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NOTE: Don't get too concerned with the length, as the rules really are very easy. As Frizz said in one of the Call For Players thread, it's pretty much: SHOOT, MOVE, CLOSE ASSAULT....just three phases a turn! Also, the units are easy to read; combat is taken care of for 'ya....you just gotta tell me what you want to ice; and we'll keep the techie stuff like Opportunity Fire out of the equation for this game. Plus, we will have absolutely NO air, so that's one wjhole phase you don't have to worry about!
The following rules are Panzer Leader basics, but re-written for use here at the Zone. I can also provide a Word document copy via email upon request; as well as a pdf. copy of the actual rule book for those so inclined (if I can find the latter, that is, LOL!).
As you read through the rules, I would suggest you just skim through them once, and then refer back to them as needed as you start play. We will also have a Question & Answer thread for you to ask any questions on mechanics that may be slipping by 'ya. And don't worry about asking questions on gameplay, as we are all here to have FUN and that is what this game will be tailored toward. We will also go at the pace of the individual players.
You may want to print off this post so the rules are handy; or save a copy pasted into a Word document (again, I can provide one for you if you wish...no probs!
Panzer Leader
Panzer Leader is a game which simulates tactical level combat on the Western Front in WWII. The players command platoon-sized units in which they will either try to destroy the enemy, capture certain objectives, or both! Each turn is divided into 3 phases for each side (we will not include Air units), which conduct operations across the battlefield. For play online here at the Zone, the following rules will be enforced.
Basic Turn Sequence of Play
ALLIED PLAYER SEGMENT
1....Combat Phase – Execute and resolve combat
- a) Submit Indirect Fire Orders for next turn
Resolve Minefield Attacks [probably N/A]
- c) Resolve Indirect Fire Attacks from Previous Turn (units invert)
- d) Resolve Direct Fire Attacks (units invert)
2....Movement Phase – Move UNITS that did not fire during Combat Phase
- a) Submit Indirect Fire Orders for next turn
Resolve Minefield Attacks [probably N/A]
- c) Resolve Indirect Fire Attacks from Previous Turn (units invert)
- d) Resolve Direct Fire Attacks (units invert)
3....Close Assault Phase (CAT) – Go bayonet to bayonet
- a) Only face up units adjacent to enemy; did not unload this turn
GERMAN PLAYER SEGMENT
1....Combat Phase – Execute and resolve combat
- a) Submit Indirect Fire Orders for next turn
Resolve Minefield Attacks [probably N/A]
- c) Resolve Indirect Fire Attacks from Previous Turn (units invert)
- d) Resolve Direct Fire Attacks (units invert)
2....Movement Phase – Move UNITS that did not fire during Combat Phase
- a) Submit Indirect Fire Orders for next turn
- Resolve Minefield Attacks [probably N/A]
- c) Resolve Indirect Fire Attacks from Previous Turn (units invert)
- d) Resolve Direct Fire Attacks (units invert)
3....Close Assault Phase (CAT) – Go bayonet to bayonet
- a) Only face up units adjacent to enemy; did not unload this turn
The next most important thing you need to know is how to read the Unit Couters:
PL Counter Illust.jpg (34.27K)
Number of downloads: 198
The above is the meat and potatoes....everything else is gravy; and we'll much through that gravy together!
RULES
I. COMBAT PHASE
For combat, attacking unit(s) compare its Attack Factor(s) to the target’s Defense Factor(s); which is then converted into a combat odds ratio, and applied to a Combat Results Table (CRT). Units in a stack may be attacked singly or collectively. Combat odds are always rounded in the defender's favor (down). The Gamemaster will handle the CRT and resolve the given combat orders.
i. INDIRECT FIRE (IF)
Only units marked M or (H) may engage in Indirect Fire. Orders for indirect fire attacks must be submitted during the Combat phase of the turn before the attack is resolved. (ex: in Turn 3's Combat phase, player(s) submit attacking unit and target hex for Indirect Fire in Turn 4.) Once the order is submitted, the attack must take place as written or the attacking unit may not fire at all in that turn.
(H) units must be over ¼ of their Range away from their target hex to use Indirect Fire.
A friendly combat unit must be able to trace LOS to the target hex per Spotting rules. LOS to the attacking hex(es) is not required at any time. Wagons and trucks may not be used for spotting.
Loaded and/or dispersed units may not be targeted for Indirect Fire. IF always affects ALL units in the target hex.
Indirect Fire and Direct Fire may not take place against the same target hex in the course of one phase.
If all units spotting for a target hex are destroyed, dispersed, or move before IF is executed, one die will be rolled by the Gamemaster; on a:
• 1-2, IF hits target hex
• 3-5, IF is off-target, hitting a neighboring hex (Gamemaster will roll a die to determine splashdown – 1-6 clockwise with 1 due north)
• 6, IF fire is ineffective
How the Gamemaster resolves IF attacks:
• Add up attack strength of all units attacking target hex
• Divide total by number of units in target hex (transporter/transported count as 1 unit)
• Apply result as new attack strength to each unit in target hex; resolve individually on the CRT
• ex: 80 attack factors vs. 3 units in target hex w/defenses of 10, 8 and 3; 80 div 3 = 26; 26-10 = 2-1, 26-8 = 3-1, 26-3 = 4-1
ii. DIRECT FIRE (DF)
Direct Fire attacks must be able to trace a clear Line of Sight (LOS) from the attacking hex to the defending hex.
Only Infantry units with a * after their range may fire at targets in excess of the range printed on their counter; they do so at half of their printed attack strength.
Units able to attack are not forced to do so.
No unit may fire on more than 1 target hex during any single turn.
Multiple units attacking a common target must always do so together (combine attack factors in a Fire Group).
Only the player who’s Combat Phase it is (Attacker) may attack; the other player being the Defender.
Units which fire (attack) in the Combat Phase MAY NOT MOVE in the upcoming Movement Phase.
WEAPONS EFFECTIVENESS CHART (WEC)
Range is always rounded down. Attack factors are never rounded. When attacking a stack of mixed units, determine which type (infantry, armor) predominates the stack (ignore units in a fortification for this, but count the fortification as one armored unit) and use that type for the whole stack. If the stack is evenly divided, treat the stack as whichever type most benefits the defender.
Units in towns and fortifications are considered armored targets. Units in towns must be attacked as a stack.
H and M weapons' attack strength is always halved against armored targets unless the H weapon is used as Direct Fire against the armor at 6 hexes or closer.
II. MOVEMENT PHASE
i. Move VEHICLE units
All vehicle units will be moved first to simplify and keep track of Overrun units.
ii. Overrun
Armored vehicles may engage in Overrun Attacks only against units in clear hexes (includes clear/road and clear/hilltop hexes). Overrun Attacks are resolved during the Movement phase. Units in target hex are always treated as a stack for purposes of an Overrun Attack. All units engaging in Overrun Attacks will be moved through the target hex first, then resolving the attack. Any one hex may only be overrun once during any given Movement phase. Units engaging in an Overrun Attack may not fire during the Combat phase of that turn.
Overrunning units must move straight through the target hex and have enough Movement factors to enter the exit hex. Only the target hex must be clear terrain. Overrun Attacks negate the road bonus (see later reference on Road Bonus).
Overrun Attacks gain a bonus of one column (in attacker's favor) on the CRT and a -2 drm bonus to the roll.
Blocks, wrecks, fortifications, and minefields prevent all Overrun Attacks in that hex.
Halftracks may not overrun armored units – including other halftracks. German SPA may not overrun.
iii. Move INFANTRY units
All infantry units will be moved last.
Movement Rules:
Terrain features – if any terrain feature makes up part of a hex, the hex is considered that terrain entirely, except for town hexes. Terrain affects movement and defense.
ROAD BONUS: Units traveling along roads do so at the road movement rate regardless of the other terrain in the road hexes. The ROAD MOVEMENT RATE is a cost of ½ Movement Point (MP) per road hex.
Road movement bonus only applies if unit enters road hex from another road hex; road hex bonus is negated if hex contains 2+ units (not including moving unit) or any block, fortification, or minefield.
Any unit that is capable of moving in a given turn/phase may do so up to its movement allowance based on the terrain (see Terrain Effects Chart). Units are not forced to move at any time. All units may move at least one hex each turn no matter the terrain.
Stacked units that move as a stack use the lowest movement allowance in the stack. Otherwise, units are moved singly or in pairs (one unit loaded into a wagon, truck, or AFV).
Units may move through hexes with friendly units, but may not stop there if doing so would violate stacking limits. Units may only move through hexes with enemy units as part of an Overrun Attack.
The only combat that takes place in the Movement phase is Opportunity Fire (OF) or an Overrun Attack (OA).
Transporting Units
Only units with a C at the top may transport other units. The transported unit is placed under the transporting unit.
In any given turn, the transporting unit may either load, transport, or unload – or some combination:
- Artillery 88mm & larger – requires transporting unit to expend FULL MOVEMENT to un/load
- Artillery under 88mm – requires transporting unit to expend HALF MOVEMENT* to un/load
- Infantry – requires transporting unit to expend HALF MOVEMENT* (round up) to (un)load
- * Transporting unit may not move-un/load-move; un/load must take place first or last
Units which engage in combat or are dispersed may not un/load that turn.
Transporter & transported are considered 1 unit for defense and stacking:
- If transporter is a wagon or truck, combined defense = 1
- If transporter is a halftrack, combined defense = defense of halftrack (which may fire when loaded)
If transporter is a German tank or assault gun (not SPA):
- Transported may be attacked independently (and is automatically unloaded if so); unit has defense = 1 in this case
- Transported may only be dispersed if it does not violate stacking; if it does, transported remains loaded and both units are dispersed together
If transporter is destroyed, transported is destroyed as well
Unloading may not violate stacking limits.
Stacking
The stacking limit at all times is 4 units per hex.
Transported units and minefields do not count towards the stacking limit.
Blocks, fortifications, and wrecks count towards the stacking limit.
Terrain, Obstacles, and Elevation
Units at a higher elevation may trace LOS over obstacles at a lower elevation. Units are not obstacles. Obstacles which block LOS:
- Low obstacles: ground-level woods (green) hex sides, ground-level town hexes
- Medium: slope (dark brown) hex sides
- High: hilltop (orange) and cliff hex sides
STREAMS
Vehicles (except bridge laying tanks) may never enter stream hexes and may only pass over them on active bridges. Infantry units entering stream hexes must roll for entry success (1-3 on d6) for each stream hex entered or stop at entry hex. Units in a stream hex may not attack. Non-adjacent ground-level units may not attack units in a stream hex. Units on a slope or hilltop may attack non-adjacent units in a stream hex provided all other LOS rules are taken into consideration. Bridges do not block LOS into a stream hex.
HILL/SLOPE DEFENSE EXCEPTIONS
In general, an attacking unit halves its attack strength when firing on a defender on a slope or hilltop. If both attacking and defending units are on hilltops, combat takes place normally. Indirect fire is never halved due to elevation.
If the defender is on a slope, only attacks from adjacent hexes take place at full strength. If there is a slope hex side (dark brown) between the attacking and defending units, then the attack strength is halved. Units on a slope may be attacked by both half- and full attack strength units.
LINE OF SIGHT CLARIFICATIONS
Always apply LOS rules in favor of the defender. LOS is blocked if ANY portion of a traced-through hex side contains a solid color (green, orange, brown) bar. LOS is not blocked by a slope (brown) hex side connected to a hilltop (orange) hex side.
When firing from a slope or hilltop to ground level:
- LOS is obstructed if the target unit is in the hex directly behind a town or woods hex.
- LOS is obstructed if a slope hex side is midway or closer to the attacker than the defender.
When firing from ground level to a slope or hilltop:
- LOS is obstructed if the firing unit is in the hex directly in front of the obstructing feature.
- LOS is obstructed if a slope hex side is midway or closer to the attacker than the defender.
To determine the midway point between attacker and defender, count all the hex sides between the attacking and defending hexes, including the hex sides of the attacking and defending hexes.
LOS is always obstructed by 2 hilltop hex sides unless both units are on hilltops. LOS is always obstructed by combined woods + town hexes. LOS is never obstructed between adjacent hexes.
Spotting
Indirect Fire relies on targets being spotted by undispersed friendly units. Adjacent units may always spot an enemy unit. Undispersed non-adjacent units may only spot an enemy unit, taking into consideration all LOS rules, if that enemy unit fires or moves through a clear hex. Wagons and trucks may not spot.
Wreckage
When an armored unit or fortification is destroyed, replace in with a WRECK counter. Wrecks may not be moved or removed from the board. Wrecks count towards stacking limits (max 3 per hex). Wrecks have no effect on combat and do not obstruct LOS.
Mines (Optional, may not apply in our game)
Minefield placement restrictions are determined by the situation card; otherwise minefields may be placed anywhere in the player's setup area. One mine counter per hex. Mines may not be moved once placed. Mines affect ALL units entering that hex. Any unit entering a minefield hex must immediately stop and the opposing player resolves the “attack” – always at 2-1 odds – immediately. Surviving units may move off the minefield in the next Movement phase; dispersed units may not and will undergo a subsequent minefield attack every Combat phase until they are undispersed and able to move. Minefields are never “used up” and may only be removed by Engineer units (see Engineers). Minefield attacks do not preclude Direct or Indirect Fire targeting the same hex.
Blocks (Optional, may not apply in our game)
Block placement restrictions are determined by the situation card; otherwise blocks may be placed anywhere in the player's setup area. Units may only enter hexes with blocks when starting their Movement phase from an adjacent hex and must stop upon entering the block hex. Vehicular units may not enter a block hex across a woods (green) hex side. Blocks count towards stacking limits, but do not obstruct LOS or affect combat. Blocks are never “used up” and may only be removed by Engineer units. Blocks always negate the road bonus.
Fortifications (Optional, may not apply in our game)
Fortification placement restrictions are determined by the situation card; otherwise, fortifications may be placed anywhere in the player's setup area that is not a swamp, sea, beach, or stream hex. One fortification per hex. Fortifications may not be moved. Fortifications and the unit(s) stacked inside them count as 1 unit towards stacking limits. Fortifications do not obstruct LOS. Unused or abandoned fortifications may be used by either player. Fortifications may only be destroyed by the placing player. Fortifications may not spot.
Fortifications are armored targets and all units inside them use the fortifications' defense factor, not their own. Terrain and Weapons Effectiveness Charts are taken into consideration when attacking fortifications. Units in a fortification attack with their normal attack strength. When a fortification is dispersed, all units in it are also dispersed. When a fortification is destroyed, all units inside it are also destroyed and the entire stack is replaced with 1 Wreck counter.
Units IN a fortification are protected by it; units ON a fortification are not and may be attacked normally.
Enemy units may be ON a fortification while friendly units are IN it. Attacks against the enemy units ON a fortification result in a subsequent (automatic) attack against the units IN it. When enemy units are ON a fortification, friendly units may not leave it, but may attack the enemy units ON it with Direct Fire (not CAT).
Fortifications, Blocks, and Mines may not occupy the same hex.
Engineers (Optional, may not apply in our game)
Engineers are Infantry-type units that may also remove minefields, create and/or remove blocks, destroy bridges, and increase the effectiveness of CAT attacks.
CLEARING MINEFIELDS AND BLOCKS
• Turn 1: move adjacent to minefield/block
• Turn 2: invert minefield/block counter at beginning of Movement phase
• Turn 3: move onto minefield/block (no minefield attack)
• Turn 4: remove minefield/block at beginning of Movement phase
DESTROYING BRIDGES
The Engineer unit must begin and end THREE friendly Movement phases on the same hex as the bridge (TWO turns for temporary bridges). In any subsequent Movement phase, the Engineer moves off the hex, removing the bridge as they go. Roll d6; on roll of 1-5 place a block counter – roll of 6 means destruction attempt failed. Subsequent destruction attempts take fewer turns:
• 1 turn on bridge successful destruction on roll of 1-2
• 2 turns on bridge successful destruction on roll of 1-4
• 3 turns on bridge successful destruction on roll of 1-5
PLACING BLOCKS
Engineers may place one block on one road hex per game. The block placing process mimics the bridge destroying process (see below) with the following exceptions:
• Woods-road hex must remain stationary for 2 turns
• Any other road hex must remain stationary for 4 turns
• Repeated attempt successful on roll of 1-5 after 1 additional stationary turn
ENGINEER VEHICLES
Sherman Flail -
normal tank unit that may also clear minefields. Flail moves onto minefield hex and stops. On any subsequent Movement phase, Flail expends ½ its movement to leave the minefield hex, removing the minefield in the process.
Churchill Flamethrower -
operates as a normal tank unit.
Valentine Bridgelayer -
unarmed tank unit used to create temporary bridges. To create a bridge:
• Turn 1: enter stream hex and stop
• Turn 2: expend 3 movement points exiting stream hex, leaving bridge behind
Temporary bridges have inherent defense and may be attacked normally. Attacks against temporary bridges by Indirect Fire are always at half strength. Use the CRT to resolve attacks against temporary bridges; only ÒXÓ results destroy the bridge and bridges may not be dispersed. Any vehicular units (including loaded transporters) on a temporary bridge when it is destroyed are also destroyed. Infantry units not being transported are not destroyed when a temporary bridge is destroyed. Destroyed temporary bridges are not replaced by a block counter.
III. CLOSE ASSAULT TACTICS (CAT)
Only infantry and engineer units may engage in CAT attacks. Units engaging in CAT may not otherwise fire during the Combat phase. Units engaging in CAT must be adjacent to their target. Transported units may not CAT the same turn they unload. Units may move and CAT in the same turn. Units in the target hex must be attacked as a stack. CAT attacks may not originate from a stream hex, nor target a sea hex.
A CAT attack gains the attacking units a bonus of -2 to the die roll. If an infantry unit and an engineer unit engage in a combined CAT attack, the attacker gains a 1-column shift to the right on the CRT as well.
Allied MG units may only engage in CAT when stacked with an infantry, engineer, or scout unit.
CAT is the only way in which an infantry-type unit may attack an armored unit.
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OPTIONAL RULE:
OPPORTUNITY FIRE
OF can take place when an enemy unit expends ¼ or more of its movement points in continuous LOS of a friendly unit. OF is a Direct Fire attack. Units may not attack or be attacked as stacks. Only units which move, load, or unload may be attacked. Units engaging in an Overrun Attack cannot be attacked while in the hex of the Overrun Attack. Units under orders for Indirect Fire may not Opportunity Fire.
Units which OF receive an “Opportunity Fire” counter which is removed at the end of that player's next turn.
Units dispersed as a result of OF remain dispersed until the end of the defending player's current turn.
Units loaded on German AFVs may be attacked by OF independently of the AFV. OF attacks against transported/transporting units must be declared to be before or after the un/load.
This post has been edited by Whiterook: February 07, 2010 - 12:30 PM
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