, Bill preferred to stay with the U.S. Army at his previous rank, too loyal to his compatriots and his country to make the switch. To his chagrin, “Rhino” has been requested by and loaned out to ASOCOM for several “sneak jobs” (as he calls them). Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
A l l i E s
Berserk (page 53) 53) Jump (page 55) 55)
DC: 4
Basic Unit: 1 Hero
Rocket Punch (2)
3
4 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
103
5 : T H E
Special abilitieS Leader : An Elite platoon may be led by Rhino rather than a Heavy Command Squad. Rhino still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Base Cost: 22 AP
6
C H A P T E R
ACtion JACkson
Special abilitieS Leader: Action Jackson may lead a platoon of British Paratroops. This platoon does not have Support Units and consists of Action Jackson (as the Command Section) and 1 to 4 British Paratroop Units (each treated as a section). The platoon cannot be given any Platoon Upgrades. It other wise must obey all the rules of an Allied platoon.
Major Clayborne follows the proud British tradition of “leading from the front,” often alongside his fellow paratroops. He is well known for leading his fellow elite soldiers into the thick of b attle, and the British media have not been shy about promoting him, much to his annoyance, under the name “Action Jackson.” Those men who serve under Clayborne are loyal to the end, knowing that he asks nothing of his men that he wouldn’t do himself. Often he refers to his men as equals, and chides new recruits when they make the mistake of saluting him.
Air Drop (page 53)
Clayborne is often tasked by Allied scientists to eld test new equipment with the 3rd Battalion. His unit has recently traded its parachutes for brand new heavy body armor, which comes with a new deadly technology: phaser weapons. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 4
Base Cost: 24 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
60W Phaser Gun (2) Kick & Headbutt
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
12”
3/1
3/1
3/1
3/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
rosie
Special abilitieS Tank Head (page 56)
Another famous ASOCOM hero is Master Sergeant Rosie Donovan, who is probably the best-known sergeant in th e Allied armed forces. Rosie made the rst breakthrough in understanding the Axis VK technology when she adapted it to a damaged American tank. This nally unlocked the Axis technical dominance and allowed for great strides in closing the gap. Rosie has opted to stay on the front lines despite off ers of promotion and assignment to a cushy research facility where her technical expertise could be put to best use. Slightly bemused by her meteoric rise to fame, Rosie prefers to stay “hands on” in places where her abilities can make a real difference. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 21 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
M9-D Bazooka Knife Grenades
104
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
ozz 117 This mysterious individual just recently began working for Special Operations Command. His background has been carefully erased, and nobody seems to have known him prior to his involvement in the Retaliate Division. He speaks several languages uently, with no particular accent that might reveal his origin. OZZ is a very efcient eld operative, clearly not made for ofce work! He has proven to be resourceful, reliable, and most of all, deadly. He possesses uncanny tactical skills that enable him and his men to overcome many dangerous situations.
Special abilitieS Leader : An Elite platoon may be led by OZZ 117 rather than a Heavy Command Squad. OZZ 117 still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Heroic Stand (page 55) Jump (page 55)
OZZ lacks the warmth and sympathy of other leaders, such as Joe or Johnny. The soldiers he commands find him cold and calculating, but the veterans have come to respect his battlefield prowess. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 4
Base Cost: 23 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
3
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Rocket Punch
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Flamethrower
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
the Priest The son of British diplomats to Japan, Lt. David Bonner still maintains strong ties to old friends there. After his studies at Oxford, he returned to Japan as a spy in the service of British Naval Intelligence. He was successful until his untimely betrayal, capture, and imprisonment in Manchuria. He eventually escaped, returning to aid the war effor ts of the Allied forces.
Special abilitieS Medal of Honor: Units including a miniature with the Medal of Honor automatically remove all Suppression markers at the start of their activation.
Agile (page 53)
Lt. Bonner earned his nickname by frequently disguising himself in a priest’s vestments to gain access to sensitive Japanese targets. Since his captivity, his mood is darker – but he can still win over almost anybody with a smile. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 19 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Dynamite
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
Webley Revolver
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife
105
C H A P T E R 5 : T H E A l l i E s
Johnny one-eye
Special abilitieS Leader: An Assault platoon may be led by Johnny One-Eye rather than a Ranger Attack Squad. Johnny One-Eye still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Born in Texas to a family of rst-generation Italian immigrants, John Coviello was taught traditional values. He easily earns the trust of others and is a man of his word. These values made him a natural leader of men who always leads from the front, where the action is.
Badass (page 53)
Johnny lost his eye as an OSS operative. He should have been discharged, but he refused to accept it. He repeated basic training and applied for his former position. He proved to everyone that he could still be as efcient as ever. His former colleagues and superiors thought he was mad. Despite this reckless reputation, it is hard to deny the inspirational force that is “Crazy Coviello.” A popular news reel of him lighting his cigar on the wreckage of an Axis walker is a fan favorite back in the states. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 17 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
.30 Cal Victory MG Knife Grenades
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
the Chef
Special abilitieS Whose side is he on? : “The Chef” cannot join a unit. No enemy unit may target him with an Attack action or Reaction until he has declared an Attack action of his own. Once he has declared an Attack action during a game, he may be the target of enemy Attack actions or reactions as normal for the remainder of the game.
The heir to an old and proud family, the Chef was the rst Italian to join Allied Special Forces wh en Rome was liberated. As he uently speaks several European languages, including German and French, he was sent to work for th e Allies’ counterintelligence agency. Though he was born Guglielmo Zanicotti, few people know his real name. He has kept it hidden to protect his family. Now he is one of the top Allied spies, and he accepts the most dangerous assignments in the deadliest places. Guglielmo has been the “inside man” for many of Joe and Rosie’s operations, the most famous being “Red Lightning.” He now resides in Berlin and is very close to the center of Axis power. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 3
Base Cost: 20 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
Hand Flamethrowers Kitchen Knife
106
3 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
6”
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C H A P T E R 6 : T H E A x i s
Chapter 6: the axis
“…Adolf Hitler had arrived. But he was not alone. He had called from the depths of defeat the dark and savage furies latent in the most numerous, most serviceable, ruthless, contradictory, and ill-starred race in Europe. He had conjured up the fearful idol of an all-devouring Moloch of which he was the priest and incarnation. It is not within my scope to describe the inconceivable brutality and villainy by which this apparatus of hatred and tyranny had been fashioned and was now perfected. It is necessary, for the purpose of this account, only to present to the reader the new and f earful fact which had broken upon the still unwitting world: GERMANY UNDER HITLER, AND GERMANY ARMING.” – Winston S. Churchill, The Gathering Storm. The Axis, led by Germany, dominates the entirety of Europe, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Baltic in the north and the Caspian in the southeast. A highly industrialized and populous bloc of nations, the Axis commands vast conscript armies of millions levied – willingly or unwillingly – from its member states. Many Axis countries are under occupation by German troops, who ght an ongoing shadow war against resistance forces. The war on the
Eastern Front dominates Axis strategic thinking and th e 2,000-mile front never occupies less than 80% of available Axis divisions. Superiority in tactics and equipment has kept the numerically superior SSU at bay so far, but the pressure is relentless. Since 1942, the Allies have pursued a massive air campaign against Germany and the other Axis nations. Thousands of warplanes based in Great Britain and Italy pound A xis cities and industry from the air, and many vital factories have had to be moved below ground for their protect ion. Whole cities have been reduced to rubble by Allied bombing, but as painful as such attacks can be, they remain only pinpricks to the mighty Axis war machine. The death of Adolf Hitler and the purging of the Reich in the aftermath have radically altered the political climate of the Axis. The Axis has declared that it seeks only the unification of all nations, and has of fered peace to t he Allied bloc and the SSU on numerous occasions. Both refuse to allow the Axis bloc a chance to research more of its VK t echnology undisturbed. 107
Leaders
Warfronts
In the wake of Operation Valkyrie, talented military and political minds have risen to power within the Axis bloc. Inspiring both bravery, and a sense of patriotic determination, the Axis leaders are more than commanders, they are legends.
The Axis are primarily engaged on the Eastern Front, a vast swathe of steppes, forest, marshes, and farmlands r unning from the ruins of Leningrad in the north to the Caucasus mountains in the south. Years of offensives and counteroffensives have reduced every village, farm, and town in the disputed zones to rubble, and frigid winter conditions prevail over half of the year.
Protector of the reich, Grand admiral Karl dönitz As Grand Admiral of the Kriegsmarine, Dönitz coordinated the U-boat campaign of 1940-43 that virtually paralyzed trans-Atlantic shipping by the Allies. A careful, intellectual warrior, Dönitz was able to avoid most of the myriad political entanglements of the Nazi regime. With the Führer’s assassination, Dönitz was elected as Protector of the Reich by the military council as a “safe choice.” His leadership of the Axis has been cautious and defensive so far, concentrating on building up fortications and armaments. At the opening of 1947 it became clear that the Protector of the Reich had also been secretly building up Axis forces for a massive offensive on all fronts.
commander-in-chief, axis armed forces, field marshal erwin rommel Rommel gained acclaim in the rst battle of France when his condent, aggressive handling of his panzers materially hastened the German victory. In North Africa he took command of the Afrika Korps and literally ran rings around the numerically superior Allied forces confronting him, earning the name “The Desert Fox.” Rommel took an active role in convening the military council to determine the future course of Germany when the Führer was killed in 1943. Rommel’s great popularity with the troops and his lack of involvement with the failures of the Eastern Front made him a good spokesman for the ofcer class. Although Rommel sought no position for himself, the Wehrmacht high commanders voted for him to t ake on the role of commander-in-chief. During Rommel’s tenure, the second Battle of France has absorbed most of his attention and the Eastern Front has been delegated to the byzantine Ostheer command. Now that the Allied armies have been driven out of France, Rommel has turned his attention to the British Isles. He seems determined that the Allies’ “unsinkable aircraft carrier” off the coast of Europe will be silenced once and for all.
108
Axis expeditionary forces also occupy most of Nepal and Tibet far to the east, the fever-ridden jungles of French Equatorial Africa, and have gained a foothold in Iceland in the North. The Afrika Korps has been rebuilt and ghts in the scorching mountains and deserts of Libya once more. Axis operations in 1947 have opened new war fronts in the British Isles, most notably around Dover and Scapa Flow. Although Japan is a part of the Axis bloc, it ghts virtually alone on the far side of the world. Military and technical assistance has been sent to the Pacic theater from Europe by circuitous routes and German walkers have proved just as effective in island campaigns as elsewhere. Japan’s main battle remains predominantly an air and naval one, however, and the European Axis can offer little direct help with that. Substantial Axis forces are stationed in Antarctica even though the difculties of maintaining them in the face of Allied naval power are severe. Control of the vital VK mines there remains a priority above all other considerations.
armed forCes The Axis army, predominantly the German Wehrmacht, is the jewel of its armed forces. Highly disciplined, well trained, and equipped with the nest weaponry devised by Axis scientists, the Axis army has crushed ever y enemy it has encountered to date. Both the Allies and the SSU have been forced to acknowledge the need for superiority in numbers to beat Axis troops with any certainty. The Axis air force remains powerful, but it has struggled to maintain its early-war superiority. The constant air battle with Allied heavy bombers over the Reich has absorbed so many Axis pilots and machines that the front lines are often denuded of air support. Here, more than anywhere else, the Axis’ superior technology has helped to balance the odds by producing a wide variety of turbo-jet, rocket, and magnetically-powered aircraft as well as guided missiles, anti-air lasers, and Doktor Zippermeyer’s deadly Whirlwind Cannon.
As the Axis is a predominantly land-based power, their Navy is focused at striking Allied convoy routes and resisting landings. The cost of the capital ships necessar y to confront the Allies and wrest control of the seas from them is prohibitive and, according to the military council, unnecessary. Instead, an armada of U-boats plague the oceans of the world and are guided to v ulnerable merchant convoys by long-range aircraft. The coastal waters of Europe are infested with high-speed E-b oats, Z-boats, and other light craft. Progressive improvements in the Allies’ U-boat hunting techniques has brought the Axis navy to the edge of ruin on more than one occasion, but each time a new design of U-boat has overcome the threat.
sturmGrenadiere Sturmgrenadiere – “Storm Grenadiers” – form the backbone of the A xis forces holding Europe and large swaths of the globe in thrall. They are hard-bitten, superbly trained veterans of a decade of world warfare that are fanatically loyal to the ideals of the Thousand Year Reich. Competition to join the Grenadiers is erce and each year only the best conscripts are selected for training at brutal infantry warfare schools like Bad Tölz or Posen. The instructors at such places specialize in taking freshfaced recruits and turning them into disciplined, obedient Teutonic warriors with iron in their souls. Grenadier recruits are trained in a wide variety of infantry weapons and tactics as their training regime “sifts” each new intake of men. Over time the body of recruits are allocated to specialist squad training according to their individual talents. Here recruits might be drilled in unique tactics, or be given t wenty minutes to dig entrenchments in the field before tanks are brought in to walk over their positions. Casualties in training are not uncommon but, for the elite, no sacrifice is too great in the struggle for greatness. However well-trained recruits might think themselves, the front line troops are their final tutors, and they are uncompromising masters. Any front line officer has the right to send a recruit back into training if he finds them unsatisfactory, a fate worse than death for most when their instructors find out. A Storm Grenadier’s basic equipment includes “Sturmgrenadiere Ausf. A,” a rigid body armor made up of plates covering the chest, back, and shoulders, in addition to the ubiquitous steel helmet. Sturmgewehr 47 assault rifles are standard issue, along with knives for close-quarters bat tle and often – but ironically, not always – grenades.
axis army List The Axis army is a well- oiled machine of carnage and terror that is capable of crushing half the nations of the Earth beneath its jack-booted feet. Their forces are brutal and efcient, rapidly maneuvering their enemies into f rontal assaults where the A xis’ superior repower and élan beat down any opposition.
C H A P T E R
Players must agree upon an AP limit for a battle. No force may contain units whose combined value is greater than this agreed upon AP limit.
T H E
An Axis army list consists of at least one platoon, but may contain more. For every 150 AP, or fraction thereof, a force may contain one platoon. A 400 AP army, for example, would contain up to three platoons.
axis unit leaders Axis training puts a strong emphasis on individuals using their initiative in small unit actions. Waiting for orders is seen as tantamount to cowardice and subject to punishment. Axis units that lose their leader can always designate a new one automatically at the beginning of the Command phase, without needing a Regroup Order to do so.
axis heroes An army may contain one Hero per 150 AP, or fraction thereof, of the force. Heroes often operate outside the platoon structure and are not considered to be a Section of the platoon unless they are acting as a Command Section through the Leader special ability. Heroes who are not part of a platoon do not count as a Section for any platoon, even if the owning player plans to join the H ero to a unit. When taken as a Command Section, a Hero is treated exactly as if he were a part of the platoon, counting as a Command Section. He may still join a unit as a Hero, but this unit must be from the same platoon as th e Hero. A unit joined by a Hero in this way becomes the platoon’s Command Section for the purposes of giving Orders.
AP Total
Platoons
Heroes
150 or less
1
0–1
151–300
1–2
0–2
301–450
1–3
0–3
Each extra 150
+1 max
+1 max
109
6 :
A x i s
axis Weapons This section lists information and rules about the many different types of weapons used by an Axis force.
2cm & 12.8cm flaK-VierlinG The rst Axis experimental walkers were armed only with machine guns, and it soon became clear they would need heavier weaponr y. The existing 2cm “Flak-Vierling” was selected for the PzAufklL. I-A “Heinrich.” The Flak-Vierling was originally designed as an anti-aircraft weapon system and mounted four 2cm automatic cannons together with one trigger system. Field experience showed that the 2cm Flak-Vierling was an exceptional weapon against infantry and light armor. The only failing of the Flak-Vierling is its lack of penetrating power, something partially mitigated by the arrival of the Laser-Kanone-armed PzAufklL. I-B “Hermann.” The Flak-Vierling was so successful that it was adapted to the Sturmkönig, although in a much larger version.
5cm flaK 43 The earliest examples of the revolutionary PzKpfL. II-A “Luther” walker carried a 3.7cm Flak 37 autocannon as their main armament. The Luther’s early successes in Stalingrad showed few shortcomings with this armament, but later ghting on the steppes proved the Flak 37 to be woefully underpowered at long range. Development of the heavy- gunned “Ludwig” was already underway, so a new 5cm anti-aircraft cannon was selected for the Luther. The Maschinenkanone 214 was originally adopted as an interim weapon for upgunning the Luther, although a superior weapon for the balance of weight, ammo capacity, and rate of re has yet to be found. The 5cm Flak 43 has proved a tremendous success in complementing the Luther’s role as an anti-infantry walker while giving it some teeth in long range ghts with enemy tanks.
8.8cm doPPel-fPK Just hearing the dreaded double-clap sound of the twin eighty-eights of a PzKpfL. II-B “Ludwig” is enough to make an Allied driver inch. It is a deadly weapon that has remained at the core of the Axis anti-tank inventory for half a decade and shows no signs of becoming outmoded yet. Confronted by increasingly heavily-armored Soviet tanks, in 1943 Axis engineers had to nd a quick solution to the menace. A pair of 8.8cm guns from the existing Tiger 1 proved to be the best choice for focusing devastating repower that was more than a match for the Soviet T-34 and KV walkers. Developing a coordinated aiming system proved to be the most complex and time intensive part of the weapon program, but the system now works perfectly.
110
17.3cm fPK zwei An enlarged version of the weapon system found on the more common “Ludwig” Panzer, the 17.3cm FPK Zwei is a terrifying tank hunting weapon, capable of cracking even the heaviest armor. The sheer bulk of the weapon, and its loading mechanism, makes it impractical on most walkers. Found most commonly as a defensive fortication, the recent Königsluther model Schwer-Panzerkampläurer mounts them in a forward position, so that it can hunt enemy armor in support of Blitzkrieg actions. Special Weapon RuleS Penetrator : See page 58.
20mm solothurn One of the few “tank hunting” ries to ever exist, some Grenadiers joke that the weapon’s report sounds more like a bazooka than a rie. With precision, a skilled operator can place the 20mm round in a driver’s chest, or into the main fuel line, quickly disabling enemy walkers. The 20mm Solothurn is equally adapt at hunting infantry targets, and its long range can prove decisive when used to disrupt the enemy chain of command.
“Blut Kreuz” Little is known about the fearsome Totenmeister, and even less is known about the weapon she wields. It is rumored to be derived from the Panzer Glove, but the green haze surrounding the device calls this notion into question. Only a single reel of the weapon in action has ever b een captured, and its destructive effects on a MCW M2-B is enough to give any general pause.
circular saw An odd and unwieldy weapon, the circular saw makes use of a rotating cutting blade that is able to tear through esh and steel at a steady pace. Designed to cut through armored bulkheads, its gruesome effects require the user to have a brutal demeanor to consider turning such a weapon against living creatures.
comBat Knife This knife is large enough to be considered a small sword. The combat knife, employed by many Axis troops, is a thick serrated blade designed not for multi-purpose cutting, but for disabling a living opponent as quickly as possible.
flammenwerfer 40
Grenades
Units of Axis Sturmpioniere sometimes carry Flammenwerfer 40s, a man-portable backpack model of amethrower. The Flammenwerfer 40 is a design unchanged in almost a decade, with armored tanks and a straight pipe and nozzle for delivery, in contrast to the more complex pistol grips of the Allied M-19 amethrower. The exact fuel mixture used by the Axis for their amethrowers is unknown, but it produces a hotter, whiter, and slightly briefer ame than that used by the Allies.
The Blitzkrieg attacks of many platoons put soldiers directly into melee combat and it would be a poor soldier indeed who was unprepared for this eventuality. While every soldier has a boot knife or some form of blade, many are issued grenades, allowing them to make close assaults against enemy armor.
Special Weapon RuleS Burst: See page 57.
Spray : See page 58.
flieGerfaust The success of handheld anti-tank weapons demonstrated by the Panzerschreck and Panzerfaust led some to wonder if the same approach could be applied to an anti-air weapon. At the time, Allied ghter-bombers were becoming a growing threat to the Axis, so prototypes for the Fliegerfaust and several other ideas were designed. The competing designs were put into limited production in an amazingly short period and sent to the frontline troops for evaluation. The Fliegerfaust consists of nine 20mm barrels in a steel frame with a shoulder rest, optical sight, and pistol grip. It is loaded with a clip of nine 20mm rockets inserted in the back, and a press of the trigger ignites them electrically. Soldiers being soldiers, the Grenadiers have also found the Fliegerfaust to be an excellent anti-infantry weapon and passably useful against light walkers, too. Special Weapon RuleS Burst: Fligerfausts may choose to re as a Burst weapon (see page 57). If they do, they gain an Out of Ammo marker until reloaded.
Granatwerfer The Granatwerfer (“grenade thrower”) is a simple weapon system designed using many of the same components as the Panzerfaust Werfer. The layout is the same: typically three rockets mounted together on a vehicle that are red electrically either individually or in a salvo. The major difference lies in the Granatwerfer rocket’s high explosive warheads. These are designed for anti-infantry use and carry a 6 kilogram bursting charge tightly wrapped with wire to create maximum shrapnel effect. Special Weapon RuleS Spray : See page 58.
Indirect Fire: A Granatwerfer may be red using Indirect Fire as if it were an Artillery weapon (see page 57).
C H A P T E R 6 :
Special Weapon RuleS Grenades: See page 58.
T H E
KamPfzanGe The Kampfzange, or combat claw, is derived from construction work tools. It was originally developed for t he PzKpfL. II-A “Luther” to assist with clearing barricades and obstacles in street ghting. Axis tankers soon requested that the claw be made a permanent feature thanks to its great versatility for making running repairs, heaving their tanks through dense terrain, and carrying loads. The Kampfzange is also deadly in close combat and quite capable of ripping enemy vehicles apart. Special Weapon RuleS Self Repair: The Kampfzange gives a Vehicle the Self Repair ability; see page 56.
Mechanic: A miniature equipped with two Kampfzanges gains the Mechanic special ability; see page 55. Obstacle Clearing: The Kampfzange can be used to attack defenses like tank traps, barricades, and barbed wire entanglements. The unit may take a special Attack action against a target obstacle within 3”. When it does, the unit rolls four Combat Dice; if any of them roll a ∆, remove the targeted defense.
laser–Pistole B The Laser–Pistole A was one of the rst lightweight products of the Axis energy weapons research labs, after the development of the much heavier Laser-Werfer. Although issued only to pioneer units, initial reports from the eld about the Laser–Pistole A were favorable and assisted in the development of the Laser- Gewehr. The Laser–Pistole B is still only experimental and very few prototypes are available, but these show a giant leap forward in Axis laser technology. The Laser–Pistole B dispenses with the cumbersome belt pack of the Pistole A and instead uses charge packs of cadmium cells tted above and below the chamber for improved collimation. Range, recharge rate, and penetration all show marked improvements. Special Weapon RuleS Laser: See page 58.
111
A x i s
laser-Gewehr
laser-Kanone
The Laser-Gewehr can only be described as a triumph of Axis advanced technologies. It is a man-portable laser weapon of proven reliability and effectiveness on the battleeld that is immensely popular with the troops. The Laser-Gewehr is only about as effective as an assault rie, is highly visible at night, and requires a bulky backpack generator to operate. Such drawbacks, however, are outweighed by the Laser-Gewehr’s ability to hit several targets at once and the fact that it requires no additional ammunition supply in combat. Laser-Gewehr training has been expanded to all branches of the Axis forces, but the ability of industry to supply laser weapons is far outstripped by demand.
Developing ever-larger laser weapons has been a prime objective of Axis scientists. These include giant ground-toair “Laser–Flak” towers protecting the Ruhr, a laser-armed battleship, and several different laser-equipped vehicles. However, achieving consistent energy outputs in larger laser weapons has proven surprisingly difcult. At present the only known example of the much sought after “LaserKanone” in operational service is mounted on the PzAkL I-B “Hermann.” The Hermann mounts no other weaponry apart from its Laser-Kanone, a fact that has led to some speculation that some side effect of the laser generator renders other weapons ineffective or unstable.
Special Weapon RuleS Laser: See page 58.
Special Weapon RuleS Laser: See page 58.
laser-werfer and schwer laser-werfer
mauser
The Laser-Werfer was the rst portable laser technology to be manufactured in large numbers. The Laser-Werfer is nicknamed the “Laser Bazooka“ and has proven itself to be a deadly anti-tank weapon. Despite being heavy and bulky to deploy, the Laser-Werfer continues to see service on all fronts for its exceptional range and hitting power. Recent spy reports emanating from Europe have been worrying Allied analysts. They indicate that an upgraded and even deadlier version of the Laser-Werfer has been developed specically for equipping “heavy” Laser Grenadier units. Meanwhile, Allied experiments in reective armor have failed to yield any appreciable results. Special Weapon RuleS Laser: See page 58.
This long-barreled Mauser C96 pistol can be equipped with a wooden stock (which doubles as a convenient carrying case). The distinctive look and added penetration has earned the weapon the nickname “Box Cannon” or – amongst the Allies – “The Broomhandle.”
mG 44 & 48 maschinenGewehr The traditional excellence of Axis light and medium machine gun designs has continued into the MG 44 model commonly found tted to walkers and other vehicles as their secondary armament. The MG 44 has a high rate of re, an extremely reliable action, and an ease of maintenance that endears it to all of its users. Most Grenadier squads have recently replaced their MG 44s with brand new MG 48s, the very latest generation of support machine guns from the Ruhr. The MG 48 uses new temperature resistant alloys for its barrel that permit it to achieve even higher rates of re than the older MG 44. Some of the excess MG 44s have been repurposed into the so-called Doppel-MG 44. The Doppel-MG 44 is an experimental weapon intended for Sturmgrenadiers involved in heavy street ghting. It features two MG 44s attached to a shock absorbing armor plate and fed from a backpack hopper. In principle the additional armor protects the user until they get close enough to unleash a veritable bullet storm with the twin MGs.
neBelwerfer 42 The Nebelwerfer 42 is a twin mounted multi-tube rocket launcher that is the signature weapon of the PzKpfL. II-D “Lothar.” The Nebelwerfer 42 was developed at Kummersdorf West in response to specic requirements for a high repower artillery weapon that could be mounted on a vehicle and red either directly or indirectly as required. The solution proved to be a variant on the 21cm HE rocket known as the Wurfgranate Spreng, a tried-and-
112
true bombardment weapon capable of carr ying a 10kg warhead almost eight kilometers. A bank of ten of these rockets mounted on each side of the PzKpfL. II chassis has proved more than adequate for the army’s requirements. Special Weapon RuleS Artillery : See page 57.
Spray : A Nebelwerfer is treated as a Spray weapon (see page 58), except that cover rolls can be made against the Nebelwerfer damage as normal.
vehicles. Their larger propellant charge has done something to extend range over that of the infantry version Panzerfaust, but it remains too short for serious walker duels. Panzerfaust– Werfers are often mounted on lighter vehicles like the PzAufklL. 1-C “Hans” to give them enough short range power to get out of trouble or go tank hunting. Reactions to attempts to mount Panzerfaust–Werfers on heavier walkers involved in city and jungle ghting have been mixed. Special Weapon RuleS Tank Killer: See page 58.
The Raketenpanzerbüchse 44-48, more commonly known as the “Panzerschreck,” is a recent design of anti-tank rocket launcher in widespread production by the A xis powers. Reliable and easy to use, it f eatures an “over and under” dual tube design capable of holding t wo 8.8cm rockets ready for ring. The combined destructive power of the rockets is enough to cripple most walkers and Axis tank hunting teams are commonly equipped with two Panzerschrecks to ensure complete target eradication. The most recent Panzerschreck models incorporate a simple low-power laser to assist with aiming, more convenient disposable battery packs for rocket ignition, and changes that facilitate ring an unmanned Panzerschreck remotely from prepared ambush or defensive positions.
Panzerfaust A Panzerfaust is a single-shot disposable anti-tank rocket produced by the millions in Axis factories. According to propaganda, every soldier becomes a potential tank hunter when armed with a Panzerfaust. In reality, considerable courage is required for success with a Panzerfaust due to the short range of the rocket. A comparatively lucky hit is also needed to heavily damage a tank with the single shaped 8.8cm warhead that the Panzerfaust delivers. However, despite its limitations, the Panzerfaust has changed the face of warfare by enabling unsupported Axis soldiers to resist walker attacks at close quarters, particularly in dense terrain. Special Weapon RuleS Reload: See page 58.
Panzerfaust–werfer The success of the Panzerfaust has led to its adoption, in larger form, for vehicles. The Panzerfaust–Werfer mounts a bundle of three anti-tank rockets that are aimed together. The Panzerfaust–Werfer’s electrical ignition system is congured so that individual rockets or the entire bundle can be red as required. The heavy shaped-charge warheads used in the Panzerfaust–Werfer rockets are particularly deadly against
6 : T H E
Reload: See page 58.
PanzerschrecK rPzB 44-48
C H A P T E R
A x i s
Panzer GloVe and schwerer Panzer GloVe The “Panzer Glove” and its derivatives are specialist close combat weapons employed by the unspeakable minions of the Blutkreuz Korps. Allied intelligence have had limited opportunities to study functional panzer gloves and speculate that their reportedly spectacular effects relate to built-in shock capacitors that add a high voltage blast to every strike. This certainly seems to be the case with the “Schwerer” panzer glove, which has its own backpack generator. When combined with the inhuman strength of their usual wielders, these weapons become all but unstoppable in close quarters. Requisite warnings have been issued to all Ranger units on the front lines.
sniPer Gewehr PsG1 This high-precision marksman’s rie is used by members of the elite Axis sniper corps. High- quality optical sights are tted as standard to this extremely accurate rie and the PSG1 features a semi- automatic bolt action that is silenced by a special locking system. The Sniper Gewehr res only single shots, so 15 or 20-round detachable box magazines are standard issue. M-46 Infrared night vision gear (Vampire) can be tted to the PSG1, but is uncommon in the eld due to its awkward and highly prominent sight array.
stG 47 (sturmGewehr mP47) The standard issue assault rie of the Axis forces is the lightweight but deadly StG 47. It is a robustly built weapon made from pressed steel parts with a minimum of machining, fed by a 30 -round detachable box magazine on the underside. Although capable of f ully automatic re at up to 600 rounds per minute, the StG 47 is generally red using its three round burst limiter to control recoil and ammunition use. Early models of the StG came with wooden or acrylic stocks and foregrips, but later production runs have featured retractable metal stocks that are extremely popular with the front line troops.
113
pLatoons Axis platoons are permanent organizations formed to serve under commanders, reporting up the chain of command all the way to Rommel, or sometimes even Dönitz. The Axis commanders designate missions to Officers who are expected to complete the action with the resources provided. Often, additional support, or several officers, will be given a mission together, with one Officer leading the offensive.
orGanization A platoon is formed of a Command Section and one to four sections. Each section is comprised of one Soldier unit each. Every platoon must contain a mandatory Command Section and 1st Section. Axis platoons often maintain a small motor pool for their own use, or may gain additional support from trained specialists and Panzer assets. There are three types of platoons available to the Axis army: • Sturmgrenadiere platoons have access to a variety of units that make them the backbone of an Axis ghting force. • Schwer platoons are tough and elite platoons, able to dish out serious damage and weather incoming re. • Blutkreuz platoons are a highly specialized ghting force that makes frequent use of A xis Zombies and other strange techniques.
Platoon sections When choosing which sections a platoon elds, players have a great deal of freedom. While the plato on must contain both a Command Section and a 1st Section, it is not required to select additional sections in any order. A platoon is not compelled to include a 2nd Section before it includes a 3rd Section, for instance. The only limitations are mandatory Command and 1st Sections, and the restriction of one Support unit for every two sections. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) The platoon must be led by a Command Section, which is usually a squad of ofcers, but may be a heroic leader. A battleeld Command Section may issue Orders during the Command phase.
114
1St Section (mandatoRy) The 1st Section of the platoon is usually the Command Section’s most trusted subordinates. This Section (like th e Command Section) is mandatory, and a platoon must contain one unit chosen from the 1st Section list provided by the platoon entry. 2nd Section (optional) It’s likely that the 2nd Section is chosen from the same pool of candidates as the 1st Section, and serves as a redundant asset on the battleeld. Some platoons deploy more aggressive assault units, when they are available, such as Axis Gorillas. 3Rd Section (optional) The 3rd Section of an Axis platoon are often troubleshooters, able to deal with a variety of threats. Heavily armed, or simply expected to do the impossible, these units will likely operate away from the main combat force, or hold a critical rear position. 4th Section (optional) The 4th Section acts as the platoon’s tactical response. These units hold critical positions and slow the enemy advance so that mission-critical targets or objectives can be obtained. SuppoRt unit (one peR tWo SectionS) A platoon may eld one Support unit for each two sections it includes (i.e., a platoon with four sections can choose up to two Support units). The Support units are often vehicles, but some may include additional squads that perf orm a role not typically part of a platoon’s engagement protocols. A Support unit does not count as a section, and does not unlock additional Support units. platoon upgRadeS (optional) A platoon may purchase one platoon upgrade from the bloc’s platoon upgrade list (see “Platoon Upgrades” on page 115).
sPecial orders The ofcers of each platoon have access to a special Order, based on the platoon type they are leading. The Command Section of each platoon may issue these Orders in addition to any other order types available to the unit. Unless specifically noted, a Hero serving as the Unit’s Command Section may issue this special order. Heroes leading a unique platoon through their Leadership special ability, such as Markus, do not have access to these special Orders.
pLatoon Upgrades While the Axis forces strive to maintain rigid discipline amidst their unied force, commanders are expected to take advantage of every opportunity to achieve victory. Many Axis ofcers have access to additional resources beyond that of a standard platoon. Each platoon may purchase one platoon upgrade at the noted AP cost. Some platoon upgrades have additional restrictions (limited per force, or restricted to specic platoon types).
defenses (5 aP) The platoon is trained at quickly creating a defensive position in preparation for combat. During deployment, one Axis Soldier unit may be deployed “Dug-in,” in addition to any other units permitted by the scenario.
extra Panzer suPPort (10 aP) The platoon has access to additional walkers. If a platoon has three or fewer sections, the platoon may include one additional Light Panzer I Series Walker. If the platoon has four or more sections it may instead include one additional Medium Panzer II Series Walker. The force must pay the AP cost of the walker as normal. The walker must be of a type normally available to the platoon as a support unit. This upgrade may only be chosen by one platoon in a force.
imPlacaBle (15 aP) The soldiers in this platoon do not fear death; they are certain that any sacrice they make is necessary for the cause. During the End phase, Soldier units in this platoon remove one additional Suppression marker.
imProVed command (5 aP) The Platoon has an improved command structure and encoded communications. Add one additional Radioman (equipped with an StG 47 and a knife) to the Kommandotrupp or Sturmpioniere. This upgrade may only be purchased by a Sturmgrenadiere platoon that is led by a Kommandotrupp or a Blutkreuz platoon that is led by a Sturmpioniere Squad.
liGhtninG war (10 aP) The force is rarely caught unprepared and is able to rapidly deploy in moments. When a unit in the platoon enters play from off-table, (such as in scenarios with the unprepared deployment type) it gains the Fast special ability. This means that units entering play with the Reserved special ability (but not special abilities such as Air Drop, which allow a unit to be treated as Reserved) may move up to 6” after being deployed.
neBelwerfer BarraGe (20 aP) Rail or walker Nebelwerfer assets have precious moments to bombard the enemy forces with scat tered explosives. At the beginning of the controlling player’s rst Command phase, each enemy Soldier unit that has more than half of its miniatures not completely within an area of terrain gains a Suppression marker.
115
C H A P T E R 6 : T H E A x i s
stUrmgrenadiere pLatoon Sturmgrenadiere platoons are the core component of Axis combined arms “Kampfgruppen.” A platoon is made up of a large number of Storm Grenadiers armed with a variety of weapons. The Storm Grenadier platoon is exible enough for defense and ferocious in attack. Often they are organized with their own tank support attached for joint armor-infantry operations. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) A Sturmgrenadiere platoon is always led by a Kommandotrupp or a Hero allowed to lead the platoon through the Leader special ability. 1St Section (mandatoRy) • Battle Grenadiers
3Rd Section (optional) • Battle Grenadiers
• Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Laser Grenadiers 4th Section (optional) • Laser Grenadiers
• Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Laser Grenadiers SuppoRt unit (one peR t Wo SectionS) • Beobachter Team
• Laser Grenadiers
• Sniper Grenadier Team
• Recon Grenadiers
• Any Light Panzer I Series Walker
• Heavy Flak Grenadiers
• Any Medium Panzer II Series Walker
2nd Section (optional) • Battle Grenadiers
• Laser Grenadiers • Axis Gorillas
sPecial order Sturmgrenadiere platoons have access to the following Order.
BlitzKrieG! All Axis soldiers and Panzer crews are drilled relentlessly in the power of individual units to sustain the momentum in an attack. When the Order is given, an Axis unit will strain every sinew to blaze a path to victory. Once per Command phase, the Command Section of a Sturmgrenadiere platoon may issue one “Blitzkrieg!” Order to one unit in their platoon. The ordered unit takes a single Move action, regardless of any Suppression or Reaction markers that may be on it. The unit does not gain a Reaction marker when given a “Blitzkrieg!” Order like it would when given a “Take Action” Order.
116
• Any Heavy Panzer VI Series Walker
KommandotruPP The Axis has a strong tradition of junior ofcer training. Likely candidates are carefully groomed to enter the lower echelons of the Axis elite ofcer cadre. Alertness, efciency and ruthless dedication to the greater glory of the Axis are seen as the hallmarks of a good ofcer. The best of them share the trials of the front line with their men, winning a erce dedication from them. In combat, the Kommandotrupp ensures that attacks do not falter and that every weakness in the enemy is exploited to the fullest. A Kommandotrupp includes supporting soldiers like radiomen, medics, and mechanics to help the platoon sustain momentum, but they are not seen as essential and their absence is certainly no excuse for failure. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
Special abilitieS Command Squad: This unit commands a Sturmgrenadiere platoon. See page 109 for more information on building an Axis platoon.
Additional Support: A platoon that includes a Kommandotrupp may include one additional Support unit. This unit must be a Beobachter Team or Sniper Grenadier Team. The AP cost of the unit must be paid as normal. Artillery Strike (Radioman only, page 53) Mechanic (Mechanic only, page 55) Medic (Medic only, page 55)
DC: 1 each
Radioman (Radioman only, page 56)
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Ofcer, 1 Storm Grenadier, 1 Mechanic, 1 Medic, 1 Radioman Unit Leader: Ofcer
C H A P T E R 6 : T H E A x i s
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
StG 47 (4)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
MG 48 (1)
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
1/1
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
117
sChWer pLatoon Schwer platoons make frequent use of heavy armor and the most resilient soldiers the Axis forces can muster. The platoon still operates like the more traditional Sturmgrenadiere platoon, but with marked reliance on a steady advance and overwhelming repower. Schwer platoons are often trusted with missions where secrecy is important, as they have fewer eyes t o witness events. command Sec tion (mandatoRy) A Schwer platoon is always led by a Heavy Kommandotrupp or a Hero allowed to lead the platoon through the Leader special ability. 1St Section (mandatoRy) • Axis Gorillas
4th Section (optional) • Battle Grenadiers
• Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Laser Grenadiers SuppoRt unit (one peR t Wo SectionS) • Beobachter Team
• Sniper Grenadier Team • Medium Panzer Walker II-A “Luther” • Medium Panzer Walker II-B “Ludwig”
• Heavy Recon Grenadiers
• Medium Panzer Walker II-E “Loth”
• Heavy Flak Grenadiers
• Any Heavy Panzer VI Series Walker
• Heavy Laser Grenadiers 2nd Section (optional) • Heavy Recon Grenadiers
sPecial order Schwer platoons have access to the following Order.
• Heavy Flak Grenadiers • Heavy Laser Grenadiers 3Rd Section (optional) • Battle Grenadiers
• Recon Grenadiers • Heavy Recon Grenadiers
118
taKe charGe The force has been drilled with the understanding that each soldier is capable of taking charge in dire situations. Once per Command phase, the Command Section of a Schwer platoon may issue itself a “Take Charge” Order. Every unit within 12” that has not been given an Order already during the Command phase immediately receives a Regroup Order.
heaVy KommandotruPP
Special abilitieS Command Squad: This unit commands a Schwer platoon. See page 109 for more information on building an Axis platoon.
Ofcers equipped with customized heavy armor are some of the most experienced ofcers the Axis force can eld. The increased resilience and dedicated protection allow the Heavy Kommandotrupp to survive in even the most contested of fronts, developing skills that make them highly effective combat leaders. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
Additional Support: A platoon that includes a Heavy Kommandotrupp may include one additional Support unit. This unit must be a Beobachter Team or Sniper Grenadier Team. The AP cost of the unit must be paid as normal.
DC: 1 each
Damage Resilient (page 55)
Base Cost: 35 AP
Artillery Strike (Schwer Ofcer only, page 53)
Basic Unit: 1 Schwer Officer, 1 Schwer Mechanic, 1 Schwer Medic
Mechanic (Schwer Mechanic only, page 55)
Unit Leader: Schwer Ofcer
Medic (Schwer Medic only, page 55) Radioman (Schwer Ofcer only, page 56)
C H A P T E R 6 : T H E A x i s
6
3
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
MG 44 Zwei (2)
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
Fliegerfaust (1)
16”
6/1
3/1
2/1
1/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
2/1
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Combat Knife (3)
119
BLUtkreUz pLatoon The performance of this “undead weapon” caused many highranking German ofcers to request widespread use of the Wiederbelebungsserum. Axis soldiers refused to serve with “one of those things”; they were frightening to both friends and enemies. Only the Sturmgrenadiere of the Blutkreuz Korps could stand the zombies’ presence. Those willing to serve (and be administered the serum) were formed into Blutkreuz platoons. They are often deployed away from other Axis forces, but mission requirements occasionally see them serving in front line battles.
3Rd Section (optional) • Axis Gorillas
• Axis Zombies • Battle Grenadiers • Heavy Recon Grenadiers 4th Section (optional) • Axis Gorillas
• Axis Zombies
command Sec tion (mandatoRy) A Blutkreuz platoon is always led by a Sturmpioniere Squad or a Hero allowed to lead the platoon through the Leader special ability.
• Battle Grenadiers
1St Section (mandatoRy) • Axis Zombies
• Laser Grenadiers
• Heavy Laser Grenadiers • Laser Grenadiers 2nd Section (optional) • Battle Grenadiers
• Recon Grenadiers
SuppoRt unit (one peR t Wo SectionS) • Beobachter Team
• Sniper Grenadier Team • Any Light Panzer I Series Walker • Medium Panzer II-A “Luther”
• Heavy Flak Grenadiers
• Medium Panzer II-B “Ludwig”
• Laser Grenadiers
• Any Heavy Panzer VI Series Walker
sPecial order Blutkreuz platoons have access to the following Order.
wiederBeleBunGsserum failsafe The entire force has been issued injections of the highly controversial Wiederbelebungsserum. Once per Command phase, the Command Section of a Blutkreuz platoon may issue a “Failsafe” Order to a non-Zombie unit. Roll one Combat Die for each miniature lost from the ordered unit during the previous game turn. Place a new unit of Axis Zombies with every miniature within 3” of the ordered unit. This unit will have a number of miniatures equal to the number of ∆ scored. These Zombies are armed with Combat Knives (x2 each) instead of Panzer Gloves (x2 each). This unit is treated as being worth 0 AP, never awards a Superiority Point if eliminated, and is ignored for the purposes of calculating objectives.
120
sturmPioniere The Allied forces have long employed squads equipped with amethrowers for use in densely-packed urban environments. The tactical advantage of these weapons was not lost on the Axis. As more and more of the battle fronts were reduced to the bombedout husks of buildings, the ammenwerfer began to provide a key strategic exibility. Ofcers employed the device in their own squads, directing the potent weapons against key enemy emplacements. The Sturmpioniere Squad was born, staffed with ofcers who react to nearly any threat by charging into the fray to disrupt and distract. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
Special abilitieS Command Squad: This unit commands a Blutkreuz platoon. See page 109 for more information on building an Axis platoon.
Additional Support: A platoon that includes a Sturmpioniere may include one additional Support unit. This unit must be a Beobachter Team or Sniper Grenadier Team. The AP cost of the unit must be paid as normal.
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Ofcer, 4 Storm Grenadiers Unit Leader: Ofcer
C H A P T E R 6 : T H E A x i s
6
2
StG 47 (4) Flammenwerfer 40 (1) Panzerfaust (3) Knife (5)
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
121
Battle Grenadiers “Kampf,” or Battle Grenadier squads, evolved from early war formations into a exible unit capable of handling any opposition. Battle Grenadiers are equipped with a Panzerschreck and several Panzerfausts in addition to their assault ries, making them a thorny prospect for both infantry and walkers. They are normally used defensively and to undertake anti-tank operations in favorable terrain. However, in a general assault, “Kampf” squads are sometimes used en masse so that the combined weight of their re can be used to drive off walkers and counterattacks. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 17 AP unit upgRadeS: • 3 AP: Upgrade one additional StG 47 to a Panzerschreck
Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Storm Grenadiers Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
StG 47 (4)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Panzerschreck (1)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
Panzerfaust (2)
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
laser Grenadiers Laser Grenadiers are a new breed of soldier. They are rigorously trained in the operation of the Laser-Gewehr, Laser-Werfer, and other laser-based weaponry. Axis command would like to see laser weapons distributed to all troops, but so far demand has outstripped supply. In the interim, the Laser Grenadiers have emerged as an elite force. A Laser Grenadier can eld-strip his weapon blindfolded, and has the requisite engineering skills to diagnose most problems and x them for himself. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 21 AP Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Laser Grenadiers Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
Laser–Gewehr (4)
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Laser–Werfer (1)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
122
recon Grenadiers Aufklärer squads specialize in scouting and reconnaissance. They are usually lightly equipped with only their assault rifles and an MG 48 light machine gun for squad support. Grenades and Panzerfausts ensure that Recon Grenadiers can deal with a wide range of enemies at close quarters, but their preferred opponents are enemy soldiers. Aufklärer squads are often used to probe ahead of A xis attacks. They seize favorable positions and test the enemy line for weak points while heavier units are brought into position to exploit any early successes. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 17 AP Basic Unit: 1 NCO, 4 Storm Grenadiers Unit Leader: NCO
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
StG 47 (4)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
MG 48 (1)
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
1/1
Panzerfaust (3)
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife (5)
C H A P T E R 6 :
axis zomBies
T H E
These creatures are “resurrected” from fallen Axis soldiers by the Wiederbelebungsserum. Less than half of those “treated” retain enough sentience to recognize their allies and these are only capable of wielding the simplest weapons. Nonetheless, these “Untertoten” are hard to kill, and their presence spreads a morbid fear through Allied forces. Axis zombies are only deployed for critical operations as their existence is still ofcially denied by higher command. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
A x i s
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 19 AP Basic Unit: 5 Axis Zombies Special abilitieS Blutkreuz Zombie (page 54), Damage Resilient (page 55), Fast (page 55)
Unit Leader: Any Miniature
6 Panzer Glove (10)
2
1 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
123
sniPer Grenadier team Grenadier snipers form an elite corps within the Axis armed forces. These ace shooters are famed for their exceptional cool and daring as well as their high body counts. The two-man teams of sniper and spotter can turn the course of a battle with a single well-aimed bullet by eliminating an enemy ofcer or weapon crew at the right time. Propaganda services do their best to promote the mythology surrounding snipers amongst the front line troops, publishing their latest “hunting expedition” results like sports scores in newspapers. Not only does this create a sense of hero-worship among the troops, it also generates a good dose of healthy rivalry between the snipers! Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each Special abilitieS Agile (page 53), Sniper (Sniper only, page 56), Spotter (Spotter only, page 56), Team (page 43)
Base Cost: 12 AP Basic Unit: 1 Sniper, 1 Spotter Unit Leader: Spotter
6
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
StG 47 (1)
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sniper Gewehr PSG1 (1)
36”
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Knife (2) Grenades (2)
BeoBachter team So-called “Beobachter” teams perform the essential role of observation for tank, artillery, and aircraft support. Their primary weapons are maps, radios, and binoculars. Their information allows devastating barrages to be brought down with pinpoint accuracy on targets unseen by distant batteries or invisible to high-ying aircraft. Life in an observer squad is extremely risky. If the enemy identies an observer’s positions, they will make strenuous efforts to bring them under re, knowing that if the observers can be destroyed, more distant enemies will also be blinded. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 8 AP Special abilitieS Artillery Strike (page 53), Radioman (page 56), Team (page 43)
Basic Unit: 2 Radiomen Unit Leader: Radioman (as noted)
6 StG 47 (2) Knife (2)
124
2
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
axis Gorillas German scientists began experiments on enhanced apes in the late thirties, ostensibly to create candidates for Axis rockets. Under the auspices of the shadowy Blutkreuz Korps the experiments continued, using newly developed drugs to create Kampfaffe 001 (nicknamed “Markus”), the rst true “war gorilla.” Markus and his cohorts proved mentally agile enough to make useful soldiers in battle, and have been brutally suborned into the Axis war effort. The natural speed and strength of war gorillas is a terrifying thing to behold and is further enhanced by steel sts – panzer gloves – that render the apes capable of literally ripping vehicles apart in hand-to-hand combat. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
tiP: climBinG the tower
Base Cost: 24 AP Basic Unit: 3 Axis Kampfaffen
It’s not just fun to imagine a unit of Gorillas scaling into the ruins of a building to attack the unit inside... it’s highly effective! With their ability to receive orders anywhere on the board, and the Blutkreuz Ape ability, Axis Gorillas can get to any target and destroy it!
Unit Leader: Axis Kampfaffen (as noted) Special abilitieS Blutkreuz Ape (page 53), Fast (page 55)
6
3
Panzer Glove (6)
1 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
6 :
heaVy recon Grenadiers
T H E
The initial wave of Schwer-Sturmgrenadiere armor is f ar more resistant to battleeld conditions than the Allies’ own heavy armor. However, due to the denser materials used in its construction, the Schwer armor must remain earthbound, despite the Axis’ superior rocket advances. Many Storm Grenadiers have accepted this restriction in stride, preferring to survive the battle and learn from their mistakes where the reckless Allies’ assaultfocused heavy infantry would simply die. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
A x i s
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 30 AP Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Storm Grenadiers Unit Leader: Heavy Storm Grenadier (as noted) Special abilitieS Damage Resilient (page 55)
6
C H A P T E R
3
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
MG 44 Zwei (3)
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
Combat Knife (3)
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
125
heaVy laser Grenadiers Continuing development of Sturmgrenadiere armor has led to the development of heavier Ausf. “B” and “C” armor. So-called “Schwer-Squads” equipped with the heavier armor t ypes have only been encountered by the Allies in limited numbers, equipped with the heaviest of modern Axis weaponry. Heavy Grenadiers wielding upgraded Schwer Laser-Werfers have been encountered on several occasions, and there are rumors of even more powerful weapons. Allied intelligence fears an expansion in the number of Schwer Laser-Werfers reaching the front lines. So far they have been deployed, much like Laser Grenadiers, only for the most vital operations. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
Special abilitieS Damage Resilient (page 55)
Base Cost: 35 AP Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Storm Grenadiers Unit Leader: Heavy Storm Grenadier (as noted)
6
3
Schwer Laser-Werfer (3)
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Combat Knife (3)
heaVy flaK Grenadiers While many see the implementation of the Fliegerfaust as a step down from the MG 44 Zwei, or the Schwer Laser-Werfer, the weapon has proven useful in thwarting Allied assault tactics. The inexpensive construction (and readily available surplus Fliegerfausts) makes the weapon extremely cheap to issue to soldiers. With their added resistance to small arms re, the Heavy Flak Grenadiers are able to hol d the line against far superior numbers. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
DC: 1 each
Base Cost: 26 AP Basic Unit: 3 Heavy Storm Grenadiers Unit Leader: Heavy Storm Grenadier (as noted) Special abilitieS Damage Resilient page 55)
6 Fliegerfaust (3) Combat Knife (3)
126
3
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
6/1
3/1
2/1
1/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
2/1
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
liGht Panzer walKer The PzAufklL. I was one of the simplest Axis operational walker designs. Its original machine gun armament quickly proved inadequate, and it was soon superseded by the PzAufklL. I Ausf. A “Heinrich,” mounting a modied Flak-Vierling 2cm cannon. Even with upgraded armament, the small size of the PzAufklL. I relegated it to support, scouting, and reconnaissance work as increased numbers of the PzKpfL. II became available. The PzAufklL. I continued to be manufactured in factories unable to produce PzKpfL. IIs, so further advances in weaponry were sought to give the PzAufklL. I chassis a new lease on life. First came the PzAufklL. I Ausf. B “Hermann,” equipped with a single Laser-Kanone, transforming it into a deadly tank hunter.
liGht Panzer walKer i-c “hans” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 3
DC: 3
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Light Assault Walker Weapons: Granatwerfer (F) and Panzerfaust–Werfer (F) Special abilitieS Scout Vehicle (page 56)
Next came the PzAufklL. I Ausf. C “Hans,” equipped with batteries of heavy anti-infantry and anti-tank rockets, the Granatwerfer and Panzerfaust–Werfer, respectively. The short-range punch of these weapons has allowed the Hans to operate far more aggressively than earlier marks ever could. An advancing Panzer division is often preceded by detachments of Hans walkers seeking first contact with the enemy. As the battle develops, they often t ry to slip around the sides and rear of enemy formations to ambush HQ and supply elements behind the front lines.
C H A P T E R
liGht Panzer walKer i-a “heinrich” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 3
6 : T H E
DC: 3
Base Cost: 20 AP
A x i s
Basic Unit: 1 Light Assault Walker Weapons: 2cm Flak-Vierling (F)
liGht Panzer walKer i-B “hermann” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 3
DC: 3
Base Cost: 20 AP Basic Unit: 1 Light Assault Walker Weapons: Laser-Kanone (F)
6
3
3 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
2cm Flak-Vierling
30”
10/1
5/1
3/1
2/1
5/1
4/1
3/1
-
-
-
-
5/1
5/1
4/1
Laser–Kanone
24”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
Granatwerfer
16”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Panzerfaust–Werfer
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
127
medium Panzer walKer
mPw ii-a “luther”
The PzKpfL. II-A “Luther” was the rst Axis walker to achieve full operational status and played a decisive role in the victory at Stalingrad. The combat conguration of the Luther has remained essentially the same throughout its history – a rapid-re cannon, cupola-mounted machine gun and “Kampfzange” combat claw. The Luther was up-gunned to a 5cm cannon from its original 3.7cm weapon in 1943 and improvements to the cupola machine gun have enabled it to be red remotely by the crew from inside the walker. Luthers are often used to form the rst wave of a Panzer assault. Dueling with enemy walkers at long range is strictly forbidden – that’s a job for the PzKpfL. II-B “Ludwig.”
Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 30 AP Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker Weapons: 5cm Flak 43 (F), Kampfzange (F), and Turret MG 44 Special abilitieS Charge (page 54)
mPw ii-B “ludwiG”
The appearance of increasing numbers of Soviet vehicles on the Eastern Front led to a crash program to up -arm existing Axis Panzers. The PzKpfL. II Ausf. B “Ludwig” design uses a pair of 8.8cm tank cannons adapted from the obsolete Tiger tank. Pairing the cannons together ensured plenty of armor penetration and solved many of the inherent recoil problems t ypical to walkers. An entirely new aiming system had to b e designed to handle the novel twin-gun layout satisfactorily. The research phase for the new sights was a long and painstaking process with innumerable small adjustments necessary to each new development as it was tested. The resulting walker was worth the delays and quickly gained a reputation for having superl ative accuracy with its long-range cannon.
Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 40 AP Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker Weapons: 8.8cm Doppel-FpK (F) and Turret MG 44
mPw ii-d “lothar” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 40 AP Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker
The success of the “Ludwig” illustrated the desirability of supplementing Panzers with some form of long-range artillery. The PzKpfL. II-D “Lothar” mounts the Nebelwerfer 42 as its main armament, two batteries of ten 21cm rockets. The rockets can be launched directly or angled upward to re indirectly and deluge enemy positions with re. The barrage from a Lothar is a devastating anti-infantry weapon that’s also powerful enough to be dangerous to enemy tanks caught in the re zone.
Weapons: Nebelwerfer 42 (F) and Turret MG 44
mPw ii-e “loth” Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 4
DC: 4
Base Cost: 25 AP Basic Unit: 1 Medium Combat Walker Weapons: Kampfzange x 2 (F) and Turret MG 44 Special abilitieS Charge (page 54)
6
4
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
MG 44
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
5cm Flak 43
36”
8/1
5/1
3/1
2/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
2/1
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
3/1
Kampfzange
C
8/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
-
-
-
36”
8/1
4/1
2/1
2/1
8/1
8/1
7/1
7/1
6/1
6/1
5/1
-
-
-
A
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
-
-
-
8.8cm Doppel-FPK Nebelwerfer 42
128
C H A P T E R 6 : T H E A x i s
129
heaVy Panzer walKer
hPw Vi-a “KöniGsluther”
As testament to the skilled engineering that is a hallmark of Axis technology, the Schwer-Panzerkampäeurer VI series walker is a dominant force on any battleeld. The t wo most common models are capable of responding to enemy infantry and armor alike.
Move: 6
Type: Vehicle 7
DC: 10
Base Cost: 95 AP Basic Unit: 1 Heavy Assault Walker
The distinctive proles of the Königsluther and Sturmkönig walkers Weapons: 17.3cm FpK Zwei (F) and MG 44 Zwei (F) have made them a subject of both terror and awe amongst the Allied and Soviet blocs. Infantry tell many legendary tales about near escapes, and the bravest volunteer for duty in areas known hPw Vi-B “sturmKöniG” to be occupied by the VI just to have a chance at defeating one. Move: 6 Type: Vehicle 7 DC: 10 To date, only three have been rendered completely Base Cost: 90 AP unrepairable, although even disabling a VI remains a nearly impossible task for most infantry. Basic Unit: 1 Heavy Assault Walker Weapons: 12.8cm Flak-Vierling (F) and MG 44 Zwei (F)
6
7
10 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
MG 44 Zwei
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
17.3cm FPK Zwei
36”
10/1
5/1
3/1
3/1
11/1
11/1
9/1
9/1
8/1
8/1
7/1
-
-
-
12.8cm Flak-Vierling
36”
10/1
8/1
6/1
4/1
9/1
8/1
7/1
6/1
5/1
4/1
3/1
9/1
9/1
8/1
130
siGrid Von thaler Sigrid is the daughter of the late, faustian Baron Leopold von Thaler, the man behind the Blutkreuz Korps. Sigrid is a magnicent example of aryan womanhood, so much so that Allied intelligence suspect her father raised her using strict eugenic principles. She is an Olympic gold medalist and, by all accounts, also a dangerous psychopath. Some even whisper that she had a hand in the assassination of the Führer in 1943.
Special abilitieS Leader: A Blutzkreuz platoon may be led by Sigrid von Thaler rather than a Sturmpioniere Command Squad. Sigrid von Thaler still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Berserk (page 53)
As an agent of the Blutkreuz Korps, Sigrid von Thaler has led too many espionage and assassination missions to count. She has had success all over the globe, and takes to commanding soldiers in battle as much for pleasure as for mere military advantage. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 20 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
Laser–Pistole B Knife
1 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
12”
6/1
3/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C H A P T E R 6 :
lara The Axis ofcer Lara Walter was unknown before the invasion of southern England. Reports indicate that she is a capable leader with a mastery of urban tactics. Constructed for her own use, it’s likely that the Axis forces will make the MG 44 Zwei available to other Heavy Grenadiers as the sheer repower of these weapons is quite impressive. Lara is a prime example of what service in a Schwer platoon can make of a soldier. Her Assault skill places her close to the middle of any battle, acting in a counter-assault capacity. A great many Allied ofcers have found themselves pinned into cover by her MG 44 Zweis, cut off from their own troops. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
Special abilitieS Leader : A Schwer platoon may be led by Lara rather than a Heavy Kommandotrupp. Lara still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Assault (page 53) Damage Resilient (page 55)
DC: 4
Base Cost: 29 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6 MG 44 Zwei (2) Combat Knife
3
4 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
131
T H E A x i s
Grenadier x
Special abilitieS Assault (page 53)
Little is known about the zombie known only as “Grenadier X.” Highly intelligent and utterly loyal to the Axis cause, he might not be a single man, but rather several whose reaction to the Wiederbelebungsserum left them with all of their cognitive abilities intact. Other rumors suggest that Grenadier X is a high-ranking ofcial within the Blutkreuz Korps whose death did not mean an end to his work.
Blutkreuz Zombie (page 54) Damage Resilient (page 55)
Whatever the truth is, Grenadier X is a erce combatant, able to drive a squad of zombies forward into combat. His hatred of the augmented Axis Gorilla program hints that he is, indeed, a singular individual, but Allied doctors have suggested that this may be a widespread issue with the serum. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 21 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
Circular Saw
4 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
8/1
8/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
-
-
-
marKus
Special abilitieS Leader: Markus may lead a platoon of Gorillas. This platoon does not have Support units and consists of Markus (as the Command Section) and one to four Axis Gorillas units (each treated as as section). The platoon cannot be given any platoon upgrades. It otherwise must obey all the rules of an Axis platoon.
“Markus” was the rst specimen of the Kampfaffen program, an attempt to create intelligence-enhanced apes. When the Blutkreuz Korps took over, they introduced strange new drugs to the apes, and Kampfaffe 001 was the rst. Unknown to his creators, the activation of Markus’ brain was extensive but Markus has been careful to hide his intelligence.
Blutkreuz Ape (page 53)
Like all “war gorillas,” Markus is fast and strong. On the surface, he ghts loyally for the Axis cause, but the treatment the Kampfaffen receive from their handlers has convinced Markus there will be no place in the world for simian-kind; the bigotry of humans at war is all too obvious to him. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 3
Charge (page 54) Fast (page 55)
DC: 6
Base Cost: 24 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
3
Schwerer Panzer Glove (2)
132
6 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
-
-
-
manfred
Special abilitieS Leader : A Sturmgrenadiere platoon or Blutkreuz platoon may be led by Manfred instead of the usual Command section. Manfred still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Manfred Kreuzer is a well known and respected of cer of the Axis army. Before the war, Kreuzer gained renown as a mountaineer and arctic explorer, eventually leading a series of expeditions to Antarctica sponsored by t he German Reich. Whatever Manfred Kreuzer found beneath the ice of Queen Maud’s coastland changed his outlook per manently. He has subsequently risen high in the ranks of the Wehrmacht through his absolute dedication and drive toward “unication” of the world under the Axis bloc. A courteous and dangerous enemy, Kreuzer is often tasked with the command of both front line forces as well as platoons deployed on sensitive combat assignments. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 5
Base Cost: 15 AP
Unlimited Panzerfaust: Manfred carries several Panzerfausts but may only re one per game turn. To represent this, his Panzerfaust does not have the Reload special weapon ability. Assault (page 53)
Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
5 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
StG 47
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Panzerfaust
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife
C H A P T E R 6 :
anGela Angela Wolf is one of the most infamous assassins of the Blutkreuz Korps and one of the most dangerous people on the planet. Some even say that she is the deadliest marksman, rivaling even the famed SSU agents. Those rare individuals privy to the details regarding Operation Valkyrie debate who actually pulled the trigger: Sigrid, or Angela? Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
Special abilitieS Frenzy (page 55)
T H E
Sniper (page 56)
A x i s
DC: 3
Base Cost: 30 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6 20mm Solothurn Mauser Kick & Punch
2
3 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
36”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
133
stefan
Special abilitieS Leader : A Sturmgrenadiere platoon may be led by Stefan instead of the usual Command section. Stefan still counts toward the Hero limit of the force.
Oberleutnant Stefan Retter is a hero of the Axis forces who has earned the grudging respect of even Allied commanders for his honor in combat. He has been known to go out of his way to avoid civilian casualties on both sides of the war, going so far as to challenge superior Allied forces to combat at a specific time and location. This is particularly dangerous, as the Allies’ Long Tom attacks can be brought to position well in advance of the battle.
Tactical Brilliance: Stefan is capable of reading the myriad of possibilities that any action will create. When each player rolls ve Combat Dice to determine who will place the rst piece of terrain (when using competitive terrain placement) or when determining who commits the rst Scenario Point, the player controlling Stefan may choose to add or subtract a single Combat Die from his dice pool before the dice are rolled.
It is a testament to his combat prowess that “Friendly Stefan” has not yet been defeated. Perhaps he is a man out of his time. Patton himself has suggested that he and Stefan could have conquered the world together just a few hundred years ago. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 18 AP
Assault (page 53)
Basic Unit: 1 Hero
6
2
4
Flammenwerfer 40 Knife
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
totenmeister
Blutkreuz Zombie (page 54)
Little is known about the mysterious Totenmeister. Allied scientists Damage Resilient (page 55) surmise that she is a female of indeterminate age. The only Wiederbelebungsserum (page 56) images ever caught on lm are disturbing to behold. She walks as if she were oating, touching the ground only long enough to propel herself forward. The instrument on her left hand emits a lightly wafting green gas that, even on lm, makes viewers feel ill. Move: 6
Type: Soldier 2
DC: 4
Base Cost: 28 AP Basic Unit: 1 Hero Special abilitieS Leader: Totenmeister may lead a platoon of Axis Zombies. This platoon does not have Support units and consists of Totenmeister (as the Command Section) and one to four A xis Zombies units. The Platoon cannot be given any platoon upgrades. It otherwise must obey all the rules of an Axis platoon.
6 “Blut Kreuz”
134
2
4 C
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
8/1
6/1
4/1
3/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
-
-
-
Index Actions ............................................................................. 33 Creating a Campaign ......................................................... 71 Activation ......................................................................... 32 Damage Capacity............................................................ . 20 Advancing Lines............................................................... . 66 Damage Resilient ............................................................... 55 Agile .............................................................................. . 53 Declare Actions ................................................................. 32 Aircraft ............................................................................. 21 Dening Terrain Areas ........................................................ 39 Air Drop ......................................................................... . 53 Deployment ..................................................................... . 66 Allied Weapons ................................................................. 83 Determine Army Point Total ............................................... . 63 Allies Army List .................................................................. 82 Determine Range and Line of Sight..................................... . 40 All in One ....................................................................... . 53 Determining Initiative ........................................................ . 28 Amphibious ..................................................................... . 53 Difcult Terrain .................................................................. 38 Artillery Range Weapons.................................................. . 22 Double Actions .................................................................. 33 Artillery Strike.................................................................. . 53 Dozer Blade ...................................................................... 55 Artillery Weapons.............................................................. 57 Dug-In ............................................................................ . 68 Assassination..................................................................... 65 Eliminate Enemy Forces ....................................................... 65 Assault....................................................................... 53, 77 Elite Platoon ...................................................................... 90 Assault Platoon .................................................................. 92 Extended Command Range ................................................. 31 Assign Damage ............................................................... . 44 Fast .................................................................................. 55 Attack Action Procedure ................................................... . 40 Firing Arcs ...................................................................... . 40 Attack Actions ................................................................. . 40 Force Collision ................................................................. . 66 Attack Action Summary .................................................... . 40 Fortications.................................................................... . 68 Attacking Vehicles............................................................ . 44 Frenzy .............................................................................. 55 Attack Restrictions ............................................................ . 40 Front Lines ......................................................................... 73 Axis Army List .................................................................. 109 Game Setup .................................................................... . 63 Axis Weapons................................................................ . 110 Grenades........................................................................ . 58 Backing Up ....................................................................... 37 Hard Cover ..................................................................... . 43 Badass ........................................................................... . 53 Heavy Walkers .................................................................. 48 Battle Builder ................................................................... . 64 Hero Command Sections .................................................... 31 Berserk ........................................................................... . 53 Heroes.............................................................................. 59 Black Ops ....................................................................... . 53 Heroes and Suppression ..................................................... 59 Blocked Line of Sight .......................................................... 41 Heroes As Units ................................................................. 59 Blutkreuz Ape .................................................................. . 53 Heroes Leading Other Units ................................................ 59 Blutkreuz Platoon ............................................................. 120 Heroic Inspiration ............................................................... 59 Blutkreuz Zombie ............................................................. . 54 Heroic Stand ..................................................................... 55 Break the Line .................................................................... 65 Hero Special Abilities ......................................................... 59 Burst Weapons .................................................................. 57 Hit the Dirt! ....................................................................... 35 Buying Fortications ......................................................... . 68 How to Use This Book........................................................... 5 Camouage .................................................................... . 68 Impassable Terrain ............................................................. 38 Campaign Scenarios .......................................................... 71 Introduction ......................................................................... 4 Carry Capacity ............................................................... . 54 Jump ................................................................................ 55 Characteristic Icons .......................................................... . 20 Key Positions ..................................................................... 65 Charge ........................................................................... . 54 Lasers ............................................................................. . 58 Check Line of Sight........................................................... . 40 Leader ............................................................................ . 54 Choose Forces ................................................................. . 63 Leadership Range ............................................................ . 23 Climb ............................................................................. . 54 Limited Visibility ................................................................. 67 Close Combat Weapons............................................. . 22, 57 Losing Unit Leaders .......................................................... . 23 Close Engagement ........................................................... . 66 Loss of Command Sections .................................................. 31 Combat Dice & Damage................................................... . 22 Make Armor Rolls ............................................................ .43 Combat Platoon ................................................................. 88 March Battle ..................................................................... 72 Command Sections ............................................................ 30 Measuring ........................................................................ 18 Command Squad ............................................................. . 54 Mechanic .......................................................................... 55 Competitive Terrain Placement ............................................. 67 Medic ............................................................................... 55 Conditions......................................................................... 67 Mineelds. ....................................................................... 69 Cover ...................................................................... . 39, 43 Miniatures in the Way ........................................................ 42
135
I n d e x
Miniatures & Units ............................................................. . 17 Minimum Range Weapons ................................................ . 22 Move .............................................................................. . 20 Move Action Procedure ...................................................... 36 Move Actions .................................................................... 36 Movement and Firing Arcs .................................................. 19 Move Out-of- Formation Miniatures ....................................... 32 Multiple Reactions .............................................................. 35 Night Engagement ............................................................. 74 Obscured Line of Sight ....................................................... 41 Obstacles ......................................................................... 70 Off-Table Units................................................................... 31 Off Target Shelling ............................................................. 67 Open Terrain ..................................................................... 38 Partially Impassable Terrain ................................................. 39 Penetrator Weapons ......................................................... . 58 Phasers ........................................................................... . 58 Placing Terrain ................................................................... 67 Pre-Measuring ................................................................... 18 Radioman ....................................................................... . 56 Range ............................................................................. . 22 Reaction Markers ............................................................... 35 Reaction Restrictions ........................................................... 34 Reactions .......................................................................... 34 Rear Armor ..................................................................... . 44 Regroup ............................................................................ 30 Reload Weapons ............................................................. . 58 Remove Suppression........................................................... 32 Removing Suppression ...................................................... . 46 Replace Lost Unit Leader ..................................................... 32 Required Components ....................................................... . 16 Rerolls ............................................................................. . 17 Reserved ......................................................................... . 56 Resolve Actions.................................................................. 32 Retreat! ............................................................................. 47 Roll Combat Dice ............................................................. . 43 Rolling Combat Dice .......................................................... . 17 Sample Terrain Table .......................................................... 39 Schwer Platoon............................................................... . 118 Scout Vehicle ................................................................... . 56 Secret Mission ................................................................... 75 Secured Area .................................................................... 67 Self Repair ...................................................................... . 56 Sniper ............................................................................ . 56 Soft Cover....................................................................... . 43 Soldiers ............................................................................ 21 Soldiers and Suppression .................................................. . 46 Special Abilities ................................................................. 52 Special Actions .................................................................. 33
136
Special Weapon Abilities ................................................... 57 Spotter ........................................................................... . 56 Spot Turning ...................................................................... 37 Spray Weapons .............................................................. . 58 Sturmgrenadiere Platoon .................................................. . 116 Suppression and Reactions .................................................. 47 Suppression Markers ........................................................ . 46 Suppression & Retreat....................................................... . 46 Suppression Summary ...................................................... . 46 Take Action ....................................................................... 30 Tank Head ...................................................................... . 56 Tank Killer Weapons ........................................................ . 58 Teams ............................................................................. . 43 Terrain .............................................................................. 67 Terrain Effects on Movement................................................ 38 The Allies ......................................................................... . 11 The Axis ........................................................................... 12 The Big Three. ................................................................... 11 The Command Phase .......................................................... 30 The Command Pool .......................................................... . 28 The End Phase ................................................................... 35 The History of Dust ............................................................... 5 The Initiative Phase ........................................................... . 28 The Regroup Order ............................................................ 47 The Sino-Soviet Union........................................................ . 12 The Unit Phase................................................................... 32 Tournament Scenarios ...................................................... . 64 Tracks ............................................................................. . 56 Trenches ........................................................................... 70 Turret Mounted Weapons .................................................. . 19 Type ................................................................................. 21 Unit Characteristics .......................................................... . 20 Unit Formation ................................................................. . 23 Unit Leaders .................................................................... . 23 Units ............................................................................... . 23 Unprepared .................................................................... . 66 Vehicle Damage Table ...................................................... . 44 Vehicle Movement .............................................................. 37 Vehicle Overruns ............................................................... 37 Vehicles ............................................................................ 21 Vehicles and Line of Sight ................................................... 42 Vehicles and Suppression.................................................. . 46 Vertical Movement ............................................................. 39 Weapon Characteristics ................................................... . 22 Wheels ........................................................................... . 56 Wiederbelebungsserum .................................................... . 56 Wounding Heroes .............................................................. 59
AllIed Forces WeApons 1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
.30 Cal Victory MG
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
.45 Auto Colt Pistol
6”
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
.50 Cal Victory MG
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
1/1
4.2” Rocket System
A
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
5/1
-
-
-
17 Pounder Gun
36”
8/1
4/1
2/1
2/1
7/1
7/1
6/1
6/1
5/1
5/1
4/1
-
-
-
60W Phaser Gun
12”
3/1
3/1
3/1
3/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
75mm Howitzer
24”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
120W Dual Phaser Gun
24”
3/1
3/1
3/1
3/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
220mm Long Tom
A
10/1
5/1
3/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
Aeronca GB-9 Strike
A
12/1
8/1
4/1
2/1
1/6
1/6
1/5
1/5
1/4
1/4
1/3
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
Dual .30 Cal Victory MG
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
Dual .50 Cal Victory MG
24”
10/1
4/1
2/1
2/1
4/1
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
2/1
Dual 155mm Howitzer
36”
8/1
4/1
3/1
2/1
9/1
8/1
8/1
7/1
7/1
6/1
6/1
-
-
-
Dual Heavy PIAT
16”
3/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
3/2
3/2
3/2
3/2
2/2
2/2
1/2
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
12”
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
2/5
-
-
-
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
12”
4/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Grenades
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Hand Flamethrowers
6”
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
Heavy Rocket Punch
C
4/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Kick & Headbutt
C
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Kitchen Knife
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
M1 Assault Rie
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
M9 Bazooka
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
M9-D Bazooka
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
M10 Bazooka
16”
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
2/2
-
-
-
8”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
1/5
-
-
-
Petard Mortar
24”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
Quad .50 Cal Victory MG
24”
10/1
6/1
4/1
3/1
6/1
5/1
3/1
-
-
-
-
5/1
5/1
4/1
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
6”
5/1
3/1
2/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sniper Rie
36”
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
UGL
12”
2/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Demolition Charge
Dynamite Fireball Napalm Thrower Flamethrower Grenade Launcher
Napalm Thrower
Rocket Punch Shotgun
Webley Revolver
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com
137
I n d e x
AxIs Forces WeApons
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
2
3
2cm Flak-Vierling
30”
10/1
5/1
3/1
2/1
5/1
4/1
3/1
-
-
-
-
5/1
5/1
4/1
5cm Flak 43
36”
8/1
5/1
3/1
2/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
2/1
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
3/1
8.8cm Doppel-FPK
36”
8/1
4/1
2/1
2/1
8/1
8/1
7/1
7/1
6/1
6/1
5/1
-
-
-
12.8cm Flak-Vierling
36”
10/1
8/1
6/1
4/1
9/1
8/1
7/1
6/1
5/1
4/1
3/1
9/1
9/1
8/1
17.3cm FPK Zwei
36”
10/1
5/1
3/1
3/1
11/1
11/1
9/1
9/1
8/1
8/1
7/1
-
-
-
20mm Solothurn
36”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
“Blut Kreuz”
C
8/1
6/1
4/1
3/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
-
-
-
Circular Saw
C
8/1
8/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
-
-
-
Combat Knife
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
6”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
Fliegerfaust
16”
6/1
3/1
2/1
1/1
3/1
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
2/1
Granatwerfer
16”
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
≠/1
2/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Kampfzange
C
8/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
4/1
-
-
-
Kick & Punch
C
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Knife
C
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Laser–Gewehr
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Laser–Kanone
24”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
Laser–Pistole B
12”
6/1
3/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Laser–Werfer
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Mauser
6”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
MG 44
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
-
MG 44 Zwei
16”
8/1
4/1
2/1
-
3/1
2/1
-
-
-
-
-
3/1
3/1
-
MG 48
16”
6/1
3/1
1/1
-
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
1/1
1/1
1/1
Nebelwerfer 42
A
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠≠/1
≠/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
6/1
-
-
-
Panzer Glove
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
Panzerfaust
12”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
1/2
-
-
-
Panzerfaust–Werfer
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
1/4
-
-
-
Panzerschreck
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
Schwer Laser-Werfer
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
1/1
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
1/3
-
-
-
C
4/1
2/1
1/1
1/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
2/1
-
-
-
Sniper Gewehr PSG1
36”
1/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
StG 47
16”
2/1
1/1
1/1
-
1/1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Flammenwerfer 40
Grenades
Schwerer Panzer Glove
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com
138
SuppreSSion Marker S
I n d e x
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com
139
reaction MarkerS
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com
140
Soldier daMage MarkerS
I n d e x
out of aMMo MarkerS
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com
141
Veh icle daMage Mar kerS
Vehicle on fire MarkerS
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com
142
Blind MarkerS
iMMoBilized Marke rS
Weapon deStroyed Ma rkerS
I n d e x
dug in MarkerS
caMouflage MarkerS
Minefield MarkerS
Permission Granted to copy for personal use. Reference pages also available at FantasyFlightGames.com 143
144