by MASSIMO TORRIANI A SUPPLEMENT FOR

Transcription

1 by MASSIMO TORRIANI A SUPPLEMENT FOR

2 Colophon e Index r Author: Massimo Torriani Art Director: Roberto Ghiddi We d like to thank : Valentino Del Castello, Andrew Carless, Emilio Arbasino Models: Italeri with conversions, Overlord Painting: Massimo Torriani, Italeri, Giorgio Bassani Scenery: Manor House, Italeri, Overlord, Richard Mead BERLIN Buildings Underground tunnels and sewers Weather New equipment, additional rules and clarifications New characteristics ARMY LISTS Germans Weapons table Russians Weapons table ERRATA CORRIGE Printed at: FCM Marcallo con Casone (MI) For updates: Supplement to the three-dimensional wargame set in the Second World War Operation Overlord Normandy You will need a copy of the basic game Operation Overlord Normandy 1944 to play with this supplement. We also suggest that you have the Upgrade Vehicle supplement. No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, be it mechanical or electronic, without prior written permission from the author. Italeri S.p.A. Via Pradazzo, 6/B Calderara di Reno (BO) ITALY Tel Fax italeri@italeri.it 2

3 l i n Berlin 1945 Russian troops besieged the German capital. The days when German guns echoed in Stalingrad were long gone, and now the Russians, thirsty for revenge, were ready to launch their last attack. The tenacious defence of the Chancellery is certainly the most common image of the last year of the war. Against the background of a town that had been torn to pieces by bombings, hurriedly armed civilians, tired veterans and determined Russians fought bravely and wrote episodes of heroism and bravery into the pages of history. The main aim of this supplement is to allow you to recreate battles in builtup areas. Specific new rules have been included to allow the simulation of special situations that one doesn t normally see. Combat on several levels implies the need for new strategies and an even more precise planning of one s moves. Moving through sewers or making the most of a ruined building are only some of the details that we ll look at. The volume is completed by Russian and German Army lists for the last years of the war that show the changes in their organisation and equipment. B E R L I N Clarifications The need to recreate battles in built-up areas implies the need for specific rules to cope with these special situations. Let s look at a few examples. To begin with the buildings, albeit ruined or reduced to rubble, are enormous when compared to a country house. Mortar shots will rarely hit troops on the ground floor if the shot hits the roof; in the same way shots that come from above and hit the upper part of a tank have a greater chance of penetrating the armour given that it was generally thinner on top. Leading troops into urban combat was a tough task even for a seasoned general 3

4 e r These and many other details will be analysed in this supplement to guarantee you exciting games every time. BUILDINGS Definitions of buildings and their dimensions Buildings are split into four types: small, medium, large and enormous. In a town, with rare exceptions, buildings are always enormous. For ease of play, when using buildings or ruins, it is a good idea to establish the perimeter to avoid problems during the game. In game terms the perimeter of a house doesn t change even when it is reduced to rubble. These buildings are certainly enormous Small Building: up to 10 x 15 cm, one floor Medium Building: at least 10 x 15 cm with one floor or 10 x 12 cm with two floors Large Building: at least 20 x 25 cm with one floor or 15 x 20 cm with two floors Enormous Building: at least 30 x 40 cm with one floor or 20 x 25 cm with at least two floors 4 Movement in buildings and ruins (Optional rule) We thought it would be a good idea to clarify rules that can apply to large and enormous buildings. While for smaller buildings we have simulated movement from one floor

5 l i n B E R L I N You can move from one floor to another using the stairs to another in an abstract way, larger buildings require a staircase; distances are measured as normal but a staircase is required to get to higher/lower floors. If part of the building has collapsed and there are holes between one floor and the other then you can move from one floor to another by climbing with a Movement or Assault order, but one man on his own may not climb. To make the game more interesting we advise that you sub-divide the insides of the building into rooms whose dimensions will be a maximum of around 10 x 15 cm. Of course you are free to change these dimensions depending on the type of building; a factory or church will probably have larger spaces, and a hotel will probably have a lot of smaller rooms. The important thing is that the rooms have perimeter walls. Each room must have at least one door. If an enemy model is in the doorway you can t get past him without killing him. A model in the doorway blocks access to that room 5

6 e r The anti-aircraft gun has been placed in the building as the hole is big enough Models with shaped-charge weapons, demolition charges, gammon grenades or mines can go through perimeter walls with a Movement or Assault order (although you can t move vertically here) and losing 5 cm of Sub-dividing the building into rooms is very important 6

7 l i n movement. We imagine that the troops have used their weapons to blow a hole in a wall. In normal games an Artillery piece can only be placed on the ground floor and only if the doors or the holes in the walls are big enough to let it in. Fixed positions are an exception, which are typically included in historical scenarios, as they imply a preceding positioning with the help of a crane or lifting vehicle. Buildings remain impassable for Artillery. Line of sight through walls without doors, windows or holes (Optional rule) On the contrary to the contents of the Basic rules, you cannot trace Line of Sight through the external wall of a building if there are no doors, windows or holes. Despite the fact that it was common practice to make holes in the walls, it seems obvious that at least one member of the squad must be able to see the enemy. In other words you must be able to trace the Line of Sight with at least one model through a door, window or hole. If you use this optional rule you ll only be able to throw grenades through a door, window or hole. B E R L I N Explosions in buildings: Direct Fire As already specified in Paratrooper Attack, the Line of Sight penetrates 5 cm inside houses to simulate furniture, walls and other furnishings that aren t shown in the game. When you fire a cannon at a unit inside a house it is hard to aim through a window, but rather the building is destroyed. The explosion, shrapnel and debris from a direct hit, however, involve entire parts of the house, even beyond the visible models. Burst weapons, therefore, measure their burst radius from the external wall that is closest to the target model. At least one model in the room must have Line of Sight to the enemy unit The explosion goes into the building starting with the perimeter wall A 150 mm shell, for example, will have a burst radius that goes into the house for 10 cm starting from the outside wall. Thrown grenades are different. 7

8 e r Only in this case the burst area is measured from the target model. If you use the optional line-of-sight rule you ll only be able to throw grenades through a door, window or hole. Explosions in woods: Direct Fire Line of Sight extends into woods for up to 5 cm to simulate tree-trunks and vegetation that aren t shown in the game. But when a model is hit in a wood the trees are destroyed and create hundreds of deadly splinters; for this reason burst weapons use their burst area template centred on the target model. A 150 mm shell, for example, will have a burst radius that goes into the woods for 10 cm starting with the target model; a lot further than the 5 cm of visibility. Shooting from above his target the Panzerschreck can ignore the extra-heavy armour on the IS2 Firing from an elevated position Apart from the doubtless advantage of being able to fire at the occupants of open-topped vehicles (see Page 22 of the basic rules), if the firer in an elevated position is at a distance from the target that is equal to or less than the height at which he is positioned then the model ignores medium, heavy, extra-heavy, and super extra-heavy armour characteristics, which in this case are not applied. Indirect fire on units on the top floor of buildings When indirect fire is used, the shot arrives in an arched trajectory; if the building still has a roof above where the model is, then measure the burst 8

9 l i n B E R L I N If a unit on the roof is hit by indirect fire then only the units on the roof and top floor will be involved area starting with the roof like in direct fire against buildings. If the roof has collapsed (see optional rule) or the building is in ruins then measure from the floor that the model is standing on and not from the roof. Explosions in woods: Indirect Fire As for direct fire, when a shot hits a model inside woods one measures the burst area from the target model. Effects of Large calibre Artillery on buildings (optional rule) Unfortunately the use of large guns to remove groups of enemy troops hidden in buildings was very well known in Berlin. The Russians razed entire blocks before continuing their terrible assaults. Large calibre shells can completely destroy a roof or gut a building. When a cannon fires directly at a unit in a building, with a calibre 105 mm or greater, as well as the usual damage, roll a 1d10 on the Building Demolition Table and apply the results below. If the roof has been destroyed then we measure the burst area from the target model When a house collapses all the occupants roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table 9

10 e r Building gutted by artillery BUILDING DEMOLITION TABLE 1-3: NE. The building shakes but the structure holds. 4-5: If the building is small then all units inside make a Morale Test. If they fail the test then all models are Pinned! If the building is medium, large or enormous then there is no effect. 6-7: If the building is small or medium then the units in rooms next to the impact (including above and below) must make a Morale Test, and if they fail all models are Pinned! If the building is large or enormous then there is no effect. 8-9: If the building is small then it collapses. From now on consider the building as ruins. All models inside roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. If the building is medium or large then the units in rooms next to the impact (including above and below) must make a Morale Test, and if they fail all models are Pinned! If the building is enormous then there is no effect. 10: If the building is small or medium then it collapses. From now on consider the building as ruins. All models inside roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. If the building is large then the units in rooms next to the impact (including above and below) must make a Morale Test, and if they fail all models are Pinned! If the building is enormous then there is no effect. 11: If the building is small, medium or large then it collapses. From now on consider the building as ruins. All models inside roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. If the building is enormous then the units in rooms next to the impact (including above and below) must make a Morale Test, and if they fail all models are Pinned! : The building collapses. From now on consider the building as ruins. All models inside roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. Modifiers for the Building Demolition Table: Calibres from 120 mm to 155 mm: +1 to the roll Calibres from 156 mm to 200 mm: +2 to the roll Calibres from 201 mm to 320 mm: +3 to the roll Once the building has been reduced to ruins you should still roll on the Demolition Table but with a -1 to the roll, given that the majority of the walls, ceilings and roofs have already fallen in. On the whole prolonged bombardments in destroyed urban areas proved ineffective. The Americans learnt this lesson the hard way trying to conquer Monte Cassino. Note: Large or enormous buildings will collapse in sections. Consider each section to measure 20 x 25 cm independently of the number of floors. If the building is larger than a section then show the 20 x 25 cm area, (for example with black card) to show the part that is ruined. If you hit a roof with a 105 mm calibre shell or greater using indirect fire, roll 1d10 and consult the table below. 10

11 l i n ROOF DEMOLITION TABLE 1-3: The roof holds and the shot is deflected. Apply the burst area from the roof. 4-5: If the building is small the roof collapses; remove it. All models on the top floor must roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. Further hits do not consider the roof: it is totally destroyed. If the building is medium, large or enormous then the roof holds. Apply the burst area from the roof. 6-7: If the building is small or medium, the roof collapses; remove it. All models on the top floor must roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. Further hits do not consider the roof: it is totally destroyed. If the building is small then it may collapse. Roll 1d10 on the Building Demolition Table with a modifier of +2. If the building is large or enormous then the roof holds. Apply the burst area from the roof. 8-9: If the building is small, medium or large, the roof collapses. All models on the top floor must roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. Further hits do not consider the roof: it is totally destroyed. If the building is small or medium then it may even collapse. Roll 1d10 on the Building Demolition Table with a modifier of +2. If the building is enormous then the roof holds. Apply the burst area from the roof : If the building is small, medium, large or enormous the roof collapses. All models on the top floor must roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. Further hits do not consider the roof: it is totally destroyed. If the building is small, medium or large then it may collapse. Roll 1d10 on the Building Demolition Table with a modifier of : The roof collapses and the building may collapse too. All models on the top floor must roll on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table. Roll 1d10 on the Building Demolition Table with a modifier of +2. Modifiers to the Roof Demolition Table Calibres from 120 mm to 155 mm: +1 to the roll Calibres from 156 mm to 200 mm: +2 to the roll Calibres from 201 mm to 320 mm: +3 to the roll You will notice that it is virtually impossible to use indirect fire against troops on the ground floor in a building with several floors. The only hope is to use direct fire or hope the building collapses. B E R L I N Crashing into buildings If you use the optional rule for Crashing into buildings apply a penalty of -3 on the table when the building is enormous. 11

12 e r Note: With large or enormous buildings remove the roof only if the building measures up to 20 x 25 cm. If the building is bigger then mark an area measuring 20 x 25 cm, (for example with black card), to show the area of the collapsed roof. UNDERGROUND TUNNELS AND SEWERS (Optional rule) In urban combat as an addition to your normal strategic moves you must also consider the possibility of getting round enemy defences using underground tunnels. In Stalingrad and Berlin sewers and underground tunnels played a very important role allowing sudden sorties and ferocious counter-attacks. In order to simulate these aspects we have written some special new rules that cater for the surprises that may happen to those soldiers that walk Units in the sewers use the night time awareness table You can get to underground tunnels and sewers through manholes 12

13 l i n B E R L I N around below ground level in a city that has been devastated by bombardment. If your wargames table is so realistic that it includes scenery elements like sewers or tunnels then you can play normally but you must roll a 1d10 on the Underground Table each time that you declare that the troops enter or exit one of the entry points shown on the table; after that use normal rules concerning line of sight and awareness but, it being underground combat, use the Night time Table. If on the other hand you don t have the right scenery, just place some manhole covers to show the various entry points. If an entire unit is in cohesion with the entry point you can go underground with a Movement or Assault card. Replace the unit with a marker (e.g. Units A, B, C etc supplied in Paratrooper Attack) placed on the entry point. The turn ends with the replacement and the marker can move no further this turn. In this case you will also have to roll a 1d10 on the Underground Table each time that you declare that a unit enters or exits through an entry point. To show further moves (with Movement or Assault orders) move the Unit markers on the table. The path between one entry point and another is considered a straight line that goes from the entry point where you entered, and ends with the entry point that is declared as your destination. When the marker reaches the entry point it stops. The following turn you can exit (with Movement or Assault orders) first rolling a 1d10 on the Underground Table. Once out, the marker is replaced by the models in cohesion with the entry point. Models that exit can fire at any enemy unit that is in line of sight and of which they become aware. Models that exit may assault any enemy unit within 10 cm of the entry point that they exit from. Remember that the entire unit must enter or exit; you are not allowed to split the unit above and below-ground. Only Infantry units can go underground, units qualified as Artillery may not. Exceptions will be shown in specific historical scenarios. The Russian Unit can engage the German unit that is within 10 cm of the entry point The unit that is underground is replaced by a marker Unit A 13

14 e r Units above ground do not have line of sight or awareness with units underground but units underground can fight each other. If the markers of two enemy units are within 10 cm of each other they can fire at each other. Consider all elements of the unit as being in line of sight and aware, no matter what order was performed the previous turn. If you use a burst weapon in underground combat, seeing as it is an abstract combat, you will hit: A(3): 1d10-5 models; A(5): 1d10 models; A(8): 1d10+3 models; A(10): 1d10+5 models. If the number exceeds the number of models in the unit any surplus amount is lost. Remove losses normally. You can enter close combat by moving your marker next to or overlapping the enemy with an Assault card. In this case all models are considered as being next to an enemy. Eventual models left over get the normal Close Combat bonus. When underground units are represented by markers, eventual Pinned! models prevent the entire unit from moving. Use the markers in Upgrade Vehicle to remind yourself of how many models are Pinned!. In order to balance games do not use more than 6 entry points. Before the start of the game the players place the entry points alternately, obeying the following rules: 1 Entry points cannot be placed within 35 cm of the table edge 2 Entry points cannot be closer than 35 cm from each other 3 Entry points can only be placed in roads or on pavements Unit D Unit A You can enter into close combat underground moving your marker next to the enemy s marker Underground Table 1-5 Nothing happens. 6-7 Part of the ceiling/floor/ladder collapses. Roll 1d10 on the Small Arms Damage Table for each model in the unit. The entry point can still be used. 8-9: Structural collapse. Roll 1d10 on the Heavy Weapons Damage Table for each model in the unit. The entry point is blocked for the rest of the game. Survivors are placed in cohesion with the entry point on the surface. 10: Total collapse. The unit is caught under the rubble. All models are killed. The entry point is blocked for the rest of the game. Note: Fighting underground implies a -1 to the Morale Test due to the claustrophobic effect of the tunnels. Models with the infiltrator characteristic can be set-up underground without rolling on the Underground Table. When they exit or when they return underground, they will have to roll on the table above normally. 14

15 WEATHER (Optional rule) l i n You can now add random weather to give your games a little more variety. Before the game roll 1d10 to decide the season it is set in; then roll again to find the weather conditions for the first turn. Every turn roll 2d10. If the numbers are the same then the weather has changed and is now the weather shown by the number on one of the dice. Season 1-3: Spring 4-6: Summer 7-8: Autumn 9-10: Winter Spring 1-3: Sunny. No special rules apply. 4-6: Light rain. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. 7-8: Heavy rain. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. If the rain continues for 4 turns, mud is formed. If this happens apply a penalty of -5 cm to movement outside, and vehicles must also roll a 1d10 before moving; with a 1 the mud prevents movement that turn. All burst areas applied against infantry outside have a -1 to the damage. 9-10: Mist/fog. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. Units that fire are considered to be moving for awareness purposes. Summer 1-5: Sunny. No special rules apply. 6-7: Scorching sun. Apply a penalty of -1 to the Morale Test. 8-9: Light rain. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. 10: Summer storm. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. The rain will stop and the sun will come out again if it lasts 3 turns. B E R L I N Autumn 1-3: Sunny. No special rules apply. 4-6: Heavy rain. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. If the rain continues for 4 turns, mud is formed. If this happens apply a penalty of -5 cm to movement outside, and vehicles must also roll a 1d10 before moving; with a 1 the mud prevents movement that turn. All burst areas applied against infantry outside have a -1 to the damage. 7-8: Mist/fog. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. Units that fire are considered to be moving for awareness purposes. 9-10: Snow. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. Road movement bonuses do not apply. Vehicles roll 1d10 before moving; on a 1 or 2 they slide and cannot move this turn. All units may only move slowly when outside. 15

16 e r Winter 1-3: Sunny. No special rules apply. 4-7: Heavy rain. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. If the rain continues for 4 turns, mud is formed. If this happens apply a penalty of -5 cm to movement outside, and vehicles must also roll a 1d10 before moving; with a 1 the mud prevents movement that turn. All burst areas applied against infantry outside have a -1 to the damage. 8-9: Snow. Awareness is reduced by -5 cm for units in the open. Road movement bonuses do not apply. Vehicles roll 1d10 before moving; on a 1 or 2 they slide and cannot move this turn. All units may only move slowly when outside. 10: Snowstorm. Awareness is reduced by -10 cm for units in the open. Road movement bonuses do not apply. Vehicles roll 1d10 before moving; on a 1 or 2 they slide and cannot move this turn. All burst areas applied against Infantry outside apply a penalty of -1 to the damage roll. If the snowstorm lasts for 4 turns then ice will form. If this happens vehicles slide with a 1,2,3. All units may only move slowly when outside. NEW EQUIPMENT, ADDITIONAL RULES AND CLARIFICATIONS Multiple rocket-launcher Some weapons can fire their entire arsenal in one salvo. The Russian Katyusha rocket-launcher and the German Nebelwerfer are the best examples. The number of templates available to the salvo is the number shown in brackets. If you decide to fire a salvo then check for the deviation of each template starting from the impact point of the first template. The templates will deviate 1d10 x 4 cm in the direction shown by the dice. After the salvo the weapon must be reloaded; in order to do so at least three men must remain stationary next to the weapon for three turns (with any order). The next turn the weapon can be used again. Molotov Cocktail (Optional rule) Despite the fact that it isn t a conventional weapon, the Molotov Cocktail fast became very popular thanks to its devastating effects. Comprising a simple glass bottle full of petrol or other inflammable liquids it was a terrible weapon, even against armoured vehicles. In game terms and in urban scenarios, each unit can have Molotov cocktails for 30 points each. Check the effect for closed vehicles on the Light Flamethrower Table (see Upgrade Vehicle) with a penalty of -3. Against Infantry treat it as a Light Flamethrower but with an A(3) burst area. 16 Molotov Cocktail. Cost 30 points. Range 5 cm. Hits like a Light Flamethrower. One use only. You can move and throw a Molotov. If you hit use an A(3) template. A Molotov Cocktail creates a curtain of smoke that blocks line of sight for one turn. Apply all smoke rules. Since the area is burning, Infantry or exposed crew members that cross or stop in the template take an immediate hit on the Small Arms Damage Table. In night scenarios, a Molotov

17 l i n Cocktail illuminates an area of 20 cm. Inside this area use the Daytime Awareness Table. The fire burns out after 2 turns. Grenade Launcher (Optional rule) Practically all armies had a piece of equipment that fitted onto a gun to transform it into a grenade launcher. Each platoon can buy a Grenade Launcher for 30 points. Range: 20 cm. Roll to hit like a standard army grenade. Burst area: A(3). Indirect fire (minimum distance 20 cm). It can be fitted with smoke for +50 points. Burst area: A(5). One use only, Indirect fire (minimum distance 20 cm). Alternative Deck management (Optional rule) Often the secret of a successful attack is good planning. In order to reduce the effect of lady luck to a minimum and so as not to find yourself limited when playing the game, divide the 40-card deck into two halves. The first (20 cards) will contain all the Movement and Assault cards (called Manoeuvre cards), while the second half (20 cards) will contain all the Fire, Suppression Fire and Ambush cards (called Fire cards). During play the two halves will remain separate, so remember to discard a used card into the correct pile. When you are drawing new cards at the start of the turn you can choose how many from each half you want to take and declare this to the opponent. This way you can better plan your strategy while at the same time partially revealing your intentions. At the end of each turn, each half is shuffled but only with its own discards. The hand that you have at the start of your turn can be played normally (including initiative) no matter what cards you have. This method does not change the normal card re-fill phase. One player can use the normal system and the other can use this system if he wants. If both players choose the new optional rule they must alternate (even turns Player A, odd turns Player B), when declaring first how many of each sort of cards they will draw; this way, the player that declares the numbers second has the advantage of knowing the broad outline of his opponent s intentions. It is easy to imagine how the choice of system used can be an important strategic choice. Planning example: In a 3,000 point battle, Massimo decides to field a fast and aggressive German army based on 3 units of Panzergrenadiers on half-tracks, with a Panther, an Armoured car and 2 Kubelwagens. Making the most of the possibility of splitting the Panzergrenadier units he manages to field 10 units. During the card re-fill phase he can therefore have 17 cards (1 per unit + 7 basic cards). Since his army relies on its mobility he decides to draw 12 cards from the Manoeuvre deck and 5 from the Fire deck. This way he guarantees himself the possibility of movement with each unit (with a margin of 2 additional cards for a bit of choice) and limits himself to only 5 cards to reply to any eventual enemy counter-attacks. B E R L I N Flag signalling and tank attachments (Optional rule) You will certainly have noticed that within the Russian Tank Platoon only the command tank has a radio. Historically, radios were only introduced as semi-standard equipment in 1944 before this they used a visual sys- 17

18 e r tem based on coloured flags or coded signals. For this reason, two tanks without radios that are within 20 cm and in line of sight can use flags to communicate by voice and attach. In the turn when this flag communication occurs, the tank commander can t do anything else. You cannot give coordinates for indirect fire with flags. Compact groups and Transport (Optional rule) Units with the Compact Group characteristic lead to groups comprising a large number of models that it is difficult to transport on just one vehicle. In order to transport compact groups you ll have to attach a number of vehicles whose total transport capacity allows you to transport the entire group. E.g.: A Russian Rifle Platoon comprising 1 HQ and 2 squads (a total of 22 men) needs at least 2 attached trucks (transport capacity = 24) in order to move. If you intend using the optional rule that allows tanks to be used as troop carriers you will have to attach them temporarily before using them. E.g.: A Russian Rifle Platoon comprising 1 HQ and 2 squads (a total of 22 men) need at least 2 temporarily attached tanks in order to jump onto them and move. Before loading the troops the two tanks must be within 20 cm of each other and make a successful communication. Management of Pinned! models in panicked units Sometimes a unit that panics after a failed Morale test also has Pinned! models. In this case panic will prevail over the Pinned! condition. Here are some examples: a A tank is hit on the turret. Checking the effects on the crew we find that one crew member has been KIA and one is Pinned! We therefore make 2 Morale tests (1 for the KIA and 1 for the effect of the shell hitting the turret) and apply a modifier of -1 to both rolls due to the dead crew member. Unfortunately the roll is unlucky and the crew is forced to abandon the vehicle. In this case the model that is Pinned! inside the tank will also flee and will be placed standing next to the tank. Next turn all surviving members of the crew will run towards the closest cover, not being allowed to consider their own tank as cover for Morale test purposes. b A Russian Guard unit is fired upon by a squad of Grenadiers while they are out in the open. After checking the number of hits and having rolled for damage, the Russians take 3 KIA and 2 Pinned! Given that the RP of the Russian unit is 3, they make a Morale test which they fail miserably; in this case the models that are Pinned! join their fleeing friends and will therefore stand up ready to run next turn. To further clarify this concept, consider the Pinned! models as frightened under enemy fire. Their only goal is to try to be safer by dropping to the ground. But if the death of their friends leads them to believe that they aren t safe where they are, then they will run! 18

19 l i n Panicked Models without an escape route The rule regarding panicked units requires fast movement towards the closest cover without getting closer to the enemy. But in the chaos of battle and when some enemy units have encroached into our lines, it can often be impossible to apply the second part of this rule. In this case the panicked unit moves towards cover that doesn t move him closer to the enemy, no matter if it is the closest or not. Under these conditions it could happen that from one turn to another the panicked unit is forced to change direction more than once running in a terrified zigzag across the battlefield. B E R L I N Direct Fire against Artillery When using direct fire against an Artillery piece you must state whether you are firing at the crew or the gun. If you fire at the crew then you must apply a penalty of -2 for the exposed crew and use the Infantry column to hit, splitting the shots if crew members are behind different types of cover. Every hit is rolled on the Infantry table considering the considering Medium cover only if the shot comes from the front and the target models are behind the shield. You can also fire at the gun. In this case use the Artillery column for both the roll to hit and for damage. Given that the shield is contemplated in the Artillery Damage table and can block a hit completely, no cover is considered when calculating damage to crew that are hit. The Germans, surprised by a Russian Tank, escape in a disorderly manner towards their own lines 19

20 e r All models are considered exposed crew and have a -2 penalty to be hit NEW CHARACTERISTICS: Attached Unit (REVISION): The model or models with this characteristic can be attached to another unit, by declaring it at the start of the game. The attached unit is not considered a separate unit for the rest of the game. Seeing that it is an integral part of the unit, it does not receive a separate order card. Use the highest RP. Baptism of fire: When the unit has to make a Morale Test (or more than one), before the test roll 1d10 and check the table to see what value they will use that turn. The Morale Tests are then made normally with all modifiers. Is it better to fire at the exposed crew or the gun itself? Compact group: Several units in the same platoon with this characteristic can attach into a unique group that is considered a single unit and that receives and executes the same order. The Resistance to Panic (RP) of the group is the sum of the single RP that comprise the group. Once attached they may not separate. Excellent training: Units with this characteristic always get an extra +1 for direct fire in addition to all other modifiers. 20

21 l i n External fuel tanks: Before the game roll 1d10 to see if External fuel tanks have been left on or if they have been removed before the battle: 7-10 they are still present; 1-6 they have been removed. If you don t have the right model you could always use an oil drum placed on the back of the vehicle. If they are present, when a vehicle with this characteristic is hit in the ammunition/engine roll 1d10: 5-10 catastrophe!, 1-4 immobilised + 3 Crew + test. Fast Vehicle: Vehicles with this characteristic add +5 to the movement table. E.g.. a Medium Tank can move up to 30 cm in Assault. Fire support: Consider this like a tripod; +3 rate of fire if helped by an additional assistant. B E R L I N Infiltrator: Models with this characteristic can be set-up in no-mans land but not in awareness of enemy units. The infiltrated units are set-up after the entire enemy army and their own has been set-up. If both armies have infiltrator units, after both conventional armies have been set-up then continue as normal placing the infiltrator units. Militia: Units with this characteristic have cohesion reduced to 5 cm instead of 10 cm. The terrible sniper scans the horizon for his next victim Multiple rocket-launcher: Models with this characteristic fire more than one rocket at the same time in a single salvo. The number in brackets shows the number of templates to be used when a salvo is fired. A Nebelwerfer rocket-launcher is ready to fire 21

22 e r After firing the weapon must be reloaded to fire again. To reload you need three stationary men for three turns. Perfect timing: Armies with this characteristic have a number of WAIT actions in proportion to the number of points sacrificed. In the Order phase you can spend a WAIT action to pass the hand back to the opponent without playing a card. You can use a maximum of 3 actions per turn. Once the WAIT actions have been spent they can no longer be used. All Priority 2 cards count as if they were Priority 1. Political Commissar: If a unit that is subject to Political zeal is accompanied by an active Political Commissar (not KIA or Pinned!), each time that the unit of which he is a member fails a Morale Test, the commissar rolls 1d10 on the Motivation Table and immediately apply the result. Political zeal: Units with this characteristic are subject to the use of the Political motivation table if the unit contains or is attached to a Political Commissar. Poor training: When they use direct fire, units with this characteristic always get a -1 in addition to all other modifiers. Russian Guard: Once per turn units with this characteristic can re-roll a failed Morale Test. Slow Vehicle: Models with this characteristic subtract -5 from the movement table. E.g. a Medium Tank can move up to 20 cm in Assault. Sniper (REVISION): A model with this characteristic and armed with a rifle can choose to fire at a leader, radio operator, runner, models that are escorting friendly prisoners or Political Commissars. For awareness purposes, when he fires with his rifle consider the weapon as a Silent weapon. Super extra-heavy armour: Apply a penalty of -4 to hit the front and -3 on the sides and rear. Tankoviy desant: Models with this characteristic don t apply the -3 penalty to their Morale Test when they are temporarily attached to a vehicle that is hit by a Heavy weapon. 22 Waffen Korps: Units with this characteristic can re-roll a failed Morale Test once per

23 l i n turn, or, if they are subject to the Baptism of fire table, once per turn they can re-roll on that; the second roll stands even if it is worse than the first. Wide tracks: Vehicles with this characteristic get a +1 bonus when testing to see if they slide on snow or get bogged down in mud. B E R L I N A group of Waffen Korps assault a Russian position Compact group and Resistance to Panic (RP) When you buy a Headquarters and Rifle squads to build one unit, the Resistance to Panic (RP) is calculated by adding the single RPs together. E.g. a Headquarters + 3 rifle squads has an RP of 7 ( = 7). 23

24 e Armies r This section describes Russian and German units in the period ranging from The notes regarding those years that accompany the units have been included to limit their availability and tie them to a specific historical period. Some tanks weren t produced before a certain date and for some units, for example the Grenadiers, the weapons, number of troops and level of training changed so much over the years that one list is simply not enough. In order to update the German armies shown in Upgrade Vehicle or Paratrooper Attack we have provided a list that is complete with references to those volumes rather than repeating all the lists again. If you don t own those supplements then in this volume you will still find a good number of units that will make your games varied and a lot of fun. As regards the German army we have also added some new models to existing units to add variety. It is very difficult to add all the variants of every historical vehicle without weighing too much on the rules so the variants have been used to try to cover all the models that were produced in a significant manner. 24 Building an army The Army that you will build is based on an initial choice: Tanks specified as: (Basic) Troops specified as: (Infantry) In both cases you will spend a variable number of options to buy new units. Sometimes units that you buy will also offer a number of options that can be spent on their own list. This chain has no limits only the maximum number of points that you can spend. You will notice that in the list of options for Infantry units, both in Paratrooper Attack and in Upgrade Vehicle, we have added the possibility of buying a new Platoon of the same type. This addition allows you to field an entire Infantry Army comprising more than one Platoon.