Land Combat Sequence Summary:
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All attacking artillery units fire first preemptively on the first round and can conduct one of two forms of combat as follows: 1) artillery units can make a special attack that does not require that they move into the territory as follows: They may fire one “salvo” from a territory they reside from and into an enemy territory for one round only. This attack is considered preemptive and the defender cannot roll in its defense. 2) A second more common method is to attack in conjunction with other attacking units and fight in multiple rounds of combat .However, again only during the first combat round they fire in preemptive fashion. Any ground forces hit as a result of the first artillery bombardment attacks are now removed from play.
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If attacking air units are brought into battle over a territory with a Victory City or an Industrial Complex, then these can be fired upon by Anti- Aircraft defenses. (See Anti- Aircraft defense). In any event the hits are taken preemptively on these planes before moving on to the next step. If the attacker has brought in air units, then they must engage defending air units separately each combat round until only one side has any air units left. This can be accomplished by one side destroying the enemy or retreating their own air units. During each round where ground combat continues and only one side has air units, those remaining air forces can attack ground forces with preemptive rolls each combat round. Land units cannot attack planes in any manner, except in territories that contain an Industrial Complex (this would be rolled before the start of the first combat round).All ground forces hit as a result of aerial attack are now removed from play and in this case the owner of those ground units has a choice of which ground units that may be taken as loses. Note that if one side has lost its air units and the side with planes still has not used all its planes in battle, then additional hits can “spillover†as casualties against the other side.
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During each ground combat round the attacker followed by the defender rolls one D6 for each engaged unit trying to hit at or lower than its attack factor. Each hit caused by an Infantry unit can only be applied to an infantry unit, while armor unit hits (not Artillery) must be applied to any defending armor units first before any other unit can be selected as causality. Armor units chosen as casualties can also include artillery units. Sometimes in the course of rolling an automatic retreat result (see below) may apply and these units retreat and take no further part in combat.
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The defender then rolls for his defending units including those selected as causalities again trying to roll at or lower than each unit’s defense value. Second, each defending combat unit rolls for each unit using their defense value. Lastly, the defending player removes all hits first, followed by the attacking players’ casualties. The attacker must remove loses in the same manner as required by the defender.
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The attacker followed by the defender can now make retreat declarations. All units engaged in combat have a voluntary and an automatic (forced) retreat option. Full or partial retreats by either side are allowed after the first round of combat and only the currently engaged units’ can fire at each other. Retreating units do not get to fire as they retreat. All units left to fight still roll on defense in the normal fashion. Note: Any defending Infantry that decides to retreat after any combat round is subject to a roll of one D6 and is lost on a roll of one. This is to simulate the ability of the attacker to “envelop†and capture enemy forces that did not escape the retreat.
In the second case specific rolls during land combat can result in automatic retreats which result in that unit having no further part in combat. All attacking units must retreat to original territories from where they attacked, while defending units simply move to an adjacent friendly territory. Automatic retreats do not occur to units performing Paratrooper drops, or Amphibious Landings. Defending units in Territories that contain an Industrial Complex are exempt from this rule. All artillery units and any planes involved in air combat can ignore automatic retreat results. Each nation has a specific propensity to be forced into automatic retreats as follows:
Germany: 6 ( optional SS panzer unit is exampt
German minor axis allies (Rumania, Hungary, and Bulgaria): 5-6
Italy: 5-6
Japan: 6
Soviet Union: 5-6 (optional Shock troops are exempt)
U.K.6
U.S.A.:6
- If the defender is either destroyed or retreats, then the attacker automatically occupies the territory and a control marker is placed in the territory.
Anti-Air Artillery Defense
Industrial Complexes and Victory Cities have a fixed preemptive defense against air attacks as follows: First roll a D6 and if the result is a 2-3, then that plane has to return to its original base of departure and take no further part in combat. If you roll a one then continue to the next section. If on the second roll you obtain a one result then that plane is destroyed. The total number of actions in this manner against air units during any turn cannot exceed a total of three attacks. In no other respects can ground “units†target air units.
RETREATS
Except for strategic air missions, where the defending intercepting units simply return home after one round, after any round of combat, either player may decide to withdraw and retreat. After any combat round, retreating attacking units do not all have to retreat to the same territory, but it must be from original territory where the attack began. Defending units that cannot retreat ground units on an island, or evacuating ground units in excess of transport capability must remain and continue to fight. Note: These ground units that engage in combat which results in automatic retreats simply take no further part in combat. They retreat back to their original territory and do not suffer return fire. Defending units in either Victory Cities or Industrial Complexes that roll automatic retreat rolls as the defender can ignore these rolls. They also have at their option the ability to conduct a naval evacuation if friendly transports are in adjacent sea zones. Destroyed units that roll in combat ignore automatic retreat results as they have already been selected at casualties. Note: units rolling automatic retreat rolls during invasions are required to convert those forces into Light Infantry as they embark on transports.
Air Missions:
You may perform one of 9 missions for each air unit during each turn. Some missions such as Strategic Air defense, Defensive Air Support (DAS) and Maritime Coastal Defense can be played as the defender during your opponents turn. In each case air units will invariably conduct combat against each other and now have modified air combat values as follows:
Unit…. As attacker As defender
Fighter… 1-2… 1-3
Dive-Bomber…1… 1
Bomber… 1… 1
Jet Fighter…2X 1-4… 2X 1-4
Jet Bomber… 1-2… 1-2
Air Combat Sequence:
1)The attacker moves planes into the defenders territory (along with possible land forces).
2)Possible Anti- Aircraft rolls are performed in territories with a VC or Complex.
3)The defender can allocate air units in defense.
4)Aerial combat occurs for a specific duration of separate combat rounds (as outlined by a specific air combat mission). The combat values of all planes are outlined in the above chart.
5)Once the defender has either been destroyed or retreats, then the attacker can conduct his original air mission.
Note: The above air unit values apply to air to air combat. The value of planes attacking land targets is the unit’s normal combat values. In any case after clearing the skies of enemy air units you may now perform one type of air mission summarized as follows:
- Tactical Air Command Missions:
A. Close Air Support
The use of planes to support ground attacks is a basic use of airpower. Each Fighter or Dive-bomber can aid one armored unit with a +1 attack modifier at a 1/1 basis. Defending ground units can call on DAS if they have fighters in range (see below).
B. Interdiction
Each Bomber can attempt to stop the movement of enemy units out of a given territory. The Bomber is placed into the space until the following turn when it can then be used for further missions. For each Armor class unit that attempts to move into or leave the space is subject to a roll of one D6. A roll of 1 and the unit is destroyed. A roll of 2-3 and the unit may not leave the space that turn.
C. Air Transport
Bombers can transport up to two Infantry units from one territory to another (of any type). The transport path can be over either land or sea zones. All air transport is done during the non-combat movement phase.
D. Airborne Assault
Only Airborne Infantry can carry out such missions and a drop cannot be greater than two territories from any friendly unit. Bombers are the only units that can drop such units. And they cannot perform any other functions on the turn they drop Paratroopers. Note: No more than two paratroopers can be dropped by each bomber per turn. Paratroopers must start out on the same space as the Bombers that carry them.
During the phasing players turn the defender also has a number of actions that they can undertake as follows:
E. Defensive Air Support (DAS)
During Ground Combat Resolution, defending fighters may move from an adjacent territory and participate in the defense of friendly ground units being attacked. Movement of these units takes one full combat round before they can be used. (Example: On round one, the defending player announces that he will dispatch fighters and on round two they are used in combat). Note: Any air units in the territory can immediately participate in DAS missions. All air units then fight combat rounds concurrent but separate to the current ground combat rounds. Aircraft called up for DAS missions are not committed to fight a minimum number of combat rounds. For example: defensive Air Support was called in on combat round one and ready to fight on round two, but the defender rolled very poorly on his first round and decided to call off DAS and retreats his forces. At the end of ground combat resolution, surviving Defensive Air Support (DAS) units must return to their original territory, if possible. All hits and loses from air combat are taken from those participating air units until 1) only one side has planes, 2) one side retreats their planes, or 3) one side retreats his ground units thus ending combat. Note: planes that “retreat†do not get a free parting shot from enemy planes. If only one side has planes left over after destroying enemy air units; further hits can “spill†over as hits on ground units. On their own turn they can still move into new combat missions, but they cannot perform multiple defensive air functions such as DAS and coastal defense. Only one action can be done on their turn, and one action delegated in a defensive action during another players turn.
F. Maritime Coastal Defense
During Naval Combat Resolution, defending air units (including bombers) may move to an adjacent sea zone to participate in the defense of friendly naval units being attacked, or where defending naval units are conducting combat against enemy naval units that have ended their movement in the defender’s sea zone (including during amphibious assaults). Movement of these units takes one full combat round before they can be used. (Example: On round one, the defending player announces that he will dispatch fighters and on round two they are used in combat). At the end of naval combat resolution, surviving coastal defense air units must return to their original land territory, if possible.
Air units may provide coastal defense even if the land territory they are from is under attack. They may provide coastal defense, defend the land territory, or provide strategic air defense; they may not do more than one. At the end of combat resolution, if the territory a defending air unit flew from is captured, the air unit must fly to the closest friendly territory within its flight range. If no friendly territory is available, the defending air unit is eliminated.
- Strategic Air Command:
A. Strategic Bombing Run
Each player can bomb enemies Industrial Complex as follows: 1) each bomber (and possible escorts) moves over a targeted IC. 2) The defending player can fire any AA shots on each plane and/or he can call in defensive air support for one round of air combat. 3) Each surviving bomber rolls two D6 with the result equaling the number of IP that is lost from defending players next turn. When you attack/perform SBR attacks you take of the money from those nations IP balance. An IC may lose more IP than its printed value.
B. Air Escort
All air units (except bombers) may accompany moving bombers or naval units as far as their range allows them and participate in air combat, but they may only enter three sea zones to the target territory and three sea zones when returning from the target territory.
C. Strategic Air Defense
Directly before strategic bombers roll for damage on an IC, defending fighters in the territory may defend against bomber (and their escorts, if any) with one round of combat. Defending Industrial Complexes have a built in AA gun defense against each attacking air unit. The strategic bombers and their escorts can only target defending fighters (and not any ground units). Any surviving bombers may then bomb the IC.
Rail Movement
All ground forces that begin in a friendly territory can obtain a movement bonus of double its current movement allowance. However, all movement must be limited to only traveling along this path and must also end in a territory with a rail line. The enemy can also conduct Air interdiction forcing these units to possible attacks. Rail movement is only performed during the non- combat movement sequence.
The Rail capacity for each nation is as follows:
Germany 9
Italy 5
U.S.S.R 6
United Kingdom 6
Japan 6
U.S.A. 10
This idea is basically combining my previous strategic redeployment ideas to facilitate additional movement.