WORLD WAR II RULES
GENERAL
These are fairly simple rules which require only tape measures and six-sided dice. The simplicity is good if you're playing the game with your children or if you just don't like complications.
The board is set up to 25mm (1/72) scale.
Pieces can move the indicated inches in each move (adjusted for up/down
hill and roads).
Dice are used for all shooting/fighting results (1 die/man). I suggest
at least 30-40 dice of at least three different colors. If 20 men are
shooting at 20 others, it's much easier to roll 20 dice all at once.
If the men are different types, use different colors for each type.
For projectiles, the "effect" is the dice numbers that
indicate a "hit" on the target (other numbers are a miss).
Soldiers hit then roll for survival (5,6 or 6 for artillery=
survive-flesh wound : 1-4 or 1-5 for artillery= dead & removed from
the game). Any man hit (in one turn) two or more times is automatically
dead (no survival). There are different effects for different
ranges.
Different types of men are subject to different effects from projectiles
and in melee (hand to hand) as shown below.
ARTILLERY AND TANKS
When an artillery/tank piece is going to fire, a clear plastic burst pattern
is put down (on top of troops,etc.) where the shell is supposed to hit.
For each shot a "ranging" shot is rolled with a die. The
number shown is what is needed for the piece to fire (basically is the
shell on target or a total miss). If you don't get the ranging
shot, remove the burst pattern. If you do get it, then you fire for
effect on everything under the pattern. The patterns are irregular
shapes as shown below with the approximate diameters;
Heavy artil./tank-3.5 in. (9 cm), Medium artil./tank-3 in. (8 cm), Light
artil./tank-2.5 in. (6 cm), Mortar/bazooka-1.5 in. (4 cm).
MACHINE GUN AND FLAME THROWER
Here, a pie wedge shaped clear plastic pattern is used to show what is
covered by a shot. The angle should be 25-30 degrees and the range for
the gun. It's best to have three separate size patterns for flat,
uphill, and downhill ranges.
BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
The basic idea here is that the buildings and structures are destroyed piece by piece
by artillery shots. Points are assigned to buildings or parts of
buildings (sections with separate roofs/1st and 2nd stories). For each
artillery shot on the building 2 dice are rolled and the total value is
subtracted from the buildings point total. There are 4 point ranges for
each building. FULL POINTS means men inside (not firing from doors or
windows) can not be hit by artillery (hits the roof first). NO ART.
COVER means men more than 2 inches from the wall can be hit by
artillery. Those less tha 2 inches from the wall still have over the
top cover (the projectile moving in an arc hits the wall not the men).
NO TOP COVER means the walls of the building are just piles of rubble
providing only small arms cover. ALL DEAD means whatever is left of the
building has just collapsed on everyone inside (good-bye). It's a
good idea to get out before this stage. In a similar manner, structures such as bridges and fort wall sections can be destroyed by artillery.
I've tried many variations to add to the reality of these games
(supply rules, morale rules (camp followers), etc.). Most of these
require ridiculous paperwork and slow the game to a crawl. Leaving them
out is less realistic but more fun.
MOVING
ALL MEN MOVE 6 INCHES.
CAVALRY MOVE 12 INCHES.
VEHICLE MOVING
| TYPE | MEN (RIDERS) | MOVE | EXTRA ARMS |
| HEAVY TANK/S.P. | 6/6 | 8" | 1 M.G. |
| MEDIUM TANK | 6 | 9" | 1 M.G. |
| LIGHT TANK | 6 | 10" | 1 M.G. |
| JEEP | 5 | 12" | 1 M.G. |
| HALF TRACK | 10 | 9" | 2 M.G. |
| TRUCK | 10 | 12" | 1 M.G. |
| LARGE L.C. | 50 UNITS | 8" | 2 M.G. |
| SMALL L.C. | 30 UNITS | 8" | 1 M.G. |
| MOVE | UP(-1/3) | DOWN(+1/3) | ROAD (+1/2) |
| 6" | 4" | 8" | 9" |
| 8" | 5.5" | 10.5" | 12" |
| 9" | 6" | 12" | 13.5" |
| 10" | 6.5" | 13.5" | 15" |
| 12" | 8" | 16" | 18" |
SMALL ARMS RANGES/EFFECTS
Ranges are adjusted for uphill or downhill.
|
TYPE |
NORMAL | UP (-1/4) | DOWN (+1/4) |
| INFANTRY | 12" | 9" | 15" |
| ARTILLERY MEN | 8" | 6" | 10" |
| PARATROOPS | 12" | 9" | 15" |
| SHARPSHOOTER (SHORT) | 12" | 9" | 15" |
| SHARPSHOOTER (LONG) | 16" | 12" | 20" |
| MACHINE GUN | 12" | 9" | 15" |
| FLAME THROWER | 8" | 6" | 10" |
| EFFECT | SPLIT UP |
| 1,2,3,4 | 1,2,3 = man hit 4 = horse hit |
| 1,2,3 | 1,2 = man hit 3 = horse hit |
| 1,2 | 1 = man hit 2 = horse hit |
| 1 | 1 = man hit |
PARATROOP LANDNGS
LANDING CRAFT
UNITS FOR L.C. LOADS and START OF GAME
| PIECE | UNITS |
| Tank, S.P. | 15 |
| Truck, Half Track | 10 |
| Jeep | 5 |
| Artillery | 3 |
| Man | 1 |
| Mortar | 1 |
| M.G. | 1 |
ARTILLERY RANGES
All ranges in inches. Ranges are adjusted for uphill or downhill.
| TYPE | NORMAL | UP (-1/4) | DOWN (+1/4) | RANGING SHOT |
| HEAVY TANK | 36-52 | 27-39 | 45-65 | 1,2 |
| 20-36 | 15-27 | 25-45 | 1,2,3 | |
| 5-20 | 5-15 | 5-25 | NONE | |
| MEDIUM TANK | 28-40 | 21-30 | 35-50 | 1,2 |
| 16-28 | 12-21 | 20-35 | 1,2,3 | |
| 5-16 | 5-12 | 5-20 | NONE | |
| LIGHT TANK | 24-32 | 18-24 | 30-40 | 1,2 |
| 16-24 | 12-18 | 20-30 | 1,2,3 | |
| 5-16 | 5-12 | 5-20 | NONE | |
| HEAVY ARTIL./S.P. | 52-72 | 39-54 | 65-90 | 1,2 |
| 32-52 | 24-39 | 40-65 | 1,2,3 | |
| 10-32 | 10-24 | 10-40 | NONE | |
| MEDIUM ARTIL. | 36-52 | 27-39 | 45-65 | 1,2 |
| 20-36 | 15-27 | 25-45 | 1,2,3 | |
| 10-20 | 10-15 | 10-25 | NONE | |
| LIGHT ARTIL. | 32-44 | 24-33 | 40-55 | 1,2 |
| 20-32 | 15-24 | 25-40 | 1,2 | |
| 10-20 | 10-15 | 10-25 | NONE | |
| MORTAR | 20-32 | 15-24 | 25-40 | 1,2 |
| 10-20 | 10-15 | 10-25 | NONE | |
| BAZOOKA | 3-24 | 3-18 | 3-30 | 1,2,3 |
FIRING RULES
CREWS (MINIMUM IS NEEDED TO FIRE WEAPONS OR MOVE VEHICLE)
| PIECE | MAXIMUM | MINIMUM |
| ARTILLERY | 5 | 2 |
| MORTAR | 3 | 1 |
| M.G. | 3 | 1 |
| S.P. | 6 | 2 |
| TRUCK, HALF TRACK, JEEP | 2 | 1 |
COVER
COVER REDUCES EFFECT BY 1
Anything reasonable provides regular cover from small arms and machine guns (NOT flame throwers).
Stone walls, buildings, and boulders (not little rocks), sand bags, etc., provide small arms and bazooka cover (not from flame throwers and artillery).
Jeeps do not provide cover for men inside.
Half tracks (armored) provide small arms, artillery and flame thrower cover for men inside.
Trucks provide only small arms and M.G. cover for men inside.
Tanks do not provide cover for riders.
Inside buildings with points provide complete artillery cover. IF MEN SHOOTING FROM WINDOWS & DOORS , they get NO cover from artillery, just regular cover.
Inside buildings with points ,building walls (2" high), cliffs (3" high), & castle walls (3" high) provide complete over the top artillery cover (men within 2" of wall/cliff). i.e. they can not be hit by projectiles moving in an arc.
There is no over the top artillery cover from mortars.
Artillery by itself does not provide cover.
Men shooting down from a cliff have small arms, M.G., and bazooka cover from men below.
The train moves 12" every move from the end of the board. May be used for cover but not boarded.
EXTRA MOVING RULES
AT LEAST 1/2 of army must come on in the first move (by units).
"RIVER" = minimum of 4" wide.
Across river, men lose 1/2 move (once) and can't fire while in
river.
Men can carry M.G.s, flame throwers, and mortars across rivers.
Across river, vehicles lose 1/2 move (once).
No vehicles can enter pond or bay.
Men lose 3" crossing barbed wire.
MEN cross (swim) pond or bay at 1/2 move (can't fire).
Bazookas, M.G.s, and mortars can not be in pond or bay (too deep).
1 man can move a M.G. or mortar 6"/turn (can fire in the same turn).
1 turn to turn an artillery piece by men (can not fire in same turn).
Vehicles can move single file only on roads.
Vehicles must have one man driving to move.
Vehicles can cross barbed wire, bushes and small rocks (not walls or boulders).
Vehicles can not cross tank traps.
AM.G. in vehicle must be manned by other than the driver.
Vehicle load/unload, artillery hitch/unhitch = 1/2 move. i.e. these can take 1/2 move before or after.
Tanks can not enter castle.
1 man can set 2 tank traps (1 inch apart) in 1 move.
1 man can lay 2 inches of barbed wire in 1 move.
Doors, etc. can not be opened or closed in same turn as troops passing
through them.
MELEE
MAXIMUM "GROUP" = 10 MEN (for stay/retreat).
If attacker fires and melees, enemy killed by fire are removed
before the move to melee.
Retreat is a full move away from the enemy.
1 ST ROUND
Attacker rolls-if hit, defender is dead (no survival).[attacker
advantage]
if miss, defender fights back.
Defender rolls-if hit, attacker rolls for survival.
if miss, both decide for stay/retreat (hidden paper, show at same time)
for each group.
2ND... ROUND
Attacker rolls-if hit, defender rolls for survival BUT DEAD fight back
before being removed.(fighting at same time)
if miss, defender fights back.
Defender rolls-if hit, attacker rolls for survival.
if miss, both decide for stay/retreat (hidden paper, show at same time)
for each group.
MELEE WITH GUN CREW
If not fighting the whole crew and the attacker wins, the rest of the
gun crew MUST ATTACK in the same turn and finish the melee. Can't
have mixed crews on a piece.
| MEN | NEEDED TO KILL |
| Infantry | 1,2,3 |
| Paratroops | 1,2 |
| Sharpshooters | 1,2,3 |
| Artillery men | 1,2,3,4 |
| Flame thrower man | 1,2,3,4 |
| Bazooka man | 1,2,3,4 |
| Cavalry | 1,2 |
CASTLE
1 full move to open/close doors.
When all points on a wall section are gone, all men on top
are gone.
When a cannon is hit by a "1", take 5 points off the wall
section.
Men can move on/off walls only at corners.
Doors can be blown off with a "1" from artillery.
STORMING
1/2 move to put up ladder (within 1" of wall).
1 move - 2 men on ladder (no firing).
1 move - men on ladder melee with 2 men in fort (no attack
advantage).
If ladder men win, put on wall.
If men stay at top of ladder, others can follow.
2 men can push ladder off wall by rolling 1,2.
Men on ladder when pushed off need 4,5,6 to survive.
On walls, only 2 men can melee at a time in each direction.
BRIDGES
1 bridge can be built by 10 men in 10 moves or 5 men in 20 moves or 1
man in 100 moves.
Artillery shots remove points at 2 die/shot.
Large bridges have 30 points at the start and allow vehicles and men 4 abreast.
at 20-30 points the bridge is OK.
at 10-19 points the bridge can hold men (4 abreast) and UNarmored vehicles only.
at 1-9 points the bridge can hold men (2 abreast) only.
Foot bridges have 15 points at the start and allow men 2 abreast.
at 10-15 points the bridge is OK.
at 1-9 points the bridge can hold men (single file) only.
BUILDINGS
Artillery shots remove points at 2 dice/shot.
Must erase 2nd floor to get 1st floor.
| FULL | NO ARTIL. | NO OVER | ALL |
| POINTS | COVER | TOP COVER | DEAD |
| 50-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | <=10 |
| 40-25 | 24-17 | 16-9 | <=8 |
| 30-19 | 18-13 | 12-7 | <=6 |
| 20-13 | 12-9 | 8-5 | <=4 |
CASTLE AND BUILDINGS
CASTLE TOWERS = 20 POINTS