Description
I Ain’t Been Shot Mum is a set of rules designed for Company level games. By that we mean games with roughly a company of troops per side with the possible addition of some supporting units. With experience the gamer will find that the rules will cope with anything from two platoons up to a couple of companies of infantry with armour and artillery support and even the odd air strike. A typical game will last around two to two and a half hours and be playable on a normal club evening. When we first put pen to paper to develop I Ain’t Been Shot Mum it was our intention to create a set of rules which reflected the accounts of veterans of the Second World War. The battlefield is a chaotic place and it became clear from our reading that amid that uncertainty and fear it took a particular sort of man to stand up and lead his men on to victory. Here the concept of the Big Man was born and this edition of the rules retains the focus on leadership and command and control. The rules use a card based turn sequence to bring the unpredictability of war to the fore. You will find yourself relying on your leaders to get things done on the ground, rallying your men and driving them onwards, while you as company commander focus on keeping your plan together. The mechanisms within I Ain’t Been Shot Mum are designed to be as intuitive as possible to minimise contact between the players and this rule book. We want the system to be simple to learn so that it intrudes as little as possible into the game. This allows the gamer to focus on the tactical situation rather than on learning how to play the game. As our strap line says, we want you to play the period, not the rules.
These rules have been arranged so that as you read through them you will find what you want in what is largely the order of play. Each section of the rules deals with a specific area, such as movement, firing, spotting or command and control, and will have not only the relevant rules but examples of how these actually work in play. We have also included diagrams and illustrations to assist you when working out specific situations. With any wargame there will, from time to time, Be instances where events may not be covered in the rules. In such situations common sense and sportsmanship should prevail, with the players agreeing on the chances involved and then rolling a D6 accordingly. We strongly recommend you join the TooFatLardies Yahoo Group where you’ll find several thousand people, and in particular the authors, ready to assist you with any questions that you may have. Finding your way around any set of rules can sometimes be confusing and it is our intention to make your learning experience as trouble‐free as possible. You can find us at: http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Toofatlard ies/ In concluding our thanks must go to many people, most of whom will sadly remain anonymous. We must single out Ashley Pollard who kindly came to the rescue to take some superb photos and Patrick Connor who provided some much needed assistance. For the rest of the playtesters, proof readers and general sounding boards I can only assure you that your efforts were both an inspiration and an incalculable assistance. Richard Clarke & Nick Skinner Lard Island 2011
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Introduction
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Contents
2
4
5
8
What do the Cards Mean?
9
The Rules
13
14
Movement Hidden Movement on Blinds, Tabletop Movement, Vehicle Movement
22
Spotting Who can spot? How to Spot, Automatic Spotting Spotting at Night
26
Infantry Fire Target Acquisition, Target Priorities, Fire Against Infantry, The Fire Table, Section Weapons, Weapon Team Fire, Effect of Shock on Fire, Big Men Directing Fire, Firing at Multiple Targets, Ambushes, Hits & Casualties, Infantry Fire Against Vehicles
30
Shock Shock & Movement, Shock & Firing, Shock on AFVs, Loss of Bottle, Rallying Shock, Die‐Hards
39
Close Combat Resolving Close Combat, Results of Close Combat Tank Over‐Runs, Ramming Tanks
42
Direct Fire Support Area Fire with H.E., AFV Mounted Machine Guns, AFV Mounted Flamethrowers, Auto‐Cannon Fire, Multi‐Barelled Weapons
45
Playing the Game
The Basics
The Game Deck
1
Command, Control & Communication Command Initiative, Unit Actions
2
3
4
5
6
7
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Page 8 9 10 11
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Direct Fire Against Vehicles Firing at a Target, Effect Tables, Notes on Damage, Collateral Damage, Infantry Against AFVs, H.E. Against AFVs
49
Indirect Fire Support Pre‐Registered Fire Support, Opportunity Fire Support Fire for Effect, Correcting Fire, Bombardment Duration, Forward Observers, Pre‐Game Stonk
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Aircraft Air Attacks, Anti‐Aircraft Fire, Air Attacks Against Infantry, Air Attacks Against Vehicles, Duration of Air Attacks
61
Battlefield Features Booby Traps, Engineering, Buildings, Smoke, Boats & Amphibious Vehicles, Water Movement, Cavalry, Political Intervention
64
Optional Rules Card Variants, Tank Quirks, Deployment on the Tea Break, Up from the Ranks
69
Aces The Kings of the Battlefield
71
Recruiting Your Force Organising your forces
73
Normandy Handbook British, German and US organisations
75
Setting Up Your Scenario A quick play scenario generator
85
Historical Scenarios Writing Historical Scenarios. A guide to scenario design Scenario One ‐ North of Caen
93
96
Scenario Two ‐ South of Cherbourg
98
Scenario Three ‐ Action at Galmanche
100
Scenario Four ‐ A Canadian V.C.
102
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in order to get playing you’ll need to equip yourself with a couple of armies to fight each other. The rules have not been designed with any one specific range or scale of figures in mind; anything from 6mm to 20mm figures are ideal. How you base these figures is entirely up to you, although for ease of movement we find that bases with multiple figures on them make moving your troops easier and quicker. We recommend decorating the bases to match your tabletop to get the best visual effect. The rules are exactly “what you see is what you get” where one figures is one man and one tank model represents a single tank. Much of the heavy support that a WWII army would have, such as artillery, is not normally located right in the front line; the ranges they fire from means they are usually some miles away allowing you to represent them with a single Forward Observation Officer figure. We have included some examples of unit organisations as part of the main rules; however we cannot cover the entire war in one book. As a result, we will be producing several Handbooks to cover all the different theatres of the war along with comprehensive listings for the troops and the weapons that they used. You’ll need a tabletop or board on which to play your game. We recommend a 6’ by 4’ table or larger if space allows. Smaller tables can be used with success especially if there is plenty of terrain used to restrict visibility such as an urban setting or a jungle. You can buy your terrain from the many manufacturers who offer a huge variety of options for relatively low costs. Alternatively, building your own can be both very cost
effective and satisfying. There are plenty of sites on the internet that can provide you with both inspiration and top tips. Dice are essential to play most wargames, and for I Ain’t Been Shot Mum you’ll need several six‐sided dice or D6 as we refer to them in the rules. A dozen or so should be ample for most situations. You will also need one ten‐sided D10 and a single deviation dice with two sides marked with a hit and four sides with an arrow. The latter is used for artillery fire. Ideally you’ll have an opponent to game with, like many activities it is more fun when there are two of you involved. That said the card driven system is perfect for solo gaming. I Ain’t Been Shot Mum uses a deck of cards to determine the sequence of each turn, thereby allowing infinite variability within each game and presenting the players with a true‐to‐life situation where they need to combat not only the enemy but battlefield friction as well. What results is, we hope, an enjoyable and challenging game which reflects the problems of command, control and communication in real warfare. You can buy the cards from our web site either in hard copy or PDF format or, alternatively, make some yourself. Many gamers like to create specific decks for each game using images found on the web.
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Before you start playing I Ain’t Been Shot Mum it’s a good idea to get a grasp of some of the basic concepts. This will allow you to understand just what the rules can do.
GROUND SCALE
When designing these rules we tried to find a scale that was both practical in representing the ranges of weapons used and also looked good on the tabletop. In the end we settled on 12” being approximately equal to 80 yards. This looks good with figures between 10mm and 20mm in size and is pretty much a perfect fit with 6mm figures. On Lard Island we generally use 15mm figures.
TIME SCALE
In broad terms, the use of the card based turn sequence is designed to represent bursts of action and initiative on the battlefield rather than any specific or defined period of time. Consequently, the duration of a turn can be considered to be variable in length where the Tea Break card represents intermittent natural breaks and lulls in the battle. That said, we tend to view each turn as representing between 30 seconds and one minute of real time.
UNIT INTEGRITY
guns, and AFVs with fixed‐mount guns have a 90 degree arc of fire.
THE CARD DECK
We use cards to represent the ebb and flow of battle, to make the structure of each turn entirely variable, so that the gamer has to be constantly aware of the changing face of the battle that is unfolding before him. There is no certainty in war and that element of uncertainty and even chaos does need to be represented if our games are to be credible representations of combat. The commanders of your forces, Big Men in the parlance of the rules, are the ones who restore order and get the job done. Use these men wisely and you can work to plans; put the best men in charge of the toughest jobs and you will be half way to victory.
BLINDS
I Ain’t Been Shot Mum uses a system of what we call Blinds to allow some fog of war to be added to the game without the need for complicated record keeping or maps. A Blind is a blank cards 8” wide and 2” deep, which represent a platoon sized unit or smaller. We decorate them with the relevant national flag,
The rules do not specify how close together figures of the same section or platoon need to be, as in reality you can deploy your forces as densely or thinly as you like. However, to fight in close combat your figures need to be within 4” of the troops contacted by the enemy. As a result a thinly spread force will be limited in its ability to support its comrades.
ARC OF FIRE
Infantry sections and turreted AFVs have an arc of fire of 180 degrees from the front of the unit. Heavy weapons, such as machine guns or anti tank
Troops that have not yet been spotted by the enemy are represented on the table by a Blind. While on a Blind they benefit significantly in that the entire force on that Blind can operate in concert until it is spotted by the enemy and may not be fired on. Troops on Blinds are not as badly affected by terrain as those with figures deployed on the table, with any penalty being one dice pip less severe. This represents the fact that when not under fire troops can generally be relied upon to do what they are ordered and work together efficiently.
You can download a whole range of Blinds from the TooFatLardies Yahoo Group with suitable artwork for a wide variety of different forces.
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THE FIRE TABLE
The Fire Table is used to determine the effect of fire. The system, based on the system used in the original 1824 Kriegsspiel rules by von Reisswitz, allows the gamer to select the range and how effective the fire is; be that Poor, Okay or Great. A simple way of dealing with this is to consider any shot at a target in the open as being Great, against a target in light cover as being Okay, and against one in hard cover as being Poor. We recommend that for anyone starting out with the rules this is the simplest and easiest approach to take.
This is the point where firepower dictates that a decisive combat must occur with one or both sides giving up ground.
COMMAND INITIATIVE: Every Big Man has a number of Command Initiatives that he may use to influence the men around him, activating sections or weapons teams, rallying his men or issuing orders.
DICE: We use the terms D6 to represent a six‐sided dice and D10 for ten sided. Where a D3 is mentioned just roll a D6 and halve the number.
Having said that, in battle there are many factors which may affect how good a shot is such as smoke, rain, fog, the density of the target, the speed with which the target is moving or the volume of fire that the firer is under. The fire table allows an experienced umpire to make whatever adjustments he feels are appropriate in any given situation and with a number of games under their belt a gamer may feel confident enough to start making a few judgement calls. The beauty of this system is that it avoids long lists of ‘plus for this’ and ‘minus for that’ which can make using a set of rules a painful exercise. Ultimately, the fire table can be as simple or as complex as you wish.
FIRE TABLE: The Fire Table is used to find out the results of firing. It shows the number of hits on the target unit and the morale effect of the fire.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
THE GAME DECK: The cards that are used to dictate the run of play are all included in the Game Deck. When the Tea Break card ends the turn all the cards are returned to the Deck and shuffled before the next turn commences.
MORALE LEVEL: I Ain’t Been Shot Mum uses a system of automatic morale. An infantry section or weapon team’s morale level is represented by the number of figures they have available. AFVs have a morale level set between 2 and 5 depending on their confidence.
The following terms are key to I Ain’t Been Shot Mum.
ACTION: When a unit is activated it has a number of Actions that it may use for moving, firing, spotting or undertaking other tasks such as searching or taking cover.
ACTIVATION: A unit is activated when its own card is dealt or when a Big Man uses his Command Initiative to activate all or part of it. When activated a unit may perform Actions.
BIG MEN: These are the key leaders in your force. Not all officers and NCOs are Big Men; these are those special handful who determine the course of war by their leadership. When activated Big Men may use their Command Initiative to influence the units around them. BLINDS: Blinds are markers which allow simple hidden movement to be used.
CLOSE COMBAT: Close Combat occurs when infantry or weapons teams come within 4” of each other.
PINNED: Units fired on may become Pinned, affecting their firing and stopping them moving. This is a temporary state which only lasts until the next Tea Break card is dealt.
SHOCK: Shock is key to the automatic morale system within the rules. Shock accumulates on a unit affecting its performance. Shock is not permanent; it may be removed by a Big Man rallying the unit. A unit’s Shock level should be indicated using either a suitable marker, such as wounded figures, or an unobtrusive micro‐dice.
SUPPRESSED: Units fired on may become Suppressed, stopping them moving or firing. This is a temporary state which only lasts until the next Tea Break card is dealt. At that point the Suppressed unit becomes Pinned until the following Tea Break.
TEA BREAK: The Tea Break card signifies the end of each turn.
THE TURN SEQUENCE: There is no set turn sequence in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum. The run of the cards
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dictates the order in which units are activated. Once activated, units may use their Actions for different tasks in any order they wish.
FORCE ORGANISATION
I Ain’t Been Shot Mum highlights the importance of leaders and their initiative; the men on the battlefield who drive on those around them to achieve victory. To that end, there are two sorts of men in the rules; Big Men, the individual battlefield leaders we have mentioned above, and ordinary men. The former are individuals whose role is to lead. The latter operate in units, a term we use to cover sections or squads, weapons teams and platoons.
As a game aimed at company sized actions or larger, we cannot pay too much attention to what each individual soldier is doing, we just assume they are doing their duty to the best of their abilities. Consequently, the smallest unit of manoeuvre in the game is the section or squad or a weapon team, whereas the smallest command unit is the platoon. These are organised as follows:
THE INFANTRY SECTION OR SQUAD: This is the smallest manoeuvre element in the rules. Generally starting with between eight and twelve men, the section or squad operates together throughout the game. Historically, some units could and would be broken down into fire teams. However this is too granular a level of detail for a company sized rule set and these are not represented in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum. We use the terms section and squad interchangeably in the rules to keep things simple.
THE WEAPONS TEAM: A weapons team is a group of men who crew a particular weapon. The smallest weapon teams are the two man anti‐tank, light mortar, light machine gun and flamethrower teams. The largest would be the five man crew of a tripod‐mounted machine gun or anti‐tank gun. These crews operate together throughout the game. They have been well trained to use their particular weapon and cannot be replaced by other infantrymen if they are killed. THE PLATOON: A platoon is generally made up of a number of sections or squads, weapons teams or sometimes both. Typically platoons in the Second World War were made up to three or four sections with a mortar team and an anti‐tank team.
AFVs: Each armoured fighting vehicle is treated as an individual unit. However, they too are generally part of a larger platoon or troop, and will operate with other vehicles as a coherent unit. The command, control and communication system will allow units to operate on platoon orders and if radios are present their commander may use the radio net to control his platoon.
Details on how to build and organise your forces can be found in the section Recruiting Your Force later in the book. As already said, we don’t mind how you base your figures, but do remember that you’ll need to keep a track of casualties. You can vary the number of figures on the bases so that you can remove men who are killed or use rings or caps to indicate losses.
TERRAIN & VISIBILITY
In reality terrain is infinitely variable. Players should be certain at the start of the game that they are all aware just what the model scenery on the tabletop represents. I Ain’t Been Shot Mum breaks terrain down into four main groups as follows:
OPEN OR HARD GROUND: This is terrain where a man can walk unimpeded such as a road, track or open grassland. LIGHT OR BROKEN TERRAIN: This could be a ploughed field, light woodland or damp and muddy ground where a movement is slightly impeded. HEAVY TERRAIN: This represents heavy going in areas such as dense forest, undergrowth or marshland. Movement here is badly restricted for men on foot and normally impossible for vehicles. IMPOSSIBLE TERRAIN: This is terrain where men normally do not go such as dense jungle or deep swamps. To make any progress depends on literally fighting your way forward at a very slow pace.
It is very likely that the state of the terrain will influence how easily a unit can be seen. However it is worth noting that sometimes a unit can be moving in Broken Terrain, such as crossing a ploughed field, but be clearly visible as if on hard ground. Alternatively, the unit may be moving freely on hard ground, but difficult to see by an enemy unit because of intervening linear terrain such as a hedge.
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“In the whole range of human activities, war most closely resembles a game of cards”. So said Carl von Clausewitz, possibly the greatest military theorist of all time. What is sure is that nothing in war is a certainty and to represent this the sequence of events during each turn of I Ain’t Been Shot Mum is determined by the dealing of cards from the Game Deck. Each card represents either a unit, a particularly important character ‐ a Big Man ‐or a characteristic of the forces involved in that battle. For example, a force that is particularly fleet of foot may get a bonus movement card in the deck to represent their ability to move rapidly. The Game Deck is shuffled by the player acting as Umpire at the start of the game and then again before the start of each turn. The cards are turned over in sequence, with one being acted upon before the next is turned. This will continue until the Tea Break card is dealt indicating the end of the turn. All cards will then be placed back in the deck and re‐shuffled. A new turn can then begin. As we can see, it is likely that not all units will be activated in every turn. In any single turn some units are likely to hesitate, firing at any enemy at close range but doing little or nothing more. It is here that your Big Men will need to use their own initiative to keep their troops performing efficiently. So, what is in the Game Deck?
dependent on the troops and support available to each side, and force‐specific Bonus Cards reflecting the type of troops being fielded. Once the cards are assembled for both sides, all of them are then shuffled into one single deck. Depending on the scenario being played, the following basic cards will be required for all games, although some will only be included in the Game Deck when they become available: One Allied Blinds card One Axis Blinds card One card for each Allied Platoon One card for each Axis Platoon One card for each Allied anti‐tank gun One card for each Axis anti‐tank gun One card per Big Man of each side One card for each off‐table support unit, artillery or aircraft or similar One card for each Forward Observer One or two Tea Break cards according to preference
THE BASIC CARDS For each game a unique Game Deck is created which allows us to represent forces in an historical fashion. This is not just about how many men are in a unit or what weapons they have but also about how that force is trained, its state of morale and its motivation and the quality of its leadership. This Game Deck will include all the basic cards,
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For example: If your US force was made up of two infantry platoons, a Company HQ and a tank platoon along with three Big Men then you would place eight cards in the deck. One for Allied Blinds, one each for the platoons - two infantry one tank - one for the Company HQ and three for the Big Men. If any offtable
support
was
available,
for
example a battery of artillery, you’d add a card for them and another for the Forward Observer.
Quite simply the cards determine the order in which units activate. When a unit or Big Man card is dealt that force or commander is now activated. The deck contains one Blinds card for each side. On this card all Blinds of that force may take their turn moving or spotting. The troops represented by the Blind may fire but if they do they will be placed on the table. Troops operate on the Blinds card while they are unspotted or during the turn that they are spotted, after which they will be activated by Big Men or on their unit card. See Section 2 for just how Blinds represent the fog of war. Each Platoon of infantry, armour or similar sized sub unit, such as Company Headquarters will have its own specific card included in the Game Deck. When the card is dealt, that unit is activated and may take its turn. See Section 1.2 to see just what options it has. Unit cards are present for infantry and armour platoons. One card is included in the Game Deck for each Big Man. When it is dealt he may take his turn using his Initiative to influence troops within his influence distance or to simply take his own go. The numbers of Big Men present with your force should correspond to organisation in the section on Recruiting Your Force later in the book.
Units based off‐table can be available to assist our forces, such as artillery, mortars or aircraft. One card is added to the Game Deck for each unit providing support. If these units are controlled by a Forward Observation Officer or Forward Air Controller don’t forget to add their card to the deck as well. Anti Tank guns are treated slightly differently to all other units in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum. When being towed by their prime movers they operate together on a single platoon card. However, once they are deployed for action that platoon card is replaced by one for each gun present. When each Anti‐Tank Gun card is dealt, the player may choose the order in which the guns are activated. For a high quality force additional Anti‐ Tank Gun cards may be added to the deck to be used as bonus cards. Once all of the anti‐tank guns present have been activated once, each subsequent card dealt may be used for one gun to take a single bonus shot against an armoured target. No other actions are allowed on a bonus card. The Tea Break card is used to reflect the fact that the battlefield is a confused and chaotic place. In the face of the enemy your men become harder to control as the natural instinct for survival can overcome military discipline.
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When the Tea Break card is dealt this will mark the end of that turn. All cards will then be returned to the deck and shuffled ready for the start of the next turn. The end of turn sequence is now followed:
1.
2.
3. 4. 5. 6.
Any units that are automatically spotted are deployed (see the Spotting rules in Section 3.3 for details). Any deployed unit not activated in that turn may now fire at any target within 9”. It cannot move or spot. Any reserved dice must now be used. If not used they are lost. All Pins are now removed. Suppressions are exchanged for Pins. Any relevant cards are added to or removed from the Game Deck. All units are automatically reloaded in time for the next turn.
Players may choose to add two Tea Break cards to the deck to reduce the friction in the game. If this is done then all players should be informed when the first of these two cards is dealt and the turn ends once the second Tea Break card is drawn.
THE BONUS CARDS
Now that we have our basic cards in the deck we can add the Bonus Cards. These are used to add character and really reflect the specific strengths and weaknesses of our forces. In some cases these are positive, in others negative. Where a bonus is available, such as moving or firing, this can be taken over and above a unit’s normal activation. The Bonus Cards are as follows: The Armoured Bonus card is an opportunity for a fast moving and aggressive armoured force to push on making the most of their speed. The player may move any number of his own tanks, armoured vehicles and Blinds representing armoured vehicles as long as all are within 6” of any other functioning vehicle in the group. Using this bonus does not affect a platoon’s normal activation by a Big Man or on its platoon card. Each tank, vehicle or Blind moving on the Armoured Bonus card must move using all of his normal number of Actions and may not undertake
any Actions other than movement. Each AFV or Blind will dice individually to see how far it moves. The Armoured Bonus option is only available for AFVs operating with a radio net. The Rapid Deployment card allows the player to choose one of his Blinds to take a bonus move. The player may choose how many Actions, up to the usual four, that the Blind will use to move. Each Blind moving on the Rapid Deployment card may not undertake any Actions other than movement. The Reconnaissance Bonus card is included in the deck for units that specialise in that type of operation. When it is dealt, the player may activate any specified reconnaissance unit to take a bonus move using its Actions to move or spot but not to fire. This will not affect the unit’s ability to be activated as normal on their unit card. The Hesitant Troops card is included in the deck for troops who are suffering from uncertainty or are overly concerned about recent losses (“sticky” troops in Normandy are a good example). Once this card is dealt, it remains face up on the table. If the next unit card dealt is from that force then it will not be able to move on this activation. It may use all of its Actions for other purposes, such as firing or spotting. The Machine Gun Bonus and the Mortar Bonus cards represents weapons that have a notably high rate of fire either due to the weapon’s own inherent properties or as a result of the crew being especially skilled or well supplied. When the card is dealt the player may select one machine gun or one unit of mortars to fire immediately. This will not
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affect its ability to be activated on its own unit card earlier or later in the turn. In the heat of battle some troops will find it impossible to maintain their fire discipline and open fire on any visible enemy no matter what the tactical situation. Once this card is dealt, a force with less than perfect fire discipline will roll 1D6 as below:
Poor Fire Discipline fails on a 1 or 2 Dreadful Fire Discipline fails on a 1 to 3 Abysmal Fire Discipline fails on a 1 to 4
If they fail then the unspotted platoon that is closest to a spotted enemy unit will be placed on the table and will open fire, using all of its Actions. Any reserved dice that the unit has will be used for this fire, and should its own card be drawn later in the turn it is ignored. The Rally card is included in the deck to represent a force with high morale. On it being dealt, the player may remove one point of Shock from a single unit that is not accompanied by a Big Man. Alternatively, if a Big Man is attached to a unit he may remove multiple Shock points up to his Command Initiative level without affecting his normal activation. The Human Wave card is used to replicate the mass attacks used by some nations such as the Japanese Banzai charge or the Soviet wave assault to cries of “Uhraaah!” When this card is dealt, the player may launch an attack with any number of infantry units or infantry Blinds that he chooses. All of the units or Blinds participating must be within 6” of at least one other unit or Blind. Using this card will automatically un‐pin or un‐ suppress any unit taking part. All of the units taking part will dice for movement as normal adding +1 to each dice rolled. To launch a Human Wave attack at least half of the units carrying out the attack must be within maximum charge distance range i.e. within the
number of inches it is physically possible to roll with the dice. For example, units in the open with three Actions must start within 21” of the enemy. The Fuel Shortage or Vehicle Breakdown card may be added to the deck if the force is short of fuel or if its vehicles may be likely to breakdown for some reason, be that due to mechanical problems or particularly harsh terrain. When the card is dealt roll a D6. On a roll of 6 one of the vehicles that have already moved this turn is deemed to have broken down or run out of fuel and may not move again for the rest of the game. Vehicles which have broken down or run out of fuel will subsequently double any Shock they suffer. Normally tank killer teams such as Bazooka, PIAT or Panzerschreck teams will operate as part of their own platoons or company headquarters. However, when a force includes troops who are particularly adept at this type of work, we can add a Tank Killers card which allows them to take a bonus activation, using their Actions however they like. This will not affect its ability to be activated on its own unit card earlier or later in the turn. The Ammunition Shortage card can be included for any force that is running short of ammunition and may be added to the deck either from the start of a game or added later if the scenario dictates. When the card is dealt, it remains face up on the table. If the next unit card dealt is from that force then it will be running short of ammunition and from that point onwards may only fire at targets within short range. The Dynamic Leader card may be added for a force where the quality of the leaders is rated as high. When this card is dealt, the player may select one of his Big Men who may personally move with up to three Actions. This is a move
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only card for one leader in any turn. This will not affect his ability to be activated on his own unit card earlier or later in the turn. The Heroic Leader card may be added for a force of any quality and represents an opportunity for those incredible acts of heroism that one reads of in historical accounts. When this card is dealt, a player may have one of his Big Men undertake an heroic action. The players should look at the normal chances of success and then increase them slightly before rolling the dice. Some examples of an heroic action would be manning an anti‐tank gun single‐handedly; attacking a tank with a bundle of grenades; leading a section in a desperate charge. This card may only be used once in a game after which it is discarded from the Game Deck. The Blank card is often a useful addition to the Game Deck to allow the timing of certain events, such as the arrival of reinforcements, without alerting all the players to what is happening. It also allows the
scenario designer to add any events that he feels are relevant to the game, such as civilians or a specific characteristic. For example, we often add a Skirl of the Pipes card for Scots or Irish units or a Hestitant Commander card for those leaders who are patchy in their performance. Sometimes we use a Friction card where the battlefield is particularly confused, maybe with dense fog or snow, which reduces the Command Initiative available to the next Big Man by one. The Game Deck should be a dynamic tool which can change for each game to reflect particular circumstances. Once familiar with the system the gamer will find that it allows them tremendous flexibility in designing their scenarios. Some ideas may be found in Section 12, Optional Rules. The Game Deck is available in hard copy or PDF format or, of course, you can make your own. With the price of laminators having dropped so much in recent years the gamer who has the inclination to make his own cards will undoubtedly find that buying one is a great investment.
Tally Ho! Skytrex Mark VIb Light Tanks somewhere near Hell Fire Corner
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The following section provides all the rules you need to get your figures on the table and start refighting some of the Second World War’s historic actions. The rules have been broken down into a number of broad sections to allow fast and easy access. We have attempted to present the rules in the most user‐friendly order, with the various sections being covered in the most likely order that the players will encounter them. It is our intention that within a few games you will
be able to play I Ain’t Been Shot Mum without referring to the main rules. A playsheet is available on the TooFatLardies Yahoo Group for you to download and print out or view on an e‐reader. This should suffice for most gaming requirements. As with any set of rules it is a good idea if one of the players reads them through and familiarises himself before embarking on a game. That player may then act as an umpire, introducing the rules to his gaming group. That said, it is perfectly possible for the umpire to take part in the game, commanding his own force.
Danzig, 1945. A column of Skytrex T34‐85 tanks pass the main railway station
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Command, Control and Communications, “C3”, is at the heart of I Ain’t Been Shot Mum and is the most important section for any player to understand. The game has been designed to emphasise the importance of leadership through the system of Command Initiative and the effectiveness of combat forces through the use of Actions. Your forces are activated when their platoon card is dealt from the Game Deck but this is not their only opportunity to activate. To reflect command and control on the battlefield we have Big Men, a force’s command assets, allocated to both sides. The number and quality of these will reflect the quality and capabilities of a specific force, not every officer or NCO is represented. But what do Big Men do?
He may attempt a task such as a search. He may activate one section, weapon team or vehicle under his command and within his Influence range that he can see. That unit then takes its turn immediately. A Big Man commanding an AFV platoon may issue or countermand a platoon order to vehicles under his command that are within his command range He may remove one point of Shock from any one section or weapons teams he is in contact with. He may direct the fire of any one section or weapons team he is in contact with. He may initiate a charge into Close Combat. He may order a section or weapons team to prepare to fire later in the turn as the opportunity presents. See Section 1.2.3, Overwatch.
1.1 COMMAND INTIATIVE The quality of an officer or NCO is represented by his Command Initiative level. Basically, this tells us how many things he can do in a turn and over what range he can influence his troops. There are four levels as shown below:
He may un‐pin a section or weapons team he is in contact with, or reduce a Suppressed unit to Pinned. A
COMMAND QUALITY Level
Initiative
Range
1
1
3”
2
2
6”
3
3
9”
4
4
12”
Soviet
Level
3
Big
Man
is
activated when his card is dealt. He
now
has
three
Command
Initiatives to use. With
his
first
Initiative
he
activates a squad allowing it to
When a Big Man’s card is dealt, he may use his Command Initiative in a variety of ways to influence the battle and the men around him. These options are as follows: A Big Man may do the following using one Command Initiative: He may personally move with up to 3D6. He may only do this once in each turn.
fire with its Actions.
With his
second Initiative he moves with 3D6 to join an infantry squad that is suffering from two points of Shock. With his third Initiative he removes one point of Shock.
He may spot.
Page 14
Initiative 1: Activate the infantry squad in his command range, allowing them to fire. Initiative 3: Rally one point of Shock Initiative 2: He then moves up to 3D6 inches
A Big Man with a radio net or static telephone line may do the following: He may act as a Forward Observer for an off‐table support unit using two Command Initiatives. A Company Commander may use all of his Command Initiatives to activate any one Blind OR a subordinate Big Man if they have access to communications. The subordinate Big Man may then use his Command Initiative as though his card had been dealt. If his card is be dealt later in the turn it is ignored. A Big Man commanding an AFV platoon may issue a Platoon Order to his tanks, whatever their position on the table, for one Command Initiative. See Section 1.1.6, Platoon Orders.
1.1.1 THE CHAIN OF COMMAND Big Men influencing troops around them must be aware of the chain of command. In normal circumstances Big Men are allocated to specific units and may only influence troops from that unit. For example, the Company Commander can issue orders to any units within his company, whilst a Lieutenant or NCO will normally be limited to influencing those men within his platoon. In some situations the chain of command rules may be ignored. Troops with no Big Men remaining in their own platoon may
be influenced by Big Men from their company as long as they are within their command range.
1.1.2 ISOLATED BIG MEN A Big Man who is not accompanying a unit may not fire or initiate close combat. He may, however, choose to fight in close combat if attacked by an enemy unit, counting 1D6 for each two levels of Command Initiative. He may move with up to 3D6 at the cost of one Command Initiative.
1.1.3 ATTACHING BIG MEN TO UNITS A Big Man may attach himself to one section or weapons team at any time. To do so the Big Man simply has to be physically in contact with them. Once attached, he may move with that section either when he activates it or on the platoon card. However, he may only positively influence their firing when they are activated on his own card. See Section 4.6. To un‐attach himself the Big Man only has to move away from the section.
1.1.4 CAN A BIG MAN ACTIVATE A UNIT THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN ACTIVATED? No. Other than a few Bonus cards that allow additional movement or firing, units will only be activated once in a turn. If the Big Man’s own card is dealt after the unit that he is with has
Page 15
HUNT The Platoon will advance with one Action in each turn, using the remaining Actions to Spot or Shoot. AFVs operating on a Hunt order will add a +1 to their “to hit” dice.
been activated, he may use his Command Initiative to remove Shock from that unit, Spot, undertake an individual task or move on his own. Units that have their card dealt prior to the Big Man’s card being dealt may choose to ignore it and wait for the Big Man’s card.
All of the AFVs move with one
1.1.5 CAN A BIG MAN INFLUENCE UNITS ON BLINDS?
Action, spotting or firing with the
Blinds and how they work will be explained in detail in Section 2. Suffice to say here that Big Men cannot influence troops on Blinds and any Big Man on Blinds does not have his cards put into the Game Deck until they are deployed on the table. Troops on Blinds automatically get benefits that represent their officers and NCOs doing their jobs. The single exception to this would be a Company Commander using all of his Command Initiative to activate a Blind via a radio net or, more unlikely, a static telephone line.
rest. They fire with +1 to hit. ENGAGE The Platoon will deploy on its current position engaging a Spotted enemy or ready to engage any target that comes into view. AFVs operating on an Engage order may not advance any further forward than the lead vehicle. If stationary they will add +1 to their “to hit” dice and +1 to any dice used for Spotting.
1.1.6 AFV PLATOON ORDERS A Big Man commanding an AFV platoon may issue individual orders to his tanks or vehicles for one Command Initiative each. Alternatively he may issue a Platoon order for one Command Initiative which all of the tanks within the platoon will then act upon. These are as follows: TRANSIT The Platoon will advance using all of its Actions for movement. The entire platoon rolls once to give a movement rate rather than each individual AFV rolling and all AFVs must retain their existing formation. The lowest dice rolled may be re‐rolled if the player wishes. All of the AFVs move the same distance in Transit, re-rolling the lowest dice.
All of the AFVs remain stationary, using all of their Actions for spotting or firing, with a +1 for both.
Once a Platoon Order has been issued the platoon will continue to operate on that order on all subsequent activations. They will only cease if they are ordered otherwise, the platoon commander is killed or if Shock dictates that individual vehicles cease to obey the order.
Platoon commanders may issue a Platoon Order for the platoon as a whole whilst activating individual AFVs separately for other tasks.
Page 16
Vehicles on a radio net may receive orders at any range but if no radio net is available they must be within the command range of their platoon commander and be able to see him in order to receive them.
In Normandy “Binky” Beaumont’s troop of Shermans is advancing through close bocage country. Binky moves his tanks up to the
Feldwebel Jannke Lott is advancing
hedge to his front on a Hunt order.
through northern France with his
On his next activation he issues an
platoon of Panzer 35t’s. Up ahead
Engage order to the troop.
is a ridge where his Aufklarung
will now remain stationary, seeking
troops have told him the French have tanks.
Lott issues a Hunt
Order
his
and
platoon
out any targets to their front, until ordered to do something else.
moves
Binky
forward cautiously. On
his
next
activation
tank
and
then
now
Command
Lott’s
uses
one
Initiatives
to
of
his
activate
one Sherman which he intends to
platoon advances with one Action
per
They
use as bait to draw enemy fire.
spots,
The
identifying a force of Renault tanks.
lone
Sherman
advances
forward into the field while his
Lott now issues an Engage order
comrades cover his movement.
which halts his tanks and on their
The next card out is the German
next activation will allow them to
Blinds card.
fire and spot more effectively.
A Pak 40, previously
hidden in the hedgerow opposite decides to engage the Sherman. Its first round bounces off the British tank’s front armour.
Now Binky’s other four Shermans are able to interrupt the Pak 40’s fire and pour HE into its position across the field.
Page 17
1.2 UNIT ACTIONS
significantly larger crews than we provide with our model soldiers. Details of crew sizes may be found in the section Recruiting Your Force later in the book. AFVs will normally operate with their full number of Actions until destroyed or abandoned by their crew. However, the number of Actions they may use is sometimes reduced by the effects of Shock or combat. This can be either permanent or temporary as will be explained later.
Units are activated when their platoon card is dealt or a Big Man uses a Command Initiative. At that point each section or weapons team may use their Actions to undertake a range of activities such as Spot, Move, Fire, Take Cover, stand on Overwatch, attempt a Task or any combination of these.
1.2.1 GET?
HOW
MANY ACTIONS DOES MY UNIT
The number or Actions that a section or weapons team has will depend on its quality and the number of operational men. As a unit’s strength falls the number of Actions it has will fall. Full details on just how many Actions specific units have will be found in the theatre specific Handbooks but as a general indicator the table below can be used.
An eight man section from an elite Panzer Grenadier unit will operate with four Actions, twice as many as similar number of Volksturm
Weapons teams operate with the same number of Actions as a full‐strength rifle section of their troop type but their effectiveness does not reduce in the same way. Tripod‐mounted machine guns (MMGs or HMGs) have a crew of five and function at full effect until reduced to one man when they are reduced to one Action. Mortar teams, dedicated man‐portable anti‐ tank weapon teams and light machine gun teams continue to operate at full efficiency until they are completely wiped out. This recognises that these support weapons would usually have
who
are
classed
as
Militia. Once the Panzer Grenadiers have lost two men dead the number of Actions available falls to three, and when it is reduced to four men it will only have two Actions that it can use.
0
UNIT ACTIONS 1
2
3
4
1, 2
3
4
5, 6
7, 8
Veteran
1, 2, 3
4
5
7, 6
8
Good Regulars
1, 2, 3
4
5, 6
7, 8
‐
Poor Regulars
1, 2, 3
4, 5
6, 7
8
‐
1, 2, 3, 4
5, 6
7, 8
‐
‐
Anti Tank gun crews
1
2
3
4, 5
‐
MMG of HMG crew
1
‐
?
?
?
LMG crew
‐
‐
?
?
Troops/Dice Elite
Green or Militia
Page 18
Squad A uses all of its Actions to fire so remains stationary. 1.2.2 USING ACTIONS
to move and then uses its
two Actions and then uses
two remaining Actions to
open fire its last Action to
Once a Platoon or unit card is dealt, all of the sections, weapons teams or vehicles in that unit which have not already been activated by a Big Man are now activated. These can now use their own Actions allowing each section, weapons team or vehicle to act independently and in whichever order the player wishes. The tasks available and the number of Actions required are on the table to the right. Units may choose to duplicate Actions, for example firing or moving with all of their Actions. They may elect to Spot more than once, rolling several times on the Spotting table, or they may Spot once with an enhanced chance, adding +1 to their dice throw for the use of any additional Actions. Units may take their Actions in whatever order the player chooses. Details on exactly how units deal with movement, firing, spotting and searching may be found in the relevant section of the rules.
Squad C uses one Action
with Squad B advances
spot with a +1.
INFANTRY ACTIONS Task
Actions
Move 1D6 inches
1
Take Cover
1
Cross a low obstacle
1
Cross a high obstacle
2
Enter an unbarred building
1
Mount or dismount a vehicle
1
Fire with 1D6
1
Attempt to spot
1
Attempt a task
1
Reserve an Action for later use
1
AFV ACTIONS Task
Actions
Move 1D6 inches
1
Cross a minor obstacle
1
Cross a major obstacle
2
Aim at a target
1
Load a slow‐loading weapon
1
Fire a single shot weapon
1
Attempt to spot
1
Reserve an Action for later use
1
Page 19
1.2.3 OVERWATCH When a unit is activated, instead of immediately using its Actions a section may reserve any or all of them for use later in that turn and so gain some reactive capacity. These reserved Actions are available only for Spotting and Firing (at any range) and may be used at any subsequent point in the turn as the player desires. This may even be part of the way through another unit’s activation or on the Tea Break card. AFVs on an Engage Order who have no target when they are activated will be on Overwatch for the remainder of the turn.
1.2.4 AFVS WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS Automatic weapons, such as machine guns mounted on AFVs or on top of half‐tracks or AA machine guns on top of tanks, will fire as tripod‐ mounted weapons. Closed‐armour machine guns, such as the hull MG on a tank, fire with a maximum of 2D6. AFVs must allocate their Actions in the same way as any other unit, so an Sd.Kfz 250 with four Actions that uses two of these for movement will only have two Action Dice to allocate to other tasks.
1.2.5 CAN MY AFV MULTI‐TASK? Whilst many AFVs will have multiple weapons mounted on them they will only be able to operate one at a time with any real accuracy at any moment in time. As a result each Action must be used on one specific weapon. The optional rules in Section 12 may be used to differentiate between different AFVs.
An elite Panzer Grenadier platoon is advancing
towards
a
small
Russian
collective farm. The platoon is activated when its card is dealt. suffered
some
It has already
casualties;
two
of
its
squads are reduced to seven men and one to six.
The two squads with seven
men each still have four Actions to use
in this turn. The third squad is reduced to three Actions. The first squad spots with one Action and then advances with the next two
before taking cover with the fourth. The second squad wants to get a closer look,
so moves with two Actions, spots with
its third and then takes cover with the fourth Action.
The third squad stands
on overwatch with all of its Actions, ready to open fire if any enemy show themselves.
A US Sherman is advancing through the Normandy
bocage
during
Operation
Cobra. Up ahead he sees a Panzer IV at a road junction. The American tank is activated when its platoon card is dealt.
The tank crew
are an average bunch so they have three
Actions to use.
A tank’s first shot in a
turn is always considered to be aimed, so the tank fires with one Action.
misses!
He
With two Actions left he must
decide whether to aim with his next
Action and then fire an aimed shot with
his third Action or whether to fire off
two un-aimed snap shots.
Page 20
Dietmar Schortz is a Level II Big Man leading his Panzer IV platoon during the
breakout from Falaise.
His unit had been advancing along the road on a Transit
order, safe in the knowledge that they have a reconnaissance unit up ahead.
This
has allowed the platoon to move rapidly forward in column on the road with just one roll for movement and the tanks then maintaining their column formation. Once the order had been issued they could move on either Schortz’s card or their platoon card whichever was dealt first. A few moments ago the reconnaissance unit reported Polish armour up ahead. Leutnant Schortz’s card is dealt. He would require four Initiatives to activate each tank individually, however he issues an Engage order for one Command Initiative and the tanks form up in line abreast formation, in line with the lead tank. On his next activation, with his force now deployed as he wants them, he issues a Hunt order in anticipation of contact with the enemy armour. His tanks now move turn being used for movement. schortz knows that slowly, just one Action in each the crews are alert and when they meet the enemy their gunners will be ready...
Normandy, 1944. A column of Plastic Soldier Company Panzer IVs pass a group of Skytrex German Landser.
Page 21
There are two types of movement in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum. Movement on Blinds occurs when a force is hidden from the enemy; tabletop movement happens once the force has been spotted and the figures are deployed on the table.
2.1 HIDDEN MOVEMENT ON BLINDS
I Ain’t Been Shot Mum uses a system of Blinds to allow some fog of war to be added to the game. These Blinds are blank cards, 6½” wide and 4” deep, one of which is used to represent each platoon sized unit or smaller. You can download some from the TooFatLardies Yahoo Group with suitable artwork for the various forces. Troops on a Blind benefit significantly in that they cannot be fired on, and all the forces on Blinds can operate in concert until they are spotted by the enemy. Troops on Blinds are not as badly affected by terrain as those deployed on the table, with any penalty being one dice pip less severe (see Section 2.2). This represents the fact that when not under fire troops can generally be relied upon to do what they are ordered and work together. Blinds operate with four Actions which they may use to Move and Spot in any order desired. If the unit wishes to open fire and has not used any of its Actions it is placed on the table, at no cost in Actions, and may then fire as normal,
using its own Actions and the added initiative of any Big Men present with that unit. Blinds are replaced with figures when they are spotted by the enemy or when the troops they represent open fire. Because their platoon card is not yet in the Game Deck, troops which start a turn on a Blind will always be activated by the Blinds card in that same turn, even if they have been spotted and their figures are on the table. At the end of that turn their card is added to the Game Deck and they will then be activated by their own unit card or by a Big Man using his Command Initiative. Blinds that move into contact with an enemy, intentionally or otherwise, will immediately be deployed on the table and will fight a Close Combat as normal.
2.1.1 PARTIAL MOVE ON A BLIND In some instances only part of a unit’s turn is taken on Blinds. In those cases the number of Actions that a Blind can use will often differ from the number of Actions that the troops it represents get. For example, when a Blind is representing a platoon where the sections would normally operate with three Actions, the Blind will still get four Actions. In this situation the number of Actions used during that turn will be the higher of the two. So a section that would normally get three Actions will use the four Actions available to a Blind. Any Actions used while still on the Blind will be deducted from the total available to each of the sections or weapons teams represented by the Blind.
2.1.2 DEPLOYING A SPOTTED UNIT When a unit previously on a Blind is placed on the table they must be in the general area occupied by the Blind with figures no more than 2” from the area covered by the Blind.
Page 22
2.1.3 HIDDEN BLINDS
Fighting around Metz a US player
Any terrain object that can conceal a unit is also considered a Blind. So a sniper in the farmhouse or the Japanese squad hiding in the jungle need not be represented by a Blind so long as they remain stationary. The player must consider, therefore, that the enemy can be hiding in every house, copse or hedgerow. In order to place hidden units in terrain features players can either note down where the hidden unit is or simply resort to honesty which is our preferred method.
has two Dummy Blinds as part of his
force.
back on his left, threatening his enemy’s
flank
with
force.
However,
an his
unknown need
for
intelligence is his biggest concern. He sends both Dummy Blinds down the two roads ahead of him. first
2.1.4 “DUMMY” BLINDS Blinds may be used to create uncertainty in the minds of the players as to where their opponent’s forces actually are. In that way, a Blind could be a real unit ready for action or might represent a small reconnaissance patrol of a few men but with no combat value. In addition to Blinds for his troops, a player will be issued Dummy Blinds. These may move and spot as normal, but will be removed from the table if they are spotted. The number of Dummy Blinds deployed by the players may be determined by the scenario, or the following table may be used:
one
advances
with
The
three
Actions and Spots with its fourth in the direction of a ramshackle farmhouse.
It sees nothing.
The
player knows that road is clear for at least the first 12”. The other Blind does the same on
the other road, however it Spots a German
Panzerschreck
waiting in a small copse.
team It’s a
good job he sent his Dummy Blinds
forward to scout the way!
DUMMY BLINDS Troop Type
He is tempted to leave them
Dummy Blinds
Elite
One for each real Blind
Veterans
One for each two real Blinds
Good Regulars
One for each three real Blinds
Poor Regulars
One only
Militia
None
Roll 1D6, adding one Blind on 5 or 6, removing one Blind on 1 or 2.
2.2 TABLETOP MOVEMENT Movement of units deployed on the tabletop is done by section, weapon team or individual vehicle. The player selects a unit and allocates how many of its Actions he is using for movement up to a maximum of three Actions. He may not then alter that and must move the full distance indicated by the roll of the dice unless he is moving to a specific named point such as “up to that building” or “in line with Number Two Platoon”. He then rolls the D6 and moves the unit one inch per pip, adjusting the roll according to the terrain on the table below:
Page 23
2.2.4 INFANTRY CHANGING FACING EFFECTS OF TERRAIN Terrain
Dice
Open or Hard Ground
No adjustment
Light or broken terrain
‐1” per dice
Heavy terrain
‐2” per dice
Impossible terrain
‐3” per dice
N.B. No dice can become negative when adjusted, so a roll of 1 with a ‐2 applied is simply discarded.
Rifle sections and light weapons teams are considered to have a 180° arc of fire to their front. When activated they may change their facing at no cost in Actions. Medium and Heavy Machine guns have a 90˚ arc to their front. If they wish to change their facing they use one Action for each 90˚ turned.
2.2.1 CROSSING LINEAR OBSTACLES
A platoon of Soviet infantry are
Infantry crossing obstacles such as a minor wall, fence, light hedge or similar, or if entering or leaving a building will use one Action to do so. Crossing thick hedge, such as bocage, or scaling a wall or fence over 5’ in height requires two Actions.
moving through the Pripet marshes. The first squad has found an area of solid ground to move across, the second squad is in shallow water whilst the third is wading through
In broken terrain the section subtracts
thick marsh and struggling with the
-1 from its movement.
reed beds that make this Impossible terrain. The first squad rolls 1, 4 and 6 on 3D6 so moves 11”.
With
it’s
second
Action
By coincidence
the second squad rolls the same but
it
reduces the total by one pip per dice
crosses the wall, and then with its third Action moves normally.
so moves 8”.
Remarkably the third
2.2.2 THE EFFECTS OF SHOCK ON MOVEMENT
the 6 to 3, the 4 to 1 and removing
squad rolls precisely the same but removes three pips per dice, reducing
Shock is fully explained in Section 5. Each point of Shock that a unit has will reduce its movement by one inch. This is on top of any other adjustments for terrain.
the 1 altogether.
2.2.3 MOVEMENT IN VARYING TERRAIN
completing it may elect in which
Troops moving in more than one type of terrain during a turn will declare where they are moving to and how many Actions they are using, then they will roll each dice individually, applying the movement penalty depending on what terrain they are in for each dice of movement.
As a result, it
moves just 4”. They facing
may any
begin
their
direction
movement and
upon
direction they choose to face at no cost in Actions.
Page 24
2.2.5 INTERPENETRATION
2.2.8 DIGGING IN
Both Blinds and troops deployed on the table may normally pass through other sections or weapons teams at no cost to their movement. Units interpenetrated by friendly troops who are obliged to withdraw due to excess Shock may be adversely affected. See Section 5.4.
With a turn representing between 30 seconds and a minute and a typical game being a frantic quarter of an hour or so of action, lack of time prevents units from digging in effectively during the game. Consequently units may not do so unless specifically allowed to by the scenario. Troops may choose to use one Action to “Take Cover”. This represents them making the most of whatever cover is available and increases their cover by one level. A unit doing so is considered to have taken cover until it next fires or moves.
2.2.6 ENHANCED MOVEMENT
Some troops will enhance their movement by use of bicycles, skis or simply familiarity with the terrain. SKIS: Troops on skis will ignore movement penalties for snow when moving uphill. Moving on the flat they will add +2 pips to any dice of movement and downhill they will double their movement dice. BICYCLES: Troops on bicycles will double their movement on roads and paths. FAVOURABLE TERRAIN: Some troops are specifically trained to operate in difficult terrain. These will ignore the first ‐1 pip of any movement in that environment.
2.2.7 UNIT INTEGRITY There are no set distances for how close sections need to be for a platoon to retain its cohesion. Artificial penalties are unnecessary as units a significant distance from their parent platoon are likely to suffer from insufficient support from their comrades or an inability to be influenced by Big Men. Sections may also be spread over any distance. However, when firing only those figures with a line of sight to the target may be counted, reducing the number of Actions available for firing accordingly. A section extended over a large distance that is contacted by the enemy will only treat those figures within 4” of where close combat is taking place as actually fighting.
2.2.9 SUPPORT WEAPON MOVEMENT Support weapons, such as mortars or HMGs, will only move when activated by a Big Man or if they come under close range small arms fire. They may move or fire in a turn but never do both. Tripod‐mounted weapons like medium or heavy machine guns will be unable to move if reduced to a crew of one. Light support weapons, such as LMGs or light mortar teams, will generally be considered part of an infantry platoon. When they do operate independently they move with the same number of Actions as a full strength section of their troop type.
2.3 VEHICLE MOVEMENT Whatever the quality of their crews, all vehicles may use up to three Actions for movement. Any excess Actions that a better quality unit has may be used for spotting, debussing or firing. Vehicles may only move on Hard Ground or in Broken terrain, they may not move in heavy or impossible terrain. Each vehicle has a Speed Rating which is outlined in the Recruiting Your Force section. When moving a vehicle the player rolls one D6 for each Action allocated to movement. The pips are totalled up to give the basic movement distance in inches. This total is then adjusted
Page 25
according to the table below, cross referencing the Speed Rating with the terrain. Rating
Hard
Broken
No adjustment
‐2 pips per D6
Average
+1 pip per D6
‐1 pip per D6
Fast tracks
+2 pips per D6
‐1 pip per D6
Double pips
‐2 pips per D6
Slow tracks
Wheeled
double their vehicle’s length. Only the lead vehicle in a convoy will roll for movement with the others conforming to that. The lowest dice rolled may be re‐rolled if the player wishes. Once any part of the convoy has been fired on this rule no longer applies and the individual vehicles will dice for their own movement in all subsequent turns.
2.3.3 LIMBERING & UNLIMBERING, EMBUSSING & DEBUSSING
Note: Tanks in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum are
presumed
to
be
operating
in
support of the infantry company and the movement rates reflect that.
If
you want to represent an independent tank
command
then
adding
an
Armoured Bonus Move card will allow that unit to move more speedily.
2.3.1 BOGGING DOWN Any vehicle moving in especially muddy or damp terrain that rolls two 1’s for movement, however many dice they roll, will become bogged down. Units moving with just one Action are presumed to be taking great care and cannot bog down. A bogged down vehicle may test to get free each turn by using all of the vehicle’s Actions. If more 6’s are rolled than 1’s the attempt succeeds. However, if more 1’s than 6’s are rolled the vehicle is considered stuck for the rest of the game unless it is winched out. To winch out a bogged down vehicle a second vehicle of similar or greater size must be immediately adjacent to the front or rear of the stranded vehicle. Once a turn roll 2D6 needing a double to free the bogged down vehicle. A winching vehicle greater than 50% heavier than the one stuck may adjust one dice by one pip, so a roll of 3 and 4 may be adjusted to be double 3 or double 4, thereby freeing the stuck vehicle. While attempting to winch out another vehicle the crews of both vehicles are dedicated to this task and cannot undertake any other actions.
2.3.2 CONVOY VEHICLE SPACING
Vehicles in convoy that have not been fired on will maintain a standard gap between vehicles of
These take one Action each. Troops debussing from an APC, truck or similar will be placed immediately adjacent to it for the cost of one of their Actions. If the vehicle has not moved in that turn then the troops may use the rest of their Actions as desired. If the vehicle has moved then they must reduce the number of Actions available to each section or weapons team by one for each Action of vehicle movement.
2.3.4 ROTATING & MANHANDLING GUNS
Artillery pieces and anti‐tank guns on a fixed mount and fixed mounted self‐propelled guns have a 90˚ arc of fire to their front. If they wish to change their facing they use one Action for each 90˚ turned. Tanks and artillery pieces and anti‐tank guns on a rotating mount have 180˚ arc of fire. They may rotate up to 180˚ for one Action and may act as desired with their remaining Actions. Some guns, in particular low profile anti‐tank guns with wheels, may be manhandled by their crews. Light guns with a calibre of up to 70mm may roll for movement as normal and then halve the result. Medium guns with a calibre between 71mm and 80mm can be manhandled with 1D6 rolled for movement if all of the crew’s Actions are spent doing this in a turn. Heavier guns with a calibre between 81mm and 90mm may be moved with 1D6‐2 for all of the crew’s Actions in a turn. Guns with a calibre above 90mm may only be moved by prime movers. Guns that do not have wheels may not be moved without a prime mover. Crews that have been reduced to two men or fewer may not manhandle any guns. Guns may rotate and fire in the same turn, but never move and fire.
Page 26
The system of Blinds used in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum allows us to include hidden movement and ambushes on the tabletop in a simple but effective way. This does mean that we need to allow our miniature troops to keep an eye out for potential threats. Spotting is only used against Blinds or areas of terrain that may hide unspotted units. Units that have been spotted are deployed on the table and are assumed to be seen, or at least known about, by all other units.
If both the spotting unit and the target are in terrain that is open or only slightly obstructed, then the attempt may succeed at any distance, depending on the dice roll. If the spotting unit is in the open, but the target is in terrain where visibility is badly obstructed or worse, then an attempt may only be made if the target is within 4” of the edge of the terrain. If the spotting unit is in terrain where visibility is badly obstructed or worse but the target is in the open or terrain where visibility is only slightly obstructed then an attempt may only be made if the spotting unit is within 4” of the edge of the bad terrain. If both the spotting unit and the target are within a terrain feature that blocks line of sight such as a wood then an attempt may only be made if they are within 9” of each other.
3.1 WHO CAN SPOT? Spotting may be undertaken by a Blind, a section, weapons team or AFV crew using one Action or by a Big Man using one Command Initiative. In order to spot the unit must have a clear line of sight to its target. The following rules should be used to see if one unit may spot another. If line of sight is interrupted by a high feature, such as a building, hill or high wall then no spotting may be attempted.
Page 27
3.2 HOW TO SPOT A unit uses one or more Actions to spot, Big Man one or more Command Initiatives. A spotting attempt is focussed on an area with a 9” frontage. To spot the player first states which enemy Blind or area of terrain he is attempting to spot. The spotter then rolls 2D6 and adjusts the total number of pips as below: SUBTRACT ‐1 if spotter is under fire ‐1 if the spotter is pinned ‐1 if target is stationary and not firing ‐1 if spotter is a buttoned down AFV ‐1 If the target is entrenched ‐2 if the target is in a bunker ‐3 if spotting at night ADD +1 per dice if the target moved this turn +1 for each additional Action used +1 if spotter is a Big Man +1 if spotter is a trained recce unit +1 if target is firing +1 if spotter is higher than the target +1 if target has a high profile Now check the total against the following table, comparing the terrain that the target is in with the distance between them and the spotter. Target
Spotting attempts can be made more than once against a Blind or target area, with one or more Actions or Initiatives. Spotting cannot be a precise science. If an impartial umpire is available they should have complete freedom to adjust the target scores to suit the circumstances. For example, the presence of smoke on the battlefield or weather such as fog or rain may have a huge effect on visibility. Once a unit has been spotted it is assumed that it can be seen by every units on the table in line of sight.
A
British
Vickers
team
on
the
Dunkirk perimeter is looking across the canal towards a small Belgian farm which is surrounded by trees. A German Blind has just emerged from
the
farm
and
is
moving
towards the canal. The distance to the Blind is 42”, a
long way but the target is in the open.
Checking
the
chart
the
British player will need 7 or more
0‐4”
4‐9”
9‐24”
24”+
In open
Auto
Auto
4
7
Slightly obstructed
Auto
5
9
11
even chances.
Badly obstructed
9
10
12
14
However, the British player wants
Very badly obstructed
11
14
‐
‐
to spot the Blind, pretty much
to make sure he sees it, so he uses all
three
of
the
Vickers
team’s
Actions to spot. This allows him to
If the total equals or exceeds the number shown the spotting attempt is successful and the spotted unit is placed on the table. If the total is one less than the number required but an enemy unit is hidden in the terrain being spotted a Blind should be placed to confirm that something is there but that it has not been clearly identified.
add +2 to his dice as a result, +1 for each extra Action used.
He
now needs just 5 or more on 2D6.
Page 28
3.4 SPOTTING AT NIGHT 3.3 AUTOMATIC SPOTTING In some circumstances troops will be seen by their opponents without the need for spotting. If, during the course of a turn, troops move within 6” of an unspotted enemy that is concealed (and therefore not represented by a Blind) then a Blind will be placed to show their position. On the Tea Break card any forces within the following distance of their opponents will be placed on the table. Target
0‐4”
4‐9”
9‐24”
Slightly obstructed
Badly obstructed
Very badly obstructed
*
In open
*In terrain where visibility is very badly obstructed no troops will be deployed on the table but any hidden units will be represented by a Blind. Such units remain unspotted though their approximate location has been identified. A US player is using a Dummy Blind to scout ahead of his main force. At
the end of the turn the Blind is on a
lane within 9” of a German infantry squad
that
was
concealed
in
a
vegetable garden. The German player places his unit on the table as the view to the vegetable
garden
obstructed. removed. dispersed
The
is
only US
slightly
Blind
is
The patrol it represented on
contact
with
Spotting at night is harder than during the day. To represent this, the following rules apply: Distances for visibility are halved at night. Illuminated targets may be spotted from anywhere on the table as long as there is line of sight. All spotting rolls are at –3 unless the target is illuminated in which case the roll is as normal for daylight. Total darkness is particularly unusual however it can be created artificially when a darker area contrasts with nearby areas which have been lit by flares. In total darkness troops will be able to identify the enemy’s position only by muzzle flashes. When a unit opens fire at night the position should be marked with a single base of figures in order to mark the unit firing but not show exactly how many men are present. In total darkness the full unit will only be placed on the table on the third turn of firing or when spotted.
3.4.1 ARTIFICIAL ILLUMINATION Artificial illumination sources, such as flares, were available in WWII but in limited numbers. Where a force does have access to flares they may only be used by the most senior Big Man who must use a Command Initiative to fire one. A flare may be fired in any direction and will be positioned up to 36” from the Big Man. Once fired, the flare will illuminate an area with a 12” radius for the remainder of the current turn and the next two turns. It is removed on the third appearance of the Tea Break card. Everything within the radius is assumed to be in the equivalent of daylight; anything outside the area of illumination is considered to be total darkness.
the
enemy.
Page 29
Firing in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum is a quick and simple process that produces fast and coherent results which combine the effect of fire and the impact on the morale of the target unit. Firing represents all aspects of a unit’s destructive capacity and incorporates the use of grenades, the section’s light support weapons, pistols and all infantry weapons in one dice roll.
4.1 TARGET ACQUISITION The basic rule when considering which enemy target your unit can fire at is that if they can see it they can fire at it. In order to fire at a unit it must be spotted, in other words the figures must be deployed on the table and not on a Blind. Section 3.1 on Spotting defines the effect of terrain on visibility. The same rules apply to a unit when firing. Infantry sections and turreted AFVs have an arc of fire of 180 degrees from the front of the unit. Heavy weapons, such as machine guns or anti tank guns, and AFVs with fixed‐mount guns have a 90 degree arc of fire
The potential target must be visible to some, or all, of the firing unit. If only some members of an infantry section can trace an unbroken line of sight to the target unit then only those men may fire at the target and the effect will be reduced by comparison with a whole section’s fire.
4.2 TARGET PRIORITIES Any firing unit may fire at any target that it can see and that is within range. However, if any enemy unit is within 9” of the firer then that becomes the priority target and must be selected. If more than one enemy unit is within 9” the firer must target the unit that presents the best target possible.
4.3
FIRING AGAINST INFANTRY
Each section or weapons team fires individually rather than combining its fire with other units. The unit chooses its target and then makes its attack. A section rolls one D6 for each of its Actions that it is using to fire in this turn. The total number of pips rolled gives the effectiveness of the fire, and this is cross‐ referenced against the range and how easy the target is to hit on the Fire Table.
Page 30
Cross‐reference the number of pips rolled with the range and how good a shot it is. Remember to take into account if it is a Machine Gun weapons team or an infantry squad firing.
THE FIRE TABLE CLOSE RANGE
EFFECTIVE RANGE
LONG RANGE
MG/AFV Artillery
Up to 18”
Over 18”
Infantry
Up to 9”
9” to 18”
Over 18”
Dice
Great
Okay
Poor
Great
Okay
Poor
Great
Okay
Poor
1
3P
1
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
2
3P
1
‐
P
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
3
4P
1
1
1P
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
4
4P
2
1
2P
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
5
5P
2
1
3P
1
‐
‐
‐
‐
6
6P
3
1
3P
2
‐
1
‐
‐
7
7P
3
2
3P
2
1
1
‐
‐
8
8P
4
2
4P
2
1
1
1
‐
9
9P
4P
2
4P
2
1
2
1
‐
10
9P
4P
2
5P
2
1
2
1
‐
11
10P
5P
2
5P
2
1
2
1
‐
12
10P
5P
3
5P
3P
1
2
1
1
13
11S
5P
3P
6P
3P
2
3
2
1
14
12S
6P
3P
6S
3P
2
3P
2
1
15
13S
6P
3P
6S
3P
2
3P
2
1
16
13S
7P
3P
7S
3P
2
3P
2
1
17
13S
7S
3P
7S
4P
2
3P
2
1
18
14S
8S
4P
8S
4P
2P
4P
2P
1
19
14S
8S
4P
8S
4P
2P
4P
2P
1
20
14S
9S
4P
8S
4S
2P
4S
2P
1
21
15S
9S
4S
8S
4S
2P
4S
2P
1
22
16S
9S
5S
9S
4S
2P
4S
3P
1
23
16S
10S
5S
9S
5S
2S
5S
3S
1
24
17S
10S
5S
9S
5S
3S
5S
3S
1
25
18S
10S
5S
9S
5S
3S
5S
3S
2P
26
19S
10S
6S
10S
5S
3S
5S
3S
2P
27
20S
10S
6S
10S
5S
3S
5S
3S
2P
28
20S
11S
6S
10S
6S
3S
6S
3S
2P
29
21S
11S
6S
10S
6S
3S
6S
4S
2S
30
22S
11S
6S
11S
6S
3S
6S
4S
3S
Indirect Fire Support & Air Attacks
Page 31
Using the Fire Table is quick and
4.3.1 READING THE FIRE TABLE Cross‐reference the total pips rolled by the firing unit with the range and how good the shot is. This gives a result which is either a number, a number with a letter or a dash. A dash result means that the firing has been ineffective and has no effect on the enemy unit. A number result tells us that our fire has been effective and this is the number of hits that a unit has suffered. The target unit will now need to roll a D6 on the Hit Effect Table in Section 4.10 for each hit. A result with a number and a letter, either P or S, not only achieves that number of hits on the enemy but also shows an immediate morale result. A ‘P’ result means that the target is Pinned, an ‘S’ result means that that target is Suppressed. A Pinned unit may not move for the rest of this turn and its fire is calculated as being one range band worse than it normally would be during this time. A Suppressed unit may not move or fire for the rest of this move. Pinned and Suppressed units should be identified with an appropriate marker. A Pinned or Suppressed unit remains so until the Tea Break card is dealt. At that point any Pinned marker is removed altogether and the Suppressed marker is replaced with a Pinned marker.
easy; there are no long lists of modifiers to trawl through.
There
are three main columns for the three range bands that the rules use: 0-9”, 9-18” and 18”+.
Each
range band is then sub-divided into
three types of shot - Great, Okay
or Poor. To select which column to
use for fire results the gamer simply checks the range and then decides on how good the shot is.
This can be as simple or complex as you like.
For a gamer new to the
rules we recommend you simply
consider a Great shot to be at a
target in the open, an Okay shot is
at a unit in light cover or broken
terrain and a Poor shot is at a
target in solid cover, heavy terrain or worse.
A target Taking Cover
counts as being in one level cover better than it actually is. Gamers who are experienced with
4.3.2 LUCKY 17
the rules can fine tune the results to
A unit rolling a natural 17 when firing against a crewed weapon such as a mortar or MG will destroy that weapon as well as dispersing the crew who may take no further part in the action. This is an arbitrary rule based on Churchill’s lucky number at roulette.
take
into
account
all
sorts
of
variables such as weather, visibility and speed.
A +2 or -2 applied for
a slightly better or worse shot, or a whole range or cover shift for a major adjustment.
It’s as flexible
was you want it to be.
Page 32
A US rifle squad is firing on a German rifle squad in a Norman orchard. The range is 12” so we use the 9” to 18” column on the Fire Table.
The Germans are in
light cover so that is an “Okay” shot.
The US squad is using all
three of its Actions, so it rolls three D6.
The roll is 4, 4 and 5, a total of 13. We cross reference 13 with the Okay effect in the 9” to 18” column which results in 3P. This means that the German squad takes three hits and is Pinned for the rest of this turn. The German squad fire back on their platoon card. three
Actions
and
It uses all rolls
3D6,
rolling 2, 5 and 6, also 13. However,
because
they
are
Pinned we look at the Over 18” column.
They get 2 hits in
return.
4.4 SECTION WEAPONS In I Ain’t Been Shot Mum the basic unit is the infantry section or squad. This is assumed to be made up of a mix of riflemen and a single light support weapon and possibly one or two SMGs for the junior NCOs. Of course there are some units that won’t fit with that structure. Some Panzer Grenadier units deployed two LMGs from 1940 onwards whilst some airborne units had a large number of short‐barrelled automatic weapons as did Soviet SMG units. Early in the war, some units
in the more peripheral nations were simply rifle armed, whereas in the later war assault rifles began to be introduced. To represent these units with non‐standard armament we treat them as follows: Sections without an LMG will roll one less D6 than the number of Actions allocated to firing Sections with an additional LMG will roll one more D6 than the number of Actions allocated to firing. Sections with a large number of SMGs will roll one more D6 than the number of Actions allocated to firing when firing at a range of up to 9”. Sections with Assault Rifles will roll one more D6 than the number of Actions allocated to firing at a range of up to 18”.
4.5 WEAPON TEAM FIRE Alongside infantry sections are the weapons teams which man infantry support weapons. These use an identical method for firing, each weapon’s specific capabilities being represented as below. They operate with the same number of Actions as a full‐strength section of their troop type.
4.5.1 TRIPOD‐MOUNTED MACHINE GUNS AUTO‐CANNON
AND
Most machine guns are considered Medium Machine Guns, with the Heavy designation being reserved for those firing a larger round, such as the US 0.50 Browning or the Soviet DHsK 12.7mm weapons. To be considered a MMG or HMG the weapon must be firing from a tripod or fixed weapon mount. Both MMGs and HMGs benefit from a longer range than a standard infantry section. They treat Close range as 0‐18” and Effective range anything above 18”. HMGs and Auto‐Cannons are particularly effective. Any units fired at by them will be automatically Pinned for the rest of the turn.
Page 33
Remember, tripod mounted MG teams may never move and fire in the same turn.
4.5.2 INDEPENDENT LMGS In some cases forces may have one or more LMG teams who are not formally part of any rifle section. These operate with the same number of Actions as a full strength rifle section of their troop type but cannot fire with more than 2D6. At the start of the game a player with an independent LMG team in his force may attach it to a rifle section to enhance their firepower. This section will then roll one more D6 than the number of Actions allocated to firing.
4.5.3 FLAME THROWERS Infantry flame‐throwers are represented as two‐man teams. They operate with the same number of Actions as a rifle section of their troop type. They have a maximum range of 9” and fire with 5D6 on the 0‐9” column of the fire table, ignoring all cover. Any Shock caused by a flamethrower is doubled. Flamethrowers firing on wooden buildings will set the building on fire if they roll two or more 1’s on their firing dice. These man‐pack weapons were effective but limited in supplies of flammable liquid. To represent this if more 6’s than 1’s are rolled during firing then the flamethrower is out of fuel and the team is removed from the table. A flamethrower hit on a soft‐skin will automatically destroy the vehicle. The effect of hits on any passengers will be calculated without any allowance for cover. For flamethrowers used against AFVs see Section 8.4.3.
4.5.4 LIGHT MORTARS When firing light mortars (those up to 60mm in calibre) the player selects his target and rolls a D6 for each weapon firing. If the target is in direct line of sight then one point of Shock is caused on a roll of 4 to 6. If the target is not directly visible from the firer’s position then one point of Shock is caused on a roll of 5 or 6. If
the target has solid overhead cover then subtract 1 from the dice roll. Light mortars larger than 2” or 50mm which roll a 6 cause one point of Shock plus one hit. This is diced for on the Hit Effect table see Section 4.10.
4.5.5 ANTI‐TANK TEAMS AGAINST INFANTRY Most platoons will have some kind of anti‐tank weapon present in order to allow them to defend themselves against AFVs. Infantry were very reliant on these Bazookas, PIATs, Panzerfausts and Panzerschrecks to protect them from enemy armour, so they would not waste the limited number of rounds they have by using them on infantry targets. As a result, these weapons may sometimes be used against an infantry target but only if no enemy armour has been spotted on the table so far and only if the target is in heavy cover. The hollow charge weapons named above treat their attack as a direct fire support area fire weapon of 83mm to 110mm calibre, see Section 7.1. Anti‐tank rifles may never be used in an anti‐infantry role.
4.5.6 SNIPERS Snipers are rated according to their skills. A skill level 0 sniper is the lowest grade; a skill level 2 sniper is generally the highest, although a true expert could be as high as level 4. He may spot enemy Blinds and is classed as a trained spotter for that purpose. To fire, a sniper needs line of sight to a target like any other unit. Snipers may deploy anywhere within 12” of their side’s own Blinds or units on table and may begin firing any time that their Sniper card is dealt. They may choose to remain hidden over the course of a number of Sniper cards; indeed the player does not have to decide where they are deployed until he wants the sniper to begin firing. Once a sniper begins firing a Sniper figure is placed on the table to represent the general area of his firing position. Each time the Sniper card is dealt he may choose to fire or he may
Page 34
elect not to shoot in that turn in which case he may Spot instead. When firing, the sniper rolls 2D6 on the following table and discards the lower dice roll if firing at up to 18” or the higher dice roll if firing at over 18”. Subtract 1 from the score if the target is in Heavy terrain or worse.
A German Sniper card is dealt.
Thus far the sniper has not been in action so the player may choose to place him anywhere on the table within 12” of friendly troops.
chooses an area of woodland on his
SNIPER RESULTS D6 0‐2
Miss Pins one enemy section or weapons team
4
Pins enemy section or weapons team and inflicts 1D3 points of Shock
5
Causes one hit, Pins enemy section or team and inflicts 1D3 points of Shock
6
left.
Result
3
The sniper is within 18” of a British
section
so
the
German
player rolls 2D6. He rolls a 1 and a 5, discarding the lower roll as he is firing at a target within 18”.
Kills one man, Pins enemy section or team and inflicts 1D3 points of Shock
The
5
British,
If the section that loses a man killed is accompanied by a Big Manor Forward Observer he will test as per Section 4.10.2 but will roll a D6 instead of a D10. Enemy troops may not spot or fire on a sniper, his figure represents his area of operation not him personally. However, if enemy troops come within 4” of a sniper figure he is removed from the game. If at any point the sniper rolls a double on the 2D6 used for firing, his skill level is reduced by one. If at any time his skill level is reduce to below zero the sniper is removed from the table and the card removed from the Game Deck, representing that he has been killed, wounded, or just decided that his position is too obvious to be tenable. If a sniper rolls a double that is equal to or less than his skill level, the sniper may reappear elsewhere on the table on any subsequent turn of the Sniper card. For example, a level 2 sniper who rolls a double 1 or double 2 must abandon his current position but may re‐appear in another position later in the game with his skill level reduced to 1.
He
causes it
also
one pins
hit
on
the
them
and
inflicts 1D3 points of Shock.
A
roll of 4 results in 2 Shock. On his next activation the Sniper rolls double 2.
He is a Level 1
sniper, so that is now reduced to Level 0.
The next time he rolls a
double he will be removed from the game.
4.6 EFFECTS OF SHOCK ON FIRE Units affected by Shock may fire normally but will deduct one pip from the total rolled for firing for each point of Shock they currently have. (see Section 5 for full details of how Shock works)
Page 35
4.7 BIG MEN DIRECTING FIRE
4.8 FIRING AT MULTIPLE UNIT TARGETS
Big Men have no fire capability themselves. However, a Big Man attached to a section or weapons team activated using one of his Command Initiatives may direct their fire. The section to which he is attached (not those simply activated by him) may add +1 to the dice for each of his Initiative levels. So, for example, a level 3 Big Man commanding a section firing will add +3 to the total number of pips rolled for firing.
There will be times when your units will find themselves firing at more than one target unit at a time. This will happen when the target unit is within 2” of another unit. In such circumstances, it is not considered possible to concentrate all your fire onto one target unit alone. The firer chooses the main target unit and then any fire is spread across that unit and any other units within 2” of it. When this happens, the firer gets a +2 bonus to the dice rolled on the Fire Table for each unit over and above the main target to reflect firing at a dense target. The players may alternately choose where the effect of each the hits is applied with the player whose force is suffering casualties making the first choice. Any Pinned or Suppressed results will be applied to all of the target units.
As
the
two
units
are
within 2” of each other they
both
targeted
by
must the
be firing
unit.
The blue section fires on the red squad in the open, rolling a total of 10. They have three points of Shock, so this is reduced to 7, but a Level II Big Man is directing their fire, so that’s a total of 9.
The red squad is Pinned so
taking cover, making it an okay shot rather than a good one.
4.9
AMBUSHES
Ambushes take patience, discipline and good timing. An ambush occurs any time an unspotted unit that is activated by its Blinds card (not on the Tea Break card) opens fire from Blinds or a hidden position at close range. Fire occurs as normal, but to represent the impact of surprise any Shock inflicted on the target unit in the first round of fire is doubled.
A unit that is hoping to ambush an enemy force may not get its Blinds card dealt before the Tea Break card ends the turn. In this case the player
Page 36
controlling the ambushing force may choose to fire normally, with no doubling of Shock, or may elect for the unit to hold its fire, hoping for the Blinds card to come up early in the next turn.
4.10 HITS & CASUALTIES
squad and a machine gun team are
within
A unit’s manpower losses will erode its effectiveness. As its numbers fall through casualties, the number of Actions it has available to use will reduce; as Shock is inflicted on a unit it will become slower to move and less effective in firing.
A
on
a
US
2”
of
each
other
so
the
Any hits will be split between the two. The Germans roll 13 in total which with a Great shot at a range of 16” results in a 6P result, so six hits and both the target units are pinned. Now we check to see what effect the hits have.
We roll 6D6
on the Hit Effect Table, resulting in
5 or 6
three dead and one point of Shock.
4.10.1 EFFECTS OF CASUALTIES Now that we have rolled on the Hit Effect table we know how many men have been killed; how much Shock a unit has suffered, and how many near misses we have had. What does this mean? NEAR MISS: This has no effect. Breathe a sigh of relief and keep firing! SHOCK: A point of Shock has been inflicted on the section or weapons team. Shock is the morale system in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum and represents the breakdown of cohesion within the unit under fire. For each point of Shock on a section or weapons team any firing or movement will be done with one pip deducted from the total dice roll. The amount of Shock a section has suffered can be represented by suitable markers, such as wounded figures, or by using a small dice. (See Section 5.5 for how to remove Shock). DEAD: A man is hors de combat, dead or wounded and combat ineffective. Men killed reduce a section’s effectiveness by reducing the number of Actions it has available. See Section 1.2.1 for details.
fires
Germans cannot target just one unit.
By using the Fire Table we will have ascertained the number of hits on a unit; we now need to see what effect they have. To do this we roll 1D6 for each hit on the following table: HIT EFFECT Near Miss Shock Dead 3 or 4
squad
infantry force in a farmyard. One US
1 or 2
German
As the fire is spread across two units the players now take it in turn to allocate the casualties with the US player going first.
He
wants to protect his MG team as much as possible, so he allocates one kill to the infantry squad. The
German
player
wants
to
maximise the damage done to the MG team so he allocates the next kill to that, and the US player then puts the last kill on the infantry squad.
The
German
player
allocates the single point of Shock to the machine gun team.
Page 37
4.10.2 HITS ON BIG MEN OR FORWARD OBSERVERS If a Big Man or Forward Observer is attached to a section or weapons team that has men killed he must roll a D10 to see if he is affected. He needs to roll above the number of men killed that turn or be one of the dead. If the Big Man is a platoon or company commander or Forward Observer who has a radio then a roll equal to the number of men killed destroys the radio rather than kills the Big Man.
4.11 INFANTRY AGAINST VEHICLES
FIRE
Infantry may fire at soft‐skin vehicles and any passengers using the Fire Table. Firing against armoured personnel carriers, tanks and other AFVs will be covered in Section 8.4.4. 4.11.1 INFANTRY FIRING AT SOFT‐SKIN TRANSPORT Sections or weapons teams firing on a truck or lorry mounted enemy will fire as normal if the vehicle is stationary, or with one range shift to the right on the Fire Table if the vehicles are moving. If more 6’s than 1’s are thrown when rolling on the Fire Table the soft‐skin is automatically immobilised for the rest of the game. Any hits from the firing are calculated as normal on the passengers using the Hit Effect table. Troops firing handheld anti‐tank weapons such as bazookas or Panzerschrecks against troops in trucks or other soft‐skin vehicles must be in range to have a chance of hitting their target (see weapons statistics in the Handbooks). They roll 2D6 to hit. The higher of the two dice rolled indicates whether the vehicle has received a disabling hit and is adjusted using the factors at the bottom of the table to get the result. The lower of the two dice, which is not adjusted, indicates the number of hits on the passengers. It is possible to achieve hits on the passengers without disabling the vehicle with what is presumably a near miss or a hit on the rear body.
Higher Dice 1
Lower Dice
Miss
2 3 4
Hit
5 6
Veteran/Elite firer +1 Range 0‐6” +1 Range 12‐16” ‐1 Green/Militia firer ‐1 Each Shock on firer ‐1
1
No hits
2
No hits
3
2 hits
4
4 hits
5
6 hits
6
8 hits No adjustment
A two-man PIAT team is waiting in a garden in Arnhem when a truck full of SS troops drives past.
The
Paras team open fire, rolling 2D6. they roll 2 and 4. The higher of the two dice indicates whether the truck has been hit and must be adjusted to get that result. The distance to the target is 9”, so there is no range adjustment but the Paras are Elite so they get a +1. The adjusted result of 5 means that they have hit the truck, putting it out of action. Now we test for casualties.
The
lower dice roll, a 2, is not adjusted. It
indicates
passengers.
Page 38
no
hits
on
the
The battlefield is a dangerous place and our soldiers are only human. Military discipline does much to keep them functioning under the most stressful conditions, but ultimately the rigours of action can sometimes prove too much for even the toughest of men. As units come under fire it is likely that they will accumulate a number of Shock points; this is the method by which I Ain’t Been Shot Mum represents unit morale. The amount of Shock on a section or weapons team should be marked, either by the use of unobtrusive markers, such as casualty figures, or micro‐dice. It is important to remember levels of Shock as units are affected by it in several ways.
5.1 SHOCK & MOVEMENT When moving units or Blinds subtract their current level of Shock from the total number of pips rolled for movement. So, a section with four points of Shock that rolls a total of 12 for movement will only actually move 8” in open terrain. In terrain that slows movement the reduction for Shock will be in addition to normal movement penalties.
However, they may be sufficient to persuade the crew or passengers that the damage is bad enough to see them withdraw from the action or bail out and abandon it altogether. Morale ratings for AFV crews as follows: GREEN CREWS: Morale Level 2 AVERAGE CREWS: Morale Level 3 Morale Level 4 VETERAN CREWS: ACE CREWS: Morale Level 5 The effect of Shock is shown below. Shock Level
Effect
Morale ‐1
AFV may not advance
Equal to morale
AFV withdraws to cover with all Actions for this turn. Crew abandon if immobile.
Morale +1
Crew abandon AFV immediately.
An AFV that is immobilised or has its main gun out of action will double any subsequent Shock suffered. An AFV crew that abandon their vehicle will not return to it in the current game.
5.2 SHOCK & FIRING
German Panzer IV is firing H.E.
When firing units subtract their current level of Shock from the total number of pips rolled when firing on the Fire Table. A section with four points of Shock that rolls a total of 18 for firing will reduce that to 14 when consulting the Fire Table. A unit dicing to hit a target, such as an infantry anti‐tank team or an AFV firing at a tank, subtracts one from the dice roll to hit for each point of Shock.
against a British infantry target made up of two units.
It rolls a
total of 8 on the Fire Table and adds +2 as it is a dense target, a total
of
10.
However,
this
is
reduced to 9 as the tank has one point of Shock.
5.3 SHOCK ON AFVs Multiple hits on AFVs, be they tanks or armoured personnel carriers, may not be sufficient to completely destroy the vehicle.
Page 39
5.4 LOSS OF BOTTLE
reach cover. The effect of loss of bottle is immediate. When Sections or weapons teams will ‘lose their the Shock points are inflicted the unit will fall bottle’ when their Shock level exceeds the back immediately. A unit suffering from loss of number of men remaining in the unit. As soon bottle may not advance towards the enemy and as this happens the unit will fall back if in the will fall back each time that it receives open, light cover or in buildings, troops in additional Shock from firing. entrenchments or bunkers will be silenced, unable to fire or move. If units that must withdraw due to loss of bottle are unable to retire ‐ for example they are The distance that a unit withdraws depends on surrounded ‐ then they will remain where they its quality. Green or Militia units will withdraw are but add a further two points of Shock each at a rate of 4” per point of excess Shock over time this occurs. If a unit falls back off the table and above the number of men. Poor Regular due to losing its bottle it is removed from the troops will withdraw 3” per excess point, whilst game permanently. Good Regulars will withdraw 2” per excess point. They will retire directly away from the A section or weapons team that is enemy. interpenetrated by a friendly unit retreating due to the effects of loss of bottle will suffer For Veteran troops the player may choose to one Shock point for each 2” the friendly unit retire them either 1” or 2” per point and for withdrew this turn. Elite troops between 1” and 3”. They must retire away from the firer but may deviate by up to 45˚ from a straight line if that allows them to Two units come under fire from a German squad and MG42 weapons team. With eight point of Shock and just six men both lose their bottle. The upper unit is a veteran section and can adjust how far and in what direction he retires in order to take cover behind a wall. The other section of Good Regulars simply withdraws straight back 4”.
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5.5 RALLYING SHOCK
Actions reduced to zero. They may however be Pinned or Suppressed during a turn if a relevant result is achieved on the Fire Table.
The effects of Shock are not permanent, and a unit may be rallied by having Shock removed. This happens in the following ways:
A Romanian squad on Don River
5.5.1 A BIG MAN RALLIES A UNIT
has been reduced to six men and
When his card is dealt a Big Man may use his Command Initiative points to rally any section, weapons team or AFV that he is physically in contact with and is under his command. An AFV commander may do the same for any of his AFVs he is in radio communication with. At that point he may remove one point of Shock for each Command Initiative used. A Big Man who is physically with a unit may also opt to use an additional Command Initiative to un‐pin a section, or two Command Initiatives to un‐ suppress it.
has accumulated four points of Shock.
They are fired on by a
Soviet Machine Gun platoon and take five more points of Shock. They now have nine points of Shock, three points more than the number of men in the squad.
As
a result they lose their bottle and are obliged to withdraw directly
5.5.2 THE RALLY CARD
away from the enemy that fired
The other option for rallying a unit is the Rally card which is included in the Game Deck for high quality forces. When a Rally card is dealt the player may remove one point of Shock from a single unit that is not accompanied by a Big Man. Alternatively, if a Big Man is attached to a unit may he may remove multiple Shock points up to his Command Initiative level without affecting his normal activation. 5.5.3 BLINDS RALLY Blinds will normally only be affected by Shock if caught in a pre‐game bombardment or Stonk. See Section 9.7. Blinds may rally Shock at the rate of one point each time the Blinds card is dealt.
on them. The Romanians are Poor Regulars so they withdraw 3” for each point of Shock above the number of men, a total of 9”. Fortunately
a
Romanian
card is dealt next.
Rally
Locotenant
Ionescu who is accompanying the squad is a Level II Big Man. can
now
rally
two
points
He of
Shock, one for each of his levels of Command Initiative.
5.6 DIE-HARDS Die‐hards are a force or scenario specific units who are prepared to stay behind to the bitter end, acting as a rearguard for their comrades. The various forces can only have a few such units. Any sections or weapons teams designated as Die‐Hards must be selected by the player before the game begins. Die‐hards ignore all the effects of Shock and will fight on until all their men are dead or their
Page 41
Close Combat represents a frantic fight at close range, where firepower dictates that one side or the other must give ground. Close Combat happens when one infantry force moves to within 4” of an enemy, irrespective of whether either party is deployed on the table or on Blinds. When Close Combat occurs both sides total up the number of figures in the fight. If a number of sections are present on both sides then the fight will be broken down into several parts, with each section taking on an opponent. If numbers are uneven then the units should be paired up against an opponent with the attacking player deciding where any surplus sections or weapons teams are allocated in the fight. Here the close combat is broken down into
6.1 RESOLVING CLOSE COMBAT Each side will roll 1D6 for each figure in the Close Assault. Adjust the number of dice rolled according to the list below, in the order listed, rounding down for odd numbers: For each Action you used for movement subtract one dice. This is cumulative for multiple units. Ignore this for Blinds. If your troops are Aggressive add one dice for every three dice you have so far If your troops are Stubborn and defending add one dice for every three dice so far If your troops are Green remove three dice per section For each Command Initiative level of the most senior Big Man present add one dice For each defender’s HMG/MMG present if attackers are in their arc of fire add six dice
two fights.
For SMG armed sections add three dice
In fight one a
For Engineer or Pioneer Assault Unit add one dice for every two dice you have so far
single German squad faces two British sections, whilst in fight two the British have two sections against one German squad and a machine gun team.
For each flamethrower present add six dice
For every two points of Shock on your unit remove one dice If you are defending light terrain add one dice for every four dice you have so far If you are defending heavy or impossible terrain add one dice for every three dice you have so far If you are defending bunkers or entrenchments add one dice for every two dice you have so far For Pinned units remove half the dice you have so far For Suppressed units remove three‐quarters of the dice you have so far If attacked in the rear remove half the dice you have so far
Page 42
Total up the number of dice to be rolled by each side. If one side has four or more times as many dice as their opponent then the side with the lesser number of dice routs immediately, falling back 3D6 inches with their backs to the enemy and taking an automatic six Shock points per section. If surrounded they will surrender. Otherwise the two players roll their total number of dice. Each 5 or 6 kills one enemy with each six also inflicting one point of Shock.
Two
6.2 RESULTS OF CLOSE COMBAT
The Soviets have sixteen men so start
Compare both sides’ losses of dead and refer to the list below: DRAW: Unless one side is obliged to retire due to loss of bottle both sides will fight again immediately. This occurs for a maximum of three rounds, after which both sides retire 3” facing each other. DEFEATED BY 1 Thrown back 4” facing the enemy. This unit may not advance in the next turn but may fire, spot or undertake any other action. Aggressive troops or stubborn troops in defence ignore a defeat by 1 and fight again immediately. DEFEATED BY 2 Thrown back 9” facing the enemy. Add one point of Shock for each section or weapons team. Unit counts as Pinned throughout the next turn. DEFEATED BY 3 Run away 12” facing away from the enemy. Add two points of shock for each section or weapons team. Units count as Suppressed throughout the next turn. DEFEATED BY 4+ Flee 18” in disorder. Add three points of Shock for each section or weapon team. This unit may not move or fire in its next turn. If no escape is possible the survivors will surrender. The winner allocates guards at a 1 to 5 ratio. Don’t forget to check for Shock levels to see if that obliges any units to retire further than the results require them to.
Soviet
SMG
squads
attack
a
German squad and an MG weapon team.
As only one German squad is
present we fight this as one large close combat.
Had the Germans had two
squads we would fight this as two separate close combats.
with sixteen dice.
They moved with
two Actions each to get within 4”, so
they reduce that number by 4, two for each squad. That makes 12 dice. They now add +3 per squad as they are SMG armed giving a final total of 18 dice. The Germans have just 12 men, so 12 dice.
They now add +6 dice for the
MG42
making
18.
They
are
defending scrapes so that counts as light terrain, allowing them to add one dice in 4.
We round down, so
they add four more dice, making 22 in total. The Soviets roll five 5’s and 6’s, the Germans roll seven.
The Soviets are
defeated by 2, so retire 9” facing the enemy
and
suffer
seven
points
of
Shock spread between the two squads. Had the Soviets Pinned the Germans with fire before they attacked the Germans would have rolled only 11 dice
probably
different result.
Page 43
producing
a
very
The players allocate kills with the Soviets attempting to inflict maximum damage on the MG42 team
6.3.2 TANKS AGAINST DUG‐IN TROOPS
Infantry and weapons teams that are driven over by tracked AFVs will be Pinned by the attack but will suffer no casualties unless the AFV attempts to crush the position. If they are Close Assaulted by enemy infantry in the current turn they gain no benefit from cover, being treated as though they are in the open. To crush a position a tank must use two Actions, rolling a D6 to see if it has been successful. On a roll of 1 to 3 the position and the troops are crushed, on 4 to 6 they are only Pinned. In hard or frozen ground add +1 to the dice roll. In soft ground subtract 1. On a net result of zero the tank will crush the infantry but will be bogged in.
whilst the German player puts them on the infantry squad.
6.3 TANK OVER-RUNS AFVs may not fight in an infantry close combat, but tracked vehicles may attempt to over‐run infantry positions. To do this they must move into contact with the enemy unit and calculate the effect as below:
6.3.1 TANKS AGAINST INFANTRY IN THE OPEN Any infantry section, weapons team or crewed support weapon contacted by tanks will roll a D6 needing to roll above the amount of Shock that the unit currently has. If they succeed they evade the tank and may move 6” in any direction. If they exceed the number required by two or more they may make an anti‐tank attack with any infantry anti‐tank weapons they may have. If the troops fail to roll over their current Shock rating then 1D6 men are crushed by the tank with the rest being moved 4” away from the tank. Any crewed weapons will be destroyed.
6.4 RAMMING TANKS Ramming an opponent’s tank is a particularly unattractive option, but in certain desperate circumstances it was resorted to. If contact is made both vehicles roll 1D6 for each point of Armour strength. Compare the number of 5’s and 6’s rolled. If the numbers are equal then both tanks have bounced off and both take one point of Shock and lose two Actions on their next activation. If one AFV has rolled more 5’s or 6’s then his opponent then both tanks are considered out of action for the rest of the game.
Page 44
Direct Fire support in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum represents any unit firing at a target in its line of sight in support of our infantry forces. Most often this will be done using High Explosive rounds or vehicle mounted machine guns.
7.1 AREA FIRE WITH H.E. Tanks and other Armoured Fighting Vehicles may use their Actions to fire with their main or secondary armament when activated. Reloading, except for particularly slow loading weapons, is considered to happen automatically. Area fire is used when a gun or AFV fires at a visible infantry section, crewed weapon such as an anti‐tank gun or soft‐skin target. First the player consults the table below to see how many firing dice he rolls. The bigger the gun, the more effective it is likely to be.
AREA FIRE Calibre
Strike Dice
Miss
Up to 50mm
1D6
One 1
51mm to 79mm
2D6
One 1
80mm to 110mm
3D6
Two 1’s
111mm and above
4D6
Two 1’s
Anti‐Building Mortar
5D6
Two 1’s
The dice indicated are for tanks, anti‐tank guns and artillery pieces that are spending their entire turn firing. AFVs or guns that undertake other actions in the turn will reduce the total by ‐2 per dice for each Action used for anything other than firing. To fire the player selects an enemy target section, weapons team or crewed weapon. If additional units are within 2” of the main target unit then they are considered to be in the target area. For each additional section or weapons team in the target area the player will add +2 to the total number of pips rolled for firing as this is a dense target.
Each point of Shock on the tank crew reduces the total rolled by one, as does each point of damage to the gun sights. Now check the number of 1’s rolled on the Area Fire table to see if you have missed the target altogether (if you have we presume the shell disappears over the horizon). Any other result indicates a hit. If more 6’s than 1’s have been rolled then the shot is a great shot and reduces the target’s cover by one level. If the target has been hit it is automatically Pinned. Now total up the number of pips and check on Fire Table, taking into account any cover and the range. Remember, AFV guns firing H.E. use the same range bands as Machine Guns, 0‐18” being considered Close, Over 18” being Effective. If more than one enemy unit is in the target area, the players will alternately choose where the effect of each of the hits is applied, with the player whose force is suffering casualties making the first choice. Any Pinned or Suppressed results will be applied to all of the target units. A roll of two 6’s or more will destroy any crewed weapon in the target area. If multiple crewed weapons are present then the owning player chooses which has been affected. The weapon and all of its crew are removed from play.
7.1.1 AREA FIRE AGAINST TRANSPORT VEHICLES Transport vehicles that are within 2” of a unit under area fire may be affected by it. Trucks and soft‐skin vehicles will dice as though caught in the target area of indirect fire (see Section 9.3.3) but add +1 to the dice roll if stationary. Armoured Carriers caught in area fire will take one point of Shock but will not suffer any other effect. If direct fire weapons wish to engage Armoured Carriers then they should use the rules for firing against AFVs in Section 8.
Page 45
A Panzer IV is firing at a US
A 76mm Sherman comes across a platoon
of
Georgian
mounted in Opel Blitz trucks.
The
Georgians
and
dismount
squad
Osttruppen rapidly
Ardennes.
but unfortunately he has rolled a 1 so that is a miss for a 75mm gun.
in the target area. It rolls 2D6 on
is
straight-forward
hit
totalling 8 but as it used one
Action
for
movement
this
is
reduced to 6. However, the second Georgian squad in the target are adds +2 for a dense target.
So
that’s 8 at close range. The Georgians are in the ditch, light terrain, but they are taking cover so we count that as a Poor shot. That’s two hits in total. On the next turn the Sherman rolls 3 and 6, a total of 9 making 11 with the dense target, but the six means it is a particularly good shot, so we reduce the cover that the Georgians are in, making it an Okay shot.
A much more effective
five hits and Pinned.
With
1. The 6 is generally a good roll,
It then
has another within 2”, so both are
this
At a range of 24”
The German player rolls 6 and
opens fire, targeting a squad which
so
the
for effect.
The Sherman uses is first Action to
a 5. No 1’s or 6’s have been rolled
in
their 75mm gun they roll 2D6
the road.
the Fire Table, resulting in a 3 and
foxholes
this is Effective range.
take cover in a ditch at the side of
advance to short range.
in
7.1.2 AREA FIRE AGAINST BUILDINGS & BUNKERS Any gun above 50mm calibre firing HE against a building has the chance of recording a critical hit that renders the building unstable or even collapses it entirely. When rolling the dice on the Fire Table if more 6’s than 1’s are rolled the building is considered to have received a critical hit and, if combustible, is set on fire. Any defenders must leave the unstable building on their next activation. If three or more 6’s are rolled against a brick or solid structure, or two or more 6’s against a wooden or light building, it collapses instantaneously, killing all occupants. Fire against bunkers requires a more precise shot to be effective. To reflect this Area Fire against bunkers will not reduce the level of cover when a 6 is rolled. The effect of fire is diced for as normal but at up to 18” any double rolled is considered to have penetrated the bunker and knocked it, and its crew, out of action. At over 18” only a double 5 or 6 will have that effect. A gun with a calibre of 50mm or less that normally fires with just 1D6 will roll 2D6 in this situation and discard the lower of the two dice.
Page 46
Two SiG33 15cm infantry guns
Two Panzer IVs engage a British
are firing at an industrial building
infantry platoon in Belgium at 12”
in Stalingrad. Both are using all of
range.
their Actions for firing so both roll
The first is firing at an
infantry section in a small wellbuilt cottage which provides them
4D6.
with heavy cover. He knows that if
The first gun rolls 1, 1, 4 and 6, a
he fires his hull MG he will only roll
total of 12. However he has rolled
2D6
two 1’s so the shot has missed
and
the
negate that.
altogether.
good
cover
will
He uses his main
75mm gun, rolling 2D6.
The second gun fires, rolling 2, 3,
He rolls 4 and 6, a total of ten. As
5 and 6, a total of 16. The player checks the fire table.
he has rolled a 6 and no 1’s this is
The building
a good shot and he reduces the
is a solid concrete structure making
cover to make it an Okay shot.
it a Poor shot, but as he has rolled
Ten at close range results in four
a 6 it is a particularly effective
hits and Pinned.
shot, reducing the cover by one level, so it is an Okay shot.
The
The second Panzer IV fires at a
range
the
British section in the open.
is
24”,
so
we
use
Both
Effective range column, and that
his main gun and his MGs will give
results in 3 hits and Pins the Soviet
him 2D6, but the main gun might
defenders.
miss if he rolls a 1, whereas the MG is more accurate.
However, rolling more 6’s than 1’s
MG, rolling 1 and 5, a total of six
(one 6 and no 1’s) means that he
(breathing a sigh of relief that he
has also caused a critical hit on the building, making it unstable. Soviet
defenders
will
have
He uses his
didn’t fire his main gun!) so that is
The
six hits and Pinned as it’s a Great
to
Shot at close range.
abandon the building on their next activation.
In general terms the machine gun is a better weapon against a target
IMPORTANT NOTE:
in the open, whilst the main gun is
Keep your eyes
better against troops in cover.
peeled for 1’s and 6’s!
Page 47
7.1.3 SPLINTER PATTERN?
A Flakpanzer Wirblewind turns its
Woods and Orchards make particularly good hiding places, however they can be a death‐ trap. High Explosive rounds exploding in woods cause terrible splintering of the trees which adds to the effect of the shells. As a result units firing H.E. into a wood or orchard will add +2 to its total pips rolled each time they fire.
four Soviet
7.5 MULTI-BARELLED WEAPONS Multi‐barrelled weapons such as quad‐mounted MGs or auto‐cannons fire with the normal number of Actions but +3 will be added to the final result for each extra barrel above one firing. For example, Quad‐mounted 0.50 calibre HMGs with a basic three Actions will therefore fire with a maximum of 3D6 +9.
squad
a
advancing
The
20mm
Fire
Table,
cannon
fired
with
however
with
three
three Actions, rolling 3D6 on the additional barrels it adds +9.
A
roll of 2, 4 and 6 has 9 added to make 21.
The Soviets are in light
cover among fallen masonry, so represent an Okay target.
This is
close range as the Cannon uses the MG/AFV and artillery range bands.
7.3 AFV MOUNTED FLAMETHROWERS
Auto‐cannon fire is treated as Heavy Machine Gun fire but in addition to any other result it will automatically pin the target units.
infantry
against
a range of 16”
Medium or Heavy Machine Guns mounted on AFVs, such as on top of infantry half‐tracks, will fire as tripod‐mounted infantry weapons. Closed armour machine guns, such as the hull MG on a tank, fire with a maximum of 2D6. Any Actions used for other tasks will reduce the number of Actions available for fire, so a tank that has used two Actions for other purposes will not be able to fire its hull MG effectively.
7.4 AUTO-CANNON FIRE
cannons
through the ruins of Konigsberg at
7.2 AFV MOUNTED MACHINE GUNS
Tank or vehicle‐mounted flamethrowers have a maximum range of 12”. They fire against infantry, crewed weapons or AFVs with 5D6 on the normal fire table but ignore cover. They never run out of fuel. For flamethrowers in an anti‐tank role see Section 8.4.3.
20mm
Nine hits and anyone left alive is suppressed.
Page 48
Great Miss!
Shot!
Firing against transports and armoured vehicles may be undertaken by different types of unit with varying chances of success. Ideally dedicated anti‐tank weapons were used for this, such as tank main armament or anti‐tank guns, however in some cases infantry had to resort to some extreme measures. Firing is done using the unit’s Actions, with firing and aiming taking one Action each. When activated, a stationary gun or AFV’s first round is always considered as aimed as long as the target is within his arc of fire; any subsequent rounds fired that same turn or rounds fired after moving or spotting will be snap shots unless an Action is used to aim. Tank guns firing Armour Piercing ammunition have no range bands as the whole table is well within their range. It is their ability to hit a target at different ranges that changes.
8.1 FIRING AT A TARGET The player firing selects any vehicle that is in line of sight of the weapon firing and uses the following procedure. Step One: The player rolls to see if he hits the target. Roll 2D6 and adjusts as follows: SUBTRACT ‐1 if FIRER is under fire ‐1 if TARGET is moving ‐1 per point of Shock on the FIRER ‐1 if FIRER gun sight is damaged ‐1 if TARGET is low profile or small ‐1 for any significant negative factor
ADD +2 for an aimed shot +1 if FIRER has already hit static TARGET +1 FIRER is higher than the TARGET +1 if a Big Man is directing the fire +1 for any significant positive factor
Step Two: The player checks the following table to see if he has been successful. The number shown is the minimum score he needs to roll to hit the target. Target
0‐18”
Over 18”
In the open
5
8
View obscured (some cover)
6
9
View badly obscured (hull down)
8
10
Step Three: If the firer hits the target he will need to compare the Strike factor of the gun firing with the Armour factor of the target vehicle. These may be found in the theatre specific Handbooks. The firer rolls 1D6 for each weapon Strike factor counting each 5 or 6 if firing onto a vehicle’s frontal armour, 4, 5 or 6 if firing onto side armour, or each 3, 4, 5 or 6 if firing onto rear or top armour. The target vehicle rolls 1D6 for each Armour factor, counting each 5 or 6 rolled as a save. Both players compare the number of hits achieved by the firer with the number of saves rolled by the defender. If the number of saves exceeds the number of hits then the shot has had no effect, glancing harmlessly off the armour. If the numbers are equal, or the hits exceed the saves then consult the tables on the next page for the relevant vehicle type. As Soft‐skin vehicles have no armour, roll no dice in their defence and all hits count. If the firer rolls double 6 to hit the target he has hit a weak spot in the target’s armour. He adds an additional three D6 to his Strike factor roll.
Page 49
HITS ON TANKS If the scores are equal (including no hits and no saves). Roll Below 1‐2
The AFV takes one point of Shock. May not advance towards the enemy on the next activation
3‐4
The AFV must halt and engage the firer in a fire‐fight on its next activation
5‐6
No effect
If one net hit – Take one point of Shock and lose one Action next activation. Roll Below. 1‐2
Temporarily Immobilised. No movement on the next activation only
3‐4
Engine damage. ‐1 pip per dice of movement from now on
5‐6
Turret hit. ‐1 on subsequent rolls to hit due to damage to gun sights
If two net hits – Take two points of Shock and lose two Actions next activation. Roll Below 1‐2
Vehicle permanently immobilised for the remainder of this game
3‐4
Serious engine damage. ‐2 pips per dice of movement from now on
5‐6
Main gun out of action for the remainder of this game
If net three hits – AFV destroyed. Dice for one hit on each crewman with a 5 or 6 resulting in a kill If net four hits or more – AFV explodes, destroyed by a critical hit. All crew are dead
HITS ON ARMOURED PERSONNEL CARRIERS If scores are equal (including no hits and no saves) Passengers may disembark immediately if desired. Roll Below. 1‐2
The APC must retire away from the enemy on its next activation or the Tea Break card, using all of its Actions to do so
3‐4
The APC will engage the firer if it is an infantry section or weapons team. If the firer is a tank, anti‐ tank gun or artillery piece the APC will withdraw as above
5‐6
No effect
If one net hit – Take one point of Shock and lose one Action next activation. Passengers may disembark immediately if desired. Roll below. 1‐2
Temporarily Immobilised. No movement on the next activation only
3‐4
Engine damage. ‐1 pip per dice of movement from now on
5‐6
Primary Weapon destroyed. Main weapon on the carrier is destroyed. Dice if multiple weapons
If two net hits – Take two points of Shock and lose two Actions next activation. Passengers must disembark immediately. Roll Below 1‐2
Vehicle permanently immobilised
3‐4
Vehicle permanently immobilised. 1D6 hits on passengers
5‐6
Vehicle permanently immobilised. 1 hit on each passenger
If net three hits – APC destroyed, driver killed. Dice for two hits on each passenger If four net hits or more – APC explodes, destroyed by a critical hit. All passengers killed
Page 50
HITS ON SOFTSKINS If the scores are equal (including no hits and no saves). Roll below. 1‐4
The vehicle must retire away from the enemy on its next activation or the Tea Break card, using all of its Actions to do so
5‐6
The vehicle may act as desired
If one net hit – Take one point of Shock and lose one Action Dice next activation. Roll below. 1‐2
Temporarily Immobilised. No movement on the next activation only
3‐4
Engine damage. ‐2 pip per dice of movement from now on
5‐6
Passengers take 1D6 hits.
If two net hits – Take two points of Shock and lose two Action Dice next activation. Roll below 1‐2
Vehicle permanently immobilised for this game
3‐4
Passengers take one hit per man
5‐6
Vehicle permanently immobilised, passengers take one hit per man
If net three hits or more – vehicle explodes, destroyed by a critical hit. Roll below. 1‐3
Vehicle destroyed, passengers take one hit per man
4‐6
Vehicle destroyed, passengers take two hits per man
8.2 NOTES ON DAMAGE All damage is cumulative, so an AFV that has its gun sights damaged twice will suffer a ‐2 for its subsequent firing, or a tank that has its movement reduced by one pip per dice in one turn and then a further two pips per dice in a subsequent turn will suffer a reduction of three pips per dice for movement after that.
8.2.1 AFV BREAKDOWN Any vehicle that has suffered engine damage and subsequently attempts to move but fails to do so due to rolling zero or less due to pip reduction has now broken down and is immobile for the rest of the game.
8.3 COLLATERAL DAMAGE An AFV that explodes can potentially affect any other AFVs of troops that are close by. Any AFV within 2” will take one point of Shock and will roll a D6. On a roll of 1 or 2 they will take no action on their next activation.
Any AFV within 1” will take 2 points of Shock and will roll a D6. On a roll of 1 or 2 the AFV will take one net hit, rolling on the relevant table above. Any soft‐skins within 2” of an explosion will be destroyed on a roll of 1‐4 on a D6. Any infantry sections or crewed weapons within 2” will take 1D6 hits on the Great effect/Close Range column of the Fire Table. A 6 pounder anti-tank gun fires at a Panzer IV at a range of 26”. The
British
player
rolls
2D6
resulting in a total of 7. The target is in the open, but there is a burning tank between the firer and target so the view is badly obscured.
Despite the +2 for an
aimed shot the adjusted total of 9 is not enough. missed.
Page 51
The 6 pounder has
The Panzer IV is now activated. He
The 6 pounder crew still have two
would normally have three Actions
Actions left so the British player
but the fire from the 6 pounder
has a choice to make, does he use
reduced that to two.
his next Action to aim and then
fire.
get one good shot in, or does he go for two snap shots? He considers the odds.
He is firing Area Fire with a 75mm gun, so rolls 2D6 on the Fire Table.
It’s over
He rolls 3 and 4, but with one
18” and a badly obscured target so
Action lost this turn the German
that would need a 10 with a snap
applies a -2 to his total, so that’s
shot or an 8 with an aimed shot.
5, one hits which turns out to be
He settles for the latter. He rolls a
one
9 so he’s hit!
pounder
pounder. He rolls 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 5
Shock
on
the
6
damage.
per
He
dice
for
any
subsequent
also takes one point of Shock and
loses one Action when it is next
a net one hit.
activated.
The British player then rolls to see
The Panzer IV now activated.
He rolls a
He
has two points of Shock and once
3, so that is “Engine damage”.
again only two Actions. He decides
The German tank will lose one pip
that discretion is the better part of
subsequent
movement during the game.
Once again he rolls a 3,
movement during the game and
5’s and 6’s. So the 6 pounder has
any
and
The German tank loses another pip
rolls 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, saving on
for
again
so that is “Engine damage” again.
The German player now rolls six
what effect the hit has.
activated
gets a hit with one net hit for
hits with the two 5’s and the 6.
dice for his Armour factor.
is
despite a -1 due to the Shock he
As he is firing at the
frontal armour he achieves three
dice
of
In the next turn the British 6
Strike factor, that’s 7 dice for a 6
per
point
pounder.
He now rolls 1D6 for each weapon
and 6.
He returns
valour and attempts to reverse out
It
of trouble.
also takes one point of Shock and
He rolls 1 and 2 for
movement, less than the -2 pips
loses one Action when it is next
per dice so he doesn’t move at all.
activated.
The Panzer has broken down.
Page 52
8.4 INFANTRY AFVS
A Canadian PIAT team is firing at
AGAINST
a Panther in an orchard. They are
Infantry facing AFVs have two means of attacking them. Ideally they will have some suitable anti‐tank weapons or, failing that, will be obliged to use the more scary option of close assaulting the tank.
13” away so out of range.
They
move forward with one Action and
then take an aimed shot with their second Action. The range is 6-12” so
8.4.1 INFANTRY ANTI‐TANK WEAPONS
they
need
a
7
with
2D6,
however, this is an elite team so
Infantry portable AT weapons teams, such as anti‐tank rifles, PIATs and Bazookas normally operate as independent teams. They operate with the same number of Actions as a section of their troop type. Firing is done at the cost of one Action, as is reloading. Therefore, if stationary, regular troops may fire twice in a turn with their three Actions. When firing against a vehicle the infantry section or AT team will name their target and check that it is in range, if it is they then roll 2D6 to hit on the following table, adjusting as shown:
they get a +1. They roll a total of 8 so they hit the Panther. They now roll their Strike dice as usual, rolling 7 dice.
They get 1,
2, 3, 4, 4, 5 and 6.
If they were
firing
at
the
Panther’s
front
armour they would have two hits, but
they
are
approaching
the
Panther from the rear so that gives 5 hits.
Range
Roll
0‐6”
6
The Panther is an Ausf. D model so
6‐12”
7
12‐16”
9
rolls 9 dice for its Armour factor. It gets 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5 and 6
Veteran or Elite firer +1 Green or Militia firer ‐1 Each point of Shock ‐1 Target obscured ‐1 Target badly obscured ‐2 If the target is hit then use the Strike factor as outlined in the troop Handbooks for that particular weapon and the AFV’s armour value, calculating damage using Section 8.1. If a double is thrown when rolling to hit then the team has run short of ammunition, having just one round remaining. Some infantry sections may have disposable anti‐tank weapons such as the Panzerfaust. These will normally be limited to one or two for each section. Up to two of these weapons may fire once in a turn at the cost of one Action.
so that is just two saves. The PIAT has three net hits, enough to knock out the Panther and inflict one hit on each crewman.
If they suffer
men dead the player will need to check for any Big Man present in the Panther.
8.4.2 MACHINE GUNS AGAINST ARMOUR
Machine guns provided with armour piercing rounds are unlikely to destroy an AFV though they can unsettle the crew and even knock bits off their target. When firing against an AFV MGs will automatically hit their target, and move straight on to check their effect using Section 8.1. Their Strike factors against armour are detailed in the theatre specific Handbooks.
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8.4.3 FLAMETHROWERS AGAINST ARMOUR A flamethrower will automatically hit any AFV that is fired at. The player will roll the flamethrower’s normal fire dice as though rolling against an infantry target. If more 6’s than 1’s are rolled then the AFV has been destroyed, exploding with a critical hit. Any tank that has not been destroyed will take two points of Shock. Against open‐topped AFVs and armoured carriers the player will roll the flamethrower’s normal fire dice as though rolling against an infantry target. If more 6’s are rolled than 1’s, then the vehicle has been destroyed. Any armoured carrier not destroyed will take two points of Shock.
within 9” of a suitable target must spend all of their Actions to target one AFV. They make an anti‐tank attack as normal but with a Strike factor of zero, so roll no dice. The target rolls its Armour dice as normal. If the AFV achieves no saves he will roll a D6 on the Hits on Tanks table in Section 8.1. If firing against armoured personnel carriers roll 2D6 on the following table. Only a double will have any effect. AGAINST PERSONNEL CARRIERS Double
Effect
1‐ 3
Carrier will attempt to move out of danger, moving at full speed with all of its Actions on its next activation
4
Carrier crew will disembark passengers immediately and will move their vehicle away from the enemy fire on their next activation using all of its Actions to do so
5
Carrier crew will halt on next activation and engage firer with their armament. Passengers will disembark and engage firer
6
Carrier crew are disorientated. Halt on next turn with no Actions. Any passengers may act as desired
A German flamethrower team in the
Ardennes
sees
a
Sherman
tank parked at a road junction. It fires with 5D6, resulting in 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6.
It fails to roll
more 6’s than 1’s so the Sherman just takes 2 points of Shock. On
the
next
turn
the
flamethrower is activated again before the Sherman can react. It rolls 1, 3, 4, 6 and 6, so it destroys the Sherman.
However,
the flamethrower has run out of fuel as it rolled more 6’s than 1’s. (see Section 4.5.3.
8.4.4 SMALL ARMS AGAINST AFVS In desperate circumstances infantry would attempt to drive off enemy AFVs by weight of small arms fire alone. Troops firing small‐arms at armoured AFVs and carriers cannot do any damage, but may force a reaction from the crew or the passengers. An infantry section
8.4.5 CLOSE ASSAULTS ON AFVS
In desperate circumstances troops may be forced to move into close quarters to deal with armoured vehicles, often using hand‐held charges that need to be placed on the target. In real battle conditions AFV crews are well aware that if they get too close to enemy infantry they can become vulnerable to even improvised weapons, and this rule reflects this. All infantry in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum have an inherent anti‐tank capability when within 4” of enemy armour. This represents men running forward with bundles of grenades or Molotov cocktails. This capability is outlined in the theatre specific Handbooks, but is usually an anti‐tank strike of 2 for normal infantry and 4 for elite troops or engineers and sappers.
Page 54
When an infantry anti‐tank attack is made from a range of 4” or less no roll is made to hit (it is assumed the weapons are being physically placed on the AFV). The players then use the system in Section 8.1 with the Strike factor and Armour factor being rolled for as normal and taking into account which part of the tank is being hit.
Guns firing H.E. at AFVs will use the normal anti‐ tank mechanism but their number of Strike dice will be based on the calibre of the weapon, as follows.
8.5 HIGH EXPLOSIVE AGAINST AFVS In some situations artillery or infantry guns equipped solely with High Explosive shells may have to operate in an anti‐tank role. They are not designed or equipped for this role, however they do have some capability to damage armour.
Calibre
Strike
Up to 60mm
1
61mm to 70mm
2
71mm to 84mm
3
85mm to 100mm
4
101mm to 125mm
5
Over 125mm
6
Syria, 1941. Peter Pig R35 tanks in Vichy service pass a Foreign Legion Machine Gun position and a group of Senegalese Tirailleurs. Infantry are chiefly converted Peter Pig with the odd Old Glory/Skytrex among the Legion.
Page 55
Not all forces in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum will be deployed on the tabletop or have a direct line of sight to their target. Weapons such as artillery and mortars will often be part of a force, able to provide fire support against any enemy targets, but will be situated off‐table and linked to the tabletop commander or a dedicated Forward Observer by radio or telephone line. There are two types of artillery fire available, Pre‐registered or Opportunity fire. Pre‐ Registered fire is the most responsive as the battery has already done the calculations for range and may even have fired a number of ranging shots so that when their assistance is called for they can fire immediately onto the target without any delay. Opportunity fire will be a slower process as the battery needs to do the calculations to make sure they are firing as close to the target as possible and not dropping fire onto friendly positions. Both Pre‐registered and Opportunity fire need to be requested before the battery can fire.
9.1 PRE-REGISTERED FIRE SUPPORT This will most often be available to troops in a defensive position where they have had time to work with the battery to arrange for a number of points to be pre‐registered so that they can bring fire in where the enemy are most likely to attack. To call in Pre‐registered fire the player must have selected a number of points on the table before the game began and identified these as target points. If an umpire is present he may inform him, failing that a note may be made on a piece of paper so that his opponent is not aware where these points are. On a typical 6’ by 4’ table two or three such points might be typically available, none being closer than 12” to friendly positions.
The process for calling in fire on Pre‐registered points is as follows: Step One: The most senior Big Man or Forward Observer request Support Fire. A Support card is added to the Game Deck on the next Tea Break card.
Step Two: When the Support card is dealt the battery may fire immediately using 1D6 deviation, the player indicating where the aiming point is on the table. The fire then arrives each time the Support card is dealt until the battery ceases fire or the player wishes to direct the fire elsewhere or cancel the fire mission.
9.1.1 CHANGING A PRE‐REGISTERED TARGET Pre‐registered targets can only be established before a game begins and may not be changed during the game. However, a player firing a battery against one Pre‐registered target may decide to move the fire onto a different Pre‐ registered target. To do this Forward Observer must use all of his Actions (the senior Big Man can use two of his Actions) and will place a new aiming point marker on the table. The next turn of the Support card will be ignored and the fire will then move to the new target on the following turn of the Support card.
9.2 OPPORTUNITY FIRE SUPPORT
Opportunity fire support is more complicated for the battery to deliver as they need to run through a series of calculations in order to get the fire hitting the right point on the table. During the Second World War the process for achieving this varied from one nationality to another, and as a consequence troops of certain nationalities are likely to get fire support which is faster and more or less accurate than other nationalities. This is reflected in the Support
Page 56
CALLING FOR OPPORTUNITY SUPPORT Ratings on the Indirect Fire Support table FIRE
below.
STEP ONE
When a force wants to call for Opportunity Fire Support they needs the most senior Big Man present with the force or a Forward Observer to use all of his Actions to request that. Once he has done that a Support card is added to the Game Deck on the next Tea Break card.
STEP TWO When the Support card is next dealt the player rolls on the Indirect Fire Support table opposite to see if the fire arrives. Check the nationality of the firer against the Support Rating on the table. The three numbers indicate the minimum number that the player needs to roll on a D6 on the first, second and subsequent times he makes this test. If a dash is in the column then fire cannot arrive this time and he must test again the next time the Support card is dealt. STEP THREE INDIRECT FIRE SUPPORT A successful roll means that the fire arrives Nationality Support Deviation immediately. The player places an aiming point Rating marker on the table to indicate the point at which Britain & Empire 3/3/2 3D6 he wants the fire to be aimed. This represents the United States 4/3/2 2D6 first ranging shots being fired by the battery. Germany ‐/5/4 3D6 The player immediately dices to see where the ‐/‐/5 4D6 Soviet Union ranging shot lands. He rolls a Deviation Dice with a Italy ‐/5/4 3D6 Hit result meaning that the artillery is on target.
France
5/4/2
3D6
Japan
‐/‐/5
4D6
Other nations
‐/6/5
4D6
Non‐Nation Specific All ‐ Rockets
As nation
4D6 x 2
Medium mortars
3/2/2
3D6
Heavy mortars
4/3/2
3D6
An arrow means that the target has been missed. If the target has been missed the player should roll the number of D6 shown in the Deviation column on the Indirect Fire Support table. The total number of pips is the distance in inches that the fire has deviated from the aiming point in the direction indicated by the arrow on the Deviation Dice.
Step Four: The player now decides if he wants the battery to fire for effect. If the ranging shot was on‐target this will happen automatically. If the shot missed the target but the player firing is happy with the fall of the shot the battery may immediately fire for effect. Go to Fire For Effect in Section 9.3. If the player is not happy with the fall of the ranging shot and does not want the battery to open fire this is considered a ranging shot that is off target and its effect is ignored. The next time the Support card is dealt he will roll the Deviation Dice again with one less D6 for any deviation from the target if it misses.
Page 57
Last turn their Forward Observer
The
called for support fire from a Troop
Deviation
Dice
shows
the
direction of where the fire lands,
of 25 pounders against a small oasis
the D6 the distance.
where some Italians are located. The Support card was added to the
deck and has now been dealt, so the
British player now dices to see if the battery responds to the request. He rolls a D6 on the table above, needing 3 or more. He rolls a 4 so the guns begin firing. The
Deviation
Dice
is
rolled,
indicating that the target has been
9.3 FIRE FOR EFFECT
total of 11 places the ranging shot
Once the support fire arrives we can move on to see what effect that has.
11” in the direction shown by the
9.3.1 THE KILL ZONE
missed.
Now 3D6 are rolled.
A
arrow. The British player does not want fire there as it is close to his own troops so the 25 pounder hold their
Now that we know where the fire has landed we need to check to see what size area it will cover. This depends on the weapon, the calibre and how many pieces are being fired.
fire.
Weapon
Kill Zone Radius
Two artillery pieces or heavy mortars
4”
Four artillery pieces or heavy mortars
7”
Two medium Mortar section
3”
A 2 and a
Medium Mortar battery
5”
3 are rolled, so the round is only
Rocket Launcher section
9”
Rocket launcher battery
16”
The next time the Support card is dealt the Deviation Dice is rolled again.
Again it misses.
This time
only roll 2D6 are rolled to see where the round lands.
just off-target and the Italians are well within the Kill Zone.
The
British player now decides to fire for
effect
immediately
goes
to
Section 9.3 to see what effect the fire has.
The area covered by the Kill Zone is measured from centre point of the fire. If the battery hits the target this will be the aiming point, or if the target was missed it will be the point indicated by the Deviation Dice and the D6.
Page 58
SOFTSKIN VEHICLES
9.3.2 EFFECT ON INFANTRY & CREWED WEAPONS D6
Any units fully or partially within the target area will be Pinned automatically. To see what other effect there are we need to check the Bombardment Effect Table to see how many dice are rolled on the Fire Table. This depends on the calibre of the pieces firing.
Effect
1‐3
No effect
4‐5
Destroyed. 1D6 hits on passengers
6+
Destroyed. One hit per passenger
ARMOURED CARRIERS
BOMBARDMENT EFFECT
D6
Effect
1‐2
No effect
Calibre
Dice
2‐5
Lose one Action on next activation
under 85mm
1
6
Destroyed. Passengers disembark
85mm to 105mm (includes 25 pounders)
2
7+
Destroyed. One hit per passenger
106mm to 125mm
2 +1 pip
D6
Effect
126mm to 145mm (includes 5” and 5.5”)
2 + 2 pips
1‐3
No effect
4‐5
Lose one Action on next activation
146 to 165mm (includes 6”)
2 + 3 pips
6
Take 1 hit on the AFV damage table and one point of Shock
166mm to 185mm
2 + 4 pips
7
186mm to 205mm (includes 8”)
2 + 5 pips
Take 2 hits on the AFV damage table and two points of Shock
206mm to 280mm (includes 11”)
2 + 8 pips
TANKS & AFVs
In addition to the above, an AFV will suffer a ‐2 penalty when spotting or firing while under bombardment. Any passengers riding on top of a carrier or tank will also check for casualties as though operating in the open.
The player now rolls his dice on the Indirect Fire column of the Fire Table once for each section, weapons team or crewed weapon in the Kill Zone, enemy or friendly, reducing any cover by one level. If firing against a wood or orchard add +2 to the total pips rolled to reflect the effect of splintering timber. Blinds may not be targeted specifically, however if they happen to be in the Kill Zone then roll on the Fire Table using the Okay effect. Each hit will reduce the number of Actions available to that Blind by on its next activation. Pinned and Suppressed results are ignored for Blinds.
US player rolls for each one of these
9.3.3 EFFECT ON VEHICLES
on the Fire Table, rolling 2D6 each
Vehicles caught in the Kill Zone of any support fire may take some damage. Roll 1D6 for each vehicle and consult the following tables, adding +1 to the roll if the shells hitting are between 85mm and 110mm, add +1 if they are over 110mm or rockets. Add +1 if an open topped tank or AFV.
Four US 105mm guns fire on a Japanese position on a Pacific Island. The four guns are firing at an area with an 7” radius centred on the aiming
point.
There
are
four
Japanese sections in that area, one
MG team and a Japanese Blind. The
time.
All of the spotted units are
automatically Pinned.
Any Hits on
the Blind will reduce the number of Actions
it
activated.
Page 59
may
use
when
next
from any position. If they have a telephone line they may only contact the battery from that one point. Forward Observation Officers may move, spot and operate with three Actions but cannot fire. They may engage in Close Combat if attacked, but count as one man with no bonuses for rank or level. They may not be fired at but if with a target unit they may be killed using section 4.10.2
9.4 CORRECTING FIRE Once artillery support fire arrives it will continue to fire each time the Support card is dealt. Each time the battery fires the player will have to dice to see where the fire lands using the aiming point and the Deviation dice, however the number of dice rolled for any deviation from the aiming point is reduced by one until the fire actually hits the target, after which only 1D6 will be rolled in subsequent turns. This represents the minor adjustments made by the battery once the fire has started. More significant adjustments may be made by the senior Big Man or the Forward Observer who may move the aiming point up to 6” in any direction by using two Command Initiatives for a Big Man or an FO using all of his Actions.
9.5
9.7 PRE-GAME STONKS
BOMBARDMENT DURATION
The bombardment will continue until it is halted by instructions from a Forward Observer or a Big Man using two Command Initiatives. If no communication is possible with the battery, or if the scenario determines a limited amount of ammunition, when any roll of the deviation dice results in more 1’s than any other single number being thrown the bombardment will end. Alternatively the duration of a bombardment may be specified by the scenario. If a player wishes to restart a halted bombardment, be that Pre‐registered or Opportunity fire, he may attempt to do so on the next Support card but starts again at Step Three in the Opportunity Fire process, rolling for availability as though for a new bombardment.
9.6 FORWARD OBSERVERS
As well as artillery support during a game some scenarios may allow for a pre‐game bombardment of the enemy positions in order to prepare the way for an attack. These we call Stonks. The attacker is allocated a number of Stonks which he may use immediately before the game begins, after the defender has decided on his deployment. Each Stonk covers one 12” square area of the table. These may be used to cover several different locations or, if the player prefers, he may concentrate multiple Stonks on one area. The effect of a Stonk is diced for on the following table: INFANTRY & CREWED WEAPONS D6 Infantry Crew’d Weapon 1
2 dead, 4 Shock
Weapon KO’d
2
1 dead, 3 Shock
1 dead, 4 Shock
3
1 dead, 2 Shock
1 dead, 3 Shock
4
3 Shock
3 Shock
5
No effect
No effect
6
6 Shock
D6
6 Shock VEHICLES Soft‐skin
1
Destroyed
3 Shock
2
Destroyed
2 Shock
3
Destroyed
No effect
4
No effect
No effect
5
No effect
No effect
6
No effect
1 hit on the AT damage table. 4 Shock
Forward Observers or Forward Air Controllers only purpose is to call in and correct fire. They are valuable people to have around as they take a lot of pressure off your senior Big Man. In order to do their job they must have a working radio or a telephone line. If operating with a radio they may move freely and observe
Page 60
AFV
Aircraft played a major role in the Second World War but they were a limited asset and would not normally be deployed to support a Company level action. However, in games where the tabletop action is considered part of a larger operation aircraft may be present. Even when aircraft are present they act with a large degree of independence, making them an unpredictable force at the best of times. Aircraft supporting a ground force will operate on a Support Card. Aircraft have unlimited movement on the tabletop, they need not be represented until the point when they make an attack against a ground target.
10.1 AIR ATTACKS When the aircraft’s Support card is dealt the player rolls 1D6. On a roll of 6, or 5 or 6 if a Forward Air Controller is present, the aircraft may attack any spotted target. To make an attack the player declares which enemy unit is his primary target and places the aircraft on the table above it. Any anti‐aircraft fire is now calculated.
10.1.1 ANTI AIRCRAFT FIRE Aircraft may only be fired on when making an attack against a ground target. The unit being attacked may fire at the aircraft along with any anti‐aircraft weapons within 24” of the target unit. Roll 2D6 for each section or weapon firing and add +1 for an HMG or MMG on a suitable AA mount, +2 for a AAA Cannon and an additional +1 for a multi‐barrelled weapon. A result of 11 or 12 is needed to hit a bomber or large plane. A result of 12 is required to hit a fighter.
If the anti‐aircraft fire succeeds in hitting the aircraft then roll a D6 to see what effect it has. D6
Effect
1 ‐ 4
Attacker driven off
5
Attacker damaged
6
Attacker bagged
An aircraft which is driven off may return to attack on subsequent turns. If damaged the aircraft will abort his mission and return to base immediately. If the attacker is bagged it will disappear over the horizon trailing smoke where it will crash and burn. On any of these results the aircraft will fail to attack in the current turn. A Stuka makes an attack on a New Zealand
section
African desert.
in
the
North
The Kiwi section
fires to attempt to drive off the attacker, needing to roll 11 or 12 to drive off the German. They roll 7, not enough. Fortunately for them a Bofors gun is within 24” and he also fires. As a AAA Cannon he adds +2 to his dice, needing 9 or more to hit.
A
roll of 9 means that their fire has been successful.
We roll a 6 to see
what the effect is.
A roll of 2
means that the Stuka has been driven off for now, but it can return in the future on a successful roll for air support.
Page 61
10.1.2 MAKING THE ATTACK If the anti‐aircraft fire fails to drive off the aircraft then the attack is pressed home. The player now dices for accuracy on the Air Attack table below with 2D6. Any infantry unit (of either side) within 12” of the target unit attacked by the aircraft is automatically Pinned for the remainder of the current turn. The presence of aircraft is enough to send them diving for cover. A Miss result on the Air Attack table means that the attack has no effect other than pinning the unit. A Hit result means that the target has been hit and the player goes to Section 10.2 to see what effect the attack has. A Deviation result means that the target has possibly been missed. The player now rolls a Deviation Dice along with the number of D6 indicated. If a Hit is achieved on the Deviation Dice then check to see what effect the fire has, as above. If the target is missed then the pips on the D6 will show the distance in inches it has been missed by, and the arrow on the Deviation Dice will show the direction. Check to see if any units, (of either side) are in the kill zone of the weapon being used. If they are then calculate the effect as normal in Section 10.2.
10.2 AIR ATTACKS AGAINST INFANTRY The effect of air attacks will depend on the ordnance being used. Check below to see the size of the Kill Zone affected and the number of dice rolled on the Fire Table using the 9” to 18” column. Ordnance
Kill Zone
Dice
Bombs
4” radius
3
Dive bomb
4” radius
3
Rockets
3” radius
3
MG Strafe
Target unit/units only
As per Air Attack table
Cannon
3” radius
3
10.3 AIR ATTACKS AGAINST VEHICLES A direct hit on any vehicle by an aircraft using any weapon other than with machine guns will cause a critical hit, the vehicle exploding and killing all of the crew. If the attack misses the AFV but the target is in the Kill Zone, or if machine guns hit an armoured target, then the player should make an attack using the direct fire against vehicles rules in Section 8.
AIR ATTACKS Dice 2 3
Level Bomber
Dive Bomber
Rockets
MG Strafe
Cannon
Deviate 4D6
Pilot crashes
Deviate 5D6
Miss
Miss
Hit with 2D6 on Fire Table
Deviate 2D6
Hit with 3D6 on Fire Table
Target Hit
4 5 6
Deviate 3D6
Deviate 3D6
Deviate 2D6
Deviate 2D6
Deviate 1D6
Deviate 2D6
Target Hit
Target Hit
Target Hit
7 8 9 10 11 12
Deviate 4D6 Deviate 3D6
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The weapon strikes for the various weapons will be as follows:
10.4 DURATION OF AIR ATTACKS
When and how long aircraft are present over Ordnance Strike the table may be determined by the scenario. Bombs 5 Alternatively the duration can be decided Dive bomb 7 randomly. After the first attack made by aircraft a subsequent roll of 1 when their Rockets 8 Support card is dealt can mean that the card is MG Strafe 1 removed from the Game Deck. Cannon 3 Finland, 1939. Some heavily converted Peter Pig Finns supported by an equally heavily converted Vickers Light Tank take on two Soviet Peter Pig T26 tanks. The buildings are model railway scenery.
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The following rules cover some of the features that may be incorporated into your games, some of which are inanimate or non‐military.
11.1 BOOBY TRAPS These are “one shot weapons” that only work once. When a section or weapons team move over the booby trap, they automatically receive between one and three hits, dependent on the size of the device. Troops that are using an Action to search for such devices may avoid them on a D6 roll of 1 to 3.
11.2 ENGINEERING Engineers and Pioneers specialise in engineering tasks and the use of explosives. As a result they are proficient in undertaking tasks in the following areas.
11.2.1 COMBAT DEMOLITION Pioneers or Engineers were often used to deploy specialist weapons against enemy strong‐points. When armed with suitable charges Pioneers that make contact with an enemy bunker or strong‐point will roll a D6, destroying it and killing the occupants on a roll of 2 to 6. On a roll of 1 the charge fails to explode. Clearly with a large fortification such as Eben Emael we would be talking about one particular cupola or firing position.
11.2.2 MINEFIELDS Minefields are treated as areas 6” square or 6” by 2” strips. They may be designated as anti‐ vehicle, anti‐personnel or mixed. Any section or weapons team attempting to cross an un‐ cleared anti‐personnel or mixed minefield will dice for four hits when crossing this area using the table in Section 4.10. Single mines are treated as a booby trap when used against infantry, causing two hits.
Tanks or vehicles crossing an anti‐vehicle or mixed minefield will roll 1D6 on the following table for each dice of movement they take to cross the minefield or once with a ‐1 applied if crossing a single mine. An uncleared minefield will affect any vehicles that travel through it until it is cleared. A single mine will only detonate once. Vehicle
D6
Wheeled Transport
0‐3
Armoured Carriers
No effect
4
Mine detonated, vehicle immobile, passengers disembark
5‐6
Mine detonated, vehicle destroyed, 1D6 hits on passengers
0‐3
No effect
4‐5
Mine detonated, vehicle immobile, passengers disembark
6
Tanks and SPGs
Effect
Mine detonated, vehicle destroyed, 1D6 hits on passengers
0‐3
No effect
4‐5
Immobilised, two points of Shock
6
Tank destroyed
11.2.3 CLEARING MINEFIELDS Minefields may be cleared using appropriate equipment by Engineers or Pioneers. These will roll 1D6 each turn that they entirely devote to clearing a 6” by 6” area of minefield (assuming an engineering section of around eight to ten men is deployed for that purpose). On a roll of 6 they can declare the minefield passable. A 6” by 2” strip of mines will be cleared on a roll of 5 or 6. A false minefield will be identified as such by the end of one full turn spent working on it. Single file paths may be cleared through a 6” minefield on a roll of 4‐6.
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The alternative method, available only to Soviet and Japanese forces or German penal battalions on the Eastern Front is to clear the minefield by moving troops across it. When this occurs each section or weapons team dices for the effect of hits as in Section 4.10 until one such unit crosses with no Shock or Kill results, at which point the minefield is considered cleared.
11.2.4 BARBED WIRE Barbed wire is either a linear obstacle or a denser area 6” by 3” in size. Infantry may cross linear barbed wire, but must spend one turn entirely stationary negotiating it. During that turn the unit must not be Pinned or Suppressed or it will fail to clear a path. Subsequent units following on behind must complete the same procedure unless a permanent path is made. Infantry may not cross denser areas of barbed wire without a permanent path being cleared. Engineers or Pioneers may clear permanent paths through barbed wire. For a linear section of wire they spend one turn entirely stationary during which they must not be Pinned or Suppressed. Once that is completed the area is cleared. For a denser entanglement they require two full turns before they can declare the area passable. Tanks and other fully tracked vehicles also clear a permanent path by driving over the wire, although they leave it as an obstacle that deducts one dice from any subsequent unit’s movement.
11.2.5 REMOTE CONTROL EXPLOSIVE TANKS The Germans developed the Goliath demolition vehicle from a French prototype and went on to use these remote control miniature tanks and the larger BIV demolition vehicle to deliver an explosive charge to a target from a safe distance. Usually this was for obstacle clearance rather than as a weapon. Goliaths have an Armour Class of 1. They move at a rate of 2D6 inches per turn, deducting ‐1 from each dice. If a double 1 is rolled the vehicle is broken down and immobilised for the duration of the game.
The player rolls a D6 when he wishes to detonate the Goliath. A roll of 2 to 6 will do this successfully. A section of mines or wire 6” square will be destroyed by this. If used against troops it will explode with 1D6 on the Indirect Fire column of the Fire Table. The Borgward BIV has an Armour Class of 2. It moves at 3D6 per turn when manned, 2D6 when controlled remotely. If a double 1 is rolled the vehicle has broken down and is immobilised for the duration of the game. The player rolls a D6 when he wishes to detonate the BIV. A roll of 2 to 6 will do this successfully. Two sections of mines or wire 6” square will be destroyed by this. If used against troops it will explode with 2D6 on the Indirect Fire column of the Fire Table.
11.3 BUILDINGS Buildings come in all shapes and sizes and in a wide variety of construction systems. We rate buildings into three categories, small, medium and large. SMALL BUILDINGS: These tend to be domestic dwellings with one or two storeys. Typically one section or weapons team may fire from each storey. They may only fire from one face of the building in any one turn, but may spot from all faces. Small buildings may provide any level of cover, stone and brick buildings generally providing hard cover, wood or plant fibre buildings light cover. MEDIUM BUILDINGS: These are more likely to be larger buildings with some local significance such as Churches, storehouses or the local French Mairie. In Western Europe these buildings will usually have two storeys but in less developed areas one storey is more the norm. Typically two sections or weapon teams may fire from each storey. Each section may choose which face of the building it fires from. Medium buildings may provide any level of cover, stone and brick buildings generally providing hard cover, wood or plant fibre buildings light cover. Large Buildings: These are very substantial structures such as factories or large public buildings. They may often have multiple storeys
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and will tend to offer better cover, especially those constructed from concrete. How many troops can fire from them depends on the size of the particular structure but typically a section requires a frontage of double what would be typically occupy in the open. Use that as a guide to how many units may fire from each face of each floor. Buildings block line of sight and usually the only weapons that may fire over them are mortars. To do so they must be located at least as far from the building as the building is high. So, a mortar firing over a building 3” high must be at least 3” from the building.
11.3.1 BURNING BUILDINGS Buildings may be set on fire by the effects of incendiary weapons such as flamethrowers or the use of High Explosive shells. Any buildings set on fire will continue to burn throughout the entire game. If a burning structure is attached to another or within 2” of it, then a D6 should be rolled on each Tea Break to see if the fire spreads. On a roll of 1 on 1D6 the adjacent building is assumed to have caught fire as well. Troops may operate from inside a burning building of brick construction, but will act with reduced effect. Any spotting or firing is done at one range band further than the actual distance. Each turn a unit is inside a burning building it must test to see whether it abandons it. Each time they are activated roll 1D6. On a roll of 1, the unit must move out of the building as soon as it is next activated. Once a building has been abandoned it may never be re‐occupied by any troops. Troops inside a burning building may allocate one or more Actions to fighting the fire. If they do this then a roll of 6 when testing to see if they abandon the building will result in the fire being put out. For each extra Action used above one to fight the fire, add one to the dice roll, so that with two Actions being used to fight the fire, the fire would be put out on a 5 or 6. A natural roll of 1 always results in the building being abandoned.
11.4 SMOKE Smoke blocks line of sight, and therefore cannot be fired through. Smoke may be placed by mortars, artillery, and tanks. For each unit firing select an aiming point and roll the appropriate Deviation Dice, if any, as for their normal fire. At the point of strike smoke will cover an area the same size as the Kill Zone for that type and number of pieces firing, see Section 9.3.1. Smoke will remain in place for three full turns. It disperses on the third appearance of the Tea Break card. Vehicles that have smoke projectors may make smoke once during the game, deploying this 3” directly in front of the vehicle on the turn of its card. This is removed on the third subsequent appearance of the Tea Break card.
11.5 BOATS & AMPHIBIOUS VEHICLES Motor boats, amphibious vehicles and landing craft may use up to two Actions for movement whatever the quality of the troops within them. The total number of pips on the dice is then adjusted on the following table which gives the distance moved in inches: Craft
Adjustment
Fast
+2 pips per dice
Average
No adjustment
Slow
‐1 pip per dice
Travelling with the current
Add between 1” and 3” depending on the current
Travelling against the current
Subtract between 1” and 3” depending on the current
Fast boats will normally only be encountered at sea, with most river vessels being average. vehicles, such as the Amphibious Schwimmwagen will be slow, as will landing craft and other less sea‐worthy vessels. Sections or weapons teams in the boats may Fire, Spot or Take Cover, but lose one Action for each Action of movement used by the craft.
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11.6 WATER MOVEMENT Infantry attempting to cross a waterway that is too deep to wade without the aid of boats or amphibious vehicles must use rafts. Sections carrying a raft lose one Action of movement in addition to any other terrain effects. It costs nothing to put the vessel into the water, but takes two Actions to get on board and one Action to get out. Normal infantry movement rates are used, but with the number rolled being halved. Moving in reeds or through swamp vegetation will provide some cover from spotting, but the roll will be divided by three to reflect a slower movement rate. Any fractions are rounded up. Note that firing at rafts on open water is generally considered a Great shot. Any Pins or Suppressions are ignored whilst in the water. Infantry floating themselves across water with the aid of inflatable bladders or similar will use the same basic rules as above, but movement is quartered rather than halved, and no firing at all is possible.
11.7 CAVALRY Having played a major role in the Russian Civil War cavalry forces were still seen as a useful arm when dealing with the vast expanses of the Soviet Union and mounted troops were deployed in significant numbers by the Germans, Italians and Romanians as well as the Soviets. Cavalry were often used as reconnaissance troops and as a result will gain a +1 when spotting.
11.7.1 CAVALRY MOVEMENT Cavalry forces may fight either mounted or dismounted. Dismounted they move at the same rate as infantry. Mounting or dismounting requires one Action. Mounted they add 1D6 to their movement when moving normally. When charging an enemy they will double their dice rolled for movement, however they must begin their charge move from a point where they can feasibly make contact in the current turn. Close Combat only occurs if a mounted
force actually make contact with their opponent.
11.7.2 BUGLE CALL Mounted cavalry may add a Bugle Call card to the Game Deck. This operates in precisely the same manner as the Armoured Bonus card but is applied to mounted cavalry platoons.
11.8 POLITICAL INTERVENTION Some armies provide political officers to exhort their men to greater deeds. The Soviet Commissars or the late war National Socialist Political Officers are classic examples. When this proved ineffective harsher measures were taken to ensure compliance.
11.8.1 POLITICAL OFFICERS These men may be rated as either Level 1 or Level 2 Political Officers. When their card is dealt they may do one of the following: They may rally any unit within 4”, removing one or two points of Shock depending on their Level. They may be moved to join any unit in their force, whatever the distance involved. Political Officers accompanying a force with hesitant troops will automatically be moved to join any platoon that is affected by the Hesitant Troops card. If that platoon is affected by the Hesitant Troops card in the next turn then the Political Officer will execute the Platoon’s most senior Big Man as a revisionist back‐sliding traitor to the cause.
11.8.2 BLOCKING DETACHMENTS The willingness of the Nazi and Soviet dictatorships to sacrifice their own citizens en‐ masse in order to protect their political credo singles them out as two of the most terrible regimes in history. When the encouragement of their officers and NCOs was not enough to ensure the compliance of their men both regimes were swift to deploy forces behind
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their own troops with orders to kill any man who took a step backwards. To represent this vile practice any Soviet force from 1939 onwards or any German force from 1944 onwards may include a blocking detachment of NKVD or SS troops. These are represented by up to six bases of suitable troops which should be placed on the player’s table edge. During the game the player may “spend” these bases to do one of the following: Remove 1D3 of Shock, rounding down. On a roll of 1 no Shock is removed but one additional base from the Blocking Detachment is removed. Allow a unit in Close Combat to ignore one defeat level and to fight on for a further round of Close Combat. If the unit is subsequently defeated by 3 or 4 in the next round one additional base will be removed from the Blocking Detachment.
Two squads of Soviet infantry lose a Close Combat, defeated by 2. The
player
Blocking
spends
two
Detachment
of
his
bases
to
reduce that result to a draw, thereby allowing another round of combat to happen immediately. In the next round the Soviets are defeated by 1 and fall back.
Had
they been defeated by 3 or 4 then another
base
Detachment
of would
the
Blocking
have
been
removed. Shot by their own men as they retreat.
Operation Cobra, 1944. Skytrex Shermans accompany some Old Glory US infantry originally from the collection of Terry Haney of Georgia, USA but now serving on Lard Island. Buildings from the superb Crescent Root range.
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I Ain’t Been Shot Mum is designed to be a tool box of rules that allows the gamer to play his games in the way that best suits him. As a result we encourage people to add their own ideas to the game system. Indeed, the card system is perfect for adding all sorts of extras, be they for all your games or just specific scenarios. Some of the rules below will serve as guidelines for your own ideas.
12.1 CARD VARIANTS You can use a Blank card to represent any number of different options. Here are some of the ones we have used. SKIRL OF THE PIPES: A piper may be used for Scots or Irish troops (or Dominion units if that heritage). You could use it to move multiple platoons in an attack, or as a one‐off rally card that gives you 1D6 pips with which to remove Shock. You could even use it to inflict Shock on an opponent! HESITANT COMMANDER: A commander who is notorious for his hesitancy could have a card included which, if dealt before the Big Man’s own card in any turn, would stop him moving in the current turn. We tend to allow him to rally troops or co‐ordinate artillery, but you can be as harsh as you like. TURN CARDS: In games where a set number of turns are allowed, maybe where the players have a time schedule to work to, you can add a Blank card to the deck to represent the passage of a certain period of time. FRICTION OR INITIATIVE CARD: Adding a Friction or Initiative card allows you to vary the number of Command Initiatives your Big Men have. A Friction card could be left in play and the next Big Man whose card is dealt would have one less Initiative in this turn than usual. An Initiative card could do the opposite and add one Initiative.
ANTI‐TANK BONUS CARD: For a high quality platoon of anti‐tank guns you can add a Blank card to serve as a bonus card. When dealt the player may select one of his AT guns to fire a single bonus shot against an AFV target. SMOKE CARD: To make smoke a little more unpredictable you can add a Smoke card, removing the smoke from the table on the third time this is dealt, rather than the Tea Break card. MACHINE GUN CARDS: For machine guns deployed individually or spread out among an infantry force you may wish to add one card for each weapon team with the player deciding in which order they fire when the cards are dealt.
12.2 TANK QUIRKS Not all tanks are the same, so we can add rules that highlight the strengths and weaknesses of various models.
12.2.1 TURRET TYPES TINY TURRETS: Some tanks were notoriously short of space in their turrets, such as most French tanks in 1940, and these cannot move and fire in the same turn. They may also fire their guns a maximum of twice in the same turn. SLOW TURRETS: Tanks with notoriously slow turrets such as the Sherman 105mm, the German Tiger I and II and the Soviet IS‐2 and KV1 or KV2 have only a 90˚ arc of fire and must use two Actions to rotate their turret up to 90˚ degrees. FAST TURRETS: Some tanks had particularly fast turret traverses, such as the Sherman. For these add a Blank card to the Game Deck which when dealt will allow one tank of the player’s choice to have a bonus shot. MULTIPLE TURRETS: Some early war tanks had multiple turrets, each with its own dedicated crew. When activated the player may select
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which one of these he is using as his primary weapon for that turn. This turret will have the full number of Actions to use in that turn with up to two others allowed one single Action in that turn.
12.2.2 GUN TYPES HEAVY GUNS: Tanks and AFVs with particularly large shells such as the Churchill AVRE and the KV2 use two Actions to reload. This includes the US M‐12 and M‐40 and the Soviet SU‐152, ISU‐152 and ISU‐122. ABSURDLY HEAVY GUNS: AFVs such as the SturmTiger which needed a winch to load their colossal round should have a Blank card added to the Game Deck on the Tea Break after they have fired. When this is next dealt the vehicle is loaded and ready to fire again. TWO GUN TANKS: Tanks such as the Char B or Grant may fire one gun with each Action.
12.2.3 ARMOUR TYPES HEAVY ARMOUR: Some tanks, such as the Matilda II, Tiger or Churchill may be designated as having particularly heavy all‐round armour protection. These tanks will roll one additional Armour dice when fired at from the flank or rear.
12.2.4 RONSONS Some tanks, in particular the Sherman, gained a reputation for flammability, “they light up every time!”. To reflect this, the crews of these tanks should have their morale rating reduced by one point, thereby increasing the effect of Shock.
12.3 DEPLOYMENT ON THE TEA BREAK Some players like to have the option of deploying from Blinds on the Tea Break card in order to get their figures on the table as quickly as possible. If you use this option then those troops can still only fire at any targets within 9” on the Tea Break card. Their unit card is the added to the Game Deck.
12.4 UP FROM THE RANKS When a Big Man is killed there is a chance that another leader will emerge to take his place. Roll 2D6 to see if this happens. On a total of 9 or more a replacement Big Man is placed with that unit with a Command Initiative level one level below the Big Man who was killed.
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The concept of Aces was originated with the airmen and submariners of the Great War whose exploits provided the general public with the heroes they craved. In the Second World War the term Ace was applied to other branches of the services, especially tank commanders who clocked up impressive lists of kills. Aces are rare individuals and in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum they should be an occasional feature rather than the norm. They are also something of a double edged sword, often over‐promoted and torn between their own personal quest for glory and their duties as a commander. Indeed there is a case for making an Ace a lower Level Big Man. Aces are included in the Game Deck as Big Men. They activate on their own card, as normal, but must then decide whether in that turn they wish to fulfil their role as a Big Man, activating or rallying their subordinates or issuing orders, or as an Ace using their own skills. In any one turn an Ace cannot perform both functions. If operating as a Big Man the Ace can undertake all of the usual functions with no bonuses of added factors.
ACE ABILITIES INFANTRY ACE: An Infantry Ace is particularly adept at small level infantry tactics, and in particular Close Combat. The Infantry Ace may add his Ace rating to any firing done by a unit whose fire he is directing, this is in addition to his Big Man rating. In Close Combat an Infantry Ace may adjust the pips on the dice rolled by one pip for each level of his rating. Lieutenant
Jarce
is
an
Infantry Ace (rating 2) with a Big Man Level of I.
On his activation
he gets a Vickers team to put down fire on a German position. As he is with the Vickers he adds +2 for his Ace rating and +1 for his Big Man level, a total of +3. On the following turn Jarce storms forwards with an infantry section
ACE RATING There are three ratings of Aces in I Ain’t Been Shot Mum, Junior Ace, Ace and Top Ace. All three ratings may apply to Infantry, Anti‐Tank and Armour commanders. A Junior Ace has a rating of 1, an Ace has a rating of 2 and a Top Ace has a rating of 3. What they can do will depend on their arm of service.
Hugh
to close assault the Jerry positions. His men add one dice for being lead by a Level I Big Man and they roll 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 5, 6.
That
would normally be two Kills, but Jarce can adjust the roll by two pips.
He adds one pip to both the
fours, making four Kills in total.
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Leutnant Willi Kaiser is a Panzer
TANK OR ANTI‐TANK ACE: A tank or anti‐tank Ace
is judged purely by the number of kills he achieves, demanding the vision of an eagle combined with nerves of steel. A tank or anti‐tank Ace of any rating will always have a +1 for spotting. A tank Ace’s crew will normally have a morale rating of 5. An anti‐tank gun commanded by an Ace of any rating will have the benefit of his being present so increasing the number of crew, but will also ignore one point of Shock. When firing the Ace may adjust the pips on the dice rolled for firing by one pip for each level of his rating. This may occur at any stage in the firing process including the roll to Hit, the roll for penetration or the roll for damage.
Top Ace. On his activation he fires at a Sherman tank. He needs 7 to hit but only rolls a 5 with his first shot. Willi is a Top Ace so has three pips he can spend during the entire firing process. He uses two of them now to bring the 5 up to 7, so a hit. Willi now rolls his Strike dice to try to
penetrate
armour.
The
the
Sherman’s
Sherman
has
an
armour class of 6, whilst Willi’s StuG has a Strike of 9. Willi rolls 4 hits and the Sherman rolls 3 saves, so a net hit of 1.
However Willi
uses one of his pips to adjust a 4 rolled up to 5 so that makes it a net two hits. The players now roll to see what effect that has.
Willi has used all
three of the pips he can spend already so he can’t influence this roll.
If Willi had any pips left he
could have adjusted the effect dice either up or down.
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The first step when preparing to use any set of wargame rules is to assemble your forces and get them ready for battle. There are a huge number of guides to painting figures available in‐line that make a great starting point. Starting with smaller forces and then designing scenarios to get you painting a bit more for each game is always a good way to keep your motivation up and allowing you to quickly and (relatively!) painlessly build up a decent collection. I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum may be used with any scale or range of figures that the player chooses. There is a wide choice of figures and AFVs available to suit any taste or pocket, with scales ranging from 6mm to 28mm, although fielding a whole company of the latter will probably mean you need a large table. The photos throughout these rules are of our own collection of 15mm troops that we use on Lard Island. Our collections largely comprise of a mix of Skytrex (Old Glory in the USA), Peter Pig, QRF and more recently the very affordable Plastic Soldier Company models. What is important to note is that if you have an existing collection of forces that you have used for other rules you can use them without any need to rebase If you are starting from scratch we recommend beginning your collection with a couple of infantry platoons then adding some support weapons such as light mortars or tripod‐ mounted machine guns. After that a Platoon of tanks or other AFVs is a good addition and then finish off your infantry Company with the final platoon.
Atlanta gamer Mark Luther never ceases to amaze us with his superb games in 6mm.
A combination of
great figures and well thought out
terrain always makes his I Ain’t Been
Shot Mum games a visual feast.
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Of course, you’ll want to organise your forces as their historical counter‐parts fought. Between 1939 and 1945 there were many changes made to unit structures and to the range of equipment used. In order to represent that faithfully we have produced four Handbooks which each cover a specific theatre or phase of the Second World War. Blitzkrieg covers the years 1939 to the end of 1942 in Europe. Gotterdammerung follows on in Europe from the start of 1943 to 1945. In the Footsteps of the Legions covers the war around the Mediterranean from 1940 to 1943, whilst In the Shadow of the Rising Sun deals with the war in the Far East from 1939 to 1945. In order to get you gaming the following section provides and introduction to the forces fighting in Normandy in the Summer of 1944.
ORGANISING YOUR FORCE Any historical organisation structure will work with I Ain’t Been Shot Mum. Players may construct particular units that they may have read about and work out the unit ratings from the ones provided in the Normandy Handbook and the ratings suggested in Section 1.2.1.
CASCADING DOWN UNITS When preparing your forces for battle it is possible to break up some support units and attach them to platoons. For example a force with a Machine Gun platoon attached may break that down and attach the individual machine guns to infantry platoons. The same may be undertaken with anti‐tank guns, mortar sections (although the latter always operate in pairs). If this is done these weapon teams may subsequently be rallied and activated by the Infantry Platoon’s Big Men during the game. If it is not done before the game begins then these units may only be influenced by their own dedicated Big Men during play.
NORMANDY HANDBOOK On the following pages we look at the forces fighting in Normandy and take an example infantry company from the British, Germans and United States forces. Fuller details of the forces taking part in this campaign can be found in the Gotterdammerung Handbook but these lists will give you an example of how to structure your forces in whatever theatre you are looking to game. For each nation, Britain, Germany and the United States we provide the breakdown of an infantry company along with a number of options to add additional forces from a range of Support Platoons. These have been chosen to reflect the types of platoons available within a battalion, or attached to it, that could be made available for any operation that your company could be called upon to undertake. There are three things immediately noticeable when looking at the forces outlined. Firstly, they are at campaign strength rather than theoretical strength, this reflects the levels at which units were generally operating at in the field. Secondly, we have completely left out company cooks, clerks, runners, radio operators, batmen and the likes. We assume that these men are doing their jobs quite happily without us interfering. Thirdly, artillery batteries and medium and heavy mortar platoons are normally left off‐ table where they are firing from. Painting an Forward Observer team or two will give you access to plenty of support with little financial outlay.
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By 1944 Britain had been at war for five years and whilst her economy and industry was producing the materiel of war faster than ever before, her reserves of manpower were dwindling. It was vital that the war be ended as rapidly as possible and with a minimum cost in lives. From now on Victory would be gained by using technology and equipment rather than weight of physical numbers. The Royal Artillery had become the largest Regiment in the British Army and the skills of her gunners were honed to near perfection, allowing them to provide the punch that would batter a path through the German defences. In the air the Royal Air Force had gone through a period of evolution, with its experiences in the North African desert and Italy bringing about a change of philosophy and approach. By D‐Day the RAF was operating in a more tactical role, attempting to add its weight to support operations on the ground. Once its airfields were established in Normandy after the initial landings it was able to provide almost constant air‐superiority for the rest of the war.
The invasion of France was to present the British and Dominion forces involved with a supreme test of mettle. They found themselves facing the cream of the German Army in the shape of two SS Panzer Corps and LXXXVI Corps whose defence of Caen and its environs was assisted by terrain that had long been enhanced with static defences that made an attacker pay in blood for every yard gained. Yet, notwithstanding their shortage of manpower, despite many disappointments and false dawns encountered during the previous five years, the British soldier possesses qualities that made him a formidable opponent. His sheer dogged determination to win, his refusal to accept defeat, the unflappable nature of his officers and NCOs and the traditions of his Regiment were to combine to make the British infantryman a force to be reckoned with. The inventiveness of British scientists and engineers were to provide them with an arsenal of weapons that could overcome even the most determined of opponents. It would take hard fighting and time, but the British Army took on the cream of Hitler’s forces and won.
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BRITISH RIFLE COMPANY Company Headquarters One Big Man Level III or IV
Support Platoon Options
Machine Gun Platoon One Big Man Level III Four Vickers MMGs with 5 crew each
Platoon One
One Big Man Level II or III Three rifle sections of 8 men One PIAT team, 2 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Two
Mortar Platoon
Anti‐Tank Platoon
Tank Troop Option One
One Big Man Level II or III Three rifle sections of 8 men One PIAT team, 2 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
One Big Man Level II or III Three Sherman M4 One Sherman Firefly
Tank Troop Option Two
One Big Man Level II or III Three Churchill Mk III or IV
Each British Platoon should roll 1D6. On a roll of 5 or 6 they may add one Level I Big Man.
Tank Troop Option Three
One Big Man Level III Three Cromwell IV One Sherman Firefly
Cards A British Rifle Company may have the following Bonus Cards:
One Big Man Level II or III Four 6 pounder AT guns with 5 crew each
Additional Big Men
One Big Man Level II Six 3” mortars with 5 crew each
One Big Man Level II or III Three rifle sections of 8 men One PIAT team, 2 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Three
Air Support Rally Armoured Bonus Move Hesitant Troops Heroic Leader Sniper
Artillery Troop
One Forward Observation Officer One Troop of four 25 pounders
Radio Net
All British Platoons and AFVs are on a radio net.
British tank morale should generally be between 2 and 3. Churchill tanks may not use the Armoured Bonus card as they are providing close support for the infantry. Cromwells may add a Recce Bonus card. Page 77
INFANTRY
Troops/Actions Veteran Infantry Regular Infantry Poor Regular Infantry ANTI-TANK
0 1, 2 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3
WEAPONS
Weapon L50, 6 pounder L58, 17 pounder L28.8, 25 pounder Infantry Anti‐Tank Weapons 0‐4” PIAT 7 Infantry Weapons 3 MMG/HMG 2 ARMOURED VEHICLES AFV Armour Value Achilles II C 4 A22 Churchill Mk III or IV 8 A22 Churchill Mk VI 8 Churchill AVRE 8 Churchill Crocodile 10 Cromwell Mk IV 7 Cromwell Mk VI CS 7 Daimler Armoured Car 2 Daimler Car with Littlejohn 2 Humber Mk IV 2 M4 Sherman 6 Sherman Firefly 6 M5A1 Stuart 4 Universal Carrier 2
2 3 4 1 4 5, 6 7, 8 3 4 5, 6 7, 8 ‐ 4, 5 6 7, 8 ‐ Weapon Strike 7 12 8 8‐12” 12‐16” 16‐24” 4‐8” 7 ‐ ‐ 7 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 2 2 1 1 Weapon Speed Notes Strike 12 Average No H.E. or hull MG 7 Slow Heavy Armour Slow Heavy Armour 6 Anti‐position Slow Heavy Armour 8 Slow Heavy Armour 6 Fast Fast 5 Wheeled 5 7 Wheeled 5 Wheeled Average “Ronson” 8 Average No H.E. or hull MG 12 5 Fast As weapon Fast Low profile
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By the time of D‐Day in June 1944 the glory days of the German Army were well and truly over. In the East the flower of the Heer had been slowly crushed beneath the creeping juggernaut that was the Red Army. The final offensives of 1943 had squandered what resources the Germans had left and all hopes of military victory were now mere illusions harboured by increasingly few outside the delusional inner circle that held the reins of power in the Third Reich. Yet the Germans still occupied much of Europe, from the Atlantic coast of France to the shores of the Russian Baltic still only fifty miles from Leningrad, and millions suffered under the yoke of Nazi rule. The increasing awareness that the Western Allies and Soviets would not make a political settlement with Germany’s political elite left only the spectre of military destruction and a homeland laid waste. For many Germans this left no option but to continue the fight to the bitterest of ends.
Under the watchful eye of Gerd von Rundstedt and Ernst Rommel, two of Germany’s greatest military leaders, the defences of Western Europe had been prepared for what would be the ultimate end‐game. If Britain and the United States could gain a foothold on the shores of France or the low‐countries Germany would be obliged to fight a war on two fronts with their ultimate fate a certainty. If they could throw the attackers back into the sea then they would potentially buy another year of grace before the Allies could return. It was against this background of potential Gotterdammerung that the German soldier fought in Normandy. Skills developed over five years of constant fighting against the most unforgiving of foes had created an army that would continue to resist whatever the hardships. Normandy was to be the battleground where the fate of the Reich was sealed, and its battles were to be fought with an intensity and desperation amid the green fields of France.
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GERMAN GRENADIER KOMPANIE
Kompanie Headquarters
One Big Man Level III or IV Two 8cm mortars with 5 crew each OR Two MG42 tripod‐mount with 5 crew each One Panzerschreck team of two men
Support Platoon Options
Machine Gun Zug One Big Man Level III Four MG42 MMGs with 5 crew each
Zug One
One Big Man Level III Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men Up to two Panzerfaust 30 per Gruppe
Zug Two
One Big Man Level III Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men Up to two Panzerfaust 30 per Gruppe
Zug Three
One Big Man Level III Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men Up to two Panzerfaust 30 per Gruppe
Additional Big Men
Each German Kompanie HQ and each Zug should roll 1D6. On a roll of 4 or 6 they may add one Level I Big Man.
Cards A German Grenadier Kompanie may have the following Bonus Cards:
Rally Armoured Bonus Move Heroic Leader Dynamic Commander Petrol Shortage Tank Killer Bonus MG Bonus Sniper
Osttruppen should have a Hesitant Troops card included in the Game Deck. German tank crew morale should typically be 3 or 4.
Mortar Zug
One Big Man Level II Four 8cm mortars with 5 crew each
Anti‐Tank Zug
One Big Man Level II or III Three Pak 40 AT guns with 5 crew each
Infantry Gun Zug One Big Man Level II Two 75mm infantry guns with five crew each
Panzer Zug One Big Man Level II or III Five Panzer IV H
Panzerjäger Zug One Big Man Level III Four Jägdpanzer IV
Artillery Troop
One Forward Observation Officer One battery of four 105mm leFH18 guns
Radio Net
All German AFVs are on a radio net. Only some infantry Zug will have radio net, generally only in armoured Panzergrenadier units. Page 80
INFANTRY
Troops/Actions 0 Elite Infantry 1, 2 1, 2, 3 Veteran Infantry 1, 2, 3 Regular Infantry 1, 2, 3, 4 Inferior Infantry/Osttruppen ANTI-TANK WEAPONS
Weapon Pak 38 Pak 40 Pak 43 0‐4” Infantry Anti‐Tank Weapons Panzerfaust 30 11 Panzerfaust 60 11 Panzerschreck 13 2 Infantry Close Quarters Weapons 6 Infantry Tank Killers 2 MMG/HMG ARMOURED VEHICLES AFV Armour Value SdKfz 234/2 Puma 4 SdKfz 251 2 Panzer II Luchs 3 Panzer III N 4 Panzer IV H 6 Panzer V Panther A 10 Tiger I E 11 Tiger II B 14 StuG III F/G 6 StuH 42 105mm 6 Jägdpanzer IV L48 5 Marder III 2 Flakpanzer Wirbelwind 4
1 2 3 4 3 4 5, 6 7, 8 5 6, 7 8 4 5, 6 7, 8 ‐ 4 6, 7, 8 ‐ ‐ 5 Weapon Strike 7 9 15 4‐8” 8‐12” 12‐16” 16‐24” ‐ ‐ ‐ 11 11 ‐ ‐ 11 13 13 ‐ 13 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 2 1 1 1 Weapon Speed Notes Strike 7 Wheeled Weapon Fast Fast 4 Average 5 9 Average 12 Fast Slow Slow turret 12 Slow Slow turret 16 9 Average Low profile 8 Average 9 Average Low profile Average 9 4 Average
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The Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944 was the culmination of the United States’ commitment to pursuing the end of the war in Europe before turning its attention on Japan in the Pacific. For two years the United States had been involved in fighting the Germans, first in North Africa and then in Italy, and during this period lessons had been learnt that allowed US forces to develop their own skills and ideas. No longer were they the new boys deferring to the senior partner, Britain. Now the United States was readying itself for the moment when they took over the baton from an exhausted ally and, for the last six months of the war, become the largest single force in the European theatre. American factories produced the hardware that would be used to batter the Germans into submission. Seemingly endless numbers of tanks and fighting vehicles crossed Atlantic to be ferried across the Channel to join the fight. Yet numbers alone would not be sufficient to win against a foe as experienced as the German Army.
Throughout the United States Army was an all‐pervading desire to “get the job done”. Commanders such as George Patton and “Lightning” Joe Collins were determined to fight a mobile war and the strategy emerged to allow them to do just that. The United States’ forces that went into Normandy on D‐Day were to find that they were fighting a far more determined enemy than they had previously encountered. They rapidly discovered that the Germans were better armed and better equipped, but what the US lacked in quality it made up for in quantity. What was more, it was soon recognised that aggressively led American units could overcome what appeared to be the strongest defensive positions. Once the build up of materiel was achieved the emphasis moved to the offensive; keeping the enemy on the back foot and allowing him no rest. With such dynamic leadership the US forces were able to seal the fate of the Germans in western Europe.
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UNITED STATES RIFLE COMPANY Company Headquarters
One Big Man Level III or IV One Big Man Level II men Three Bazooka teams, two each
Support Platoon Options
Machine Gun Platoon One Big Man Level III Four M1917 MMGs with 5 crew each
Platoon One
One Big Man Level II or III Three rifle squads of 10 men One Bazooka team, 2 men
Platoon Two
Mortar Platoon
Anti‐Tank Platoon One Big Man Level II or III Three 57mm AT guns with 5 crew each
One Big Man Level II or III Three rifle squads of 10 men One Bazooka team, 2 men
Tank Platoon Option One One Big Man Level II or III Four Sherman M4 One Sherman M4A1 76mm
Weapons Platoon
One Big Man Level II or III Three 2 MAN 60mm mortar teams Two 0.30 MMG teams, 4 crew each
Additional Big Men
One Big Man Level II Six 81mmmortars with 5 crew each
One Big Man Level II or III Three rifle squads of 10 men One Bazooka team, 2 men
Platoon Three
Tank Destroyer Platoon One Big Man Level II or III Four M10 3” GMC
Each US Platoon should roll 1D6. On a roll of 5 or 6 they may add one Level I Big Man.
Artillery Troop
One Forward Observer One battery of four 105mm guns
Cards
A US Rifle Company may have the following Bonus Cards: Air Support Rapid Deployment Reconnaissance Bonus Rally Armoured Bonus Move Dynamic Commander Hesitant Troops Heroic Leader Sniper US tank morale should typically be 2 to 3.
Radio Net All US Platoons and AFVs are on a radio net. Page 83
INFANTRY Troops/Actions Veteran Infantry Regular Infantry Poor Regular Infantry
0 1, 2, 3 1, 2, 3, 4 1, 2, 3, 4
ANTI-TANK WEAPONS
Weapon 57mm M1 76mm M5 0‐4” Infantry Anti‐Tank Weapons 7 Bazooka 3 Infantry Close Quarter Weapons MMG 2 0.5” HMG 3 ARMOURED VEHICLES AFV Armour Value M8 Greyhound 3 M5A1 Stuart 4 M4 Sherman 6 M4 A1 76mm Sherman 6 M4 A3 “Easy Eight” 8 M4 105mm Sherman Jumbo 6 M4 A3E2 Sherman Jumbo 11 M10 Tank Destroyer 4 M18 Hellcat 3 M8 Scott HMC 3
1 2 4 5 5 6, 7 7, 8 5, 6 Weapon Strike 7 10 4‐8” 8‐12” 7 7 ‐ ‐ 2 2 2 3 Weapon Speed Strike Wheeled 5 Fast 5 8 Average 10 Average Average 10 Average 8 8 Slow 10 Fast 10 Fast Fast 3
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3
4
6, 7, 8
9, 10
8, 9, 10
‐
9, 10
‐
12‐16”
16‐24”
‐
‐
‐
‐
1
1
2
1
Notes Low Profile ‘Ronson’ Slow turret
I Ain’t Been Shot Mum is designed to allow you to refight actions based on history and, as in reality, there is no points system to make sure your game is “balanced”. You will find a huge number and variety of ready‐made scenarios for the rules in our Scenario Supplements and our Summer and Christmas Specials. In reality any points system can only give an illusion of balance, and, in truth, only a poor commander would lead an attack against an enemy on equal terms. So, we strongly recommend that you use an historical background to your games; there are literally thousands of free scenarios waiting for you on the shelves of your local library in the accounts of the men who served. If, however, you are looking for a quick game on a club evening then the following system can be used to roll a few dice and generate a scenario that will provide a fun game.
SCENARIO GENERATOR The scenario generator will provide six general scenario backgrounds that you can use. You can choose which one you want to play or roll a D6 to select one at random. Both sides should first agree on what year of the war this is and then choose a force appropriate to that year.
TERRAIN
Next, you need to set up your table. It’s important that you do this now for a random scenario as when placing the terrain you are not sure exactly which scenario you will be playing and that helps to keep things fair.
The two sides roll a D6 each. This indicates how many terrain features they can deploy on the table as a whole. If a player rolls 1 to 3 they may place that number of large terrain pieces up to 12” square on the table. If they roll 4 to 6 they may place that number of small terrain pieces up to 6” square. The players now take it in turns to place their terrain pieces one at a time, the player with the greater number starting first. Once that is done the players each roll 1D6. The number of pips indicates how many terrain pieces may now be shifted by up to 4” in any direction. The players again take it in turns to do this, with the player with the least number of terrain pieces choosing which piece to move first. Once a terrain piece has been shifted it cannot be shifted again by either player. What terrain pieces you use will be very much dependent on what you have available. If you would like to include larger features, such as a river or range of hills, then that’s fine so long as the players agree on this prior to the terrain being placed. Once your terrain is down, you’ll need to add any roads and tracks. These should link any buildings on the table in a sensible manner. Clearly something like a factory will probably be located by a large road, whereas a small farmhouse could well be down a dirt track. Now your terrain is down you are ready to select your scenario. If the players wish to make that choice then both should state their preference and roll a D6 each. The player with
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the higher roll gets to choose. Alternatively, roll a D6 and check the list below. 1: Meeting Engagement. 2: Flank Attack 3: Attack from Column 4: Hasty Defence 5: Breakthrough 6: Counter-Attack
SELECTING YOUR FORCE Now check the scenario to see what your objective is and what forces are available. This will always include a Company Headquarters and usually a number of rifle platoons. You will then normally have a choice of additional platoons of your choosing. These can be any of the following platoons: An Infantry platoon A Machine Gun platoon A Mortar platoon An Anti‐Tank gun platoon An Artillery battery or troop The players may choose the quality of their force and must declare that now, being Green, Regular, Veteran or Elite. If a player’s force is outclassed they may add one additional platoon for each level that their force is outclassed, so a Green force facing Regulars would add one platoon, but if they were facing Elite troops they would add two. In some scenarios you may have the option of selecting an armour platoon. In these cases you may choose one of the following: A tank platoon An armoured car platoon A self‐propelled support gun platoon If you are including an armoured platoon in your force you must inform your opponent of what that platoon is. He may then opt to counter that by including anti‐tank weapons. The objective here is to create a degree of balance, so if your opponent selects the
heaviest tanks available then feel free to add the best anti‐tank guns in your armoury. Full details of what platoons will be available to support an infantry company are included in the theatre‐specific Handbooks.
BONUS CARDS & BLINDS The players now select their Bonus Cards. A Green force may select one bonus card, a Regular force two Bonus Cards and a Veteran or Elite force three Bonus Cards. The players may select any cards to add to the deck, for their own force or for their opponent. For example a German player may select a Hesitant Troops card for his opponent’s US Force. These are then added to the Game Deck along with the Basic Cards.
SETTING UP YOUR FORCE If the scenario involves one force attacking against a defender, as is the case in scenarios 2 to 6, then the defender now selects which end of the table is Red and which is Blue. For scenario 1 toss a coin or roll a dice to see who makes the choice. The players then add dummy Blinds according Section 2.1.5. Both players now place their Blinds in their own Zone of Control. The game can now begin.
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This is possibly the classic club wargame, undoubtedly the easiest to put on but possibly the least historically likely; two sides simply bumping into one another in the confusion of war and slogging it out.
One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons One additional platoon of choice No armour is available
RED MISSION
PRE-BATTLE SET-UP
Your force has been ordered forward to seize and hold an area of ground on the flank of our main attack. We have no information on the enemy in this area so you must expect the unexpected.
Both sides now deploy on Blinds along the table edge within their own zone‐of‐control.
FORCE: One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons One additional non‐armour platoon of choice No armour is available
BLUE MISSION The enemy is attacking our main positions and is in danger of breaking through. Your force has been despatched to probe against the enemy flank. If you can establish yourself there, we will be able to launch a counter attack in that area.
FORCE:
VICTORY CONDITIONS The objective for both sides is identical: to occupy their enemy’s Zone of Control whilst keeping their own free of enemy forces. Players may choose to play until one side is obliged to withdraw from the table defeated or for a set number of turns. If the latter is preferred, then add a blank card to the deck to signify the clock ticking. Once this has been dealt ten times, the game is over.
Red Zone of Control Blue Zone of Control
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The flank attack is possibly one of the oldest military manoeuvres, with the attacker attempting to gain the advantage by approaching the enemy position from the side rather than head on.
RED MISSION You hold a key position and it is vital that you retain control of the ground you hold. Your force has been defending the position for some time and successfully fighting off enemy patrols that have been scouting your position.
FORCE: One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons One additional platoon of choice Your force may deploy 12” of trenches on the table and also dig in any machine guns or anti‐ tank guns. No armour is available
FORCE: One Company HQ Three Rifle Platoons One additional platoon of choice Your may place two pre‐game artillery Stonks No armour is available
PRE-BATTLE SET-UP Red forces are deployed anywhere in their Zone of Control. Blue forces are deployed on the table edge in their main zone but they may deploy up to two platoons in one of the dotted flank zones.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
Whichever player controls more than half of Red’s Zone of Control at the end of the game wins. The Players may choose to play until one side is obliged to withdraw from the table defeated or for a set number of turns. If the latter is preferred, then add a blank card to the BLUE MISSION deck to signify the clock ticking. Once this has Our scouts have identified an enemy position been dealt ten times, the game is over. and you have been tasked with launching an attack on it with your company. You have worked some units round towards one flank and this should assist you in achieving your objective. Red Zone of Control Blue Zone of Control
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One of the most difficult manoeuvres to perform is to launch an attack straight from column of march. Here we try just that.
RED MISSION Your force has just advanced to take the ground you hold. You are consolidating on your position when news arrives that an enemy column is approaching.
FORCE: One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons One additional platoon of choice One off‐table battery of four field guns with on‐ table Forward Observer.
BLUE MISSION You have orders to advance and occupy an area that was scouted this morning and clear of enemy troops. Your column is approaching the objective when the lead unit warns you that the enemy are ahead.
Red Zone of Control
Blue Zone of Control
FORCE: One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons Two additional platoons of choice both of which may be armour.
PRE-BATTLE SET-UP Red deploys his Blinds anywhere within his Zone of Control. Blue begins the game with four Blinds on the table in column on the road. The game begins with Blue Blinds taking a move and then the Game Deck is shuffled and the game continues as normal.
VICTORY CONDITIONS Whichever player controls more than half of Red’s Zone of Control at the end of the game wins. The Players may choose to play until one side is obliged to withdraw from the table defeated or for a set number of turns. If the latter is preferred, then add a blank card to the deck to signify the clock ticking. Once this has been dealt ten times, the game is over.
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A hastily constructed defence, with reinforcements arriving periodically to bolster a threatened position, presents problems of its own. This scenario replicates just such a situation.
RED MISSION The enemy has broken through our front lines and is threatening our rear area. Your force has been deployed to stop them with more reinforcements promised as soon as possible.
FORCE: One Company HQ One Rifle Platoon One additional platoon of choice. This may be armour. Your force may deploy 12” of trenches on the table and also dig in any machine guns or anti‐ tank guns. Three non‐armoured reinforcement platoons of your choice will become available, entering on the table edge within your Zone of Control on the third, fourth and sixth turn of a Blank card in the Game Deck.
BLUE MISSION We have broken through the enemy lines and only a small enemy forces stands between us and victory. Crush the enemy defenders as rapidly as possible. FORCE: One Company HQ Three Rifle Platoons One additional platoon of choice. This may be armour.
PRE-BATTLE SET-UP Red forces are deployed anywhere in their Zone of Control. Blue forces are deployed on the table edge in their Zone of Control.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
Whichever player controls more than half of Red’s Zone of Control at the end of the game wins. This scenario is played against the clock, so add a blank card to the deck to signify the clock ticking. Once this has been dealt twelve times, the game is over. Red Zone of Control Blue Zone of Control
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This is an ideal scenario for a classic early war Blitzkrieg game, with strong, fast moving forces seeking to breakthrough an enemy position.
RED MISSION We are expecting the enemy to attack our position at any moment. We must halt their attack and hold the line. FORCE: One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons Two additional platoon of choice one of which may be armour. Your force may deploy 12” of trenches on the table and also dig in any machine guns or anti tank guns.
BLUE MISSION Our objective is still ten miles ahead but it seems that an enemy defensive position is immediately ahead. We must break through this position and press on to our real objective. Inflict what damage we can here but our job is to exit the table with our force as intact as possible.
FORCE: One Company HQ Five Platoons of choice. A minimum of two armoured platoons must be taken along with an Armoured Bonus card which is added to the Game Deck over and above the player’s selection.
PRE-BATTLE SET-UP Red forces are deployed anywhere in their Zone of Control. Blue forces are deployed on the table edge in their Zone of Control.
VICTORY CONDITIONS Blue’s objective is to get four platoons off the opposite table edge with at least half their strength remaining. Any other result is a Red victory. Red losses are not relevant for this scenario. This scenario is played against the clock, so add a blank card to the deck to signify the clock ticking. Once this has been dealt twelve times, the game is over.
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Red Zone of Control
Blue Zone of Control
Initially outnumbered the defenders must hold on until they have sufficient forces to counter‐ attack the enemy.
RED MISSION We have been under pressure for some time now but have been promised significant reinforcements. Hold on until they arrive and then hit the enemy for six. FORCE: One Company HQ Two Rifle Platoons One additional platoon of choice Three reinforcement platoons of your choice will become available, two of which may be armour, entering on the table edge within your Reinforcement Zone on the fifth turn of a Blank card in the Game Deck. If any armoured platoons are used an Armoured Bonus card will then be added to the Game Deck over and above the player’s selection.
BLUE MISSION The enemy must surely give way before our advance, but we must be quick. Aerial reconnaissance informs us that an enemy counter‐attack is being planned. FORCE: One Company HQ Five Platoons of choice. One may be armour.
PRE-BATTLE SET-UP Red forces are deployed anywhere in their Zone of Control. Blue forces are deployed on the table edge in their Zone of Control.
VICTORY CONDITIONS
Blue wins the game if he controls more than half of Red’s Zone of Control at the end of the game. Red’s objective is to retain at least half of his own Zone of Control and also have at least one unit of any size in Blue’s Zone of Control. Red Reinforcement Zone Red Zone of Control Blue Zone of Control
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Within these rules we have provided an option for a randomly generated scenario system that will allow the gamer to get playing quickly on a club evening with little preparation. It’s fast, it’s simple and it’s fun. Here we wanted to present an alternative approach, namely the historical scenario. Wargamers have no obligations to game historical re‐fights, but we would suggest that doing so is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the hobby. What better way to truly understand an action than by reading about it, doing a little research and then gaming it? Even better is the fact that planning an historical scenario does not have to be particularly hard work. Here we’re going to look at a number of pointers that can help you when putting together your games.
WHERE TO LOOK Inspiration for wargames can come from a multitude of sources, books, films or documentaries are all good starting points. Of the three there can be no doubt that books are the most profitable source, your local library will undoubtedly have numerous books about the Second World War; some very good, some truly terrible. Our experience has been that Regimental histories can provide some of the richest veins for scenario ideas. They tends to provide a good level of detail, covering which companies were involved in particular actions, often along with good, if sometimes basic, maps of events. They have the advantage that they are usually written by someone who had served with the Regiment during the war, and in preparing the
work they have had access to not only the unit diaries but also the memories of a whole host of veterans. From our perspective they will often also provide us with the names of the individuals who were prominent in those actions. It is, of course, helpful to be able to compare what one side is saying with their opponents’ view of events. Often that can be problematic as access to foreign language sources is both limited and not much help if one cannot speak the language. That said, there will often be some books that present us with the view from the other side. For Normandy anyone fighting actions between the British, Canadian and German forces would be advised to get a copy of Hubert Meyer’s History of the 12th SS. Meyer was the Division’s Chief of Staff in 1944 and his work is admirably comprehensive and clearly very well researched. For Arnhem “It Never Snows in September” is another excellent work of the type we should be looking for. One alternative source of information is the ever growing range of books designed for battlefield tourists such as the excellent Battle Zone Normandy series from Sutton Publishing and the incomparable Battleground Europe books from Pen & Sword. These are absolutely
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superb sources of information, especially when read together; what one series misses out tends to be covered by the other.
These battlefield tourist works are penned by historians, often military scholars, who know the ground and the actions fought there like the back of their hands. They have also done much research which usually provides solid data on both sides in an engagement and the books normally contain some good period and modern maps. The accounts therein tend to concentrate on the actions fought in some detail. Fortunately for us most fighting at the sharp end in WWII tended to be undertaken in Company sized engagements, and that is precisely the level at which these books tend to focus. So, whilst the book on Juno Beach looks at the battle as a whole it breaks it down into discrete smaller actions, most of which are ideal for I Ain’t Been Shot Mum.
AIDS TO SCENARIO DESIGN Maps are invaluable when designing an historical scenario, both period ones and modern versions. Vintage WWII maps are easier to find than it may first be thought. On‐ line auction sites will regularly have them available, often for the price of a couple of pints, although maps of the ‘sexier’ locations, such as the invasion beaches tend to go for much more. Fortunately contemporary maps of these areas can often be found as modern facsimiles. The most wargamer friendly scale for these is 1:25,000 or less. The larger 1:100,000 scale maps are fine for a Corps level kriegsspiel game but next to useless for a tactical game.
The modern French IGN Carte Bleu maps in 1:25,000 are a fantastic assistance. France is a relatively spacious country and in many areas little (or nothing) has changed in the intervening years. These maps give plenty of detail and the legend is in both French and English. They provide a much more reliable survey of the ground than the 1944 maps which, frankly, appear to include a lot of guesswork. Additionally they show many of the old bunkers and pillboxes clearly, this alone can
be a great help when dealing with the landing beaches and understanding exactly how everything fits together. Remember, the IGN maps cover a pretty hefty slice of terrain; one map alone can cover dozens of different actions so they represent great value for money.
Finally there is, for some of us at least, the option of walking the battlefields. This is certainly not necessary for designing wargame scenarios, but it would be remiss of me not to mention it as an option. There is no better way to gain an appreciation of what actually happened and the tactical problems faced than by visiting the battlefields and studying the ground. If you buy the books and maps recommended above then you really have all you need to get started.
DESIGNING THE TABLE So, you’ve read a bit, you’ve found a company sized action that you fancy refighting. You’ve hopefully found a decent modern map at the least along with some period photos to give you an idea what the area looked like. The Royal Air Force aerial reconnaissance photo library at Keele University can now be accessed on‐line and is an invaluable source that can be used when comparing modern terrain with that of 1944. Our first step in designing the scenario is to decide what area we want to cover. To a degree this will be influenced by the amount of table space that is available. Once that is decided we scale that down on the maps. Below is a 6’ by 5’ table scaled down to cover the Galmanche scenario on the 1944 British GSGS map in at 1:25,000.
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The next step is to compare that with the modern IGN map in the same scale. What we learn here is that the contours in 1944 are pretty much completely wrong. As it is quite evident that topographically Galmanche had changed barely at all in the intervening years we will go with the modern contours for our gaming table. We then construct the map of the wargames table using both sets of data so that out battlefield is in scale and as accurate as we can get it, with the 1944 orchards and fields, many now no longer present, on 2011 contours.
POPULATING THE TABLE From the British Divisional History we know that C Company of the 2/6th South Staffordshire Regiment attacked Galmanche assisted by two troops of Sherman tanks of the East Riding Yeomanry. The defenders described by the British history as simply “SS”. To find out more about the defenders we checked Hubert Meyer’s Divisional history to discover that the position was held by elements of II/25 Panzergrenadier Regiment. Armed with this basic information we now need to do a bit of detective work. From accounts we can ascertain that the British had suffered badly under mortar fire during their attack. In neighbouring sectors of the battlefield the attackers had been bombarded by Nebelwerfers and pinned down by concentrated machine gun fire, but neither of these was mentioned here. Apparently nearly all of the German anti‐tank guns had been knocked out in the initial British barrage, but a
single anti‐tank gun held up the advance after which the armour had met stiff resistance from Panzerfaust armed troops, one Hauptsturmfuhrer knocked out three Shermans single‐handedly but was killed while taking on a fourth.
So, what did this add up to? For the British we allowed a heavy pre‐game Stonk to precede an attack by a whole infantry company plus two tank Troops. The British had little in the way of bonus cards but they did get an Armoured Bonus Move and, less fortunately, a Hesitant Troops card to reflect the “sticky” nature of troops during that campaign. This was pretty much Britain’s last draught of men to feed into the military machine, the nation exhausted by five years of war, so it is unsurprising that officers and men could be inclined towards self‐ preservation.
The Germans got a full company of infantry which represented the remnants of two companies that had been reduced in numbers. They got a Tank Killer bonus card to reflect their willingness to close with enemy armour. A platoon of 8cm mortars off‐table controlled by a Forward Observer gave them a bit of historical muscle, and we also treated them as stubborn troops. We are never inclined to treat troops as super‐human, so an elite status is a rarity in our games. We did not feel inclined to give it to a force that had been beaten around the head for the past month and, as history tells us, would dissolve only two days later. However, stubborn they indeed were so a Stubborn rating they got along with a Rally card which makes them a bit more resilient.
CONCLUSION Hopefully the above will give an indication of how we go about designing historical scenarios and inspire you to do the same. You can read the scenario for the action at Galmanche in the following scenario section.
What follows are four scenarios, two simple non‐historical ones that serve to introduce new players to the rules and two historical that have been used to show just what can be achieved in the way of tailor making forces with the Game Deck to reflect the historical situation. All, we hope, will provide enjoyable games of I Ain’t Been Shot Mum.
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This is a non‐historical scenario designed to be a simple introduction to the rules. The forces involved are purely infantry with the British having a pre‐battle Stonk to prepare the way for their attack. The scenario is set to the north of Caen around the start of July and involves a British company attack with the limited objective of seizing a small hamlet around a road junction. Recent patrols inform us that the small hamlet of Le Moulin has been occupied by German troops, probably forming an outpost ahead of their main line of defences. In view of the forthcoming offensive it is important that we seize the road junction as the fields immediately to the north have been designated as an assembly point for our armour prior to their advance on Caen. To accomplish this you have the following force:
Company Headquarters Captain Arthur Jones Level III
Platoon One Lieutenant Jack Watson Level III Three rifle sections of 8 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Two Lieutenant Toby Scott Level II Three rifle sections of 8 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Three Sergeant Mick McAlpine Level III Three rifle sections of 8 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men Your advance will be preceded by an artillery bombardment in the form of a Stonk on three 12” square sections of the table. Your force will begin the game on Blinds on the northern table edge. You must advance southwards and clear the table of any enemy forces. TERRAIN The table represents the flat open terrain to the north of Caen where the small hamlets and villages are the only features, clusters of buildings surrounded by their apple orchards. The wheat on the northern part of the table is high, standing at around 5’, so provides good cover from spotting. All of the areas of trees are apple orchards and have no undergrowth. The hedges are scrappy affairs with only small banks so provide only light cover. The buildings are well built of Norman stone and provide good cover. The ground is firm apart from in the freshly ploughed field at bottom right which has a ‐1 pip per dice penalty on any movement.
Page 96
The fighting around Caen continues, it is clearly the key to keeping the Allies trapped in Normandy while sufficient reserves can be assembled to push them back into the sea. Part of the process of defence has been to establish forward positions ahead of our main line of defence. The open, flat plain suits this, with each village and hamlet becoming a strongpoint. In the last few days it became clear that the enemy had not occupied the hamlet of Le Moulin so your Company, or what remains of it, has been pushed forward to fortify it. You have been able to make some progress towards digging your force in however Tommy patrols have certainly discovered your presence. You can expect to get some unpleasant visitors very soon! You must defend your position and drive off any British attack. To achieve this, your force is as follows:
Kompanie Headquarters Leutnant Jurgen Klemp Level III Gefreiter Hans Beyer Level I Two MG42 tripod mount with 5 crew each
Zug One OberGefreiter Max Mitter Level II Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men
Zug Two Feldwebel Kurt Adler Level III Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men You may deploy your force on the table on Blinds (or hidden amongst the terrain features) anywhere within 12” of any building. Additionally five Gruppe or weapons teams may be dug in with foxholes. These provide good cover from fire and spotting. You may keep your MG42 teams together as part of the Kompanie headquarters or may cascade them down to the rifle Zugs.
SCENARIO NOTES For this tutorial scenario both the British and the Germans are Good Regulars. To keep things simple both sides have had their infantry anti‐ tank weapons removed from their organisation; this will be an infantry fight. We have also attempted to keep the Game Deck as simple as possible for this engagement. This is made up as follows: Cards Allied Platoons 1 to 3 Allied Big Men 1 to 4 Axis Company Headquarters* Axis Platoons 1 to 2 Axis Big Men 1 to 4 Axis Machine Gun Bonus Allied Blinds Axis Blinds Tea Break *The Germans have the option of cascading their MG42 teams in the Kompanie headquarters to join the rifle Zugs. If they do this the Axis Company Headquarters card can be removed from the deck. The effect of the British Stonk should be worked out by the German player (or umpire if one is present) before the game begins. This scenario has no time constraints. It should become obvious that one side or the other will fail to achieve its objectives. If the British manage to take four of the five buildings the Germans will be obliged to withdraw, abandoning their positions.
Page 97
This non‐historical scenario is a good second game as it introduces medium mortars to the mix. It will allow the players to reinforce their understanding of the infantry rules whilst learning the artillery process before getting involved with armour. The scenario is set to the south of Cherbourg in late June with the Cotentin Peninsula cut and the US forces probing northwards to tighten the noose around Cherbourg. Ahead of us lies the port of Cherbourg, a major objective for our force. If we can capture the port intact it will provide a life‐line for supplies and reinforcements. Now we must find the German defensive positions that ring the city. The situation is uncertain. You are at the forefront of your battalion’s advance. You must probe forward to find a clear route through the enemy positions and off the road to the south‐west. Your force is as follows:
Company Headquarters Captain Orwell Lembick Level III Sergeant Marty Kasparvitch Level II
Platoon One Lieutenant Brandon Keller III Three rifle squads of 10 men
Platoon Two Lieutenant Bart Sheldon Level II Three rifle squads of 10 men
Platoon Three Lieutenant Andrew McNeil Level III Three rifle squads of 10 men
Weapons Platoon Sergeant Buck Colcannon Level II Three 60mm mortar teams, 2 crew Two 0.30 MMG teams, 4 crew each Your force will enter the table in column on the road on the northern table edge with one platoon on a Blind already deployed at that point on a Blind. On each subsequent Blinds card being dealt one more platoon will arrive at that point. You must decide on your order of march before the game begins. TERRAIN
The terrain is relatively close with a fair scattering of hedgerows. These are not bocage so only offer light cover from spotting and fire. The houses are stone construction so offer good cover. The largest house near the south‐ western corner is a three story maison bourgeoise so has good visibility across the whole table, especially as it is on high ground. The stream is passable for just one Action, the trees that line its course provide light cover. All other trees are orchards with no undergrowth. The house near the centre of the table has a stone wall surrounding it 8’ high.
Page 98
The Amis are pushing up against the defences to the south of Cherbourg. It seems likely that the city will fall, but it is vital that the Kriegsmarine have sufficient time to undertake the demolition of the port facilities. If the port were to fall to the enemy intact they could use it to bring supplies to France in overwhelming numbers. You have been tasked with defending one of the approach roads in front of the main defences. From the high ground you can see across the farmland and your Forward Observer from the mortar platoon has laid a fixed telephone line back to his weapons. You are confident that you can hold your ground against any infantry force the enemy can throw at you. Your force is as follows:
SCENARIO NOTES For this tutorial scenario both the US and the Germans are Good Regulars. To keep things simple both sides have again had their infantry anti‐tank weapons removed from their organisation. We have also attempted to keep the Game Deck as simple as possible for this engagement. This is made up as follows: Cards Allied Platoons 1 to 4 Allied Big Men 1 to 6 Axis Company Headquarters* Axis Platoons 1 to 3 Axis Support One Axis Forward Observer
Axis Big Men 1 to 4
Kompanie Headquarters
Axis Machine Gun Bonus
Leutnant Walter von Bredow Level III Two MG42 tripod mount with 5 crew each
Allies Rally Allied Blinds
Axis Blinds
Zug One
Tea Break
Feldwebel Georg Schultz Level III Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men
Zug Two Obergefreiter Hans Schmidt Level III Two rifle Gruppe of 8 men
Zug Three Feldwebel Christian Fischer Level II Two rifle Gruppe of 8 men
Mortar Zug One Forward Observer Four 8cm mortars with 5 crew each Your force may deploy anywhere on the table 24” or more from the northern table edge. Your mortar Zug is located off‐table. You may place the Forward Observer wherever you wish but he is limited by having a fixed telephone line to the mortars, so cannot change position.
*The Germans have the option of cascading their MG42 teams in the Kompanie headquarters to join the rifle Zugs. If they do this the Axis Company Headquarters card can be removed from the deck. The US force has a Rally card included in the deck as we are presuming it was one of the better units. Had we wanted it to be the 90th Infantry Division in this campaign we’d have added a Hesitant Troops card to reflect their ‘Sticky’ performance. To win the US force needs to push forward and seize the road junction and the chateau on the high ground. There is no time constraint on this scenario.
Page 99
This scenario is an historical action, set on July the 8th 1944. As part of Operation Charnwood the British and Canadians are attacking Caen directly from the north in the hope of at least capturing the northern part of the City. In this scenario C Company of the 2/6th South Staffordshire Regiment has been tasked with seizing and holding the hamlet of Galmanche, one of the German defensive outposts. This will allow British armour to push south with secure flanks. The Company is assisted by two Troops of the East Riding Yeomanry and introduces AFVs and anti‐tank fire. Your objective is to push into Galmanche and defeat any German forces therein. It is vital that, at the very least, any enemy anti‐tank guns are destroyed to allow our armour to push south without harassment. You have the following force available:
Company Headquarters Captain Roger Roughshaft Level II CSM “Basher” Bishop, Level II
Platoon One Lieutenant Sidney Roundwood Level II Corporal “Knocker” Dawes Level I Three rifle sections of 8 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Two Lieutenant Arthur Oiksworth Level III Three rifle sections of 8 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Three Sergeant Albert Slack Level II Three rifle sections of 8 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Tank Troop Option One Captain “Binky” Beaumont Level III Three Sherman M4 One Sherman Firefly
Tank Troop Option Two Lieutenant “Baggy” Sackville Level II Three Sherman M4 One Sherman Firefly Your advance will be preceded by an artillery bombardment in the form of a Stonk on four 12”square sections of the table. Your force will begin the game on Blinds on the track on the north‐eastern table edge. You must advance southwards and clear the table of any enemy forces.
Page 100
Information is limited as communications are down. You know that the English are bombarding your positions which means that they are about to attack. Prepare your company to defend Galmanche. It is likely that you will be facing a mixed armoured and infantry force. The last communication you got was that Division would be counter attacking with panzers, so hold on for as long as you can. Your force, 7 Kompanie II/25 SS Panzergrenadier Regiment, is made up as follows:
Kompanie Headquarters Sturmbannfuhrer Rudi Kessleschlacht Level III One four man Tank Killer team One Panzerschreck team of 2 men
Zug One Obersturmfuhrer Kristian Festem‐Schritt Level III Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men One panzerfaust per Gruppe
Up to seven Gruppe or weapon teams may be dug into trenches. These will provide good cover from fire and spotting. Your mortar Zug is located off‐table. The Forward Observer is equipped with a radio and may operate from anywhere on the table. TERRAIN The terrain here is dominated by orchards which give light cover but do not impede movement. The exception is the stretch of woodland to the north of the road which has undergrowth and is impassable by tanks. The buildings are solid, giving good cover whilst the hedges are minor obstacles and give only light cover. SCENARIO NOTES For this scenario both the British and Germans are Good Regulars, however the British have a Hesitant Troops card added to the Game Deck whilst the Germans have a Rally card. A Tank Killer Bonus card and are rated as stubborn. This gives the following deck: Cards Allied Platoons 1 to 3
Allied Armour 1 to 2
Zug Two
Allied Big Men 1 to 8
Scharführer Lothar Klenk Level II Three rifle Gruppe of 8 men One panzerfaust per Gruppe
Axis Company Headquarters Axis Platoons 1 to 3 Axis Anti Tank Gun
Zug Three
Axis Support One
Unterscharführer Thomas Meyer Level II Two rifle Gruppe of 8 men One Panzerfaust per Gruppe
Axis Forward Observer Axis Big Men 1 to 5 Axis Rally Axis Tank Killer Bonus
Allied Hesitant Troops
Anti‐Tank Zug
Allied Blinds
Rottenführer Werner Hoss Level I One Pak 40 AT gun with 5 crew each
Axis Blinds Tea Break
Mortar Zug One Forward Observer Four 8cm mortars with 5 crew each Your force may deploy anywhere on the table as far north as the most northerly wooded area.
The British win if they can clear the Germans from all of the buildings whilst knocking out the AT gun. The Germans win if they maintain a foothold in three or more buildings. Any other result is a draw.
Page 101
T his scenario is set late in the Normandy Campaign, on August the 19th, and focuses on the Canadian advance into St Lambert‐sur‐Dive where the Allies were attempting to plug the neck of the Falaise Gap. The fight for this small French village was desperate and bloody and Major David Currie of the South Alberta Regiment was awarded the Victoria Cross for his leadership and personal bravery. As a scenario it combines close quarter fighting with tank versus tank combat. You have received your orders from Lt‐Col “Swatty” Wotherspoon. You are to advance to take the crossroads in the centre of St Lambert‐ sur‐Dives at 05.00 hours. Our forces are depleted from weeks of constant fighting but it is vital that we take the junction to stop any more Germans escaping from the pocket. You have a depleted Company of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and two Sherman Troops of the South Alberta Regiment. Your force is as follows:
Company Headquarters Major Ivan Martin Level III
Platoon One Lieutenant Gil Armour Level III Three rifle sections of 8 men One PIAT team, 2 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Platoon Two CSM George Mitchell Level II Three rifle sections of 8 men One PIAT team, 2 men One 2” mortar team, 2 men
Tank Troop Option One Major Dave Currie Level III Three Sherman M4 One Sherman Firefly
Tank Troop Option One Captain John Redden Level II Three Sherman M4 One Sherman Firefly Your force begins the game on Blinds on the road where it enters the northern table edge. Two platoons may be on the table with two more following on each Blinds card dealt.
TERRAIN The village sits on a slight rise with the stream running through the valley bellow. Tanks attempting to cross this will test for bogging in. The orchards here are light with no undergrowth and can be negotiated by armoured vehicles. The buildings are solid, giving good cover whilst the hedges are minor obstacles and give only light cover but do cause visibility problems in this tight terrain.
Page 102
It seems that the Tommies are attempting to enter St Lambert‐sur‐Dives and thereby cut the escape route to the east and freedom. It is vital that we make sure that they fail so that as much of the army can escape to fight again another day. Your force is made up of extremely depleted units from a variety of formations. This does not help command and control, but we must make do with what we have.
Zug One Feldwebel Klaus Siebowicz Level II Two rifle Gruppe of 8 men One panzerfaust per Gruppe
Zug Two Scharführer Richard Ziegel Level II Two rifle Gruppe of 8 men One Panzerschreck team of 2 men
SCENARIO NOTES For this scenario the Canadians count as Veterans whilst the Germans are Poor Regulars due to their exhausted condition. The Canadians have a Rally and a Heroic Leader card in the Game Deck whilst the Germans get no bonus cards however they are rated as stubborn. Neither side gets an Armoured Bonus card as the terrain is too close. One German Panzer Zug has no Big Men and may not be rallied by any other Big Man. This reflects the fact that these are a hotch‐potch of units thrown together. This scenario shows well how the Game Deck and the allocation of Big Men can be used to tailor make your forces for each game. For such a “busy” scenario it is also quite small when you add up the requirements. As can be seen from the Game Deck below: Cards Allied Platoons 1 to 3
Allied Armour 1 to 2
Zug Three
Allied Big Men 1 to 5
Obergefreiter Paul Bohlmann Level II One rifle Gruppe of 8 men One MG42 team of 5 men One Panzerfaust per Gruppe
Axis Platoons 1 to 3 Axis Armour 1 to 2 Axis Big Men 4 Allies Rally
Panzer Zug
Allied Blinds
Two Panzer IV H
Axis Blinds
Tea Break
Panzer Zug Feldwebel Willi Kaiser II or III One Tiger I One Panther A
Your force begins the game with one infantry Zug deployed anywhere on the table south of the stream. One Panzer Zug will be at the Crossroads at the southern end of the table. On each turn of the Blinds card roll a D6. On a result of 3 to 6 one Blind of the player’s choice will arrive anywhere on the southern table edge that the player chooses.
The British win if they hold the cross‐roads at the southern end of the table at the end of the game. There is no time restriction on this scenario, being effectively a “King of the Ring” engagement where the last cohesive force will win.
As an historical footnote it is worth mentioning that Lieutenant Gil Armour took out a Panther by engaging its dismounted commander in fisticuffs before dropping a grenade through the hatch.
Page 103
THE FIRE TABLE CLOSE RANGE
EFFECTIVE RANGE
LONG RANGE
MG/AFV Artillery
Up to 18”
Over 18”
Infantry
Up to 9”
9” to 18”
Over 18”
Dice
Great
Okay
Poor
Great
Okay
Poor
Great
Okay
Poor
1
3P
1
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
2
3P
1
‐
P
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
3
4P
1
1
1P
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
4
4P
2
1
2P
‐
‐
‐
‐
‐
5
5P
2
1
3P
1
‐
‐
‐
‐
6
6P
3
1
3P
2
‐
1
‐
‐
7
7P
3
2
3P
2
1
1
‐
‐
8
8P
4
2
4P
2
1
1
1
‐
9
9P
4P
2
4P
2
1
2
1
‐
10
9P
4P
2
5P
2
1
2
1
‐
11
10P
5P
2
5P
2
1
2
1
‐
12
10P
5P
3
5P
3P
1
2
1
1
13
11S
5P
3P
6P
3P
2
3
2
1
14
12S
6P
3P
6S
3P
2
3P
2
1
15
13S
6P
3P
6S
3P
2
3P
2
1
16
13S
7P
3P
7S
3P
2
3P
2
1
17
13S
7S
3P
7S
4P
2
3P
2
1
18
14S
8S
4P
8S
4P
2P
4P
2P
1
19
14S
8S
4P
8S
4P
2P
4P
2P
1
20
14S
9S
4P
8S
4S
2P
4S
2P
1
21
15S
9S
4S
8S
4S
2P
4S
2P
1
22
16S
9S
5S
9S
4S
2P
4S
3P
1
23
16S
10S
5S
9S
5S
2S
5S
3S
1
24
17S
10S
5S
9S
5S
3S
5S
3S
1
25
18S
10S
5S
9S
5S
3S
5S
3S
2P
26
19S
10S
6S
10S
5S
3S
5S
3S
2P
27
20S
10S
6S
10S
5S
3S
5S
3S
2P
28
20S
11S
6S
10S
6S
3S
6S
3S
2P
29
21S
11S
6S
10S
6S
3S
6S
4S
2S
30
22S
11S
6S
11S
6S
3S
6S
4S
3S
Direct Fire Support Up to 50mm 1D6 Miss on 1 51 to 79mm 2D6 Miss on 1 80 to 110mm 3D6 Miss on 2 x 1 111mm + 4D6 Miss on 2 x 1 Anti‐Building 5D6 Miss on 2 x 1
Indirect Fire Support & Air Attacks Indirect Fire Support Under 85mm 1D6 85 to 105mm 2D6 106 to 125mm 2D6+1 126 to 145mm 2D6+2 146 to 165mm 2D6+3 166 to 185mm 2D6+4 186 to 205mm 2D6+5 Over 205mm 2D6+8
P = Pinned. All movement stopped this turn, fire with one column shift to the right.
S = Suppressed. All movement and firing stopped for this turn.
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