"Stosstruppen" reflect batallion level combat during the final years of WW1. These rules aim to give a quick game with simple mechanics, that can be easily memorised. Long lists of die roll modifiers are avoided, instead different types of dice are used.

A. Basing. All Foot figures are put on bases or units, 40x40mm, say, 3 figures per base. Artillery (with crew) is also put on bases, with the same frontage and as deep as necessary. Vehicles are put on bases as large as necessary. (This is a suggestion for 1/72 scale figures, but the base size is not crucial, as long as the players use identical sets.)

B. Scale. In a tabletop game, scales can only be approximations, and in these rules 1cm equals some 15-20 meters, one game turn equals about 20-30 minutes and one stand represent one platoon or battery.

A. At the start of the game determine who will be the First and the Second Player. The actual Game Play Sequence is determined by drawing Cards from the Sequence Deck. (See below.) At the start of each game turn, the sequence deck is shuffled, and when all cards have been drawn, the entire deck is reshuffled, and another turn starts.

B. The Sequence deck contains 8 cards:

A. There are three Morale Levels: Green, Regular and Veteran. (All troops on one side in a battle have the same level.) This Morale Level affects a number of things in the game, mainly through so called Morale Tests, called for at different points in the game. To perform a Morale Test roll 1d6 and consult this table:

A. Procedure. When called for by the proper card, the player may attempt to move those of his units that are allowed to move. Units that start their movement within 15cm of the players HQ unit, may always move. Other units must pass a Morale Test to move. The distance different types of units may move is given in the Capability Tables.

E. Terrain Cost. All units starting and ending on roads double their movement. Units that move in Woods or Ford pay the double amount of cm:s (e.g. to move 4 cm:s in Woods, will cost the unit 8 cm). Non-foot units that move in Cratered Ground pay the double amount of cm:s, foot units pay the normal amount. Only foot units (Rifle, Bombers, Pioneers, LMG, HMG, AT Rifles, Light Trench Mortars) may move in marsh, and pay the double amount of cm:s. Only foot units may enter buildings, and do so without extra cost.

G. Moving through units. Units may always move through friendly units, but never through enemy units.

A. Barbed Wire. Tanks cross barbed wire automatically. Other units must take a morale test to pass. If they fail, the may test again next movement phase.

B. Trenches. Foot units cross trenches automatically. Other units must take a morale test to pass. If a non-foot unit fail, it is immobilized there in that trench for the rest of the game. (It may fire.) Only foot units may enter or move along a trench. Non-foot units may start the game in a trench, but it that case they may not leave it.

C. Bunkers. One bunker may, as a rule, hold one foot unit. No others may enter. A unit in a bunker may only fire at targets that are within a 45° arc of the bunkers aperture/s.

A. Line of Sight. Fire against a target is only possible if there is a line-of-sight (LOS) between the firing unit and the target. The LOS may enter woods and buildings but may not pass through them. Hills block the LOS unless either the firing unit or the target is on a hilltop. No LOS may pass over a hill containing Woods or Buildings. Units and Barbed Wire never block LOS.

B. Spotting. Units in Woods or Buildings may not be fired upon unless spotted. They are spotted if a enemy unit comes within 10cm of them or if they open fire or move. And once spotted they stay spotted for the rest of the game.

C. Range. The scale of the game is such, that all weapons (except of course handguns, that are only used in Assaults anyway) are deemed to be capable of reaching any part of the table. The range is short if the target is within 10 cm; the range is long if the target is beyond 40 cm from the firing unit. When firing at short range, the die roll is modified by +1, when firing at long range with -1.

D. How to Fire. Different units use different types of dice when they fire. (See the Unit Capability Table.) To fire, the appropriate die is rolled, and the result, the Fire Value, is compared to the Protection Value of the terrain the target occupies. If the Fire Value is higher than the Protection Value, the target is hit.

E. Effect of Hits. When a unit is hit by non-Artillery fire it becomes pinned, when hit by Artillery fire it becomes suppressed. If a pinned or suppressed unit is hit by non-Artillery fire it simply stays pinned or suppressed, unless it is in the open, in which case it is eliminated. (For fire effect purposes, Ford and Marsh also counts as Open Terrain.) If a pinned unit is hit by Artillery fire – weather On-Board Guns or Mortars or Off-Board Barrages - it becomes suppressed, unless it is in the open, in which case it is eliminated. If a already suppressed unit is hit by Artillery fire it stays suppressed, unless it is in the open, in which case it is eliminated.

F. The Protection Value of Open, Ford and Marsh is 4, Woods 5, Buildings and Walls 6, Trench 7 and Bunker 9.

A. Unpinned and unsurpressed foot units only may perform assaults against any enemy units they are in base contact with. A single unit may only assault once per phase, but a unit may be assaulted by one unit on each base edge. All these attacks are one on one. In order to assault a unit in a trench, a building, a bunker or behind a wall, it is sufficient to be adjacent to that terrain feature itself.

B. Morale Tests. When a unit is moved adjacent to a enemy unit, it must take a Morale test. If it passes it stays adjacent (and may assault in the next assault phase). If not it is moved back 5cm from the enemy unit in question, if possible towards the own table edge, if not to any position not adjacent to a enemy unit. And when a enemy unit moves adjacent to a friendly unit, that friendly unit must take a Morale test. If it passes it stays put. If not it is moved back 5cm from the enemy unit in question, if possible towards the own table edge, if not to any position not adjacent to a enemy unit.

C. Procedure. Both the attacking and the defending players rolls the appropriate dies (See the Unit Capability Table). Units defending in a trench or a bunker gets a Bonus Die Roll, i.e. rolls a 1d3, and adds this to their normal die roll, unless attacked from a connected piece of trench in which case they get NO Bonus Die Roll. Then the unit that roll lowest is eliminated. In case of a tie nothing happens. Any unit successfully assault a enemy may enter the vacated terrain.

A. Pinned units may not move or initiate assaults, but they may fire. Suppressed units may not move, initiate assaults or fire. If assaulting a pinned unit, the attacker gets one Bonus Die Roll, i.e. +1d3. If assaulting a suppressed unit, the attacker gets two Bonus Die Rolls, i.e. +2d3. Note that only units in the Open are eliminated by additional hits, and that the only way to eliminate a unit in other types of Terrain is to assault it.

B. Rallying. The player tries to rally his disordered and pinned units in the rally phase by making a Morale Test for each of them. If the unit passes suppressed units become pinned, and pinned units become normal.

C. Demoralisation. When 50% of their original number of units have been destroyed (fractions rounded up) a Players Army will become Demoralised, and all subsequent Morale Tests will be modified by -1.

A. Anti-Tank Fire. Only Anti-Tank Rifle units, Infantry Guns, Field Guns, Tanks equipped with Guns, and German Light Trench Mortars may fire at Tanks. (See the Capability Tables to see what die is used.) Tanks may also be hit by Barrages. The appropriate die is rolled, and the final result, the Penetration Value, is compared to the Armour Value of the target. If the Penetration Value Value is higher than the Armour Value, then consult this table:

Note that a second hit automatically destroys a Tank. Modify die roll with +2 if the tank hit is Schneider CA.1.

B. Special AFV rules. Only FT 17:s can fire all round. All other Tanks can only fire at targets within a 45° arc of their weapons. Regardless of it’s real-life armament, a Tank may not fire more than twice in a turn: once with the Primary Armament, and once with the Secondary Armament. A Tank with it’s Main or Secondary Armament knocked out has it’s assault die roll halved (fractions rounded up).

A. A Player can be given a number of Barrage Markers, representing the employment of Off-Board Heavy Artillery. In his own Fire Phase he can place one or more of these on the table, but only on places that are in the LOS of one of his units. The next own Fire Phase he can start testing each Marker for the arrival of this Barrage. Roll 1d6: if 5-6, the barrage will arrive, otherwise he must test again the next fire phase. (A marker placed cannot be retaken or replaced.)

B. When the Barrage strikes, all units within 10 cm of the Marker (regardless if enemy or friends) are attacked, using 1d20. Then that Marker is discarded.

A. A Player can be given a number of Close Air Support (CAS) Markers, representing friendlu Air Attacks. These are placed exactly like Barrage Markers, with the exception that they may be placed anywhere on the table, regardless of Friendly LOS. Roll 1d6: if 5-6, the CAS will arrive, otherwise he must test again the next fire phase.

B. When the CAS arrives, first roll 1d6, to determine the type of Aircraft: 1-3 = A Single-seat Fighter, attack with 1d8; 4-6 = A Two-Seater Light Bomber, attack with 1d12. All units within 10 cm of the Marker (regardless if enemy or friends) are attacked. Then that Marker is discarded. CAS counts as Artillery for hit effect purposes.

A. AT Rifles. Unit equipped with AT Rifles are treated as Rifle units in every aspect except one: they are treated as a Light Infantry Gun when firing against Tanks. They may however, NOT fire at Long Range when attacking Tanks.

B. Mud. If mud is prevalent, then the movement allowance of each single units is determined by a die roll in each single instant. Foot units move as many cm:s as shown on 1d10. Light and Medium Infantry Guns move as many cm:s as shown on 1d8.

C. Gas. A Player may decide that a Barrage attack will be performed with Gas Shells. When the Gas Barrage strikes, all units within 20 cm of the Marker (regardless if enemy or friends) are attacked, using 1d10. Then that Marker is discarded.

NON-TANK CAPABILITY TABLE

· = Foot unit. * = May move if it didn’t fire, or fire if it didn’t move the current turn.

Plunging Fire Bonus = +1 to die roll if attacking unit in Trench or Craters

Direct Fire Bonus = +1 to die roll if attacking unit in Building or Bunker

Melee Die in Parenthesis = Unit may not Assault attack.

Range modifications = If range is short (10cm and less) +1 on die roll, if range is long (40cm and above) -1 on die roll.

TANK CAPABILITY TABLE

TERRAIN EFFECTS TABLE