DRAFT ASL CAMPAIGN SYSTEM Introduction: This is an attempt to link the Generic Universal Role-Playing System (GURPS), published by Steve Jackson Games, and the Advanced Squad Leader (ASL) board game, published by Avalon Hill. The player-character, or characters, are infantry, cavalry, or armor officers or senior NCO's in an army during World War II. The referee must have a fair knowledge of the history of the period, and/or access to a good research library, in order to gamesmaster the operational level of the game. Characters' individual abilities will influence the outcome of battles that they participate in through pre-battle reconnaissance and occasional opportunities for heroic behavior. Characters' GURPS skills will aslo translate into ASL terms, where they will be represented by leader counters. The players will control units under their command in ASL scenarios generated by the operational procedure. For those readers unfamiliar with the GURPS system, it is a relatively popular role-playing system which strikes what I feel is the correct balance between realism and heroic fiction in its personal combat systems. It is truly generic, in that anything from broadswords and magic spells to rayguns and spaceships can be simulated with the assistance of a large number of "sourcebooks." No sourcebook has ever been produced (to my knowledge) for WWII. Character generation in GURPS is carried out without the assistance of dice (unlike many role-playing games). Players have a certain number of character points with which they can purchase inherent attributes (strength, dexterity, health, and intelligence), skills, and "advantages" (like social standing or pre-game reputation, or good luck) for their characters. They can also take "disadvantages" (like odious personal habits, addictions, physical disabilities) which are worth extra points. The referee may award further character points during play as a reward for good roleplaying or for achieving some mission or surviving some hazard. Success in actions attempted by GURPS characters is usually determined by rolling three six-sided dice. If the total is less than or equal to the relevant skill level, as adjusted for circumstances, they have succeeded. A roll of 3 or a 4 (increased for superlative skills or lots of positive skill modifiers) is a Critical Hit. A roll of 17 is always a failure and a roll of 18 is always a critical miss, with unfortunate effects for the poor sap who rolled it. Anybody who is going to try this thing out, please pick up a copy of the GURPS Basic Set, or adapt the rules to the RPG rules system of your choice. I used GURPS because it is pretty widely-known and is not "hardwired" into fantasy or SF roleplaying or the middle ages. Player Characters (PC's) Character Points Second Lieutenants right out of college should have 100 points. Each year of peacetime military service, or non- military post-college experience, should give an additional 12 points (so a captain with five years of service, or a 26- year-old civilian, would have 160 points to spend). Referees may allow characters to have served in combat before, if their national army had been to war during the appropriate time period (e.g., Russians, Italians and Germans in Spain, 1936 - 1939, Russians and Japanese in Manchuria, 1936, Japanese and Chinese in China 1936- 1939, Italians in Ethiopia 1935, British in colonial wars). Each month of combat experience is worth two character points for this purpose only (character point awards during play are explained below). Attributes There is no fixed limit on points spent on attributes. However, points spent on attributes over a per-character limit of 80 cost double. That is, a character with all attributes at 14 (book cost 180 points) would cost 280. Advantages and Disadvantages Military Rank: Characters must take the military rank advantage. One character in each group must be at least a captain. Other characters must be at least platoon sergeants. Military ranks (using U.S. Army rank structure) are as follows: Rank GURPS Military Rank level E1 - E3 1 E4 - E6 or O1 - O2 or CWO1 2 E7 - E8 or O3 - O4 or CWO2 3 E9 or O5 or CWO3 4 O6 5 O7 6 Very early in anyone's military career, they learn that the highest rank in the U.S. Army is sergeant. Other armies, at least the successful ones, have the same effective rank structure. Since Military Rank as a GURPS advantage affects the reaction of military personnel to the character, it should cost more character points to be a senior NCO than to be a junior officer. No player-characters may exceed the ranks given above (generals, command sergeant-majors, and warrant-officer 4's don't generally mess about in company- scale engagements or otherwise get themselves shot at). If a character gets promoted off the scale above, he must be retired but may be used as a Patron for a successor character at half Character Point cost. Required Disadvantage All characters must take the 20-point "Extremely Hazardous Duty" disadvantage which does not count against any maximum number of points in disadvantages, if the referee has set a maximum. Prohibited Disadvantages People with crippling physical disadvantages would be invalided out of the army in peacetime. Characters who start later in the war may have such disadvantages if they are to be assigned to home defence units (Russian militia, partisans, Volkssturm, etc.). Characters who acquire these disadvantages during play may find themselves transferred involuntarily to the home guard or to training unless they can use their Reputation, Patrons, Contacts, etc. to fight transfer (assuming anyone would want to...) Serious psychological disorders such as Addiction to an illegal substance, Berserk, Major or Severe Delusion, Kleptomania, Paranoia, Cowardice, Severe Phobia, etc. would also be likely to get a character invalided out of the military. Sadism, Fanaticism, Overconfidence, Impulsiveness, or Unluck might cause problems for a character's career but might make him more interesting to play. Some disadvantages are not applicable. A character's Dependents are at risk, from enemy bombs and from the results of defeat -- German characters, do your loved ones live in Prussia or Silesia? Japanese, in Hiroshima or Tokyo? Russians, anywhere west of Leningrad - Moskva - Stalingrad (especially if they're Jewish)? However, this can't be a character disadvantage, since the character's actions don't directly affect the dependents' chances of survival. Skills New Skill: Area Knowledge (Enemy army) -- Defaults to IQ - 5 or Savoir-Faire (Military) - 4 This skill includes knowledge of an enemy army's equipment, TO&E, group psychology and training methods, tactical doctrine, personality of senior leaders, and unit traditions. It is specific for each enemy army. Skill with an army which cooperates with the target army in training, equipment, etc., defaults at - 2 (i.e., British with Australian, Free French with U.S.Army, Italians with Germans, etc.) Officer characters are university graduates and must spend at least 21 points on academic skills (referee's judgement as to what would be taught in a university -- must be a cluster of skills related to a recognized academic discipline). NCO characters are either college dropouts or trade school graduates and must spend 10 points on academic or trade-related skills. Military skills are expressed as a template. That is, all characters must spend enough Character Points to bring them up to the template skill level. If the character's default skill is equal to or greater than the template, at least one character point must be spent on that skill for each time military training is received. All characters have had basic training. Military basic training gives the following minimum skills: (TL =3D Tech level. TL6 is the "Modern Age" 1900 - 1950) Guns (TL6 Rifle) 10 First Aid (TL6) 9 Driving (TL6 Wheeled) 10 Savoir-faire (Military) 12 Climbing 10 Spear (Rifle bayonet) 11 Brawling 12 Characters will receive advanced training in their area of specialization. Infantry Characters receive the following minimum skills: Guns (TL6 Rifle) 12 Guns (TL6 Machinegun) 10 Throwing 12 Camouflage 12 Orienteering 10 Knife 12 Stealth 10 Gunner (TL6 Mortar) 10 Forward Observer 10 Cavalry branch characters receive the following skills: Guns (TL6 Rifle) 12 Guns (TL6 Machinegun) 10 Throwing 12 Riding 12 Orienteering 10 Saber or Spear (lance) 12 Veterinarian 10 Gunner (TL6 Mortar) 10 Forward Observer 10 Armor branch characters receive the following minimum skills: Gunner (TL6 Tank gun) 12 Guns (TL6 Machinegun) 12 Drive (TL6 Traced vehicle) 12 Guns (TL6 SMG) 9 Mechanic (Diesel engine) 12 Armorer (TL6 tank guns and MG's) 11 Characters must also spend 8 character points during advanced training to raise a single skill above the template level. This is the character's specialization skill (MOS). Officers and NCO's must also have the following minimum skills, in addition to their basic and branch training (from OCS or ROTC or NCO academy or whatever): Administration 13 Detect Lies 9 First Aid 12 Orienteering 12 Tactics 10 Area Knowledge (one enemy army) 10 Scrounging (for NCO's only) 12 Forward Observing 12 Leadership 10 Each four years of military service, the character will be sent to a specialist school. Spend at least four points on any military skill or cluster of skills relating to a specific speciality. Remaining character points may be spent on any skill or advantage within normal GURPS restrictions. Remember the Unusual Background penalties. ASL Skills To determine the ASL playing piece which will represent each character in battles simulated using the ASL system, add Leadership, Tactics, and years of service. Years of service in which the character was involved in combat count double for this calculation. L + T + Experience ASLLeadership Modifier < 22 + 1 22 - 30 - 0 31 - 39 - 1 40 - 48 - 2 > 49 - 3 PC's unit counters improve in quality as their rating increases on this table. Leadership counters' morale starts at the lowest available at that level of Leadership Modifier. As soon as a character has completed one operation, use the higher-morale counter (e.g., switch from a 7 - 0 to an 8 - 0, from a 9 - 2 to a 10 - 2, etc.) Units Starting Unit During character generation, characters must also generate a starting unit that they will be assigned to. The starting unit will be an infantry or cavalry battalion or an armored or armored recon company. Establish a table of organization based on historical records if possible. Squads may be of whatever quality would be appropriate for nationality and time (but be careful about awarding elite status, which should typically only go to units with recent combat experience or very vigorous training). Leaders Fill the company and platoon commands and senior NCO spots with player characters if possible. If there are not enough player characters, generate NPC leader figures using the ASL DYO leader generation numbers. Count the PC's as the highest-valued leaders. That is, if the DYO procedure allocates a 9-2, a 9-1, 2 8-1's, 2 8-0's, and a 7-0 and there are three PC's, they would fill the slots held by the 9-2, the 9-1 and one of the 8-1's. The unit would have an 8- 1, 2 8-0's, and a 7-0 as NPC leader counters. Other NPC officers and senior EM's are not represented by leader counters (unless a leader is created by self-promotion). Integral Equipment The starting unit carries support weapons as determined by the DYO procedure. Further weapons are added either by attachment or through capture. Note that the DYO procedure awards less SW's than the historical TO&E. The DYO procedure probably better represents battlefield realities, and I recommend that referees follow it. ELR The starting ELR of the PC's unit should be assigned by the referee taking into account the Chapter H recommendations and historical circumstances. Operations Introduction The operational procedure is the method whereby this system generates ASL scenarios and GURPS individual-level battles. I envision the movement out-of- contact portion of the game to be a very loose Kriegspiel moderated by a knowledgeable referee. Nevertheless, the system can be broken down and quantified to some extent. Elaborating this portion of the rules will be the most critical part of getting this system ready for prime time! An operation is the period that the PC's brigade/division (that is, the major strategic element to which it belongs, the playing piece that it belongs to in a WWI operational-level boardgame like Europa) spends in contact with the enemy. Units didn't fight all the time in WWII. After a week or a month in the line, divisions would go to a quiet sector or a rear area for refit and to rest the troops. In situations where the line was static, divisions might hold the same sector, but their maneuver elements would come and go every couple of weeks. Only the direst strategic emergency would keep a soldier in the line for more than a month. In addition, the pace of fighting in a sector would wax and wane as troops got tired out and equipment got worn out. Sometimes, local informal cease- fires would hold for three or four days while replacements were brought up and assimilated, new equipment issued and the troops trained in its use, etc. The operational procedure treats each of the periods of activity as a "mini-campaign." Units receive some reinforcements and re-supply during the operation, but are filled back up to TO&E between operations. Overall Operational Plan The referee must determine the overall campaign objectives of the division/brigade to which the PC's unit belongs. The referee should determine the specific ground that the brigade is fighting over and the units that will oppose them, preferably from historical research. The referee should find a good map of the area that the operation will take place in (Michelin 1:200,000 road maps of western Europe are good, also Defence Mapping Agency 1:100,000's if you have some privileged access to government documents. WWII operational-level board games are also a good resource.) Pre-Operational Attachment Units will frequently be cross-attached at the beginning of the operation (as distinguished from attachment/detachment at the time of any given scenario, see below). Frequently, in the German, American, and post- 1941 Russian armies, for example, armored companies or platoons, if available, would be assigned to motorized or mech infantry battalions, rather than operating independently. Infantry battalions may also be assigned artillery, engineer, or other support elements that will accompany them throughout the operation. Note that non- infantry PC units will often be split up by this procedure. Although it is not strictly historical, allow the senior PC to take command of an infantry/armor task force that his armor unit has been assigned to (and make sure that all PC's accompany him, otherwise you'll have several campaigns to run at the same time!). The referee must arbitrarily decide what happens to pre-operational detachments from the PC armor unit -- perhaps they can be assigned the same casualty ratio as the PC's unit suffers. Overall commander The referee must also determine some characteristics of the brigade/regimental commander and the battalion commander, if he is not a PC, and the commanders of the opposing forces. Roll 2d6 + 6 for Tactics, Strategy, Leadership, and a characteristic called aggressiveness. To determine what ASL counter will represent those commanders, if necessary, assume that battalion commanders have twelve years' experience and brigade/division commanders have twenty, and use the ASL Skill rules, above. Pre-operational Intelligence PC's below the rank of major may be ordered on pre-operational reconnaissance missions. This is a good time for GURPS individual-level combat and skullduggery if referees wish to take the time to simulate. Observing ten enemy soldiers and/or vehicles and determining what unit they come from would constitute success, taking a prisoner and interrogating him successfully (be sure to average Interrogation skill with Area Knowledge (enemy)) would be critical success. If not, have PC's assigned to such missions make a Stealth and Intelligence roll, modified by +/- 1 for Lax/Stealthy opponents and by other modifiers as seem appropriate. Success on both rolls is a successful Recon, a critical on either roll with success on the other would constitute critical success on the mission. Blowing either roll critically means PC's are POW's or dead, roll up another one! Before beginning to simulate an operation, the referee must make a Strategy roll for the friendly and enemy brigade commanders. Add three to skill if PC's completed a recon, five if they brought back a prisoner, two if they did not attempt recon. (+2 for enemy's rolls) Add other appropriate modifiers for Lax/Stealthy, terrain, home country, etc. Number made (missed) by Known size of enemy Critical success equals true size 10 or greater +/- 5%, vehicles 3 - 9 +/- 10%, vehicles 0 - 2 +/- 25%, vehicles? (3) - (1) +/- 50%, vehicles? (10) - (4) +/- 100% Critical failure viciously wrong The notation "vehicles" means that the presence and type of enemy vehicles must be reported, and their numbers reported within the percentage range. "Vehicles?" means that the presence or absence of vehicles must be noted but type or numbers not specified. Even if the PC's saw an enemy vehicle during play at the GURPS individual level, the referee must follow the table above -- the PC's report was not believed or exaggerated. This percentage will aslo serve as the amount that the referee will over- or under- (at his whim) report enemy strength before each scenario where both forces don't start on the map. Operations Order This is a daily order from the brigade to its maneuver elements (which are typically battalions but might be smaller, even platoons in some cases, depending on the operational situation). It will specify a posture for the unit during the day, and an objective. The referee should take into account the overall operational objective, the known opposing forces, the brigade commander's aggressiveness, supply and casualty status of the maneuver element, and any other factors in assigning these operational orders. The Postures are: Posture SAN Mod Fortn Mod Random D100 roll Pursuit -2 0 01-05 Hasty Attack -1 .5 06-15 Prepared Attack +2 2.0 16-30 Recon in Force 0 0 31-50 Hasty Defence +1 2.0 51-65 Prepared Defence +3 3.0 66-80 Cautious Retreat +1 1.5 81-90 Retreat 0 1.0 91-95 Flight -2 1.0 96-00 Posture may be assigned randomly by referees. Modifiers to the d100 roll might be: battalion won its last scenario: -10 battalion lost its last scenario: +10 PC's side operational attackers -15 " " " defenders: +15 Size of enemy force: +/- known difference in size in BPV/10 Brigade commander's aggressiveness -2 x (agg-10) Pre-battle intelligence roll amount made or missed closer to "correct" posture Units may be assigned to change posture part-way through a day. That is, they may be ordered to move to an objective in "Recon in Force," then, if the objective is not occupied by the enemy or of the enemy is driven off, assume a "Hasty Defence" posture until the next morning. The objective is a geographical position, either to take or to hold. Attachments and Detachments Depending on the posture of the unit, the strength of the opposition, and the amount of time allowed to prepare for the battle, extra units or pieces of equipment can be allocated to each side's maneuver element from brigade or even higher headquarters. Alternatively, units or equipment from the battalion may be sent away to help other battalions during the operation. * The known enemy strength is the strength of the enemy's maneuver element closest to the PC's unit (in a fluid situation) or enemy forces directly opposed to the PC's element (in a more static one) before the attachment/detachment procedure for their force, but including units attached to that enemy element for the entire operation, and fortifications built on previous days -- modified by the operational intelligence condition (up or down as the referee wishes). The preliminary attachment/detachment factor is multiplied by: {[5d10 + 73 + (20 if posture "prepared") + (10 if posture "hasty") - (10 if posture "retreat" or "recon in force")] =F7 100}- 1 + (up to 0.5 at referee's discretion if division/brigade on strategic offensive) and this final factor is multiplied by the BPV strength of the unit. The result (if positive) is the number of BPV's that can be spent on extra infantry, guns, vehicles, SAN, increases, OBA, or MOL capability. Use the rarity factor for equipment so purchased, but the RF's of equipment not found in the superior brigade/division (Panthers in a leg infantry unit) are increased by 0.2. Units may purchase extra SW beyond those allocated by the DYO process at a cost of 15 BPV for light mortar or HMG, 8 BPV for a MMG, and 5 for a LMG. Light mortars and HMG's purchased in this fashion come with an infantry crew to man them. (This represents attachments from "machinegun" or "weapons" companies which were a feature of many armies' infantry formations during WWII.) Ordnance units or AFV's may be exchanged for OBA modules of the same caliber by giving up two on- board guns or AFV's for each module of OBA. These units must have a range greater than 40 hexes or a MA greater than 70mm (exception: for the special American battalion mortar OBA rule). If the product is negative, the unit must detach infantry or vehicles to assist other maneuver elements. The commander chooses the units to be detached. Infantry take leaders and SW with them in the numbers indicated in the DYO section of the rules, except that the PC's unit may always retain the last of any type of SW that it possesses and no PC leader units are detached, even if they would otherwise be required to go. Round fractions down for leadership generation and SW allocation for this purpose only. A player may exchange up to 1/3 of the BPV of his starting force for an equal BPV value of attachments. These are treated as off-setting detachments and attachments, as above. Attachments may enter as reinforcements. If they do, their BPV cost is 2/3 of normal. The referee must secretly roll d3 +1 for turn of entry. The owning player will be told the turn before his reinforcements are due to arrive. Attachments may also be placed on-map as "reserves," following the RB procedure. (Activated only when fired upon or approached too closely by enemy, represented as cloaking counters until then, all are activated if any are activated, must be deployed behind lines). Reserves cost 1/2 BPV. Fortifications are handled differently from the ASL DYO process. For all units which begin a scenario on-map, use the following formula to determine how many BPV the player receives to purchase fortification counters: [(squad equivalents)/2 + (engineer squads) + (BPV value of engineer vehicles)] x (number of days in same position since last scenario, maximum 7) x (number of weeks in same position since last scenario if over 1) x (factor assigned by referee to represent access to engineer supplies) x (national and unit-related characteristics) x (fort mod factor from the posture table). Fortification SSR: Pillboxes may be purchased with larger that 60 CA's, at an additional cost of 1/2 of the base BPV of the pillbox for each 60 increment. Maximum covered arc for a pillbox under this SSR is 180 . All attachments are withdrawn and all detachments are returned at the end of the scenario. Entrenchments, however, remain in place until the element changes position (obviously). If units of the same type are in the "base" force and attachments, losses are assessed proportionately between the attachment to be returned and the units to be retained. Detached forces' losses must be determined by the referee on the basis of what happened to the other elements of the division. Examples of attachment/detachment: 1. A battalion of German first-line infantry, at full strength, BPV value 280, is assigned to prepared defence. Intelligence reports that the Russians will attack in two- battalion strength with vehicles -- Known enemy strength is 425. The German player rolls a 35 on five ten-sided dice, so the Attachment/Detachment factor is .43 {[(35 rolled + 73 + 20 for prepared) =F7 100] - 1} x 1.52. The German player has 119 points to spend on OBA, additional troops or guns, etc. The German battalion consists of 28 squad equivalents, has been in position for one day, and the referee rules that the Germans have a 50% greater number of fortifications due to their lavish allocation of supplies and tactical doctrine. The German player has 63 points with which to construct fortifications if a scenario takes place on this day. The German player can detach as many as 93 BPV of his force (9 squads =3D 90BPV) in exchange for an equivalent number of attachments. 2. The same battalion is assigned to recon in force. Known opposing forces are limited to one Societ tank platoon with some infantry -- Known enemy strength is 200. the German player rolls a 12, so the Attachment/Detachment factor is - 0.1 {[(12 rolled + 73 - 10 for recon) =F7 100] - 1} x .71 (if the PC's division were on the strategic offensive, this factor could be increased up to positive .24). The German player must detach 28 BPV's from his force for this action. He does this by sending four squads. German leadership generation number is four, so one leader must be sent -- an 8-0. Assuming it is 1944, the German player must also send one LMG (but no larger weapons, since fractions are dropped). The German player can then elect to send as many as 93 BPV further as detachments in exchange for OBA, vehicles, etc. Weather and Darkness Roll for weather each day on the tables in ASL rule E3. Determine (if necessary, using an almanac) sunrise and sunset times. As you move units out of contact, be aware of how dark it is. Movement out of Contact Following the postures and tactical objectives selected above, the referee should move maneuver elements of the enemy's forces and of the player's side that are not under PC command about the battlefield. The best way to keep track of movements is to use a plastic overlay on the above-mentioned 1:100,000 scale maps. Referees should be aware that units never move as fast as they can. Leg infantry marches at about 5 kilometres an hour, vehicle convoys move at about 25 kph. However, in operational conditions, these speeds will only be achieved over a full day by units whose posture is Flight or Pursuit. Any other posture will slow them down, to a few kilometres a day, or a kilometre an hour while moving at all. The Allied armies broke out of the Normandy beachead on July 25th, 1944, and raced across France and Belgium against minimal opposition to arrive at the Dutch and German frontiers in early September. This "race" covered 750 kilometres in about 50 days -- that's 15 kilometres a day, a morning's stroll. The referee should move units along their pre- determined paths, informing the PC's from time to time of any unforeseen circumstances that their unit may encounter. They will know only sketchy details of the progress of other elements of their brigade/division. In fact, the referee should probably not bother keeping hour-by-hour track of the movements of friendly and enemy elements whose activities will not interfere with that of the PC's. Simply roll a quick contest of Tactics between the element commanders, modified as appropriate by the referee's estimation of the tactical situation, to determine if these elements reached their objectives. Determine casualties by combining the quick contest of Tactics results with an estimation of the intensity of the conflict derived from the postures of the two units (a Recon in Force vs. a Cautious Retreat will cause many less casualties than a Hasty Attack vs. a Prepared Defence). Unforeseen circumstances can include bridges out, streets too narrow for vehicles to pass, mechanical failure in vehicles, nervous point men seeing nonexistant enemy ambushes (dumb ones not seeing real ambushes is covered in the tactical intelligence procedure, below), and other things that the referee's ingenuity may suggest. NPC units may become lost. Roll Orienteering or Intelligence rolls for their commanders to avoid this. Depending on how seriously they blew their rolls, they may be delayed arriving at their objectives, or they may find their way to someplace completely different and assume it is their objectives. When the PC's unit comes in contact with an enemy maneuver element, an ASL scenario has occurred. Contact is defined as being aware of the near presence of the enemy. This is normally within three kilometres (75 ASL hexes) modified up or down for weather, terrain, stealthieness of troops (if one unit is moving stealthily in an attempt to sneak up on the other -- they must have known they were there already), posture (units moving quickly don't have so many patrols and point squads out and don't become aware of an enemy so quickly) possession of vehicles by the moving side(s), and other modifiers as appropriate. Patrolling/Tactical Intelligence: This may be another opportunity for those referees interested in simulating combat on an individual level to run a patrol led by PC's in the GURPS system. Success would mean observing several enemy soldiers or vehicles and determining what unit they come from. Capturing and successfully Interrogating a POW would be a critical success. If individual-level simulation is not desired or attempted by PC's, abstract it as in the pre-Operational intelligence rule. Roll a quick contest of Tactics between the PC commanding the maneuver element and the commander of the enemy unit. Characters' effective skills are modified by the following factors: Made (missed) pre-operational intelligence roll +/- X =F7 2 (in 2nd and subsequent days of combat, improve Op. Intel level by 1 line on chart) Friendly units stealthy or elite +1 Friendly units lax or conscript -1 Friendly units partisans in their home area +2 Friendly units in their home country +1 PC successfully completes recon +2 PC critically succeeds in recon/captures POW +4 PC does not attempt recon +1 Posture "attack" or "recon" -2 Posture "defence" +2 Posture "hasty" -1 Posture "prepared" +1 Terrain generally open +1 to attacker Terrain offers good concealment +1 to defender Restricted visibility due to weather +1 to defender Night +2 to defender Both sides ended last scenario on map and have not moved operationally since then reduce surprise condition by 1 The outcome of this quick contest gives a surprise condition: Contest outcome Surprise Condition PC lost (gained) by 10 or greater Enemy total 5 - 9 Enemy surprise 3 - 4 Enemy partial (2) - 2 none (3) - (4) Friendly partial (5) - (9) Friendly surprise (10) or greater Friendly total Map selection The referee should choose maps that simulate as closely as possible the terrain on the operational map. Use sufficent numbers of maps to constrict counter density sufficiently to represent a battle of appropriate intensity, based on the size and posture of the two units. A battalion in prepared attack posture might have a frontage of 20 -30 hexes, or the width of two mapboards, while the same battalion in recon in force might cover as much as the width of two mapboards. The referee should also take into account the presence of adjacent friendly units or impassable terrain features, and the type of terrain (cities tend to constrict battles while open country spreads them out) in map selection. Deployment Deployment for the scenario depends on both sides' postures and the tactical intelligence condition: Effect of Posture: Hasty Attack, Pursuit, or Recon in Force: enter the map via a friendly mapedge Prepared Attack: deploy on-map within 5 hexrows of a friendly mapedge Hasty Defence, Cautious Retreat, Retreat or Flight: deploy at least 15 hexrows from a friendly mapedge, but no closer than 6 hexrows from a hostile mapedge. Prepared Defence: deploy around a prominent terrain feature. Effect of surprise: If the attacker is totally surprised, the defender can deploy 1/3 of his squads and any leaders/SW that accompany them in HIP and receives dummies equal to his squad equivalents. The attacker must deploy first (including off-board if he is to enter on turn 1). If the defender is totally surprised, the attacker has managed to infiltrate his troops. Deploy both sides on the mapboard (even if this would not otherwise be permitted by the attacker's posture), with the defender deploying first. The attacker can deploy anywhere except within 2 hexes of the defender's units. The attacker receives dummies equal to 1/2 of his squad equivalents. If the attacker is surprised, the defender gets dummies equal to 1/2 of his squad equivalents, and may deploy three squads (etc.) in HIP. The attacker must deploy first if he is to deploy on-map. If the defender is surprised, the attacker gets dummies equal to 1/3 his total number of squads. The defender must deploy first. The attacker may deploy 1/3 of his squads anywhere on the map not within 2 hexes of defender's units. If the attacker is partially surprised, the defender gets concealment markers equal to 1/3 his squads, and may deploy one squad in HIP. The attacker deploys first. If the defender is partially surprised, the attacker gets three dummies and may deploy three squads (etc.) anywhere on the map not within 2 hexes of defender's units. Defender deploys first. If there is no surprise, defender deploys first and neither side gets dummies to start (although usual ASL procedure is followed for concealment gain in the first Rally Phase). ** "Attacker" means a force that begins off-board. If both forces begin off-board, then side with surprise advantage deploys portion of its force on-board after other side deploys its forces for entrance on turn 1 -- no "ambushing" forces may be deployed within 2 hexes of surprised side's entry hexes. SAN: A unit's basic SAN is 2. Modifications are: Posture: as per posture table, above If the unit has engaged in combat before during this operation and not suffered more than 75% casualties +1 Bought with BPV's (10 per increase) +X Majority squad type elite +1 Majority squad type 2nd line or green -1 Majority squad type conscript -2 Partisan unit +1 Scenario takes place at night +1 Nationality modifier (assigned by referee) +/- X Adjusted SAN may not exceed 6 or go below 2. Extra values above 6 may be exchanged for reductions of the enemy's effective SAN. Objectives The "victory conditions" for the scenario depend on the posture of the units involved: Pursuit: The enemy is expected to be fleeing in disarray. Victory conditions are to traverse the mapboard with at least 75% of the unit's strength in a time not to exceed one turn per four hexes traversed for foot troops, less if the unit is mounted. Hasty Attack: The enemy is expected to put up a holding action in the maneuver element's area of operations (AO). Victory conditions are to traverse the mapboard with at least 60% of the unit's strength in a time not to exceed one turn per two hexes traversed for foot troops, less if the unit is mounted, or to occupy a prominent terrain feature (referee's decision depending on operational objectives). Prepared Attack: The enemy is expected to defend the AO in strength. Victory conditions are to take a prominent terrain feature without taking more than 50% casualties. Recon in Force: The enemy is expected to be present in force to great to be dislodged by the element. They must be bypassed or neutralized. Victory conditions are to take a prominent terrain feature while suffering less than 50% casualties or to exit at least 30% of the maneuver element off the enemy mapedge, and/or to inflict more casualties than suffered (referee's option for one or more of the above). Hasty Defence: An enemy attack is expected. The maneuver element is to hold a prominent terrain feature and/or prevent the enemy from exiting more than 50% of his strength off a friendly boardedge. Prepared Defence: An enemy attack in force is expected. The maneuver element is to either 1. hold a prominent terrain feature or 2. exit more units off its end of the map than does the enemy, having inflicted casualties of at least 25%. Cautious Retreat: An enemy attack is expected in such force that the maneuver element cannot hold its position and must give ground. The side must inflict at least 10% casualties on the enemy and exit more units off its end of the map than the enemy. Retreat: The maneuver element must evade an enemy thrust that would overpower it if met directly. Victory conditions are to exit at least 75% of the starting force off a friendly mapedge (and enemy units have an opportunity to intercept the friendly force, otherwise it wouldn't be a scenario). Flight: Same as above, but total that must be exited is 50% Note that these victory conditions are brigade/division's expectations of the units. In some cases, the victory conditions may be impossible to achieve. In others, they may be laughably simple. It may be possible for both sides to achieve their objectives. Achieving "victory conditions" affects higher headquarters' view of you, your chances for promotion, etc., but your real objective is to stay alive and preserve your unit as intact as possible. Part of the skill of the players will be to figure out when to cut and run -- just like real life! Battle Battles are resolved by playing out an ASL scenario, with players controlling the PC unit and the referee controlling all other units. Standard scenario length is 8 turns +/- d3, but may be longer or shorter depending on victory conditions (if attacker must traverse a 32-hex long board at two hexes per turn, the scenario must therefore last 16 turns (so referees should usually be careful to use board widths for hasty attack scenarios) Player-characters may influence the outcome of events both in their capacity as SMC leader counters and through "heroic actions." Three times during a battle (scenario), at a time of his choosing (during the appropriate ASL phase), each character involved in action may attempt a "heroic action." If the PC passes a Task Check, he may either: 1. Fire his personal weapon in support of an IFT attack made by the inherent firepower of any MMC he is stacked with (or of an FG it is a part of). A successful Guns roll (as modified for range, cover, visibility etc. per the GURPS rules) subtracts one from the IFT resolution die roll. 2. Direct a SW's fire. A successful Guns or Gunner roll (as modified) subtracts one from TH or IFT resolution die roll, as appropriate (including that of an FG if the SW is otherwise permitted to participate in an FG). 3. Rally troops. Making his GURPS Leadership skill roll rallies one MMC automatically (and other MMC's he is stacked with can roll normally using his ASL leadership mods as always). 4. Engage in close combat. Making a Throwing, personal weapon (Guns, Spear (bayonet), or Knife), or Brawling roll gives -1 to friendly resolution rolls of a close combat that the PC leader counter participates in. 5. Direct ordnance fire. A successful Forward Observer or Gunner roll, as appropriate, gives a -1 to the initial accuracy or direct-fire ordnance/vehicle gun TH roll. 6. Perform an engineering task. If the PC's leader counter is stacked with a MMC attempting such a task, a successful Engineering (Combat) or Demolitions roll will clear one hex of rubble, mines, wire, roadblock, etc. or dig a foxhole, if the PC has the appropriate engineering supplies available. 7. Operate a vehicle. If the PC leader counter is an armor leader, a successful Driving (TL6 tracked vehicle) roll will unbog or avoid bogging or avoid ESB or a failed start roll automatically. 8. Repair damaged equipment. If the PC leader or an MMC he is stacked with possesses a malfunctioned (not X'ed) SW/gun (or if he is an armored leader who occupies an immobilized vehicle/vehicle with a malfunctioning piece of armament) he may repair that malfunction with a successful roll against the appropriate GURPS Armorer or Mechanic skill. Failing the "heroic act" task check means that leader counter is pinned. ASL grognards please note: if the preceding rules offend thee, cut them out! These were inserted to respond to complaints from a generally RPG-oriented playtest group who wanted their characters to be able to affect the outcome of battles directly, rather than just by commanding the troops. They do make PC leaders considerably more effective than regular leader SMC's of the same level, almost as good as heroes. If these rules are to be omitted, the attachment/detachment factors should be increased for PC units by 0.1 or so. Results of Battle Replacements and casualties Determine who "holds the field." If a side has 2/3 or more of its original CVP on the mapboard at the end of the scenario, it is said to have "held the field." Both sides may "hold the field." Sides which held the field get 1/2 of their lost units replaced at the end of battle. Sides which did not hold the field get 1/4 back immediately. This represents stragglers and units broken too badly to reform during the scenario but which could reunite in a few hours. Each side keeps SW/Guns/Vehicles in its possession (including captured) and also takes possession of all non- possessed SW in or adjacent to friendly-occupied hexes (disputed hexes resolve by a 50-50 dR). SW possessed by nobody are destroyed. All destroyed SW/ordnance/malf. or immob. vehicles (either not possessed at game end or lost through X# procedure/Random SW destruction) are repaired in the same proportions as squads returned -- 1/2 to sides holding the field, 1/4 to those not. If a vehicle's MA is non-functional or it is immobilized after this procedure, the vehicle is lost (sent to a repair facility). Round fractions up in this case. Leaders created through self-promotion are retained. Heroes are removed. Each hero removed permits the owning side to battle-harden one squad. Fanatic squads return to normal morale. Wounded NPC leaders are retained on a dR of 1-3, lost (for the rest of the operation) on a dR of 4-6. Retained wounded leaders lose their wounded status (the wound was easily treatable at an aid station). For PC leaders, see below. Roll a DR for ELR change at the end of the scenario. Modify as follows: If unit took more than 50% casualties (before replaceme +1 If unit achieved its victory conditions -1 Each successive day of combat after the first without a day's rest +1 If roll is > 10, the unit's ELR decreases by one. If roll is < 4, the unit's ELR is increased by one, to a maximum of 5. DR + 6 % of units surviving squad equivalents (after replacements) and leaders (FRD) battle harden. Add one to this roll for each 10% of total enemy force eliminated during play. 10% of the unit's original strength will be restored by reinforcements each night, unless the referee rules that the operational situation would prevent this (unit moving too fast, cut off, higher headquarters destroyed, etc.). Reinforcement squads will be one level of quality below the base quality of the unit (elite formations will receive 1st line reinforcements, etc.). Lost leaders will be replaced at one per night until the unit has as many leaders as it should according to the Leader Generation rules. Replacement PC leaders show up first, then any NPC leaders, drawing randomly. Leaders created through self-promotion do not count against the Leader Generation numbers during the operation in which they were created (ex: a force of 28 squads with an LG # of 4 would ordinarily be entitled to 7 leader counters. If one leader is created during a scenario by self-promotion, and another leader is KIA'ed, a replacement leader would show up for the dead guy and the unit would enter the next scenario with eight leaders. At the end of the operation, though, headquarters would take note of the new guy and assign less new leaders to the formation, or transfer the new hero to some other needy unit.) Destroyed SW/ordnance/vehicles will be replaced at 10% of original number per night until the unit is up to TO&E according to the DYO rules. Captured SW are not counted against the limits during the operation in which they are captured, but if you wish to retain them from operation to operation, they will count against your TO&E limits. Player-Character Survival If a PC leader counter is destroyed (either by a "1" sniper effect roll, KIA, or by breaking twice), inflict one 4d6 wound on the PC in a random location. If he survives, the referee must decide the possibilities of medical evacuation, treatment, etc. If a player-character leader is wounded, inflict one 2d6 wound, as above. Players may decide wether to have their characters evacuated or continue to fight, however, if they are unable to use an extremity or have suffered other disabling damage due to the wound, their leader counter will begin the next scenario marked with a "wound" counter. Operation continues The referee must determine if a further scenario will be necessary to resolve the operation. If the PC unit is at less than 50% of its original strength after the immediate replacements, it will be withdrawn for refit if there are any reserves available to hold its sector. The operation is over, at least for the PC's. If the larger formation has taken over 50% casualties, it will typically be withdrawn if possible. End of operation Units can't normally carry more than five or six days' supplies with them. If they attempt to continue moving and fighting beyond this time limit, they should suffer Ammo Shortage penalties. Stopping the affected maneuver elements for a day in a position where supply trucks can get to them will resolve this problem. If the entire division has run out of supplies, though, it will usually be withdrawn from the line or stopped in place for resupply and refit. End operation unless the enemy is going on an immediate counter-offensive. If the parent formation has achieved its operational objectives, and the enemy is not immediately prepared to counterattack, a quiet period will ensue. End operation. Otherwise, the operation will continue for another day. Go back to the beginning and give Operations Orders to all maneuver elements. Take into account the Aggressiveness of brigade/division commanders, the operational objectives, losses suffered, expected enemy strengths, etc. Typically, each side's Operational Intelligence condition will improve one step per day in which its elements had combat with the enemy. If both sides "held the field" they will begin the next operational day "in contact." Perform the tactical intelligence procedure as before, but the condition of surprise is reduced by one level (i.e., you would have to win the modified quick contest of Tactics by 5 to achieve partial surprise). Define front lines and friendly-controlled hexes as in the RB rules, and deploy both sides on-map (their postures may only be "prepared" attack or defence, or "retreat" if they are going to try to break contact). In certain unusual circumstances, a second scenario may take place on the same operational day. This usually occurs when both forces held the field or when two or more maneuver elements are attacking the same objective in succession (instead of arriving on the battlefield at the same time, in which case they would fight one scenario as a combined force). In this case, the unit would receive its 1/2 or 1/4 immediate replacements and make a new attachment/detachment roll. The referee may rule that the unit is short of ammunition or otherwise penalize it with reduced ELR, etc. for fighting multiple scenarios in the same day. Careers PC's gain Distinction Points for success in battle, for heroic acts, and for non-battle related reasons as adjudicated by the referee: For surviving scenario without elimination: 1 For achieving objectives in a scenario (as maneuver element commander) 1 For suffering less than 50% casualties in a scenario (as maneuver element commander) 1 For inflicting more casualties on enemy than you suffer (as maneuver element commander) 1 For performing reconnaissance during the pre-operational intelligence period 2 For performing reconnaissance during the tactical intelligence period 1 For captures equal to his squad equivalents. The attacker must deploy first (including off-board if he is to enter on turn 1). If the defender is totally surprised, the attacker has managed to infiltrate his troops. Deploy both sides on the mapboard (even if this would not otherwise be permitted by the attacker's posture), with the defender deploying first. The attacker can deploy anywhere except within 2 hexes of the defender's units. The attacker receives dummies equal to 1/2 of his squad equivalents. If the attacker is surprised, the defender gets dummies equal to 1/2 of his squad equivalents, and may deploy three squads (etc.) in HIP. The attacker must deploy first if he is to deploy on-map. If the defender is surprised, the attacker gets dummies equal to 1/3 his total number of squads. The defender must deploy first. The attacker may deploy 1/3 of his squads anywhere on the map not within 2 hexes of defender's units. If the attacker is partially surprised, the defender gets concealment markers equal to 1/3 his squads, and may deploy one squad in HIP. The attacker deploys first. If the defender is partially surprised, the attacker gets three dummies and may deploy three squads (etc.) anywhere on the map not within 2 hexes of defender's units. Defender deploys first. If there is no surprise, defender deploys first and neither side gets dummies to start (although usual ASL procedure is followed for concealment gain in the first Rally Phase). ** "Attacker" means a force that begins off-board. If both forces begin off-board, then side with surprise advantage deploys portion of its force on-board after other side deploys its forces for entrance on turn 1 -- no "ambushing" forces may be deployed within 2 hexes of surprised side's entry hexes. SAN: A unit's basic SAN is 2. Modifications are: Posture: as per posture table, above If the unit has engaged in combat before during this operation and not suffered more than 75% casualties +1 Bought with BPV's (10 per increase) +X Majority squad type elite +1 Majority squad type 2nd line or green -1 Majority squad type conscript -2 Partisan unit +1 Scenario takes place at night +1 Nationality modifier (assigned by referee) +/- X Adjusted SAN may not exceed 6 or go below 2. Extra values above 6 may be exchanged