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    T A B L E    O F    C O N T E N T S    

Introduction

Game Scale

Contents

Glossary

Components

1 The Fate Cards
2 The Maps
3 The Units
4 The Track Display

Core Rules

5 Sequence of Play
6 Game Time
7 Victory Conditions
8 Stacking
9 Initiative
10 Line of Sight (LOS)
11 Weapons
12 Radios
13 Suppression

Orders

Orders (O14)
O15 Pass (discard)
O16 Advance
O17 Artillery Denied
O18 Artillery Request
O19 Command Confusion
O20 Fire
O21 Move
O22 Recover
O23 Rout

Actions (A24)

listed alphabetically A25–A41

Events (E42)

listed alphabetically E43–E77

Terrain (T78)

listed alphabetically T79–T99

Fortifications (F100)

listed alphabetically F101–F106

Credits

Index

GENERAL CONSOLIDATED FAQ

COMBAT COMMANDER: EUROPE

New Official Errata (version 1.1)
Official CC:E Clarifications
Other Clarifications

COMBAT COMMANDER: MEDITERRANEAN

Official Errata

COMBAT COMMANDER: PACIFIC

Official Errata

COMBAT COMMANDER BP #2 – STALINGRAD

Official Errata

COMBAT COMMANDER BP #3 – NORMANDY

Official Errata

COMBAT COMMANDER BP #4 – NEW GUINEA

Official Errata

COMBAT COMMANDER Other

Official Errata

INTRODUCTION

Combat Commander is a series of card–driven board games covering tactical infantry combat in World War II. In this first volume, one player assumes the role of the Axis (Germany) while another player commands the Allies (America or Russia). These two players will take turns playing one or more FATE cards from their hands in order to activate their units on the mapboard for various military functions.

Players attempt to achieve victory by moving their combat Units across the game map to attack their opponent’s units and occupy as many OBJECTIVES as possible. The degree to which a player succeeds or fails is measured by a scenario’s specific objective chits, the destruction of enemy units, and the exiting of friendly units off the opponent’s board edge.

Each measure of game TIME is divided into a variable number of player TURNS. In each Turn, the sequence of play is fluid – with ORDERS being given by the active player and ACTIONS being taken by both players – depending upon the cards in their hands.

EVENTS, both good and bad, will occur at random intervals to add a bit of chaos and uncertainty to each player’s perfect plan.

GAME SCALE

Each hex of a Combat Commander map measures approximately 100 feet across (30 meters or so). Each complete player Turn represents an arbitrary segment of game Time with each measure of game Time abstractly representing several minutes of real time.

Each unit in the game is approximated as either a single LEADER, a 5–man TEAM, or a 10–man SQUAD. RADIOS and individual WEAPONS (at least those larger than a BAR, rifle or pistol) are represented by their own counters.

CONTENTS

Combat Commander: Europe includes:

• six back–printed 17″ x 22″ game maps (twelve maps total)

• 352 large (5/8″) die–cut counters

• 280 small (½″) die–cut counters

• 220 cards

• one 24–page Rulebook

• one 24–page Playbook

• one Track Display

• four double–sided player aid sheets

Letters/Numbers found within brackets – such as [O16.4] – will indicate to the reader an important reference to another rule. Rules preceded by an “O” are for Orders; “A” Actions; “E” Events; “T” Terrain; and “F” Fortifications.

GLOSSARY

Action – The ability listed just below the photo on every Fate card (and above, in the case of the “Fire” Order/Action). Actions may be played during either player’s Turn. [A24]

Activate – A unit or player may normally only be “activated” for one Order per Turn.

Active – The player currently taking his Turn. Any unit or marker belonging to that player.

Adjacent – Two hexes sharing a common hex–side are considered adjacent to one another. Units and markers in one of those hexes are adjacent to units and markers in the other.

Break/Broken – A unit, Weapon or Radio with its reverse side face–up is “broken”. A Weapon/Radio cannot be used while it is broken. A broken unit can perform most abilities, albeit at a reduced capacity. An unbroken piece that “breaks” becomes broken (flipped over); a broken piece that breaks again is eliminated. [3.2]

Command – One of five base stats found only on Leader units. Command is a measure of how well a Leader can control the friendly units around him. [3.3.1]

Cover – A number associated with each terrain. A hex’s best Cover is added directly to the Morale of every unit occupying that hex. Multiple Covers are not cumulative. [T78.3]

Die Roll – The six–sided “dice” on the bottom right of every Fate card. Die rolls can never be performed directly from a player’s hand, only off the top of a player’s Fate Deck. [1.9]

Enemy – A unit, Weapon or Radio under your opponent’s control. A hex occupied by an enemy unit. An Objective hex [2.3] under your opponent’s control and not containing a friendly unit. Fortifications are never “enemy”.

Event – The random happenings listed just below the Action on every Fate card. Events can never be performed directly from a player’s hand, only off the top of a player’s Fate Deck due to an Event! trigger. [1.9.1.1]

FP / Firepower – One of five base stats. FP is a measure of how much damage a piece can inflict on enemy units. [3.1.1]

Friendly – A unit, Weapon or Radio under your control. A hex occupied by a friendly unit. An Objective hex [2.3] under your control and not containing an enemy unit. Fortifications are never “friendly”.

Hindrance – Terrain that affects attacks going through its hex – never into or out of it (except for Smoke). Hindrances are not cumulative. [10.3]

Inactive – The player not currently taking his Turn. Any unit or marker belonging to that player. If a game situation calls for or allows both players to do something simultaneously, the inactive player always goes first.

LOS – Line of Sight. Generally, a unit in hex A has a LOS to hex B if a string, drawn taut and touching both hex’s center dots, does not touch the graphical depiction of a terrain Obstacle in a hex between those hexes. [10]

Marker – Any counter (usually ½”) without a soldier illustration. Some marker examples include Weapons, Wire, Control, Sudden Death, or the Spotting Round.

MG – Machine Gun.

Morale – One of five base stats.A measure of how much punishment a unit can take before being rendered “combat ineffective”. [3.1.4]

Movement – One of five base stats. Movement is a measure of how efficiently a unit can move across the battlefield. [3.1.3]

MP – Movement Point.

OB – Order of Battle. The forces allotted to each player in every scenario. Fortification OBs are located on the back of the playbook. Each nation has a player aid with its base OBs on one side and Support OBs on the other.

Obstacle – A type of terrain that blocks LOS through it; never into or out of it. [10.2]

Op(portunity) Fire – The ability to play a Fire Action in order to repeatedly fire at the opponent’s Moving units. [A33]

Order – The ability listed across the top of every Fate card. Orders may only be played during that player’s own Turn. [O14]

Ordnance – Any Weapon with a white bar highlighting its stats. Ordnance: must first hit its intended target before making a Fire Attack against it; cannot be part of a Fire Group; cannot participate in Op Fire; and cannot have its stats increased by a friendly Leader in the same hex. [O20.2]

Piece – A unit, Weapon, Radio or Fortification.

Posture – Attack(er), Defend(er) or Recon. Posture determines a player’s hand size [1.1] and can be paired in any combination (though Attack vs Defend is most common).

Random Hex – The letter/number combination on the bottom left of every Fate card used to randomly determine where Snipers and certain Events will occur. The number is also used to determine whether broken Weapons might be fixed or eliminated. [1.8]

Range – One of five base stats. A measure of how far a piece can effectively shoot–to–kill whilst in the heat of battle. [3.1.2]

SR – Spotting Round marker. [O18.2.1]

(die) Trigger – A game effect associated with (“triggered by”) certain die rolls. [1.9.1]

Turn – One player performing one or more Orders or discarding zero or more Fate cards. [5]

Unit – Any large (⅝”) counter with an illustration of one or more soldiers. This includes Squads, Teams and Leaders. [3]

VP – Victory Point. [7]

Weapon – Any small (½”) counter with a weapon illustration such as a machine gun or mortar. Unlike other markers, Weapons will also always have a FP and a Range. [11]

IMPORTANT: In Combat Commander, the motto “a rule means exactly what it says” should be the order of the day. In other words, as quoted from another fine game, Totaler Krieg!: “Do not infer or imagine more to a rule than is stated in it. When in doubt, interpret strictly”.

Example A: The “Walking Wounded” Event [E76] states “Return one eliminated unit to play...”. It doesn’t say “ friendly eliminated unit”; so if your opponent had the only eliminated unit(s) when you drew this Event, you would have to choose one of his to return to the map.

Example B: The rule for the “Jammed!” die trigger [1.9.1.2] says to break all firing Weapons. That’s it. It doesn’t say that the fire attack is then cancelled, so it isn’t.

Having said that, however, these rules cannot possibly hope to cover the myriad situations that may arise during game play–so in those instances when an oddball situation surfaces, a healthy dose of common sense coupled with an existing rule or two should suffice to see you through.

Throughout this book you will see numerous shaded boxes such as this one. These boxes are filled with clarifications, play hints, design notes, and other assorted wisdom in order to help ease you along.

To play your first game, you need only read the Components, Core Rules and Order sections that follow, as well as rule A33 concerning Opportunity Fire. Then set up the Example of Play (in the Playbook) and follow it through to conclusion in order to get a feel for the basic flow of the game. The latter portion of this booklet – entries for Actions, Events, Terrain and Fortifications – can be quickly glossed over and then referred to in more detail as the need arises during game play.

COMPONENTS

1. The Fate Cards        

“A thing appears random only through the incompleteness of our knowledge.”

–Baruch Spinoza

There are three sets of Fate cards included with this game: one set each for Germany (gray), America (green) and Russia (brown). A player’s 72–card Fate Deck is the heart and soul of the game. Once the game begins, no action may be taken on the map by either player – either via Order or Action – without a Fate card in hand allowing it. While a Fate card is in a player’s hand, only its Order or Action may be declared: everything else (from the Event down) is ignored.

IMPORTANT: The Initiative card [9] as well as the three cheat cards included in the game are not Fate cards and thus will never be considered as being part of a player’s hand.

Further, whenever a rule refers to a “card” without an identifier, it will always be in reference to a Fate card–never the Initiative card or a cheat card (which will always be identified as such).

1.0 Golden Rule

Some card effects conflict with one or more rules within this booklet (for example, the Interrogation Event [E61] conflicting with rule 1.2, below). When this occurs, the card effect always takes precedence.

1.1 Hand Size

Each player is allotted a certain Hand Size depending on his Posture: either Attack (6 cards), Recon (5 cards) or Defend (4 cards). This determines both the number of cards that player will begin the game wite dh as well as how many he will draw up to at the end of each of his own Turns.

1.2 Card Knowledge

Cards in a player’s hand are kept secret from his opponent. Cards in a player’s draw pile are kept face–down and secret from both players. Cards in a player’s discard pile are public knowledge and may be examined by either player at any time.

1.3 Revealing Cards

Whenever a player is instructed to “reveal” a card – during an Event trigger, for example [1.9.1.1] – the top card of that player’s Fate Deck is turned face up then placed on top of his discard pile for both players to see.

1.4 Reshuffle

During each Game Time Advance [6.1.2], one player will be instructed to shuffle the cards occupying both his discard and draw piles together in order to form a new draw pile.

1.5 Orders

“They are not so hot yet, but they are learning, and they’ll make a first–class army before long.”

–Josef Stalin

These are listed across the top of each Fate card. A player may only play a card for its Order during his own Turn, and may never announce more Orders in a Turn than his Order Capability [5.1]. If a card is played for its Order, it is immediately placed into that player’s discard pile–the Action on that card then could not be played until the next time it is drawn into the player’s hand.

1.6 Actions

“You win battles by knowing the enemy’s timing, and using a timing which the enemy does not expect.”

–Miyamoto Musashi

Actions are listed just below the photo on each Fate card or, in the case of (Opportunity) Fire [A33], across the top of the card. A player may play a card for its Action at any time during either player’s Turn, so long as its prerequisite is met. If a card is played for its Action, it is immediately placed into that player’s discard pile–the Order on that card then could not be played until the next time it is drawn into the player’s hand.

1.7 Events

“Luck; that’s when preparation and opportunity meet.”

–Pierre Elliott Trudeau

Events are listed below the Action on every Fate card. Events are never played from the hand, voluntarily or otherwise–only off the top of the draw pile, and only at random intervals due to certain die rolls [1.9.1.1].

1.8 Random Hexes

This is the light–green “hex” in the lower left of each Fate card. Snipers [1.9.1.3] and some Events will call for a Random Hex to be determined and, if so, the top card

of that player’s Fate Deck is revealed and this “hex” is consulted. The letter/number combination within the “hex” will correspond to one specific hex on the map,

where the Sniper/Event will take place.

A Random Hex can also have an effect on any broken Weapons in play [11.4].

1.9 Die Rolls

This is the pair of six–sided dice in the lower right corner of every Fate card. “Real” dice are not used in Combat Commander: instead, whenever a “roll” is called for, that player

reveals the top card of his draw pile and only the two dice are consulted; everything else on the card is ignored. When such a roll is made, the two dice are added together

to arrive at a sum total (exception: during a Targeting Roll, the dice are instead multiplied [O20.2.3]).

1.9.1 Die Triggers

Many die rolls are enclosed within a thick red box with the word Event!, Jammed!, Sniper!, or Time! also inside it; these are called “triggers”. These four triggers immediately and temporarily pause normal game play in order to perform a specific task. Normal game play resumes after the trigger has been dealt with in its entirety.

IMPORTANT–Any non–Time! trigger that occurs via the last card of a player’s draw pile is resolved after the Time Marker Advancement [6.1.2].

IMPORTANT–Any roll made while resolving a trigger (such as a Sudden Death Roll during a “Time!” trigger; or a Melee Roll during a Melee at the end of an Infiltration Event) cannot itself produce a die trigger.

In other words, any die roll made during a die trigger must ignore anyJammed!,Event!,Sniper! orTime! trigger associated with it.

IMPORTANT–Each of the four triggers explained below are always performed in their entirety before any results of the die roll that triggered them are implemented. In other words, the roll itself locks in a result but that result is not implemented until after the die trigger is resolved.

EXAMPLE: A broken unit with 6 Morale has a Rout roll made for it. The roll is “7–Event.” That unit will have to Retreat 1 hex but not until after resolving the Event. Even if the Event were “Medic” and that very same unit was rallied, it must still perform its pending Retreat (albeit unbroken).

1.9.1.1 Event! Trigger

“The reason the American Army does so well in wartime is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices it on a daily basis.”

–from a post–war debriefing of a German General

Whenever a player makes a die roll and that roll is surrounded by a red box with the word “Event!” inside it, normal game play pauses in order to execute that Event: The player rolling the Event! trigger reveals the top card of his draw pile and, ignoring everything else, reads aloud and then executes the Event on that card [E43–E77].

Unless otherwise stated, any decisions required by the Event are made by the player reading it.

1.9.1.2 Jammed! Trigger

Whenever a player makes a Fire Attack Roll [O20.3.3] (only; no other roll will trigger a Jammed!, including Targeting [O20.2]) and that roll is surrounded by a red box with the word “Jammed!” inside it, all firing Weapons become broken [11.4].

Note that Radios [12] and Mines [F103] are not Weapons.

1.9.1.3 Sniper! Trigger

“I got my helmet creased and set back on my butt before I realized I was being shot at.”

–Lt. Col. Robert R. Moore

Whenever a player makes a die roll and that roll is surrounded by a red box with the word “Sniper!” inside it, normal game play pauses in order to resolve that Sniper: The player rolling the Sniper! trigger reveals the top card of his draw pile and, ignoring everything else, reads aloud the Random Hex on that card. That player may then select one unit in or adjacent to that hex and break it.

In CC, a Sniper! result represents a lot more than just a patient man with a scoped rifle: this mechanism is also used to represent combat occurrences such as friendly fire, panic, shell shock, snake bite, despair, dehydration, fatigue, a stray shell, dirt–in–the–eye, etc.

1.9.1.4 Time! Trigger

Whenever a player makes a die roll and that roll is surrounded by a red box with the word “Time!” inside, normal game play pauses in order to perform a Time Marker Advancement [6.1.2].

2. The Maps        

“I am a soldier; I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight.”

–George S. Patton

2.1 The Battlefield

Superimposed over each mapboard is a hexgrid which is used to regulate movement and combat at an abstracted scale of about 30 meters per hex. Each hex contains:

• a specific type of terrain [T79–T99] which can affect movement as well as attacks into or through it;
• a white center dot used for determining Line of Sight [10] between hexes;
• a unique letter–number identifier – such as “C7” – used for determining where Snipers and certain Events will take place.

2.2 Map Border

2.2.1–The upper right of each map contains its map number which is used to identify which map is used for a particular scenario.

2.2.2–In the lower left of each map is a six–sided ‘compass’ matching the orientation of the mapboard hexes. The compass is generally used for the initial orientation of the map during setup and to determine a random direction during artillery strikes [O18.2.2], as well as for various Events.

On the compass, 1 points to the “top” of the map; 4 to the bottom; 2 and 3 to the right side; and 5 and 6 to the left side.

2.2.3–Two opposite corners of each map contain Artillery Boxes used for holding a player’s Radio marker [12].

2.3 Objectives

“In whatever position you find yourself determine first your objective.”

–Ferdinand Foch

Each map contains five “Objectives”–red circles containing a white number between 1 and 5. An Objective is worth a variable number of VPs to the last side to have sole control over it [7.3.1], the amount being determined by the specific Objective chits in play [7.3.2].

3. The Units        

“The infantry doesn’t change. We’re the only arm of the military where the weapon is the man himself.”

–Major General C. T. Shortis

Name/Rank–The name of any unit is used solely for identification purposes. Similarly, the historical rank insignia found on all Leaders is for aesthetic purposes only. These have no effect on actual game play.

Figures–All units have an illustration of one, two or four soldier figures to denote their relative size: one figure is a “Leader” representing a single man; two figures a 5–man “Team”; and four figures is a 10–man “Squad”.

3.1 Unit Stats

“Morale is the state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is confidence and zeal and loyalty. It is elan, esprit de corps and determination.”

–George C. Marshall

Units always have one number in their upper right corner and three numbers printed along the bottom, even if one or more are “0”. Leader units (only) will also have a number within a black hex centered along the right side of their counter.

3.1.1 Firepower (FP)–This is the first number along the bottom, and is a unit’s base strength when in Melee [O16.4] or when firing at an enemy unit [O20 & A33].

3.1.2 Range–This is the second number along the bottom, and is the maximum number of hexes away at which it may use its FP to Fire at enemy units [O20 & A33].

3.1.3 Movement–This is the third number along the bottom, and gives the number of Movement Points (“MPs”) a unit can spend to Move [O21] from hex to hex across the map.

3.1.4 Morale–This is the number in the upper right corner, and is a unit’s base strength when defending against an enemy fire attack, or when attempting to Recover [O22] or Rout [O23], among other things. A unit’s Morale is always directly modified by the Cover [T78.3] of the hex it currently occupies.

A broken unit [3.2] is identified by having a red bar across the top of the counter and its Morale number in white instead of black.

3.1.5 Command–This is the black number within a black–outlined hex along the right hand side of all Leader counters (only). Command serves to activate additional units during Orders and Op Fire [3.3.1.1], as well as adding to the stats of certain other units and Weapons stacked with it [3.3.1.2 & 3.3.1.3].

3.1.6 Boxed Stats–Some units have their FP, Range and/or Movement enclosed within a square. With the exception of boxed FP giving +1 strength

strength in Melee [O16.4], boxed stats have no intrinsic meaning other than to allow certain Actions to be played for that unit [A26, A39 and A40].

3.2 Broken Units

“In an attack, half the men on a firing line are in terror and the other half are unnerved.”

–J.F.C. Fuller

3.2.1 Broken/Unbroken–A unit is always in one of two states: broken or unbroken. A unit generally begins a scenario face up on its unbroken side, but Fire Attacks and other adverse effects can “break” it–causing it to flip over to its broken side (denoted by having a white Morale number and a red bar across the top of the counter).

3.2.2 Attached Markers–Units switching from broken to unbroken or vice versa retain control of all Suppressed, Veteran and Weapon markers.

3.2.3 Attached Weapons–Broken units cannot Fire Weapons. A Weapon does not break or unbreak solely because its controlling unit does, and vice versa.

3.2.4 Elimination–Any broken unit that breaks again is eliminated: award its VP value to the opponent [7.1] after placing it on the Casualty Track [4.2].

3.2.5 Rallying–When a broken unit is instructed to “Rally”, it is flipped back over to its unbroken side. This usually occurs due to a successful die roll during a Recover Order [O22] or via various Events.

3.3 Leaders

“I am more afraid of an army of 100 sheep led by a lion than an army of 100 lions led by a sheep.”

–Charles Maurice de Talleyrand

3.3.1 Command

3.3.1.1 Command Radius–Normally, an Order [O14.1] or Op Fire Action [A33.2] will only activate a single unit. When a Leader is activated, however, it has the ability to further activate all, some or none of the friendly non–Leader units within its Command’s “Radius” to perform the same Order/Op Fire. Command Radius is counted in hexes radiating outward from that Leader’s hex.

A Leader with “2” Command can activate friendly units up to two hexes away–even across impassable terrain or past an enemy unit. A “1” Command Leader can activate friendly units in or adjacent to its own hex. A Leader with “0” Command can activate units in its own hex.

3.3.1.2 Unit Command–A Leader’s Command number is added directly to the FP, Range, Movement and Morale of all friendly Squads and Teams (only) as long as those units are in the same hex with the Leader–even if the Leader itself is not activated. This effect is cumulative if two or more Leaders occupy the same hex.

It may be clear by now that Leaders can never affect themselves or other Leaders.

3.3.1.3 Weapon Command–A Leader’s Command number is added directly to both the FP and Range of every friendly Weapon without a white band that is being carried by a non–Leader unit as long as that unit is in the same hex as the Leader–even if the Leader itself is not activated. This effect is cumulative if two or more Leaders occupy the same hex.

So a Mortar, for example, can’t have its stats affected by a Leader stacked with it; and a machine gun being carried by a Leader won’t have its stats increased.

4. The Track Display        

The Track Display is the reception point for many of the game’s functions. It is home to various tracks and such that players will utilize throughout a scenario. Its sections are outlined below, as well as in rule 6.

4.1 Victory Track

4.1.1 VP Marker– The VP marker is placed on the Victory Track at the beginning of every scenario, and will move back and forth along the track – that is, towards and away from each player – as VPs are gained and lost during play. The reverse side of the VP marker is used to record VP totals greater than 20.

4.1.2 Attack Total Marker–

This marker is used solely as a mnemonic device for players to record the current strength of any Fire Attack / Mine Attack / Artillery Impact / Melee Total. This is helpful for when the targeted player’s Fire Defense Rolls are interrupted by die triggers.

4.2 Casualty Track

“The cemeteries are filled with indispensable men.”

–Charles de Gaulle

Each scenario will instruct the players as to which spaces of the Casualty Track to place their sides’ Surrender markers. The Casualty Track has an upper and a lower row, each one “pointing” to the player that will use it.

Whenever a non–Hero unit is eliminated, it (and its possessed Weapon, if any) is placed on the Casualty Track. Weapons are placed in the large central box. Units are stacked one per numbered space on their owner’s side of the Weapons Box, occupying those spaces in lowest–to–highest numerical order. In this manner, a player will lose the game if one of his eliminated units is placed in the space occupied by his side’s Surrender marker [6.3].

Remember to gain victory points each time an opponent’s unit is eliminated [7.1].

4.3 Miscellaneous

4.3.1 OB Display–The OB Display occupies the bottom left of the Track Display. Each nationality has an “OB Stats” marker, which is used on the OB Display to mark that side’s quality (Elite, Line or Green) and number of allowed Orders (1–6).

4.3.2 Scenario Date–Each scenario will specify which space of the Year Track in which to place the Year marker.

4.3.3 Objective Box–Place drawn Objective chits [7.3.2] here. Each player should place his “secret” Objectives in the section closest to him. All “open” Objectives should be placed in the central section.

4.3.4 Data Boxes–The seven Data Boxes along the bottom of the Track Display allow players quick access to special rules associated with various Fortifications and Weapons.

CORE RULES

5. Sequence of Play        

A game of Combat Commander begins with one of the players (as specified by the scenario being played) performing the first “Turn”. When he is finished – and draws up to his Hand Size [1.1] – the opposing player takes his first Turn. These Turns are then alternated until a Sudden Death Roll or other occurrence [6.3] ends the game.

A Turn consists of a player choosing to either:

• perform one or more Orders by playing cards from his hand [O14]; or
• discard any number of Fate cards [O15].

5.1 Order Capability

“In the absence of orders, go find something and kill it.”

–Erwin Rommel

In Combat Commander, no player may give an Order without the play of a card from his hand. The maximum number of Orders a player may perform each Turn will either be listed as part of his side’s OB or given within the scenario itself. Orders do not need to be predesignated–they are played from the hand, then executed, one at a time. A player may observe the results of one Order before deciding whether to play another.

The different Orders that may be given by a player are explained in rules O16–O23.

5.2 Action Capability

As with Orders, no player may announce an Action without the play of a card from his hand. Players may perform Actions whenever they deem appropriate provided the prerequisite, if any, within the Action itself is met. There is no limit to the number of Actions a player may perform during either player’s Turn other than the number of cards in hand.

The different Actions that may be taken by a player are explained in rules A25–A41.

5.3 Discard Capability

If a player chooses to perform no Orders in his Turn, he may instead discard [O15] any number of cards up to but not exceeding the discard capability of the nation he is commanding (as shown on the player aid sheet).

5.4 Hand Refill

At the end of every Turn, the active player (only) must draw Fate cards off the top of his draw pile until the number of cards in his hand equals his Hand Size [1.1]. A Hand Refill may be temporarily interrupted by a Time Marker Advancement [6.1.2] if the last card of that player’s deck is drawn–in this case, the Hand Refill recommences after the Time Marker Advancement procedure (and his discard pile has been reshuffled to form a new face–down draw pile).

6. Game Time        

“Time is everything; five minutes makes the difference between victory and defeat.”

–Horatio Nelson

6.1 Time Marker

6.1.1 Placement

Each Scenario will indicate on which space of the Time Track (located on the Track Display) the Time marker is to be placed (usually “0”).

6.1.2 Advancement

The Time marker is advanced one space forward along the Time Track:

• whenever a “Time!” trigger is rolled; or
• whenever a player reveals/draws the last card in his draw pile: treat such an occurrence exactly as if a “Time!” trigger had been rolled.

It is only advanced once – not twice – if the last card in a player’s deck is revealed for a die roll resulting in a Time! trigger.

Immediately after advancing the Time marker, normal play pauses so that the following steps may be executed.

Players must first perform the following two steps in the order shown:

1) the player triggering the Time Advance (only) shuffles his deck and discard pile together to form a new draw pile;
2) the triggering player makes a Sudden Death Roll if appropriate [6.2.2].

Then, if the game did not end due to Sudden Death, perform the following four steps in the order shown:

3) the Defender (only) gains 1 VP;
4) the triggering player (only) must remove any one Smoke marker from the map;
5) if there are one or more units in the space now occupied by the Time marker, the owning player(s) brings them into play as reinforcements by placing them in any hex(es) along his friendly board edge (inactive player first). Stacking limits [8] must be observed. Any reinforcement Radio is placed into that player’s (empty) Artillery Box instead;
6) both players may play “Dig In” Actions [A32].

Once the six steps above have been completed in their entirety, normal play resumes from wherever it left off.

6.2 Sudden Death Marker

6.2.1 Placement

Each Scenario will indicate on which space of the Time Track the Sudden Death marker is to be placed.

6.2.2 Procedure

Whenever the Time marker advances into or beyond the space occupied by the Sudden Death marker, the triggering player must make a roll–this is done after that player shuffles his Fate deck and discard pile together to form a new draw pile. If the result is less than the number in the space currently occupied by the Time marker (not the Sudden Death marker itself), the game immediately ends [6.3, below]. Otherwise, play proceeds as normal.

6.3 Game End

“Self and three men left. It can’t be much longer. Good–bye and cheerio.”

–a British officer
at the battle of Sidi Nsir, Tunisia

A game of Combat Commander will generally end in one of four ways:

1)    A player is forced to place one of his eliminated units in the space of the Casualty Track occupied by his Surrender marker;
2)    A player’s last remaining unit on the map is eliminated;
3)    A player’s last remaining unit on the map voluntarily exits the map [7.2.1];
4)    A Sudden Death Roll [6.2.2] is made that is less than the the number in the space currently occupied by the Time marker.

6.3.1–If the first or second situation above occurs, that player immediately and automatically loses the game regardless of the VP total. If both players simultaneously lose in this manner, the player holding the Initiative card breaks the tie and wins the game [9.2].

6.3.2–If the third or fourth situation above occurs and the first two situations do not apply, players must reveal any secret Objective chits and award their VPs to the current controller. Then, the player with the higher VP total – that is, the VP marker is on his side of the “0” space – wins the game. If the VP marker is in the “0” space, the player holding the Initiative card wins the game.

7. Victory Conditions        

“I want to tear out the pages of my diary where I wrote about the collapse of my will. But let them stay there as a lesson in life that it’s wrong to jump to conclusions just because things aren’t going so well.”

–Nikolai Moskvin,
after the Soviet victory at Stalingrad

A player will usually win the game by having more VPs than his opponent when the game ends [6.3]. VPs are earned in one of three ways:

• Elimination of enemy units;
• Exiting of friendly units off the opponent’s map edge;
• control of mapboard Objectives.

7.1 Elimination Victory Points

When a unit is eliminated – for any reason:

via Order, Action or Event – the opponent is awarded a certain number of VPs for it:

• A Squad is worth 2 VPs;
• A Team is worth 1 VP;
• A Leader (exception: Hero) is worth 1 VP plus 1 VP for each point of Command on its unbroken side;
• A Hero is worth zero VPs.

These values are also shown on the player aid sheet for ease of reference during play.

7.2 Exit Victory Points

Each map is considered to have an impenetrable barrier to the left and right side of each player once play commences. A unit may never exit the map off the right or left flank.

However, the edges of the map nearest each player can be exited by units in play (as if the dark gray border were another hex). Generally, voluntarily exiting friendly units off the opponent’s map edge during a Move [O21] or Advance [O16] Order will gain you VPs, while friendly units exiting your own board edge via forced Retreat during a Rout Order [O23] will cause you to lose VPs.

7.2.1 Voluntary Exit

An Advancing [O16] or Moving [O21] unit may exit the map – at a MP cost of “1” – off the opponent’s board edge. The owning player is immediately awarded Exit VPs for the exited unit [7.1]. That unit is then placed on any space of the Time Track the owning player wishes. A unit is always placed on the Time Track unbroken, even if it was broken as it exited. The unit retains possession of any Weapon it was carrying – again becoming unbroken if it was broken when exited – but does lose any Veteran or Suppressed marker that may have been attached.

Such a unit is now considered to be a completely different “reinforcement” unit.

7.2.2 Involuntary Exit

A Retreating unit [O23.3] may be forced off the map along its own friendly board edge, being eliminated in the process. Such a unit is placed on the next empty space of the Casualty Track after awarding the opponent Elimination VPs for it [7.1]. The eliminated unit does not retain possession of its Weapon – which is placed, unbroken, in the “Weapon” section of the Casualty Track – nor does it retain any Veteran or Suppressed marker that may have been attached.

7.3 Objective Victory Points

Each of the five Objectives on every map can be worth one or more VPs, depending on which Objective Chits are in play. Objectives are otherwise worth zero VPs by default.

7.3.1 Control of Objectives

The double–sided Control markers are used to indicate which side currently controls each Objective on the map [2.3].

During initial setup, the scenario will specify which Objectives begin under each player’s control. In some cases, Objectives may begin the game uncontrolled by either side: these should not contain any control marker. Otherwise, once play commences, the last player to have solely occupied an Objective should place/flip the control marker over within that Objective to match the nationality he is commanding.

7.3.1.1 Building Objectives

An Objective located in a building hex is considered to be that entire building if it spans more than one hex. In such a case, every hex of that building must be devoid of enemy units in order for a player to take control of it.

7.3.2 Objective Chits

There are 22 Objective markers – or ‘chits’ – included with the game. Objective chits are usually drawn at random, and are used to determine specific additional victory conditions for each scenario, usually in the form of assigning a VP value to one or more mapboard Objectives [2.3].

Each Objective chit drawn will show a victory condition on its “open” side. Most of these will be in the form of:

Showing that Objective X is worth Y VPs to its controller. These values are cumulative with other Objective chits.

If all three chits for Objective #3 were in play (C, G and K), Objective 3 would be worth 6 VPs total (1 + 2 + 3).

Several Objective chits show:

This means that the five Objectives on the map are worth Y VPs each. These values are cumulative with other Objective chits.

The three specialized Objective chits labeled

indicate, respectively, that:

• immediately prior to each Sudden Death Roll [6.2.2], if any player controls all five Objectives that player automatically wins the game regardless of current VP totals;
• VPs for the voluntary exit of units [7.2.1] are doubled for both players;
• VPs for the elimination of units [7.1] are doubled for both players.

Some Objectives may be worthless at the end of the game. Players should still try to take control of all Objectives on a map in case the opponent’s secret Objective includes one or more valuable ones.

7.3.3 Open & Secret Objectives

Open Objective chits – as well as secret ones that have been revealed during play [E67] – should be placed with their “open” sides face up in the center of the Objective Box. Secret Objective chits should be kept face down in the Objective Box–only that player may look at the “open” underside of the chit.

Note that a few of the Objective chits have no “secret” side–if a player draws one of these as their secret Objective, tough luck: it must be revealed as an open Objective.

Open Objectives award their VPs immediately during play of the game, whereas secret Objectives usually award their points at game end (or whenever they are revealed).

Whenever an open Objective changes ownership on the map, remember to first subtract its value from its former controller before adding its value to the new controller’s victory points–in this manner, an Objective worth 4 VPs would cause an eight point swing when it changes hands.

8. Stacking        

Placing more than one unit or marker in the same hex is called “stacking”.

CC’s oversized hexes allow counters to sit side by side within it. Even though these pieces may not physically be “stacked” upon one another, they are considered to be “stacked together” for game purposes.

8.1 Marker Stacking

Stacking limits are enforced for all markers immediately after placement. There is no limit to the number of markers that may occupy a single location except as follows:

8.1.1 Unit Markers–Each unit in play may have a maximum of one of each of the following markers stacked upon it:

• Suppressed
• Veteran
• Weapon (any unit may carry any Weapon)

8.1.2 Radios–Only one Radio may be stacked in each of the two Artillery Boxes: one per player. The first such Radio takes precedence.

8.1.3 Fortifications–Only one Fortification marker can ever occupy a single hex. The first such Fortification takes precedence.

So if the Shellholes Event instructed you to place a Foxholes marker into a hex already containing Wire, those Foxholes would not be placed.

8.1.4 Smoke–Only one Smoke marker can stack in a single hex. The one with the largest Hindrance takes precedence.

8.1.5 Blaze–Only one Blaze marker can ever occupy a single hex. While a Blaze is in a hex, no marker listed above and no unit may exist there.

8.2 Unit Stacking

The number of friendly units that can legally stack in a hex is based upon the number of soldier figures on those counters: a number of friendly units containing a total of up to seven figures can be stacked in the same hex without penalty. Any hex containing friendly units with a total of eight or more soldier figures is in violation of the stacking limits and is considered “overstacked”.

Unit stacking limits are enforced at the end of every Turn. At that time, the owning player must eliminate sufficient units in order to bring any hex found to be overstacked back into compliance. In each overstacked hex, a player may choose to perform up to one free Deploy Event [E52] immediately prior to eliminating units in this manner.

Example: Due to a Retreat, the Axis player finds that he has two broken German Squads in a single hex at the end of the Allied player’s Turn. He first opts to Deploy one of them into two (broken) Teams. He then eliminates one of those Teams. No further units need be eliminated as there are now only six soldier icons remaining in the hex, bringing it within stacking limits.

You are generally free to violate stacking limits during a Turn – in order to Advance extra units into a Melee situation, for example – but must figure out a way to remedy the situation by the end of the Turn or face cardboard calamity.

9. Initiative        

When playing a pre–generated scenario, that scenario will indicate which side begins the game with the Initiative card. During a Random Scenario Generation, a player’s Initiative number is listed within his side’s purchased OB: in this case, the player with the higher Initiative number will begin the game with the Initiative card.

IMPORTANT: The Initiative card is never part of a player’s hand and therefore does not count against his hand size limit.

9.1 Re–Roll

At any time during the game, the player currently in control of the Initiative card may choose to cancel all effects of the last die roll to have been made – including any die trigger associated with it – and cause it to be re–rolled. This decision must be made prior to any trigger/results of that roll being implemented.

When a player calls for a re–roll in this manner, he must give the Initiative card to his opponent, who will then control it unless and until he performs a re–roll option, thus passing it back to the first player. This passing of the Initiative can occur an unlimited number of times during the game: even during the same series of die rolls.

9.2 Tie Game

When a scenario ends in a tie – “0” VPs after Sudden Death or both players Surrendering simultaneously, for example – the player holding the Initiative card wins the game.

The Initiative card thus acts as a sort of balancing mechanism to temper those wild strings of luck inherent in any game with cards or dice. Initiative will generally pass back and forth between the two players as the fortunes of war play out, though this isn’t mandatory–it is possible, however unlikely, that a player could refrain from using it throughout an entire game.

10. Line of Sight (LOS)        

10.1 LOS Checks

Generally, a unit in one hex must be able to “see” a unit in another hex in order to fire at it. A LOS “check” is made by stretching a string taut between the “sighting” hex’s center dot and the “target” hex’s center dot. If the string touches the physical depiction of a terrain Obstacle or Hindrance in an intervening hex, that LOS is blocked [10.2] or hindered [10.3], respectively. Such a LOS check may be made at any time by either player.

Any Obstacle or Hindrance that is in – or part of, such as a Fence or Wall [T84, T97] – the sighting or target hex will not affect LOS.

So a Wall hexside that is not one of the six sides of the sighter’s or target’s hex blocks LOS between them, even if the LOS is traced exactly along the Wall’s hexspine.

LOS is always reciprocal: if unit A can see unit B, then unit B can also see unit A.

10.1.1 Units & LOS

Units – friendly or enemy – in an intervening hex do not block or hinder LOS in any way.

10.2 Obstacles & LOS

Any terrain [T79–T99] with the “” symbol in its LOS column of the Terrain Chart is termed an “Obstacle”.

A unit in one hex can’t see a unit in another hex if that LOS is blocked by an Obstacle.

10.2.1 Blaze Obstacles

A Blaze marker [T79] is considered to fill the entirety of the hex that it occupies. In other words, a LOS traced through any portion of a Blazing hex – including directly along its hexside – is blocked by that marker.

10.3.Hindrances & LOS

Some terrain is too sparse or too low to be considered a complete obstacle to LOS, and is thus termed a “Hindrance” because it hinders fire traced through it to another hex rather than preventing the shot altogether.

10.3.1 Targeting & Hindrances

Any Accuracy [O18.2.2] or Targeting [O20.2] LOS traced through an intervening Hindrance will have its roll decreased by an amount equal to the number listed in that terrain’s LOS column of the Terrain Chart. If the Radio/Weapon hits, any subsequent Artillery Impact/Fire Attack Roll will be unaffected by the Hindrance.

The hindrance was already taken into account by lessening the chances of hitting the intended target in the first place.

10.3.2 Fire Attacks & Hindrances

Any non–Ordnance Fire Attack [O20.3] traced through an intervening Hindrance will have its FP reduced by an amount equal to the number listed in that terrain’s LOS column of the Terrain Chart.

10.3.2.1 Minimum Firepower–A Fire Attack that would be reduced to “0” or less FP due to Hindrance cannot be made: a final FP of at least “1” is required for a Fire Attack Roll to be made. Actions that increase a Fire Attack’s strength may be used in order to raise that shot’s FP to 1 or more.

10.3.3 Hindrance Modifiers

Hindrances are not cumulative: the single largest modifier is used, and this modifier does not become greater if the number of Hindrances between the sighting and target hexes is greater than one.

A Squad Fires at a Team three hexes away. Both hexes between them contain Brush. The Team’s total FP is reduced by –3 for one Brush Hindrance, not –6 for both. If one of the two intervening hexes also contained a “4” Smoke marker, the FP would be reduced by –4 instead for the Smoke. If both intervening hexes contained “4” Smoke markers, the modifier would still only be –4.

10.3.4 Smoke Hindrances

A Smoke marker [T94] is considered to fill the entirety of the hex that it occupies. In other words, a LOS traced through any portion of a Smoked hex – including directly along its hexside – is hindered by that marker.

The physical placement of a Smoke/Blaze marker within a hex is unimportant: these are “inherent” terrain, and are considered to affect the entire hex – including all six hexsides – as long as they remain.

Furthermore, Smoke hinders any LOS traced into or out of it, not just through it like printed mapboard Hindrances.

Continuing the example from [10.3.3], if the Squad’s hex contained a “5” Smoke marker, its FP would be reduced by –5 instead.

11. Weapons        

11.1 Effects

As with units, Weapons have both a FP and a Range – sometimes boxed – and possibly a detrimental modifier (in bold red, like in the sample above) to the carrying unit’s Movement. Whenever a unit is activated [O14.1], any Weapon it is carrying is activated along with it. Only an unbroken, unsuppressed [13] unit may fire its Weapon, and may do so either separately or as part of a Fire Group [O20.3.1].

11.2 Portage

Each unit may “carry” one allotted Weapon, denoted by having the Weapon physically placed atop that unit. Any Weapon acquired via that nation’s Support Table must be given to the unit listed with that Weapon.

11.3 Removal & Transfer

A Weapon may be transferred to another unit via the expenditure of 1 MP during a Move Order [O21.1.1].

A Weapon may be voluntarily eliminated by its current owner at any time.

If a unit with a Weapon is eliminated or exits the map, the Weapon goes with it. A Weapon being carried by a Squad that Deploys [E52] is given to one of the two replacing Teams.

11.4 Broken Weapons

When a Weapon breaks, it is flipped over to its “Broken” side. A broken Weapon that breaks again is eliminated.

Whenever a player checks for a Random Hex [1.8] – either via Sniper! or due to certain Events – the hex number is compared to that on every broken Weapon in play. This happens before the result of the Event/Sniper itself is implemented.

• If the number falls within that Weapon’s “Fix” range, it is flipped back over to its unbroken side, available for immediate use.
• If the number falls within that Weapon’s “Elim” range, it is eliminated and placed in the “Weapon” space of the Casualty Track.
• Otherwise, the Weapon remains broken.

Examples of Line of Sight (LOS):

A–Herzog in J9 cannot see Borbe in K6 past the intervening Woods at the same elevation.

B–Herzog cannot see down to Bolter in L6 past the intervening Hill that is at the same elevation as Herzog [T88.3.2]; if Herzog was on a Level 2 Hill Crest, however, the LOS would be open, as he would then be higher than the intervening Hill obstacle.

C–Herzog can see Grein in N6 over the lower–elevation Woods obstacle [T88.4].

D,E–Guttman in J7 cannot see down to Schmidt in M9 due to the Woods creating one blind hex [T88.4.1]. He can see Pfeiffer one hex further away in N9, however.

F–Schmidt can see Benzing in M4 because the LOS travels exactly along the road depiction as it passes by the Woods obstacle in hex M5 [10.2 and T93].

G–Schmidt can see Grein; any Attack between the two hexes, however, would suffer a –2 penalty for the intervening Orchard hindrance in hex N7 [10.3.1 & 10.3.2].

H–Schmidt can see Wehling in N7, albeit with a 7 Hindrance due to the Smoke [10.3.4]; if a Wall existed along the M8/N8 hexside, the LOS would be blocked instead [10.1 gray box].

J–Pfeiffer can see Wehling. Any Fire Attacks made between their two hexes would suffer a –7 Hindrance for the Smoke; not –9 for both the Smoke and Orchard [10.3.3].

11.5 Ordnance

Some Weapons – those with a white bar behind their stats, like the two pictured below – are termed “Ordnance”. Ordnance:

• must first secure a hit via Targeting before making a Fire Attack Roll [O20.2];
• cannot participate in a Fire Group [O20.3.1];
• and cannot be used during Opportunity Fire [A33].

11.6 Specialized Weapons

A Flamethrower or Molotov Cocktail automatically sets its target’s Cover [T78.3] to “0”, with no modifications possible.

A Satchel Charge or Molotov Cocktail is a one–use Weapon and as such must be eliminated immediately after it makes a Fire Attack Roll [O20.3].

12. Radios        

Radios are markers representing off–map artillery batteries. Each has a FP of between 8 and 13. If a player acquires a Radio, it is placed in the Artillery Box closest to him (on one of the two corners of the map). Each player may have only one Radio in play at a time. A Radio is not a Weapon.

See O17 and O18 for rules on Radio usage.

as

13. Suppression        

13.1 Placement

A Suppressed marker can be placed on a unit via the Cower [E51], Interdiction [E60] or Suppressing Fire [E75] Events, or due to a “tie” result during a Fire Defense [O20.3.4], Rally [O22.3] or Rout [O23.2] Roll.

13.2 Effects

A unit with a Suppressed marker on it has –1 FP, –1 Range, –1 Movement and –1 Morale. Command is unaffected by being Suppressed.

Weapons themselves cannot become Suppressed, but a Suppressed unit cannot fire any Weapon it possesses.

The “ Wpn” in the upper left corner of a Suppressed marker is there as a reminder.

13.3 Removal

A Suppressed marker can only be removed from a unit at the beginning of a Recover Order, or if the unit is eliminated or exits the map. A Suppressed Squad that Deploys [E52] transfers its Suppressed status to only one of the two replacing Teams.

ORDERS

“Do, or do not. There is no try.”

–Yoda

O14. General Rules        

O14.1 Activation–To perform – or “give” – an Order, the active player (only) must reveal a card from his hand and announce that he is performing the Order listed at the top. The card is then placed in the player’s discard pile. Then, if that particular Order is one that “activates” something, he activates one player or friendly unit (as appropriate for the Order) that has not yet been activated that Turn to perform the Order. If a Leader is activated in this manner, it may in turn activate all, some or none of the friendly non–Leader units within its Command Radius [3.3.1.1] to perform the same Order–none of which can have been previously activated that Turn. All units to be activated for an Order must be identified before the Order is carried out.

IMPORTANT–No Order may be given without the play of a Fate card from the hand and with that Order’s name listed across the top.

O14.2–An announced Order must be performed in its entirety before the next Order is given or before the player announces the end of his Turn. This includes any Actions requiring that Order to be in effect.

You can’t activate two units to Move, move one, play a Rout Order on your opponent to get an enemy unit out of the way, then come back and move the other unit.

O14.3–Any number of Actions may be announced by either player during an Order as long as the prerequisites for those Actions are met. Any number of Events could also occur at random during an Order.

If you activated a Leader and a Squad to Move, the Squad could move first and play one or more Smoke Grenade Actions before the Leader begins moving.

O14.4–Once an Order is given, at least one of the units activated for that Order must physically carry it out.

If a Move Order is given, at least one activated unit must physically cross a hexside into another hex–you couldn’t give a Move Order for the sole purpose of playing an Assault Fire Action, for example.

O15. Pass (discard)        

If a player chooses to give no Orders during his Turn, he may instead discard any number of cards, up to his nationality’s Discard Limit (as shown on the player aid sheet).

The various Orders are described in detail, below, and are listed in alphabetical order for ease of reference.

O16. Advance        

“My center is giving way, my right is in retreat; situation excellent. I shall attack.”

–Ferdinand Foch

O16.1 Procedure

A unit that is activated to Advance can enter one of the six hexes adjacent to the one it currently occupies, where it must stop. This can be done even if the hex is enemy–occupied.

This is the best way in which to enter into Melee with opposing units.

MPs and terrain Move Costs are ignored during an Advance. In addition, the inactive player can not use Op Fire [A33] against advancing units.

You only get to go one hex but you are immune to Fire Attacks as you do so.

O16.2 Abilities

An advancing unit may:

• enter an enemy–occupied hex;
• exit off the enemy board edge;
• cross a Cliff hexside [T83] if it is not carrying a Weapon.

O16.3 Restrictions

An advancing unit may not:

• enter an impassable hex [T79; T98];
• enter or exit a Major Bridge hex [T80.1] across anything other than its Road/Rail hexsides;
• exit off the left, right or friendly board edge.

[O16.4] Melee

“The essence of war is violence. Moderation in war is imbecility.”

–John Arbuthnot Fisher

At the end of any Order or die trigger that causes a hex to contain units belonging to both sides, a Melee ensues in that hex. If more than one hex contains a Melee, the active player selects the order in which they will be resolved, one at a time.

O16.4.1 Melee Strength

After both players have played and resolved any Ambush Actions [A25], each adds up the current FP of each of his remaining units – not Weapons – in the Melee hex, then adds +1 for each of those units with a boxed FP to arrive at his “Melee FP”.

If, due to Ambush Actions, one or both sides have no units remaining in the hex, the Melee ends with no further effect.

O16.4.2 Melee Roll

The inactive player makes a die roll and adds it to his Melee FP to arrive at his “Melee Total”. Then the active player makes a die roll and adds it to his Melee FP to arrive at his Melee Total.

The rolls – while ostensibly simultaneous – are staggered in order to facilitate die triggers and possible use of the Initiative card after each one.

If, due to a trigger during a Melee Roll, one or both sides have no units remaining in the hex, the Melee ends with no further effect.

O16.4.3 Melee Result

The side with the lower Melee Total has all of its participating units eliminated. In case of a tie, both sides are eliminated unless one player began the Melee in a Bunker [F101] or Pillbox [F104], in which case only the other side is eliminated.

It can sometimes be advantageous to overstack when advancing into a Melee situation in order to have a better chance of winning it (or as Ambush Insurance™) even though you will likely lose one or more of those units to overstacking at the end of the Turn.

O17. Artillery Denied        

“Beagle calling Doghouse, come in Doghouse. Beagle calling Doghouse, come in Doghouse. Doghouse this is Beagle, do you copy? Come in, please!”

–Lieutenant Foley

When an Artillery Denied Order is given, that player simply causes his opponent’s Radio [12] to break. If the Radio was already broken, eliminate it instead. An eliminated Radio is always placed back into the counter mix rather than on the Casualty Track.

Nothing is activated during an Artillery Denied Order, though there must be an enemy Radio in play for the Order to be announced.

Keep in mind, as well, that a radio doesn’t ‘break’ per se–an eliminated or broken radio more likely represents the unwillingness of the battery commander far behind the lines to support your battle at this particular point in time: other sectors of the front (off–map) may have a more pressing need and thus are getting their fire missions resolved first.

O18. Artillery Request        

“Artillerymen believe the world consists of two types of people: Other artillerymen and targets.”

–unknown

When an Artillery Request Order is given, that player must choose to perform one of either “Battery Access” or “Fire For Effect”. Battery Access may only be chosen if he has a broken Radio [12] in play. Fire For Effect may only be chosen if he has both an unbroken Radio in play and an unbroken Leader in play that has yet to be activated this Turn. If neither of these conditions exist, the Order cannot be given.

O18.1 Battery Access

If Battery Access is chosen, the active player simply ‘fixes’ his broken Radio by flipping it back over to its unbroken side, ready for immediate use.

Similar to the Artillery Denied action, nothing is activated when choosing this option – the active player just needs to have a broken Radio in play. This means that if the active player had a second Artillery Request in his hand, he could use it as his next Order and choose Fire For Effect.

O18.2 Fire For Effect

If Fire For Effect is chosen, the active player activates one of his unbroken Leaders (only). This Leader will act as the “Spotter” for the ensuing bombardment.

The active player then performs the following three steps, in the exact order given:

1)    Spotting;
2)    Accuracy;
3)    Impact.

Each step is explained in detail below.

An Artillery Request represents a Leader calling for a “Fire For Effect” in order to bring down several hexes worth of bombardment. A Radio operator is considered to be spending the time in between Artillery Request Orders requesting, observing and correcting spotting rounds.

O18.2.1 Spotting

First, place the Spotting Round (SR) into any hex within the LOS of the Spotter: this will indicate the hex that is to be the intended center of the artillery bombardment. This hex can be an otherwise impassable hex (such as a Blaze or Water Barrier).

O18.2.1.1 Smoke Rounds–Most Radios are able to place Smoke in the targeted hexes instead of making Impact Rolls against them. This ability is available to any Radio with the word “Smoke” to the right of the Radio illustration. If the active player wishes to place Smoke, he must announce this decision aloud now; prior to making his Accuracy attempt.

O18.2.2 Accuracy

Once the SR has been placed, make a normal Targeting Roll [O20.2.3] using the range between the Spotter and the SR’s current hex. This roll is modified by any Hindrances along the way, as usual [10.3.1].

O18.2.2.1.Hit–If the Targeting Roll secures a ‘hit,’ the Artillery is accurate. Reveal the top card of the Fate deck and ignore everything but the two dice (this is NOT a roll, so no die triggers). Using the hex–compass on the map, each die will give the direction in which the SR will err: the SR moves one hex in the white die’s direction, then it moves one hex in the colored die’s direction.

Yes, this could bring the SR right back into the same hex–good shot!

O18.2.2.2 Miss–If the Targeting Roll was a ‘miss,’ the Artillery is inaccurate. Reveal the top card of the Fate deck and ignore everything but the two dice (this is NOT a roll, so no die triggers). Using the hex–compass on the map, the first (white) die gives the direction in which the SR will err. The second (colored) die is the distance in hexes the SR will travel in that direction.

Yes, this could bring the SR right back on top of your own troops–bad shot!

O18.2.2.3 Off–Map–Any SR that errs off the map – even if just briefly – is removed with no further effect and the Order ends. And, due to artillery’s 7–hex blast area (see below), a SR can occupy an otherwise impassable hex (such as a Blaze or Water Barrier).

O18.2.3 Impact

The hex into which the SR finally lands becomes the center hex of the activated Radio’s artillery impact area; in other words, the SR’s hex and each adjacent hex will be affected.

The active player determines the order in which these seven hexes are attacked, though each may only have a maximum of one such Impact Roll made against it.

O18.2.3.1 Smoke Barrage–If, during the Spotting step, the active player announced “Smoke” instead of a normal artillery barrage, he simply places seven random Smoke markers on the map–one into the hex occupied by the SR and one in each adjacent hex. This ends the Order: remove the SR from the map.

O18.2.3.2 Artillery Barrage–If this was not a smoke barrage, then each hex within the impact area that contains at least one unit or Fortification must have a separate Artillery Impact Roll made against it.

Hexes within the blast area but void of units/Fortifications are not attacked.

An Artillery Impact Roll follows the same rules and restrictions as for a Fire Attack Roll [O20.3.3 and O20.3.4] but, because Radios are not Weapons, a “Jammed!” trigger will not break the Radio.

O18.2.3.3 vs Fortifications–The Artillery box on the Track Display lists a “Fortification Vulnerability” number for each Radio FP. If an Artillery Impact Roll is exactly equal to the Fortification Vulnerability number associated with that Radio’s FP, then any Fortification in the targeted hex is destroyed before any units therein make their Fire Defense Rolls.

Also note that most Fortifications (Foxholes, for instance) have a +1 modifier to their Cover when targeted by artillery.

O19. Command Confusion        

“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.”

–Napoleon Bonaparte

This card can’t be played for an Order.

It acts as a ‘dud’ in your hand–hope that you have a decent Action on this card.

O20. Fire        

O20.1 Suspected Targets

For a Fire Order to be announced, at least one of the activated units (or its Weapon) must have an enemy unit within both its LOS and Range.

You can activate Leader A to fire, who then activates Squad B. This is legal if Squad B is the only one of the two with both LOS and Range to an enemy unit. You could also activate a 2–Range Team to fire even if the nearest enemy unit is three or more hexes away if that Team was carrying a Weapon capable of firing at that enemy unit.

O20.2 Ordnance & Targeting

All Ordnance Weapons [11.5] must first secure a hit against the targeted hex before making a Fire Attack Roll against it.

All other Weapons – and all units – need not perform a Targeting Roll and proceed directly to the next step [O20.3] when firing.

Generally, the range between the firing Ordnance and the target hex is determined, then a Targeting Roll is made to see if the Weapon hits and, if so, a Fire Attack Roll [O20.3.3] is then made using that Weapon’s FP.

And remember that stats within a white band are never modified by a friendly Leader’s Command number [3.3.1.3].

O20.2.1 Smoke Rounds

Some Weapons are able to place a Smoke marker in the targeted hex (as indicated by the word “Smoke” to the right of the Weapon’s illustration) instead of making a normal Fire Attack Roll. Ordnance is allowed to target any hex within its Range – even one containing no enemy units – if it will place Smoke this way. The active player must declare this decision aloud when he selects the target hex, prior to making the Targeting Roll.

If smoke placement is announced in this manner, then a successful Targeting Roll will simply place a random Smoke marker into the targeted hex instead of using the Weapon’s FP to make a Fire Attack Roll against it.

O20.2.2 Targeting Range

Determine the range by counting the number of hexes from the firing unit to its target hex – including the target hex but excluding the firing unit’s hex. If this range is greater than the printed Range on the firing Weapon, the shot cannot be attempted in the first place.

Note that Mortars also have a minimum range at which they can fire. For example, the Russian Light Mortar has a Range of “2–14”, so it can’t fire at an adjacent hex.

O20.2.3 Targeting Roll

“Nothing in life is so exhilarating as to be shot at without result.”

–Winston Churchill

Once the range is determined, the active player must make a die roll – but multiplying the two dice together rather than adding them together as with other rolls – that is greater than the range in order to hit the targeted hex. Any other result is a miss and the attack is cancelled with no further effect.

So a Targeting Roll of 1·6 (total of “6”) misses at range 6 or more, and will hit if the range is 5 or less. A Targeting Roll of 6·6 is “36” and will hit anything, while a roll of 1·1 is “1” and will miss everything.

Targeting & Hindrances–Targeting Rolls are always modified by any relevant Hindrance along the way [10.3.1].

Ordnance firing at a target 5 hexes away with one or more Brush hexes in between (Hindrance of –3) would need to physically roll 9 or more to hit instead of 6+.

O20.3 Fire Attack

“It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past.”

–Karl von Clausewitz

Each piece that is activated to Fire may take one shot at any hex within both its Range and LOS, either alone or as part of a Fire Group [O20.3.1]. And, unless firing Smoke [O20.2.1], there must be at least one enemy unit in a targeted hex for the shot to occur.

IMPORTANT–Units (friendly or enemy) in an intervening hex are not affected by any Fire Attack that passes through their hex.

Generally, a unit’s FP – modified both by Command and by any Hindrances between itself and the target – is added to a “Fire Attack Roll” to arrive at an “Attack Total”. Then each unit in the affected hex adds its Morale – modified by Command/Cover – to a “Fire Defense Roll” to arrive at a “Defense Total”. If the firer’s Attack Total beats a unit’s Defense Total, that unit breaks [3.2]. If the Totals are tied, a Moving target breaks while a non–Moving target becomes Suppressed [13]. Any other result will have no effect.

This is how we make moving a bit more dangerous than remaining stationary: if the active player’s Moving units are being shot at via Opportunity Fire [A33], they will break on a tied result rather just becoming Suppressed.

O20.3.1 Fire Groups

Two or more activated units/Weapons (or “pieces”) may fire together by combining into a Fire Group. Every piece in a Fire Group must have both an unobstructed LOS to the target hex and be within Range of that hex for the Fire Attack Roll to be made. Furthermore, if units in a Fire Group occupy more than one hex, each such hex must be adjacent to at least one other (so that it forms a “chain” of adjacent firing units).

O20.3.1.1 Ordnance–Weapons with a white band must always fire alone and thus can never be assigned as part of a Fire Group.

Fire Groups are never mandatory–pieces that could form a Fire Group may choose to fire separately or to form smaller Fire Groups, at the owning player’s discretion. A unit and its Weapon may even fire separately and at the same or different hexes.

O20.3.1.2 Group FP–The total FP of a Fire Group is X+Y, where X is the FP of one firing piece and Y is the number of other firing pieces [see “C” in the Fire Attack example on the following page].

O20.3.2 Attack Hindrances

If the LOS from any non–Ordnance firing piece and the target hex is hindered [10.3], that shot’s FP is reduced by the largest such Hindrance. If this would modify the attack’s total FP to zero or less, the shot cannot even be attempted; though the firing piece(s) could still attempt a different shot with a lesser (or no) Hindrance.

Keep in mind that Actions such as Crossfire [A30] or Marksmanship [A37] can increase a Fire Attack’s strength to greater than 0, thus allowing a hindered shot to occur.

O20.3.3 Fire Attack Roll

Once the final FP is determined, the firing player makes a roll and adds it to the final FP to arrive at an “Attack Total”.

O20.3.3.1 Jammed! Trigger–If a Fire Attack Roll results in a Jammed! trigger, all firing Weapons break. This does not cancel the attack nor otherwise reduce its effectiveness (other than the fact that Jammed! triggers are found on extremely low rolls...).

O20.3.4 Fire Defense Roll

A player has to make a Fire Defense Roll – one at a time in any order desired – for each of his units that were in a hex at the moment that a Fire Attack Roll was made against it. All Fire Defense Rolls for one attack must be made before the next attack is announced, even if that same hex will be targeted again.

Since a broken Leader has a Command of 0, you generally want to roll Defense for a Leader last (in case it breaks) in order for the other units in the hex to gain the Morale boost from his Command.

A targeted unit’s Morale – modified by both Cover [T78.3] and Command [3.3.1.2] – is added to a die roll in order to arrive at a “Defense Total”:

• If the Defense Total is less than the Attack Total, the unit breaks [3.2].
• If the Defense Total is equal to the Attack Total, the unit becomes Suppressed [13] unless it is currently activated to Move [O21]–in which case it breaks instead of Suppressing.
• If the Defense Total is greater than the Attack Total, the unit is unaffected.

Fire Attack example:

A–The Axis player announces a Fire Order activating Sgt. Grein in hex K8. Grein then activates the Team and four Squads within his Command Radius. The Weapons are “activated” along with their controlling units [11.1]. Grein can’t activate Lt. Bolter [3.3.1.1].

B–The Light MG in K8 can’t fire, as it is manned by a broken unit [11.1]. The broken Squad can fire up to 3 hexes away, however, due to Grein’s Command [3.3.1.2].

C–A Fire Group is formed [O20.3.1] targeting hex M6 containing a US Squad. The German player decides to use the Rifle Squad in L8 as the base (6FP due to Bolter’s Command). To this is added +1 for each of the Squads in K8, J7 and J6, and the LMG in J6 [O20.3.1.2]. Grein doesn’t have enough Range to reach the target hex himself and the Mortar, being Ordnance, can’t participate in a Fire Group. Finally, +1 is added because at least one unit is firing downhill [T88.2] for a total of 11FP. This number is added to a Fire Attack Roll [O20.3.3] of 4·1 for an Attack Total of 16 (place the Attack Total marker in either space of the Victory Track labeled “16”).

D–The US Squad in the targeted hex must now make a Fire Defense Roll [O20.3.4] vs the 16 Attack Total. Its Morale is 5 (base 6; –1 Cover for Open Ground containing a Road [T93]). This number is added to a die roll of 6·4 for a Defense Total of 15: a good roll but not quite enough to beat the Axis player’s total, and the American squad breaks [O20.3.4, first bullet].

E–The Axis player elects to have the Heavy MG make the next shot alone, firing at the same hex with the (now broken) US Squad. The MG has 9FP (8; +1 due to Bolter’s Command). The Axis player plays a Sustained Fire Action [A41] for +2FP, then another one [A24.1] for another +2FP. To this is added a Fire Attack Roll of 1·6–Event! for an Attack Total of 20, which is marked by placing the Attack Total marker in either “20” space of the Victory Track.

F–Play now pauses in order for the Event to resolve [1.9.1.1]: the Axis player reveals his next Fate Card and gets the Interdiction Event [E60], allowing him to place a Suppressed marker [13] on the broken Squad he is firing at!

G–Play resumes. The targeted Squad’s Morale is now 6 (8; –1 Road; –1 Suppressed) to which the Allied player adds a Fire Defense Roll of 1·2 for a Defense Total of only 9, eliminating it [3.2.4]. It is placed on the Casualty Track [4.2] and the Axis player gains 2 VPs [7.1].

H–The Mortar now fires at the US Team in N6. Being Ordnance [O20.2], it must first secure a hit before making a Fire Attack Roll. The distance to the target is 3 hexes so the Targeting Roll [O20.2.3] must be greater than 3, but the roll will be modified by –3 due to the intervening Smoke [10.3.1 and 10.3.4]. The Targeting Roll is 6·1 (“6” [O20.2.3]), modified down to 3, so the shot barely misses and no Fire Attack Roll is allowed. This shot would have hit had there been no Smoke (or only a “1” or “2” Smoke) in the way.

J–Finally, the only enemy–occupied hex within both Range and LOS of the activated German Team is hex N7 but, because the Smoke reduces its 2FP to –1FP [10.3.2], the attack cannot be made [10.3.2.1] without help from Actions.

O21. Move        

“Führer, we are on the march! Victorious Italian troops crossed the Greco–Albanian frontier at dawn today!”

–Benito Mussolini

Units that are activated to Move can move from hex to hex across the map, expending MPs in each new hex that they enter. A unit has as many MPs to spend during a Move Order as its current Movement number, which can be modified by Command [3.3.1.2] or by having entered a Road hex [T93], among other things.

O21.1 Movement Costs

Each terrain lists a “Move Cost”. In order to enter an adjacent hex during a Move Order, an activated unit must spend a number of MPs equal to the Move Cost of the terrain in that hex. Additional costs may be assessed if the unit crosses certain hexsides (a Wall, for example) or moves to a higher elevation.

IMPORTANT: A unit may not enter a hex unless it has at least as many MPs remaining as the total cost to enter that hex.

Units without enough MPs to move even one hex – perhaps they are broken or carrying a heavy Weapon – will have to wait for an Advance (or Rout!) Order to get going.

O21.1.1 Weapon Transfer–At any point during a Move Order, an activated unit may transfer its Weapon to a friendly unit stacked with it by expending one of its available MPs. The receiving unit need not be activated to Move, but cannot already possess a Weapon.

O21.2 Moving Together

The movement of one unit must be completed in its entirety before another activated unit can begin moving. The one exception is that activated units that begin a Move Order in the same hex may be moved together provided those units remain together throughout the entirety of that Move Order.

Those units will therefore always end their movement in the same hex, and the unit with the smallest modified Movement number will determine how far the group as a whole can travel. If one of these units breaks along the way, it will usually stop the entire group dead in its tracks.

O21.3 Opportunity Fire & Movement

The inactive player may use Op Fire [A33] against the active player’s moving units each time they enter a new hex.

See the Op Fire example on page 16.

O21.4 Movement Restrictions

A moving unit may never:

• enter an enemy–occupied hex;
• enter an impassable hex [T79; T98];
• cross a Cliff hexside [T83];
• enter or exit a Major Bridge hex across anything other than its Road/Rail hexsides [T80.1];
• exit off the left, right or friendly map edge.

Exiting a unit off the enemy board edge, however, will gain you victory points [7.2.1].

O21.5 Movement Etiquette

Each time the active player moves a unit or group of units into a new hex, he should clearly announce the cumulative MP expenditure up to that point, then pause for a second or two. This allows the inactive player a short time in which to decide whether to announce an Op Fire into that hex (or, if the Defender, to play a Mines [A35.2] or Wire [A35.5] Action).

Furthermore, it should be incumbent upon the inactive player to pay attention and say “Stop!” whenever he may have an Action to play or Fire Attack to make in response to the active player’s movement.

Moving players may want to get in the habit of asking “Actions?” after each hex entered; or maybe just pausing to make brief eye contact with the opponent.

O21.6 Timing & Movement

After each MP expenditure, the inactive player must play all Actions that he wishes before the active player may play his first one.

So if the moving player wanted to play a “Smoke Grenades” or “Assault Fire” Action after entering a new hex, the inactive player would always be allowed to play a “Mines” or “Wire” Action first, and/or get to perform an Op Fire into that hex.

O22. Recover        

“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.”

–George S. Patton

O22.1 Activation

When a Recover Order is announced, that player selects himself to be “activated” provided he has at least one broken and/or Suppressed unit in play and he has not been activated for a Recover or Rout Order [O23] previously in the same Turn.

IMPORTANT–The broken/Suppressed units themselves are not activated during a Recover Order: only the player himself is.

Thus no more than one Recover could be played per Turn, as the player will have already been activated. Also, a unit affected by a Recover Order could be activated for that player’s next Order, or vice versa.

O22.2 Recover Procedure

First, the player taking the Recover Order removes all Suppressed markers from his friendly units.

Then, he makes a Rally Roll for each friendly unit that was broken at the time the Order was announced.

Units that become broken due to Events during a Recover Order don’t get to make a Rally Roll.

If the active player has more than one broken unit, he chooses the order in which those units will be affected.

O22.3 Rally Roll

A Rally Roll can have one of three effects on a broken unit:

• if the roll is less than its Morale, Rally it [3.2.5];
• if the roll is equal to its current Morale, it becomes Suppressed [13] and remains broken;
• if the roll is greater than its current Morale, there is no effect and the unit simply remains broken.

So for a broken unit with a current Morale of 7 – having already taken into account any Command and/or Cover modifiers – a Rally Roll of 5 would cause it to Rally; a Rally Roll of 7 would simply Suppress it; and a Rally Roll of 9 would have no effect.

You usually want to roll for your broken Leaders first–if they Rally, their increased Command will make Rallying more likely for other broken units in the same hex.

O23. Rout        

“They’ve got us surrounded again, the poor bastards.”

–Creighton W. Abrams

O23.1 Activation

When a Rout Order is announced, that player selects a player to be “activated” (either himself or his opponent) provided the chosen player has at least one broken unit in play [3.2] and that player has not been activated for a Recover [O22] or Rout Order previously in the same Turn.

IMPORTANT–The broken units themselves are not activated during a Rout Order: only the player himself is.

Thus no more than two Rout Orders could be played per Turn–one targeting each player. Also, a friendly unit that just had a Rout Roll made for it could be activated for that player’s next Order, or vice versa.

O23.2 Rout Roll

The active player – that is, the one that announced the Order – makes a roll for each unit belonging to the chosen player that was broken at the time the Order was announced.

Units that become broken due to Events during a Rout Order can’t have a Rout Roll made for them.

If the chosen player has more than one broken unit, the active player chooses the order in which those units will be affected.

A Rout Roll can have one of three effects on a broken unit:

• if the roll is less than its Morale, there is no effect and the unit remains where it is.
• if the roll is equal to its current Morale, it becomes Suppressed [13] if not already.
• if the roll is greater than its current Morale, it must “Retreat” a number of hexes equal to the difference.

So for a broken unit with a current Morale of 7 – having already taken into account any Command and/or Cover modifiers – a Rout Roll of 9 means a Retreat of two hexes; a Rout Roll of 7 would simply Suppress it; and a Rout Roll of 5 would have no effect.

O23.3 Retreating

When a Rout Roll is greater than the broken unit’s Morale, it must Retreat a number of hexes equal to the difference. A player always Retreats his own units, even if his opponent gave the Rout Order. Each hex Retreated into must be closer to the controlling player’s board edge than the one it just left (in other words, there must be fewer intervening hexes between the unit and its friendly board edge in the hex it Retreats into than there are for the hex it Retreats out of). If already adjacent to its friendly board edge, the unit is eliminated (effectively retreating off the map).

O23.3.1 Terrain–MPs are not counted during a Retreat, so all terrain Move Costs are ignored.

O23.3.2 Opportunity Fire–Op Fire is not permitted against Retreating units.

O23.3.3 Wire–A Retreat is allowed into and out of Wire without having to stop.

O23.3.4 Mines–Mines attack Retreating units normally, both when they enter and/or leave a hex containing a Mines marker.

O23.3.5 Elimination–A Retreating unit is immediately eliminated if it is forced to Retreat:

• Off its owner’s friendly board edge;
• Into an enemy–occupied hex (it surrenders to them);
• Into an impassable hex [T79; T98];
• Across a Cliff hexside [T83].

ACTIONS

“There are no absolute rules of conduct, either in peace or war. Everything depends on circumstantces.”

–Leon Trotsky

A24. General Rules        

A24.1–Actions may be announced by either player at any time via a Fate card played from the hand so long as that Action’s listed condition or prerequisite is met. Multiple Actions may be conducted in response to the same game situation. All effects of consecutively–played Actions are cumulative.

A24.2.Timing–If both players wish to perform one or more Actions (including Op Fire) at the same time, the inactive player must perform all of his Actions before the active player may play his first one.

A24.3.Activation–With the sole exception of Op Fire [A33], Actions that affect units do not activate those units like an Order would. Conversely, a unit that has already been activated by an Order/Op Fire Action can be the target of any number of (non–Op Fire) Actions.

Except for A33 Opportunity Fire, the following rules for individual Actions [A25–A41] need not be read and memorized your first time through the rules: most Actions are self–explanatory on the cards themselves. So this section can be safely ignored until the need arises for a clarification during actual game play. Actions are listed in alphabetical order for ease of reference.

A25. Ambush        

“Always mystify, mislead and surprise the enemy if possible.”

–Thomas J. Jackson

Ambush may only be played before dice are rolled during a Melee. The Inactive player must play all the Ambushes he wishes for that Melee before the Active player may play his first one.

Effect–The opponent must select one of his units that is participating in the Melee and break it [3.2].

IMPORTANT–All Ambush effects are resolved before Melee FP is calculated.

Note that both players can announce Ambush Actions. Note also that it is possible for both sides to be entirely eliminated via Ambush before the Melee Rolls would otherwise have been made.

A26. Assault Fire        

“In a man–to–man fight, the winner is he who has one more round in his magazine.”

–Erwin Rommel

Assault Fire may only be played if at least one unit currently activated to Move (or its Weapon) has both:

• boxed FP, and
• an enemy unit within its current Range and LOS at which to shoot.

Effect–Each Assault Fire Action allows a single Fire Attack to be made. This attack may form a Fire Group using any or all moving units and/or their Weapons that have boxed FP. The attack otherwise adheres to all rules and restrictions pertaining to a regular Fire Attack as if made during a Fire Order [O20].

Note that you may announce an Assault Fire Action before, during, or after any physical movement has been carried out–the firing pieces need only be activated to Move to utilize the Action.

A27. Bore Sighting        

Bore Sighting may only be played by the scenario Defender – never an Attack or Recon player – and only just prior to making a Fire Attack Roll involving a firing Weapon with a printed FP of at least “5” (before any modifications).

Effect–Increase the Fire Attack’s FP by +2.

A28. Command Confusion        

This card cannot be played for an Action.

Hope that you have a decent Order on this card.

A29. Concealment        

Concealment may only be played just prior to the player making a Defense Roll.

Effect–Determine the Cover in the targeted hex and reduce the Fire Attack Total by that amount. If the firing player is using Spray Fire [A40], the Cover of either one of the targeted hexes may be used. All Cover modifiers – such as for Roads [T93] or a Mortar attacking units in Foxholes [F102] – are taken into consideration before reducing.

Yes, Concealment is used after the targeted player knows the attack total. Maybe the firer only thought he saw gun flashes between those trees...

A30. Crossfire        

Crossfire may only be played just prior to the player making a Fire Attack Roll, and only when firing at one or more moving [O21] units.

Effect–Increase the Fire Attack’s FP by +2.

A31. Demolitions        

Demolitions may only be played when the opponent discards one or more cards due to “passing” [O15].

Involuntary discards due to an Event [E57 and E61] don’t count.

Effect–Eliminate one Fortification in any hex containing a friendly unit.

A32. Dig In        

Dig In may only be played at the end of a Game Time Advancement [6.1.2].

Effect–Place a Foxholes marker [F102] into a hex containing a friendly unit. The hex cannot be Water Terrain, and can’t already contain a Blaze or another Fortification of any type.

A33. Fire (Opportunity Fire)        

“No plan of battle ever survives contact with the enemy.”

–Heinz Guderian

A33.1 Prerequisite

A Fire Action may only be played during an opponent’s Move Order, and only just after the expenditure of one or more MPs as a moving unit enters a new hex. This type of reactionary fire is termed “Op Fire”.

Note that Fire Actions are listed across the top of any Fate card that has one, in the same position as for a Fire Order. As a reminder of its dual capability, the word “Fire” will, when appearing along the top of a Fate card, always be preceded by the words “Order/Action”.

A33.2 Op Fire Procedure

Generally, when the active player is performing a Move Order, he should count aloud his units’ accumulated MP expenditure in each hex as it is entered. Each time such an expenditure is made, the inactive player has the option to call out “Wait!” and temporarily halt movement. If he does, he may choose to do either or both of the following:

• play a Fire Action from his hand and activate one or more units to fire at that hex (exactly as if he were activating units for a Fire Order [O14.1 & O20.1]); and/or
• make one Fire Attack against that hex with any of his units that were activated for Op Fire at any point during this same Move Order.

After any such Fire Attack is made – or the opportunity to do so is declined (“Never mind; keep moving”) – the active player may continue with his Move Order.

A33.3 Op Fire Exceptions

Units (and their Weapons) that are activated for Op Fire follow all normal rules for a Fire Order [O20], with three important exceptions:

1)    An Ordnance Weapon [11.5] cannot utilize Opportunity Fire (though the unit possessing it may fire normally).
2)    They are not limited to only firing once, and so remain activated and eligible to fire at moving targets for the entirety of that Move Order (only).

Note that units are activated for Op Fire, so they could not be activated for Op Fire again in that same Turn if the active player announced another Move Order.

3)    No more than one Fire Attack may be made by the inactive player per MP expenditure by the active player.

A unit entering a Stream expends 3 MPs to do so, but this is only one expenditure (albeit a large one). So moving into a hex – however costly – is always a single expenditure of X MPs and can draw one Op Fire attack against it. If another unit later moved into that Stream hex in the same Move Order, it could be the target of another Op Fire attack–even by the same op–firing unit(s).

Movement / Opportunity Fire example:

A–The Axis player announces a Move Order activating the German Rifle Squad in hex L8. He Moves it into K8 and announces “two” (1MP for Open Ground; +1 moving uphill [T88.1]).

B–The Allied player has a Fire Order/Action in hand but (correctly) surmises that LOS to K8 is blocked by the Crest Line in K7 [T88.3.2] so he declines Opportunity Fire [A33]. “Go ahead.”

C–Axis player plays a Smoke Grenades Action [A39] and announces that he will place it in hex K7. He randomly draws a “4” Smoke marker and places it there.

D–Axis player announces “three” (1MP for Open Ground; +2 already spent) as he continues the Rifle Squad’s movement into K7.

E–Allied player says “Wait!” and plays the Fire Action [A33.1] from his hand, activating the American Squad in L5. Unfortunately, its FP firing into K7 is only 1 (6; –1 uphill; –4 Smoke). This FP is added to a roll of 6·5, however, for a Fire Attack Total of 12. The shot affects both units in the target hex [O20.3.4], not just the moving unit. The Axis player makes a Fire Defense Roll for his 8–Morale Squad (7; +1 for Biermann’s Command)–rolling 6·2–then his 8–Morale Leader–rolling 1·5; both units are unaffected and there are no die triggers.

F–The Rifle Squad’s Movement is now 5 due to Biermann’s Command [3.3.1.2], so the Axis player announces “five” to enter K6 (2MP for Woods; +3 already spent).

G–Allied player says “Wait” and immediately declares a subsequent shot with his Line Squad [A33.3] into K6, adding two Grenade Actions [A34] from his hand. This gives him 9FP (6; +4 Grenades; –1 uphill). He then rolls a 1·3, which gives him an Attack Total of 13. The Rifle Squad adds its Morale of 9 (7; +2 Woods) to a roll of 6·3 and easily passes.

H–Having left Biermann’s hex, the Rifle Squad’s Movement becomes 4 again and, since it has already spent 5 MP, is now done for the Turn barring any further Actions.

NOTE–If a second Move Order was then announced by the Axis player activating Sergeant Biermann, the US Squad in L5 could not fire at him as he moved [see A33.2, second bullet, and the first gray box of A33.3].

A34. Hand Grenades        

“Mr. Hand Grenade is your friend.”

–Lt. Dave Farrow, 82nd Airborne

Hand Grenades may only be played just prior to the player making a Fire Attack Roll, and only if at least one piece is firing at an adjacent hex.

In the case of a multi–hex Fire Group, only one of those hexes need be adjacent to the targeted hex.

Effect–Increase the Fire Attack’s FP by +2.

A35. Hidden (name)        

“War brings about strange, sometimes ridiculous situations.”

–Dwight D. Eisenhower

IMPORTANT–The following five “Hidden” Actions may only be played by the scenario Defender–never an Attack or Recon player.

A35.1 Hidden Entrenchments

Hidden Entrenchments may only be played just prior to the scenario Defender making a Defense Roll. The hex affected by the attack cannot be a Building or Water hex, nor already contain a Fortification of any type.

Effect–Place a Foxholes marker [F102] into that hex.

A35.2 Hidden Mines

Hidden Mines may only be played by the scenario Defender just after one or more units Move or Advance (not Retreat) into a hex. That hex cannot be Water Terrain nor already contain a Fortification of any type.

Effect–Place a Mines marker [F103] into that hex. The Defender then makes a Mine Attack [F103.2] against each of those moving/advancing units.

Any unit that was already in the hex would be immune to this initial minefield attack.

A35.3 Hidden Pillbox

Hidden Pillbox may only be played just prior to the scenario Defender making a Defense Roll for an attack against an Objective hex and only if the Pillbox is not already in play. The targeted hex cannot be Water Terrain nor already contain a Fortification of any type.

Effect–Place the Pillbox marker [F104] into that hex.

A35.4 Hidden Unit

Hidden Unit may only be played when the opponent discards one or more cards due to “passing” [O15].

Involuntary discards due to an Event [E57 and E61] don’t count.

Effect–The scenario Defender performs the following steps in the order shown:

1)    make a roll on his nation’s Support Table;
2)    From the column matching the roll, select one non–Radio item – at no cost – that is available for that scenario’s year;
3)    Place the selected unit (along with its Weapon, if any) into any hex that is: within his original set–up area; and contains no units of either side; and has a Cover of at least 1.

A35.5 Hidden Wire

“!*@^$% wire.”

–anonymous playtester

Hidden Wire may only be played by the scenario Defender just after one or more units Move or Advance (not Retreat) into a hex. That hex cannot be Water Terrain nor already contain a Fortification of any type.

Effect–Place a Wire marker [F106] into that hex.

Note that this will end a unit’s Move, as a unit must spend all its movement points in order to move out of a Wire hex and it had to have spent at least one to get in.

A36. Light Wounds        

“Medic!”

Light Wounds may only be played at the instant that a friendly Squad – either broken or unbroken – would break [3.2].

Light Wounds can only be used on a Squad that is breaking, not one that is being eliminated outright–like via the KIA Event or as a result of a lost Melee.

Effect–Lose 1 VP. Then, instead of that Squad breaking (or instead of it being eliminated due to already being broken), place it back into the countermix, retrieving a Team from the countermix – of the same quality as that player’s OB: either Green, Line or Elite – and placing it into the hex from which the Squad was taken.

If the Squad was broken when it was removed, the replacement Team comes into play broken. If there was a Weapon, Suppressed or Veteran marker on the Squad, the Team retains the marker. Finally, the new Team’s activation status for the Turn matches that of the Squad it replaced.

A37. Marksmanship        

“Untutored courage is useless in the face of educated bullets.”

–George S. Patton

Marksmanship may only be played just prior to the player making a Fire Attack Roll. The attack must include a firing Squad or Team of the indicated nationality.

Effect–Increase the Fire Attack’s FP by +2.

A38. No Quarter        

No Quarter may only be played at the conclusion of a Melee by a German player if the opponent is playing Russia, or by a Russian player regardless of the opponent’s nationality. No Quarter may only be played if the player had at least one unit survive the Melee.

Effect–The player gains 2 VPs.

A39. Smoke Grenades        

Smoke Grenades may only be used by a unit with boxed Movement, and must be played while that unit is activated to Move.

Effect–Select one Smoke marker at random and place it in or adjacent to that unit’s hex, provided that hex is not Water Terrain nor already contains a Blaze.

And remember that two or more Smoke markers won’t stack together; so after placing Smoke into Smoke, only the marker with the largest Hindrance will remain.

A40. Spray Fire        

Spray Fire may only be played just prior to the player making a Fire Attack Roll. All firing pieces must have boxed Range. The two targeted hexes must each:

• be within Range of all firing pieces;
• be adjacent to one another;
• contain an enemy unit.

For determining possible Obstacles and Hindrances in intervening hexes, LOS must be checked from all firing pieces to both hexes.

Note that Spray Fire is not cumulative: It reads “2 hexes” not “an additional hex”.

Effect–The Fire attack will affect both targeted hexes simultaneously. Only one Fire Attack Roll is made, though all units in both hexes must make Fire Defense Rolls based on that single Attack Total.

You may want to think of the two adjacent hexes as one big hex that just happens to have two LOS dots, possibly with different Cover affecting different defending units.

A41. Sustained Fire        

Sustained Fire may only be played just prior to the player making a Fire Attack Roll in which at least one Mortar or MG is firing.

Effect–Increase the Fire Attack’s FP by +2 but, if the Fire Attack Roll ends up “doubles”, one firing Mortar or Machine Gun must break (firing player’s choice if more than one).

Be careful with this one–Sustained Fire’s drawback is cumulative with other Sustained Fires and/or with Jammed!, which could cause a Weapon to break then immediately break again, eliminating it outright.

EVENTS

“Once again, it was a tactical situation which was beyond my capacity to envisage, but which just had to be accepted since it was there–along with all the other unexpected and apparently impossible situations which had confronted us throughout the campaign and which were dealt with or avoided on the spur of the moment.”

–Major Robert Crisp, Brazen Chariots

E42. General Rules        

Events are never played from the hand: they only occur via certain rolls, whereupon normal game play immediately pauses so that that player can reveal the top card of his Fate Deck then read aloud and execute the listed Event.

IMPORTANT–

• Ignore any portion of an Event that is impossible to fulfill given current game conditions, while performing those parts that are possible, if any.
• When an Event lists more than one activity to perform, they are performed in the order stated within the Event itself.
• Die triggers are always ignored during any die roll occurring during an Event.

The following rules for individual Events [E43–E77] need not be read your first time through the rules. Most Events are self–explanatory on the Fate cards themselves, so this section can be safely ignored until the need arises for a clarification during actual game play.

The various Events are described in detail, below, and are listed in alphabetical order for ease of reference.

E43. Air Support        

“Airplanes are interesting toys, but of no military value.”

–Ferdinand Foch

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]: If this hex contains one or more units, he may choose to break all those units. If the random hex is devoid of units, the closest hex to it that does contain one or more units (friendly or enemy) is affected instead: he may break all units in that hex. In case of a tie for closest occupied hex, the player drawing the Event chooses which will be affected.

E44. Battle Harden        

“Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting of battle.”

–George S. Patton

When this Event occurs, the receiving player selects one of his units without a Veteran marker and places a Veteran marker on it.

E44.1 Veteran Marker

Effects–A unit with a Veteran marker on it has +1 FP, +1 Range, +1 Movement and +1 Morale.
  Command is unaffected by Veteran status.

Removal–A Veteran marker remains on a unit unless and until the unit is eliminated or exits the map. A Veteran Squad that Deploys [E52] transfers its Veteran status to only one of the two replacing Teams.

E45. Battlefield Integrity        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player counts the total number of enemy units on the Casualty Track then gains that many VPs.

E46. Blaze        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. If that hex is not Water Terrain and does not already contain a Blaze, place a random Blaze marker [10.2.1] into it. Remove any Smoke or Fortification marker from the hex. Each unit in the hex must be removed by its owner and placed into an adjacent hex not containing impassable terrain (inactive player first). They are eliminated otherwise.

E47. Booby Trap        

“Do not touch anything unnecessarily. Beware of pretty girls in dance halls and parks who may be spies, as well as bicycles, revolvers, uniforms, arms, dead horses, and men lying on roads–they are not there accidentally.”

–Soviet infantry manual, circa mid–1930’s

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. If that hex is not Water Terrain and does not already contain a Blaze or Fortification of any kind, place a Mines marker into it [F103].

Units already in the hex will not be affected by the Mines unless and until they Move/Advance/Retreat out of it.

E48. Breeze        

When this Event occurs, remove all Smoke markers from the map. Then place a random Blaze marker [10.2.1] into each non–Water hex that is both adjacent to and “downwind” of an existing Blaze marker. The downwind direction is stated in the Event as a number between 1 and 6, which corresponds to the hex compass on each map. Any units in a hex into which a Blaze spreads must be removed by their owners and placed into any adjacent hex not containing impassable terrain. They are eliminated otherwise.

E49. Command & Control        

“Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.”

–George S. Patton

When this Event occurs, the receiving player counts the number of Objectives [2.3] he currently controls and gains that many VPs.

E50. Commissar        

“It takes a very brave man not to become a Hero of the Soviet Union.”

–Josef Stalin

When this Event occurs, the Russian player must select one of his broken units [3.2] and make a roll for it:

• If the roll is greater than its Morale, it is eliminated.
• If the roll is less than or equal to its Morale, it Rallies [3.2.5].

E51. Cower        

“In battle the unusual is met usually, and the abnormal becomes the normal. Soldiers may act like lions and then like scared hares within the passage of a few minutes.”

–S.L.A. Marshall

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must place a Suppressed marker [13] on each of his friendly Squads without one that is currently outside the Command Radius [3.3.1.1] of a friendly Leader.

E52. Deploy        

“Listen up! I need five volunteers.”

E52.1–When this Event occurs, the active player may select one friendly Squad on the map. If he does, the Squad is removed from its hex, placed back in the countermix, and replaced with two Teams of the same quality (Green, Line or Elite) as that player’s OB.

E52.2–These Teams enter play broken if the Squad was broken [3.2]. If there was a Weapon, Suppressed and/or Veteran marker on the Squad, only one of the two Teams retains the marker. Finally, these Teams are treated as being the same unit from which they were created–so if the Squad had been activated for an Order previously that Turn, they are considered to have been activated as well; and any pending results against the Squad (such as becoming Suppressed, broken or eliminated) will immediately affect both Teams equally.

Turning one Squad into two Teams gives you a bit more flexibility in movement, stacking, and garrisoning Objectives–and can also increase your net FP when part of a larger Fire Group. The drawback is usually weaker stats, the loss of boxed stats, and – because there are two where once there was one – they become harder to control without a friendly Leader nearby.

E53. Dust        

“I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Lucky for me, the enemy couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, either.”

–Private Adamson

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. If that hex is not Water Terrain and doesn’t already contain a Blaze marker, he selects a random Smoke marker and places it there.

E54. Élan        

“Either I will find a way, or I will make one.”

–Philip Sidney

When this Event occurs, the receiving player moves his Surrender marker into the next higher space on his side of the Casualty Track.

E55. Entrench        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player may place a Foxholes marker into any friendly–occupied, non–Water hex not already containing a Fortification.

E56. Field Promotion        

“The officers of the Italian
  Army are not qualified for the
  job.”

–Count Galeazzo Ciano

When this Event occurs, if not already on the map, the receiving player may place his nation’s “Private” (the one with “6” Morale and “2” Command) into a hex occupied by one of his broken units [3.2].

E57. Fog of War        

“Battle is an orgy of disorder.”

–George S. Patton

When this Event occurs, each player selects one card at random from the opposing player’s hand. Those cards are placed in their owners’ respective discard piles.

E58. Hero        

“A true knight is fuller of bravery in the midst, than in the beginning of danger.”

–Philip Sidney

When this Event occurs, if the receiving player’s Hero unit [E58.1] is not already on the map, he must place it into any friendly hex. If he does, he may Rally [3.2.5] one broken unit in that placement hex.

E58.1 Heroes

Heroes are Leaders [3.3] in every respect, with two exceptions:

• A Hero never earns its owner exit VPs nor does the opponent ever gain VPs for its elimination. An exited/eliminated Hero is always put back in the countermix, never onto the Casualty Track.
• A Hero may be activated more than once per Turn, thus allowing it to perform more than one Order per Turn.

Heroes enjoy running full speed up an open road towards an Objective hex. They also love to charge machine gun nests in order to take them out in close combat. Other useful tasks for Heroes will no doubt be discovered by the player well–versed in Hollywood war movies.

E59. Infiltration        

“When I began to use my cricket, the first man I met in the darkness I thought was a German until he cricketed. We threw our arms around each other, and from that moment I knew we had won the war.”

–Maxwell D. Taylor

When this Event occurs, the receiving player performs the following steps:

1)    Make a roll on his nation’s Support Table;
2)    From the column matching the roll, select one non–Radio item – at no cost – that is available for that scenario’s year;
3)    Determine a Random Hex [1.8];
4)    Place the selected unit (along with its Weapon, if any) in or adjacent to that hex. Stacking limits [8] must be observed, and the unit cannot be placed in an impassable hex (such as a Blaze or Water Barrier).

E60. Interdiction        

“Mussolini is quite humiliated because our troops have not moved a step forward. Even today they have not succeeded in advancing and have halted in front of the first French fortification which put up some resistance.”

–Count Galeazzo Ciano

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must select one unsuppressed unit (enemy or friendly; broken or unbroken) that occupies a hex with Cover less than 1 and put a Suppressed marker [13] on it.

E61. Interrogation        

“‘Counter intelligence’ means that you hope you’re smarter than your adversary but won’t know for certain unless one of you ends up dead.”

When this Event occurs, the opposing player must show the receiving player all the cards in his hand. The receiving player may choose one of those cards. If he does, that card is placed in the opponent’s discard pile.

E62. KIA        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must select one broken unit (enemy or friendly) and eliminate it.

E63. Malfunction        

“Every regiment had already lost 500 men to frostbite... the machine guns were no longer able to fire.”

–Heinz Guderian

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. The unbroken Weapon (enemy or friendly) that is closest to that hex breaks. In case of a tie, the player drawing the Event chooses which will be affected.

E64. Medic!        

“No guts, no glory.”

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must select one broken unit (enemy or friendly) and Rally it [3.2.5].

E65. Mission Objective        

“Don’t fight a battle if you don’t gain anything by winning.”

–Erwin Rommel

When this Event occurs, the receiving player draws one (secret) Objective chit at random.

This new Objective chit does not replace any existing Objective chit – it is used in conjunction with them – and may be kept secret from the opponent unless it is one that has no “(secret)” side.

E66. Prisoners of War        

“We shall show mercy, but we shall not ask for it.”

–Winston Churchill

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must select one of his own broken units [3.2] that is adjacent to or in the same hex as an enemy unit and eliminate it.

If it somehow wasn’t a good idea before, try to keep your broken units far away from enemy units.

E67. Reconnaissance        

“Many intelligence reports in war are contradictory; even more are false, and most are uncertain.”

–Karl von Clausewitz

When this Event occurs, the opposing player must select and reveal one of his unrevealed secret Objective chits, if any. The revealed chit becomes an open Objective for the remainder of the game.

Remember to award any VPs corresponding to that chit’s mapboard Objective(s) to their current controller right away.

E68. Reinforcements        

“If the General insists on my counterattacking immediately then I must insist on receiving some armor and artillery assets sooner than immediately.”

–Colonel Melvin Hale

When this Event occurs, the receiving player performs the following steps:

1)    Make a roll on his nation’s Support Table;
2)    From the column matching the roll, select one item – at no cost – that is available for that scenario’s year;
3)    If a Radio is selected, he places it in his (empty) Artillery Box. If a unit is selected, he places it (along with its Weapon, if any) into any hex along his friendly board edge. Stacking limits [8] must be observed, and the unit cannot be placed in an impassable hex (such as a Blaze or Water Barrier).

E69. Rubble        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. If that hex is not Water Terrain and does not already contain a Blaze or Fortification of any kind, place a Wire marker into it [F106].

E70. Sappers        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player may remove either one Mines marker or one Wire marker from the map.

E71. Scrounge        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player may select one eliminated Weapon (enemy or friendly) from the Casualty Track and return that Weapon to play under the control of one of his units currently without a Weapon.

E72. Shell Shock        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. The unit (enemy or friendly) that is closest to that hex breaks [3.2]. In case of a tie for closest unit, the player drawing the Event chooses which will be affected.

E73. Shellholes        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must determine a Random Hex [1.8]. If that hex is not Water Terrain and does not already contain a Blaze or Fortification of any kind, place a Foxholes marker into it [F102].

E74. Strategic Objective        

When this Event occurs, one Objective chit is drawn at random and placed face up (“open”) in the center section of the Objectives box for both players to see.

This new Objective chit does not replace an existing Objective chit–it is used in conjunction with them. And if this new chit references one or more mapboard Objectives, remember to award those victory points to the Objectives’ current controller right away.

E75. Suppressing Fire        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player may place a Suppression marker [13] on one enemy unit without one. The chosen enemy unit must be within both the current Range and LOS of one of the receiving player’s unbroken MGs possessed by an unbroken, unsuppressed friendly unit.

E76. Walking Wounded        

“With amazement and disappointment, we discovered in late October and early November that the beaten Russians seemed quite unaware that as a military force they had almost ceased to exist.”

–General Blumentritt

When this Event occurs, the receiving player must perform the following steps:

1)    Select one eliminated unit (enemy or friendly) on the Casualty Track;
2)    Determine a Random Hex;
3)    Place the selected unit in or adjacent to that hex, broken [3.2]. Stacking limits [8] must be observed, and the unit cannot be placed in an impassable hex (such as a Blaze or Water Barrier).

E77. White Phosphorus        

When this Event occurs, the receiving player may draw a random Smoke marker then place it into a hex adjacent to one of his unbroken Squads (only). The selected hex cannot be Water Terrain nor contain a Blaze. If he does, each player that controls a unit in that hex must choose one such friendly unit and break it [3.2].

TERRAIN

“The roads that were nice and red and thick on the map turned out to be tracks.”

–Gerd von Rundstedt

T78. General Rules        

Your first time through the rules, you really only need to read the four sections that follow for Types, Movement, Cover and LOS. The many Hill rules, as well as those for the other individual terrain types [T79–T99], can then be referred to as needed depending on which map is in use for a particular scenario.

T78.1 Types & Features

Every hex on every map in Combat Commander is defined by what “terrain type” it contains. A hex’s terrain type is the one that is predominant within it, be it Woods, a Building, or Brush, for example. Some hexsides also contain terrain that can affect fire or movement, such as a Cliff, Fence, Wall or Hedge. Roads, Railroads and Trails can also occupy a hex, usually modifying a unit’s movement therein. Smoke and Blaze markers also function as terrain to a certain degree.

Terrain “types” are shown on the Terrain Chart with green backgrounds. Terrain “features” are shown with tan backgrounds and will generally only modify the terrain type they share a hex with.

The Terrain Chart lists the various types of terrain in hierarchical order–that is, if a hex contains two different terrain types, the one shown closest to the top of the chart takes precedence.

So for example a Major Bridge over a Stream is a “Major Bridge hex” for all purposes, not a “Stream hex” (and thus not a Water hex, either). This also means that a hex is an “Open Ground hex” only if it contains none of the terrain types shown above it (those with their text on a green background)–it could contain any of the terrain features shown below it (those on a tan background) and still be an “Open Ground hex”, albeit with some sort of modification.

T78.2 Move Costs

Each terrain lists a “Move Cost” which is the amount of MPs a unit must expend to Move [O21] into that hex or across that hexside.

T78.3 Cover

Each terrain lists a “Cover” in the form of a whole number, which may be negative. At all times and for all purposes, Cover directly modifies the Morale of every unit in the same hex. Cover is never cumulative, however, so a player must choose only one instance of Cover to apply if more than one is present.

A Team has a printed Morale of 7. If it occupied a Brush hex, its Morale would be 8 (7; +1 for the Cover of the Brush). If an enemy Squad shoots at the Team across a Wall hexside, the Team can choose to instead use the (alternate) 2 Cover of the Wall, giving it a Morale of 9 for that attack. If that Team was stacked with a Foxholes marker, the owning player could choose to ignore both the 1 Cover of the Brush and the 2 Cover of the Wall and instead add the 3 Cover of the Foxholes, giving it 10 Morale.

T78.4 LOS

Each terrain lists whether it is an Obstacle, Hindrance or Clear.

• Obstacles block same–level LOS. Obstacles usually create one Blind Hex [T88.4.1] to a higher–level observer.
• Hindrances reduce the FP of same–level fire attacks traced through them.
• Clear terrain has no affect on LOS.

See the LOS rules [10] for more detail.

The various types of terrain are described in detail, below, and are listed in alphabetical order for ease of reference. The information that follows is also shown graphically on the Terrain Chart located on one side of the player aid sheet.

T79. Blaze        

MOVE COST: Impassable

COVER: Impassable

LOS: Obstacle (at all levels)

T80. Bridge        

MOVE COST: (see below)

COVER: 2; but note that a Road [T93] will usually drop this to a net Cover of 1

LOS: 1 Hindrance

T80.1 Major Bridge
A Major Bridge is defined as one that spans the entirety of one or more hexes, with a small part
of it extending across its outermost hexsides into opposite (non–Bridge) hexes.

MOVE COST: Impassable; or 1 if directly along the Road / Railway depiction. Also, units can only leave a Major Bridge hex via one of its two Road / Railway hexsides.

T80.2 Minor Bridge
A Minor Bridge is defined as one that lies entirely within the confines of a single hex.

MOVE COST: 1 if traversing a Road / Railway hexside; otherwise use the cost of the other terrain in the hex.

T81. Brush        

MOVE COST: 2

COVER: 1

LOS: 3 Hindrance

T82. Building        

MOVE COST: 2

COVER: 3

LOS: Obstacle; creates one Blind Hex [T88.4.1]

Building Objectives–If a mapboard Objective [2.3] occupies a building hex, and that building spans two or more hexes, the “Objective” is considered to be the entirety of that building (that is, every hex that it occupies), not just the hex containing the Objective number.

T83. Cliff        

MOVE COST: Impassable;

CLIMBING: a unit without a Weapon may Advance [O16] across a Cliff hexside.

COVER: none

LOS: Clear

T84. Fence        

MOVE COST: +1 when crossing.

COVER: none

LOS: 1 Hindrance or Clear if the Fence is one of the six hexsides of the sighting or target hex.

T85. Field        

MOVE COST: 1

COVER: 0

LOS: 1 Hindrance

T86. Gully        

MOVE COST: 2

COVER: 1; though a unit in a Gully cannot be seen except.from an adjacent hex or a hex at a higher elevation [T88], and vice versa.

LOS: Clear

T87. Hedge        

MOVE COST: +1 when crossing.

COVER: none; or 1 if a Fire Attack crossed the Hedge as it entered the target hex (not applicable when defending against Mortars or Artillery).

LOS: Obstacle; or Clear if the Hedge is one of the six hexsides of the sighting or target hex.

T88. Hills        

Due to the relative complexity of Hills, new players may want to play their first few scenarios on those boards without Hills.

The standard buff–colored Open Ground hex in Combat Commander is said to be at level “0” or “ground level”. Hills can then be thought of as being at levels 1 (tan), 2 (light brown), 3 (medium brown) or 4 (dark brown). Therefore, a unit on a Hill is above any terrain occupying either a ground–level hex or a Hill hex of a lower level. A Hill hex functions exactly like any other ground level hex except as modified below.

T88.1 Uphill Movement

A moving unit must expend +1 MP in order to enter a hex at a higher elevation than the one it is leaving.

A unit moving from a level 1 Hill hex containing Woods to a level 2 Hill hex containing Woods must expend 3 MPs (2 for the Woods plus 1 for the change in elevation). The reverse “downhill” move would cost only 2 MP.

T88.2 Height Advantage

A Fire Attack suffers –1 FP if the target hex is at a higher elevation than any one firing piece. Conversely, a Fire Attack gains +1 FP if the target hex is at a lower elevation than any one firing piece.

T88.3 Hills & LOS

T88.3.1 Military Crest Lines

A hex showing more than one level is termed a “Crest” hex. The level at which a Crest hex’s center dot lies is its actual level. In every Crest hex, the physical edge of the higher–level Hill is termed the “Crest Line”.

T88.3.2 Vertical LOS

A unit may only trace a LOS into the initial Crest hex of each elevation above it. Likewise, a unit on a Hill may trace a LOS to a hex at a lower elevation only if that LOS never passes through a Crest Line of equal or greater height in an intervening hex.

So unit A on a Hill can see unit B at a lower elevation only if the LOS from unit A both: crosses a Crest Line before it crosses a hexside; and never again crosses a Crest Line of the same or higher elevation.

T88.3.3 Hills as “Obstacles”

A Hill itself blocks LOS traced between any two hexes of lower elevation.

A unit on a level 2 Hill can see past an intervening level 2 Hill only to another Hill of height 2, 3 or 4. If that intervening Hill were level 3 instead, the target hex would have to be at level 4 to be seen (and even then it would have to be a level 4 Crest).

T88.4 Hills & Obstacles

The LOS to or from a Hill hex is blocked only if it clearly touches any part of the physical depiction of an Obstacle at the same or higher elevation as that Hill hex. In other words, LOS to or from a Hill hex is not blocked by Obstacles that lie at a lower elevation (exception: see Blind Hexes, below).

A unit on a level 1 Hill can see past (over) an intervening building at level 0 to another unit on a distant level 1 Hill. If the building were also on a Hill, however, that LOS would be blocked.

A Blaze marker, however, always blocks LOS through its hex, regardless of the sighter’s or target’s elevation.

The obstacle that a Blaze marker creates is considered to be at a height sufficient enough to affect any possible LOS that can be represented in the game.

T88.4.1 Blind Hexes

A unit on a Hill can see into a lower–level Woods or Building hex, as normal, but can not see into the next hex beyond it if that next hex is also at or lower than the Woods/Building hex’s elevation. In other words, a lower–level Woods or Building creates a one–hex blind zone behind it to an observer at a higher elevation–all hexes beyond this blind zone are visible from the Hill (barring further Woods/Buildings along the way).

A unit on a level 1 Hill can see past a level 0 building except into the level 0 hex directly behind it. Conversely, a unit on a level 1 Hill could see past an intervening level 1 building to a unit at level 2 or higher unless that building was in the first intervening hex along that LOS.

T88.5 Hills & Hindrances

Any mapboard Hindrance terrain that is at a lower level does not hinder LOS to or from a Hill hex. A Hindrance on a Hill does hinder LOS between two other Hill hexes at the same level as that Hindrance. A Smoke marker, however, always hinders LOS through its hex, regardless of the sighter’s or target’s elevation.

The hindrance that a Smoke marker creates is considered to be at a height sufficient enough to affect any possible LOS that can be represented in the game.

Note that all the above Hill rules are based upon the premise that in Combat Commander each Hill elevation is taller than a mapboard Obstacle, and every mapboard Obstacle is taller than a mapboard Hindrance.

T89. Marsh        

MOVE COST: 3

COVER: 0

LOS: 1 Hindrance

WATER TERRAIN: No Weapon of any kind may fire from a Marsh hex..No Blaze, Smoke or Fortification of any kind may ever occupy a Marsh hex.

T90. Open Ground        

MOVE COST: 1

COVER: 0

LOS: Clear

T91. Orchard        

MOVE COST: 1

COVER: 1

LOS: 2 Hindrance

T92. Railway        

MOVE COST: 1 if travelling along the Railway depiction (that is, the moving unit crossed a Railway hexside as it entered the hex); otherwise depends on other terrain in the hex.

COVER: Depends on other terrain in the hex.

LOS: 1 Hindrance or Clear if the LOS proceeds directly along the Railway depiction.

T93. Road        

MOVE COST: 1 if travelling along the Road depiction (that is, the moving unit crossed a Road hexside as it entered the hex); otherwise, it depends on the other terrain in the hex.

A unit gains +1 to its Movement number as long as it entered a hex containing a Road at any point during a Move Order. This bonus ceases at the conclusion of that Move Order.

The unit need not have entered the Road hex via a road hexside to gain the bonus–here we can assume that crossing a road is also quick and easy to do.

COVER: none; however, the Cover of any other Fortification or Terrain within a hex containing a Road is decreased by 1.

So a Building hex with a Road going through it has a Cover of 2 (3 for the Building; modified by –1 for the Road).

A German Squad with a printed Morale of 7 in an Open Ground hex containing a Road will be at “–1” Cover and therefore have 6 Morale for all purposes. If Foxholes [F102] were later placed in that hex, it would have a Morale of 9 (7; +3 Foxholes; –1 Road).

LOS: Clear if the LOS proceeds directly along the Road depiction; otherwise depends on the other terrain in the hex.

T94. Smoke        

NOTE: Before beginning play, all the Smoke/Blaze markers should be placed into an opaque cup so that they may be drawn at random when called for during play.

MOVE COST: Depends on other terrain in the hex.

COVER: Depends on other terrain in the hex.

LOS: 1–10 Hindrance into or out of or through [10.3.4].

The actual Hindrance value of Smoke is printed on the individual markers.

T95. Stream        

MOVE COST: 3

COVER: –1

LOS: Clear

WATER TERRAIN: No Weapon of any kind may fire from a Stream hex. No Blaze, Smoke or Fortification of any kind may ever occupy a Stream hex.

T96. Trail        

MOVE COST: 1 if traveling along the Trail depiction (that is, the moving unit crossed a Trail hexside as it entered the hex); otherwise depends on the other terrain in the hex.

COVER: Depends on other terrain in the hex.

LOS: Depends on other terrain in the hex.

T97. Wall        

MOVE COST: +1 when crossing.

COVER: none; or 2 if a Fire Attack crossed the Wall as it entered the target hex (not applicable when firing Mortars or Artillery).

LOS: Obstacle; or Clear if the Wall is one of the six hexsides of the sighting or target hex.

T98. Water Barrier        

MOVE COST: Impassable

COVER: Impassable

LOS: Clear

IMPASSABLE WATER TERRAIN: No unit, Blaze, Smoke or Fortification marker of any kind may ever occupy a Water Barrier hex.

T99. Woods        

MOVE COST: 2

COVER: 2

LOS: Obstacle; creates one Blind Hex [T88.4.1]

AIRBURSTS: The Fire Attack Total of any Mortar or Artillery attack against a Woods hex is always increased by 2.

So a 6–FP Mortar that fires into a Woods hex and makes a Fire Attack Roll of 7 would have an Attack Total of 15 instead of 13.

Shells fired at a high altitude – such as from mortars and distant artillery batteries – had a tendency to explode in the treetops. When this happened, the troops below would be subject to flying splinters and tree branches in addition to the shell blast that was not muffled by contact with the earth.

FORTIFICATIONS

“He who defends everything defends nothing.”

–Frederick II

F100. General Rules        

The following sections [F101–F106] need not be read and memorized your first time through the rules: They can be safely ignored until a Fortification actually enters play–players can then simply look up the rules for that particular marker.

F100.1 Acquisition–There are six “Fortifications” in the game: Foxholes, Trenches, Mines, Wire, Bunkers and a Pillbox. Fortifications are normally brought into play at the beginning of a scenario, though some can also enter play during the game due to various Actions and Events.

F100.2 Removal–Fortifications may normally only be eliminated during play via various Events, the “Demolitions” Action [A31], or an Artillery Impact Roll [O18.2.3.3].

F100.3 Stacking–No more than one Fortification marker of any type may ever occupy a single hex. The first Fortification to be placed in a hex takes precedence. No Fortification may ever occupy a Water hex (i.e. Marsh, Stream or Water Barrier with no Bridge).

The various Fortifications are described in detail, below, and are listed in alphabetical order for ease of reference. A condensed version of the following information can also be found on the Track Display for ease of reference during play.

F101. Bunker        

  A Bunker gives the hex it occupies an alternate Cover of “6” (“7” instead vs Mortars and Artillery).
  As usual, this is not cumulative with other Cover in the hex.
  During Melee, the side that was the last sole occupant of a Bunker hex wins if the Melee totals are tied.

F102. Foxholes        

  A Foxholes marker gives the hex it occupies an alternate Cover of “3” (“4” instead vs Mortars and Artillery).
  As usual, this is not cumulative with other Cover in the hex.

F103. Mines        

F103.1 General Rules

  A Mines marker occupying a hex will attack any unit (enemy or friendly) that Moves, Advances or Retreats
  into or out of that hex. Units moving together are attacked with a single roll; otherwise a separate Mine Attack
  should be made against each unit as it enters, or is about to exit, a hex containing Mines. Units that were already
  in a Mines hex at the moment another unit Moves/Advances/Retreats into or out of it is immune to that Mine Attack.

F103.2 Mine Attack

The strength of a Mine Attack is a default 6 FP unless the scenario Defender is specifically assigned (or purchased) a 7– or 8–FP Minefield capability.

Cover for a Mine Attack is automatically set to “0”, and cannot be modified by any means.

A Mine Attack Roll follows the same general rules as for a Fire Attack Roll [O20.3.3 and O20.3.4] except that only the moving/advancing/ retreating units in the hex need make a Fire Defense Roll. The player controlling such a unit makes its Defense Roll whereas his opponent makes the Attack Roll.

IMPORTANT–An unbroken unit that becomes broken [3.2] while leaving a Mined hex is still placed in the hex it was entering.

It made it but probably has a casualty to contend with.

F104. Pillbox        

  A Pillbox gives the hex it occupies an alternate Cover of “5” (“6” instead vs Mortars and Artillery).
  As usual, this is not cumulative with other Cover in the hex.

  During Melee, the side that was the last sole occupant of a Pillbox hex wins if the Melee totals are tied.

F105. Trench        

F105.1 General Rules

  A Trench marker gives the hex it occupies an alternate Cover of “4” (“5” instead vs Mortars and Artillery).
  As usual, this is not cumulative with other Cover in the hex.

F105.2 Trenches & Movement

A unit Moving from one hex containing a Trench into an adjacent hex containing a Trench, Bunker or Pillbox (or vice versa) expends only 1 MP to do so, regardless of the terrain in the two hexes (EXCEPTION: Cliff hexsides [T83], which cannot be crossed during a Move Order). This applies even if the unit is moving uphill or is crossing a hexside that would normally increase its movement cost. Furthermore, that unit cannot be the target of Op Fire [A33] in the hex moved into.

F106. Wire        

F106.1 General Rules

  A Wire marker sharing a hex with one or more units affects those
  units by reducing their FP, Range and Morale numbers by –1 each.
  Command is unaffected by Wire.

F106.2 Wire & Movement

A moving unit loses all its remaining MPs immediately after entering or exiting a hex containing Wire.

So if a unit begins its Move in a Wire hex it must stop moving in the first hex entered–even if that hex contains a Road or Leader. If it moves into a Wire hex, its movement will also automatically cease there.

Units can Advance or Retreat into and out of a Wire hex normally, as MPs are not utilized during these activities.

F106.3 Wire & Fire Attacks

Units in a hex containing Wire cannot form a Fire Group [O20.3.1] with pieces outside the hex.

No Weapon may be fired from a Wire hex.

INDEX

Action Listings
Actions | glossary; 1.6; A24
| capability | 5.2
| during Orders | O14.3
| min. Firepower | 10.3.2.1; O20.3.2 box
| movement timing | O21.6
| Opportunity Fire | A33
Advance | O16
Artillery
| boxes | 2.2.3
| Denied | O17
| Request | O18
|  | Accuracy | O18.2.2
|  | Impact | O18.2.3
|  | Spotting | O18.2.1
Blaze | 8.1.5; 10.2.1; T79
| creation of | E46
| spreading | E48
Broken
| Radios | O17; O18.1
| units | 3.2
| Weapons | 11.4
Bunker | F101; Track Display
Cards | 1
| discarding | 5.3; O15
| drawing | 5.4
| hand size (Posture) | 1.1
Casualty Track | 4.2
Command | 3.1.5; 3.3.1
| Radius | 3.3.1.1
| and units | 3.3.1.2
| and Weapons | 3.3.1.3
Command Confusion | O19; A28
Compass | 2.2.2
Cover | T78.3
crest line | T88.3.1
Die rolls | 1.9
| Artillery Accuracy | O18.2.2
| Artillery Impact | O18.2.3
| cancellation of (re–roll) | 9.1
| Fire Attack | O20.3.3
| Fire Defense | O20.3.4
| Melee | O16.4.2
| Rally | O22.3
| Rout | O23.2
| Sudden Death | 6.2.2
| Targeting | O20.2.3
Event Listings | pp 18–20
Events | glossary; 1.7; E42
| Event! trigger | 1.9.1.1
Exiting the Map | 7.2
| involuntarily | 7.2.2; O23.3.5
| voluntarily | 7.2.1; O16.2; O21.4
Fire | O20
| Activation | O20.1
| Fire Attack | O20.3
| Fire Defense | O20.3.4
| Fire Groups | O20.3.1
| Opportunity Fire | A33
| Ordnance Targeting | O20.2
Firepower (FP)
| on Radio | 12
| on unit | 3.1.1
| on Weapon | 11.1
Flamethrower | 11.6; Track Display
Fortification Listings | p 23
Foxholes | F102; Track Display
| placement | A32; A35.1; E55; E73
Hand size | 1.1; 5.4
Game End | 6.3
Heroes | E58.1
| creation of | E58
Hills | T88
| and blind hexes | T88.4.1
Hindrances | 10.3
| and Fire Attacks | O20.3.2
| and Hills | T88.5
| and Targeting | O20.2.3
Initiative | 9
| and re–rolling | 9.1
| and a tied game | 9.2
Jammed! trigger | 1.9.1.2; O20.3.3.1
| NA during Artillery Impact | O18.2.3.2
| NA during Mine Attack | 1.9.1.2 box
| NA during Targeting | 1.9.1.2
Leaders | 3.3
| Leader Table | Playbook
Line of Sight (LOS) | 10
Maps | 2
Melee | O16.4
Mines | F103; Track Display
| placement | A35.2; E47
| and Retreating | O23.3.4
Morale | 3.1.4
Move | O21
| and Op Fire | O21.3
| and Trenches | F105.2
| and Weapon transfer | O21.1.1
| and Wire | F106.2
| as a stack | O21.2
| costs | O21.1; Terrain Chart
Movement number
| on unit | 3.1.3
| on Weapon | 11.1
Objectives | 2.3
| chits | 7.3.2
| multi–hex buildings | 7.3.1.1
| VP value | 7.3
Obstacles | 10.2
| and Hills | T88.4
Opportunity Fire | A33
| NA vs. Advancing units | O16.1
| NA vs. Retreating units | O23.3.2
Order Listings | pp 10–15
Order of Battle (OB) | glossary
| Display | 4.3.1
| Fortification | Playbook
| Support | Player Aids
| Unit | Player Aids
Orders | glossary; 1.5; O14
| Capability | 5.1
Ordnance | see Weapons
Pillbox | F104; Track Display
| placement | A35.3
Posture | glossary; 1.1
Radios | 12
| placement | 2.2.3; 8.1.2
| usage | O17; O18; Track Display
Rally | 3.2.5
Random Hex | glossary; 1.8
| and broken Weapons | 11.4
| and Snipers | 1.9.1.3
Range
| and Targeting | O20.2.2
| on unit | 3.1.2
| on Weapon | 11.1
Recover | O22
Reinforcing units | 6.1.2 step #5
Retreating | O23.3
Revealing cards | 1.3
Rout | O23
Satchel Charge | 11.6; Track Display
Sequence of Play | 5
Smoke | 8.1.4; 10.3.4; T94
| creation of | A39; E53; E77
| Rounds | O18.2.1.1; O18.2.3.1; O20.2.1
Sniper! trigger | 1.9.1.3
Spotting Round (SR) | glossary; O18.2.1
Stacking | 8
Sudden Death | 6.2; 6.3.2
Suppressed | 13
| placement | O20.3.4; O22.3: O23.2; E51; E60; E75
| removal | 13.3; O22.2
Surrender | 4.2; 6.3.1
Targeting | O20.2
Terrain Listings | pp 20–22; chart
Time (and the Time Track) | 6
| Time Advance | 6.1.2
| Time! trigger | 1.9.1.4
Track Display | 4
Trench | F105; Track Display
| and Movement | F105.2
Turn | glossary; 1.1; 1.5
Units | glossary; 3
| broken | 3.2
| Heroes | E58.1
| Leaders | 3.3
| stacking | 8.2
| stats | 3.1; Track Display
Veteran | E44.1
Victory Points (VP) | 7
| via Elimination | 7.1
| via Exiting | 7.2
| via Objectives | 7.3
Victory Track | 4.1
Weapons | 11
| broken | 1.8; 11.4
| and Cliffs | T83
| elimination of | 4.2; 11.3
| NA in Melee | O16.4.1
| Ordnance | glossary; 11.5
|  | and Command | 3.3.1.3
|  | and Fire Groups | O20.3.1.1
|  | and Hindrances | 10.3.1
|  | NA during Op Fire | A33.3
|  | and Targeting | O20.2
| stacking & portage | 8.1.1; 11.2
| on Suppressed units | 11.1; 13.2
| transfer of | O21.1.1
| and Water Terrain | T89; T95
Wire | F106; Track Display
| and Movement | F106.2
| placement | A35.5; E69
| and Retreating | O23.3.3

GENERAL CONSOLIDATED FAQ

Version 9 – July 20, 2011

COMBAT COMMANDER: EUROPE        

New Official Errata (version 1.1)

E52.1 Deploy

In the first sentence, the word ″active″ should instead be ″receiving″.

Official Errata (version 1.0)

Note – these errata and clarifications have all been incorporated into version 1.1 of the rules published in Combat Commander: Mediterranean.

O21.6, A24.2

Change the word ″may″ in rules O21.6 and A24.2 to″must″. This change will affect the play of Ambushes during Melee and Op Fire/Hidden Mines/Hidden Wire during an opponent's Move Order.

Card G–48

German card G–48 has a Rout ″Action″ across the top where it should obviously be a Rout ″Order″ (like all the other cards).

American Cheat Card

This card lists two Hidden Entrenchments and one Hidden Pillbox whereas the American Fate deck has three of the former and none of the latter. The Fate deck is correct.

Official CC:E Clarifications

Glossary, 5, O15

Where the text says to discard “one or more“ cards, replace it with “any number of” cards (you can discard zero cards when passing).

6.1.2

In the second bullet of rule 6.1.2 add the following to the end of the sentence:

″treat such an occurrence as if a Time! trigger had been rolled.″

6.3

Replace Rule 6.3 with the following text:

A game of Combat Commander will generally end in one of four ways:

1) A player is forced to place one of his eliminated units in the space of the Casualty Track occupied by his Surrender marker;
2) A player’s last unit on the map is eliminated;
3) A player’s last unit on the map Moves or Advances off the map;
4) A Sudden Death Roll [6.2.2] is made that is less than the number in the space currently occupied by the Time marker.

6.3.1

Modify the first sentence to start:

“If the first or second situation above occurs,...”

6.3.2 Modify the first sentence to start:

If the third or fourth situation above occurs and the first two situations do not apply,...”

9.2 Amend rule 9.2 to read as follows:

When a scenario ends in a tie – “0” VPs after Sudden Death or both players Surrendering simultaneously, for example – the player holding the Initiative card wins the game.

(The holder of the Initiative wins any game ending in a tie).

O16.4.2

Insert the following sentence at the end of rule O16.4.2:

If, due to a die trigger during a Melee Roll, one or both sides have no units remaining in the hex, the Melee ends with no further effect.

Note that this effectively expands upon the last sentence of O16.4.1.

O20.3.2

Clarify the first sentence of rule O20.3.2 to read:

If the LOS from any firing piece (except Ordnance: [10.3.1]) and the target hex is hindered...

Other Clarifications

E42 Event General Rules

A Melee situation created as the direct result of an Event is executed at the end of – but still within – that Event (so no further die triggers would be possible during that Melee).

Counter Mix Limits

Reinforcements and such (any pieces entering play via Events) come from the unused counter mix. Any piece on the Track Display is already “in play” (along with everything on the map).

Maps

Rule 7.2 refers to the maps as having “dark gray” borders. This should obviously be “brownish” borders though this has zero impact on the actual play of the game.

Maps – Crest Lines

For every Crest hex (two different levels of terrain), the center dot of the hex is ALWAYS at the higher elevation. All Crest Lines were highlighted but the highlight layer was inadvertently omitted during the printing process.

Troop Quality

Every nationality has Elite, Line and Green Teams. Every scenario will assign a player a Troop Quality of Elite, Line or Green. Whenever any Squad breaks down into a Team via the Light Wounds Action [A36], the Deploy Event [E52], or overstacking [8.2] the Team you grab from the counter mix must match your Troop Quality. A replacement Team has nothing to do with the name of the Squad, which is just a representative and evocative title that has exactly zero impact on the play of the game.

COMBAT COMMANDER: MEDITERRANEAN        

Official Errata

British Heavy HMG

One of the two British Heavy MGs should say ″One of the two British Heavy MGs should say ″ 10″ on the back instead of ″Elim: 3–10″. The other one is printed correctly.

Molotov Cocktail Markers

Treat the 0 on the back of these markers as a 10.

Map 13

Hex D4 is a stream hex; the gully is supposed to end exactly at the E4/D4 hex side.

Map 18

Map 18 is missing the hex center dots.

Official CC:M Clarifications

T88.3.1

Any hex at the higher end of a Cliff is a Crest Hex. Treat the Hill line running along the higher end of the Cliff as the actual Crest Line.

RS.7 & the German Support Table

The ″or″ on the Huntziger/Bolter and Benzing/Grein rows means that either one OR the other leader is ever made available for purchase with a single roll, never both.

Objective Chits

The (⅝”) Objective Chits in CC:M completely replace the (½”) Objective Chits in CC:E.

Smoke/Fire Markers

Mix the Smoke/Fire Markers in CC:M together with the Smoke/Fire Markers in CC:E.

COMBAT COMMANDER: PACIFIC        

Official Errata

Playbook – Line of Sight (LOS) Example Figure 1 inadvertently shows two palm tree depictions along the J2–K3 hexside in final production, which invalidates paragraph D of the example.

Playbook – Fire Attack Example

The base FP of the HMG in paragraph E should be “9” (not 8), but this correction does not invalidate the other calculations or result of this part of the example.

Cards A–3, C–31 & C–32

The Event name on these cards should be “Stealth” not “Low Crawl”. The game effect of these Events is as written.

Scenario D

Special Rule 1 should specify that each player draws “six” random hexes (not nine).

COMBAT COMMANDER        

BP #2 – STALINGRAD Official Errata

Official Errata

ST7.1

Insert new first bullet: “Units in a melee hex can’t be activated to fire.”

COMBAT COMMANDER        

BP #3 – NORMANDY

Official Errata

Scenario 47B

In Special Rule 5, substitute “After both sides have set up” for “After Axis setup but before Allied setup”.

COMBAT COMMANDER        

BP #4 – NEW GUINEA

Official Errata

Scenario M2

Japanese Platoon 3 starts with only 1xLMG.

Scenario M7

Change the Open Objective Chits to G, H, & R.

COMBAT COMMANDER        

Other Official Published Materials

Official Errata

Scenario 103 (C3I No. 19)

Ignore superscript 4 next to the Objective Chits section. There is no Scenario Note 4.