The Gamers, Inc. Standard Combat Series: Series Rules, ver 1.7 ©1994. The Gamers, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ©2005 Multi-Man Publishing, LLC. Series Design: Dean N. Essig ver 1.5 Rewriting: Dave Demko ver 1.6 Rewriting: Dean N. Essig Playtesting: Dave Combs, John Best, Mike Haggett, Nelson Isada, William Moody, Dave Powell, Rod Schmisseur, Roger Taylor, Ric Walters Introduction The Standard Combat Series games enable both experienced and beginning players to enjoy simple to play and quick to learn games. These games attempt to bring out common wargame themes, terms, and techniques. Note about version 1.7 These rules are identical to v1.6 except that known errata has been fixed and the text type size has been enlarged. How To Learn Rules Games are meant to be enjoyable pastimes, not tedious tests. In order to learn this game, begin by lightly reading the rules and thumbing through the game’s component parts. Don’t memorize anything. Punch out a few units from both sides and set them up on the map in any desired fashion. Now, with the rules in hand, follow the “sequence of play” below, re-reading as needed. If all else fails, give us a ring and we will answer any questions that you have. Once you are moving along with your random game and rarely have to look things up, set up the real game and give it a try. By this time the terminology should be well under control and you will be able to play any SCS game with little additional effort. The Components The Map A. The Hex Numbering System. This system identifies individual hexes on the game map. If the game uses more than one map, letters identify the map in question. A hex number pertaining to a given map will begin with that map’s letter, as in A10.10. The digits before the decimal point indicate the hex row, reading along the map’s horizontal dimension from left to right. The digits after the decimal identify the exact hex along the given hexrow, reading along the vertical dimension from bottom to top. Not all hexes have printed numbers, but the numbering applies to all of them. Each fifth hex (xx.05, xx.10, xx.15) has a printed hex number to create gridlines. For example, to find hex 29.17, follow the gridline for xx.15 until you find the 29.xx hexrow, then count two hexes to 29.17. B. Map Edge Hexes. Only hexes with at least 1/2 hex showing are playable. Destroy units forced off the map. C. Off Map Movement. Unless specifically allowed in a given game, units cannot conduct any sort of off-map movement. D. Turn Record. This on-map track provides a place to keep an accurate record of the current turn. Place the Turn Record Marker (“Turn”) here to show the current turn. Advance the marker one box each time both players have completed their “Player Turns.” The Rules Every Gamers’ Brand game contains separate Series and Game rulebooks. The Series rulebook contains the rules generally applicable to all the games in the series. The Game book gives the details needed for a specific game, including any special rules, scenarios, and set up information. Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. A. Organization Organization. Section and Case numbers outline the rules. Each major grouping of the rules is a section; a paragraph within a rules section is a case. The number 4.2 would, for example, refer to section 4, case 2. A specific case can contain a number of related statements. Statements within a case are numbered as in 4.2a, 4.2b, etc. B. Repetition Repetition. Once stated, a rule is repeated only if needed for clarification. Set Up Notes Aside from any special notes in the game rules concerning setup, the following are always true: 1. “w/i #” means to set up a given unit within the stated number of hexes (#) of the hex listed, inclusive. For example, w/i 4 means a unit could setup in any hex that is four or less hexes from the hex given. 2. Units can never start over-stacked, but may be stacked up to the limit. 3. Units generally start at full strength and in supply. 4. When the notation “inclusive” follows set up boundaries, it means that units may set up anywhere within the given zone including on the boundary lines. 5. The second moving player always sets up first. Cumulative Effects In all cases where a unit is subject to multiple modifiers, the effects are cumulative. A unit halved for terrain and halved for supply in a combat is quartered overall. Retain fractions created by this process until after applying all modifiers, then use the Standard Rounding Rule. Page 1 Standard Combat Series ������������������������������� ❑ Supply ������������������������ ��������������� �������������� The phasing player ensures that each of his units are in supply. If not, mark them Out of Supply. �������������������������� ������ �� �� 2.0 Zones of Control (ZOCs) �������������������� ������������������������� � ������� ������������������������� �� ��������� ��������������������� �� ��������������������� �������������������������� ��� ����� ��� �������� � ������� �� �������� ����������� ��� ����� ������ ���� ���� ����� ���������� Round fractions as per: .01 to .49 down, .50 to .99 up. Retain fractions until final application. When your opponent tries to pre-calculate combats to hit the 1/2 break, make sure he is following the Fog of War rule, below. process again. Players must follow the Sequence of Play strictly in the order given. The game rulebook identifies who is the First and Second Player. �������������������� 1.1 Outline Sequence of Play For example, if three units attack a single First Player Turn one, you might have 2.5, 3.25, and 4.125 ❑ Movement (total 9.85) and the defender 2.125 until ❑ Combat the odds are determined. At that point, ❑ Exploitation you’ll have 9.85 to 2.125 or 4.65 to 1. ❑ Supply Now apply the standard rounding rule which will give a 5:1 attack. Fog of War Except when calculating the odds for an attack he has committed to make, a player cannot examine the units comprising an enemy stack. He can observe the stack’s top unit (or marker) only. A player cannot cancel an attack after announcing it. 1.0 Sequence of Play A “game-turn” is a sequence of steps, the order of which is “the sequence of play.” Each turn consists of two “playerturns.” Each player-turn consists of the set sequence below. Each player plays through his player-turn to finish a game-turn. At the end of the game-turn, advance the Turn Marker and begin the Page 2 ��� ��� ����� ��� Repeat the above switching roles with your 1.2 Narrative Sequence of Play ❑ Movement Place any phasing-side reinforcements into the entry hexes called for by the Order of Arrival. The phasing player can move his units. Phasing units can conduct overrun combat. ❑ Combat Phasing units adjacent to enemy units can attack. ��� ��� Second Player Turn opponent. ��� �� � Standard Rounding Rule Zones of Control (ZOCs) represent a unit’s ability to inhibit enemy movement around them. The ZOCs of enemy units are called Enemy Zones of Control (EZOCs). Friendly ZOCs have no effect on friendly units. 2.0a Only units with a raw Attack (NOT Barrage or Defense only) combat strength of 1 or more have ZOCs. 2.0b A unit’s ZOC consists of hexes adjacent to it in which it could move into during regular movement. ��������������������� ���������� ��� �� ��� ��� �� � � �� � �� ������������������������ ������������������ ���������������� ��������������� �������������������� ����������� ������������� ������ �� ��� � �� ����� ������������ � �� � ����������� ����� ��� ��� �� ��� ❑ Exploitation Exploitation-capable phasing units can move and overrun. Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. The Gamers, Inc. ���������������� ����������������� �� � ��� ��� ���� ����� ����� ������� ���� ��� ����� ��� ��� � � ��� ��� � ��� 2.1a Pay +2 MPs to enter an EZOC. Given the MPs, units can move directly from EZOC to EZOC and can move into and exit any number of EZOCs. 2.1b Units in EZOCs at the Exploitation Phase’s beginning cannot move. 2.1c A unit can attack only units in its ZOC. 2.1d Remove one step from a stack that retreats into an EZOC. Retreating stacks lose one step total, not one step per unit. Do this for each EZOC hex retreated into. 2.1e EZOCs do not inhibit Advance After Combat (10.0). 2.1f EZOCs block supply lines (12.1a). 2.1g Multiple EZOCs give no additional effect. Friendly ZOCs have no effect on EZOCs. A hex can have friendly ZOCs and EZOCs simultaneously. 2.1h Friendly units negate EZOCs in their hexes for Supply purposes ONLY. ��� ����� ��� ����� 2.1 ZOC Effects ��� ����� ����� ����� �������� ������ ���� ��������� ������ ����� ��������� ��� ������� �� ����� �������� ����� ��������������������������������������������� �������� ������ �� ���� ��� ���� �������� �� ������������������������������������������������ �� ������� �������� ����� ������� ���� ���� ����� �� ������������ ����� ���� ���� �� �� ��� ����� ���� �� �������� ��������� ������� ����� �� ������ ����� ���� ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������ ������� ��� �� ��� ��� ��� � ��� ��� � ��� ��� ����� �� � ����� ��� ��� ��� � �� ��� � ��� ��� �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� ������� 3.0 Movement During his Movement Phase, the player can move as many or as few of his units as he wants. He can move each of his units as far as he wants within each unit’s “movement allowance” and any other applicable restrictions. Procedure: The phasing player moves units individually or as stacks keeping track of their remaining movement allowance by expending movement points. Units must follow a contiguous path through the hex grid. Units can move in any direction or series of directions. 3.1 How to Move Units 3.1a The player can move all, some or none of his units. 3.1b Each unit has a movement allowance (MA) on the counter. A unit cannot expend more movement points (MPs) in a single phase than its movement allowance (EXCEPTION: see 3.1e). Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. 3.1c Calculate movement using Movement Points. According to the Terrain Effects on Movement Chart each hex or hexside feature costs a special amount of MPs. The player must keep a running total of the number of movement points each unit expends while it moves. 3.1d Movement allowances are independent and one unit’s expenditures do not affect other units. A unit cannot save unused movement points or transfer them to another unit. 3.1e A player can always move a unit (with an MA greater than 0) one hex—regardless of the MP cost involved. Such movement cannot be through or into prohibitive terrain. Movement allowance modifications (such as from supply) and EZOCs have no effect on a unit’s ability to use this rule. 3.2 Terrain Effects on Movement 3.2a According to the Terrain Effects on Movement Chart, each hex and hexside feature costs movement points. A unit must pay the total movement points required to enter a hex before entering that hex, with the exception of units moving using rule 3.1e. Page 3 Standard Combat Series 3.2b Units may use roads only when following a continuous path along the road to enter a given hex. Such units pay the road movement cost and ignore the MP costs of the hex entered or hexside crossed. 3.2c A hexside feature crossed that is not negated by a road adds its cost to that of the hex. 3.2d Units cannot enter or cross prohibitive terrain (unless negated by roads). 3.3 Restrictions on Movement 3.3a Units cannot enter enemy occupied hexes. 3.3b Only friendly units move during a friendly phase. Combat results can force enemy units to retreat. 3.3c The map edge is a “hard boundary.” Destroy units that cross it and count them for victory purposes. 4.0 Stacking A stack occurs when a hex contains more than one unit. Each game will have its own stacking limit. 4.0a Enforce stacking at each phase’s end and at the instant of overrun. In the overrun case, count both overrunning units and any units which just happen to be in the hex. Adverse overrun combat results only affect the units actually overrunning. Reinforcements can overstack initially, but these stacks must break up by that phase’s end. 4.0b Game markers (Out of Supply, etc.) never affect stacking. 4.0c Order of Stacking. Stacking The player can arrange his stacks any way he likes with the following restriction: The top counter in every stack must be a combat unit with an attack strength of one or more (if such a unit exists in the stack). 5.0 Reinforcements Reinforcements are units that enter after play begins. Procedure: Place reinforcements into their entry hexes at the beginning of their entry turn’s Movement Phase. Place them into the hex containing the entry area designation (if several hexes are given, they may be split up) and start their movement there. Reinforcements always enter supplied. 5.0a Reinforcements can overstack on placement provided they split up during that phase. 5.0b Reinforcement placement does not cost movement points. Reinforcements can use their full movement allowance in their first phase. 5.0c EZOCs have no effect on reinforcement placement. Do not place reinforcements into hexes containing enemy units. If enemy units block a reinforcement’s entry hexes, the reinforcements arrive in any hex at or within 10 hexes along the map edge. If entry occurs on the map (that is, not on an edge) and the hex is blocked, the units enter anywhere at or within 5 hexes of the intended hex. 6.0 Overrun Combat Overrun Combat is combined movement and combat. At a 2 MP cost, units can conduct an “overrun attack” during the Movement or Exploitation Phases. To overrun as a stack, units must begin movement stacked. Units that begin the phase in an EZOC cannot overrun. Units that overrun can stack with those which aren’t (adjacent to the target hex) and that the hex’s stacking total must be within the stacking limit. Adverse combat results only affect the units actually engaged in the overrun. Procedure: The player moves a unit or stack adjacent to the target hex, paying the hex’s terrain cost and any EZOC cost. The units then expend 2 MPs for the overrun. The player calculates the odds, rolls the dice, and applies the Combat Results Table as in any combat. If all defending units vacate the target hex, the overrunning units must enter it. Page 4 6.0a Resolve overruns like any other attack (see section 7.0) but resolve them during the Movement Phase immediately after announcing them. Overruns are not resolved in the defender’s hex—at all times the attacking and defending stacks are in adjacent hexes. 6.0b More than one stack can never overrun a single target at once. 6.0c Units can overrun only those target hexes that would cost them 2 or less MPs to enter in regular movement. For this rule, use the target hex’s terrain cost only, ignore EZOCs. Example: To overrun a hex that would cost 1 MP in regular movement, a unit would pay the terrain cost of the adjacent hex +2 MPs for the EZOC in that hex , then 2 MPs for the overrun itself. 6.1 Restrictions on Overrun 6.1a Only units allowed to move in the Exploitation Phase can overrun during that Phase. 6.1b An attacking stack can overrun only once in a phase. A given target hex can be overrun only once in a phase—units in that hex can be overrun again should they retreat to another—yet to be overrun—hex. Units can overrun during the Movement Phase and attack normally during the Combat Phase. Properly managed, a unit can attack up to three times in a turn. 6.1c Supply status has no effect on a unit’s ability to overrun. 6.1d Units cannot use roads (and features like roads) to execute overruns. Units can use a road to get to the hex adjacent to the overrun target, but cannot use the road to lessen the cost of the target hex to allow overrun. 6.1e Units (overrunning and stationary combined) cannot overstack in the overrun attack hex (see 4.0a). 6.1f All game-specific modifiers (air points, combined arms modifiers, etc.) apply to overruns like any other combat. Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. The Gamers, Inc. 6.2 Overrun Results 6.2a Overrun attackers can advance after combat, but regardless of the result the overrun ends the regular movement for them. The attacking units must enter (or traverse) the defender’s hex if it becomes vacant during an overrun. 6.2b Apply any retreat results the attacker gets in an overrun. 7.0 Combat Units can conduct combat against enemy units in their ZOCs. Other than overruns, combat occurs only in the Combat Phase. A player is never forced to attack. Units must defend if attacked. Units within a stack cannot be attacked singly—stacks always defend together. Execute attacks in any desired order and there is no need to announce attacks in advance. Procedure: The phasing player determines the combat’s odds (see below), finds the correct odds column on the particular game’s Combat Results Table, and rolls two dice (depending on the game, this roll could be interpreted as either a 212 or 11-66—see the specific Combat Results Table for the version being used). Players read the result and apply it as listed below. 7.1 Combat Results The Combat Results Table gives results that affect the attacker (A), the defender (D), or both. The possible results are: #—Number of steps lost r#—Number of hexes to be retreated. A result of A1r1 would mean the attacker must lose one step and retreat one hex. The attacking forces must lose total of one step (strongest unit first) and all attacking units must retreat one hex. Execute the result immediately upon determining it. After executing it, move on to other combats. The defender always executes his result first. 7.2 Restrictions on Com- 7.4 Odds Determinabat tion 7.2a No unit must attack. 7.2b No unit can ever divide its strength between more than one combat. Any number of units can attack in a single attack, and attacks can be made from any direction or set of directions. While no individual unit in a stack can divide its attack, stacks always can. In other words, units stacked together could attack different hexes, but no single unit can contribute to more than one attack. 7.2c Attack all units in a hex as a single defending strength. The defender cannot withhold units in a hex from attack. 7.2d Units can attack or be attacked only once in a Combat Phase. Units can make only one overrun attack in a phase. Units which overrun are eligible to attack in the regular Combat Phase as well. 7.2e Units with a Zero combat value can participate in an attack with other non-zero units. While they add nothing in the way of combat strength, such units can help absorb step losses and advance after combat. To determine the raw combat odds, compare the total modified attacking strength with the total modified defending strength. Divide both numbers by the smaller number of the two. Apply the rounding rule to the results of the divisions and express the two numbers as a ratio Attacker to Defender. Odds columns are limited to those printed on the table. Resolve attacks at odds greater than the table’s right-most column on that column. Attacks found to be at odds less than the leftmost column incur the following: the attacker loses one step and the defender is unaffected—do not roll on the table (this rule also applies to attacks which are shifted off the Combat Results Table’s left side). 7.3 Terrain Effects on Combat Steps allow a unit to take damage in increments. The counter’s side displayed shows a unit’s current strength. Most units have a full and a reduced strength side. Full strength units that take a step loss are flipped over and become reduced strength. Reduced strength units which take a step loss are destroyed and removed from play. Note that the counter’s sides have differing strengths. The full strength side is the stronger of the two. Further step losses can be shown by the placement of a step loss marker under the reduced strength counter—these additional step losses do not affect the unit’s strength. 8.0a When a result calls for a step loss, the first step lost must be from the side’s strongest unit. The “strongest unit” being that with the highest RAW attack strength (for the attacker) or highest RAW defense strength (for the defender). Remaining step losses (given 8.0c) can come from any of the side’s involved units. Combat into or across certain terrain types, as listed on the Terrain Effects Chart, is prohibited. Furthermore, units cannot attack into terrain they might not otherwise be able to move into from their current hex. Generally, terrain modifies attacking and defending combat strengths as a multiplier. A stack defending in a certain terrain type might be “x2,” meaning multiply that stack’s strength by two. Terrain affects only those units that are subject to a condition. Say three units attack across a river and one isn’t—the three might be x1/2 and the last would be normal. Only the terrain of the defender’s hex and the hexsides between the attackers and the defender affects combat. Alternatively, terrain could shift the final combat odds instead of affecting the actual strength of the units. Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. Note to experienced gamers: The implications of the standard rounding rule on odds should be clear: this is far from the usual “round in favor of the defender” rule. Examples: 3:4 is 1:1, 5:2 is 3:1, 9:6 is 2:1, and 11 to 8 is 1:1. 8.0 Step Losses Page 5 Standard Combat Series ����������������� ������ �� � ����� ����� ����� ��� �� ����� �� � �� � �� ����������������� ������ � ����������������� ������ ����� ���������������������������������������� ���������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� �� ���� ��� ����� ���� ������ ��������� ������� ������� ������ ���� ����� ���� ����� ���������� ������ ���� ����� �������������������������������������� ������� ���� �������� ������������� ��� ��������������������������������������� �������� ��� ���� ���������� ��� ������ 8.0b All units in a particular combat must absorb one step loss before any single unit of them absorbs two. Step losses beyond the absorption capacity of a side are ignored. Other than this and 8.0b, the player is free to distribute step losses among any units he wants, provided they were actually involved in the combat. 8.0c Given 8.0a and 8.0b, the owning player chooses which of his units take a step loss. 8.0d Some units have only one step. These units have printing on only one side. A single step loss eliminates any such unit. Page 6 � ����� ����� � ��� �� � � �� �� ����� ����� ����� �� ��� ����� ������� ���� ���� ������ ���� ��������������������� ������������� ���������������������������������������� ������������������������������������������ ���������������������������������� ������� ��� ����� ���� ��������� ������ ��������������������������������������� ���� ������������� ��������� ����� �� ������������������������������������� ���� ������ �������� ��� ���� ������ �������� ��� ���� �������� ������������ �������������������������������������� �������� ����� ��� ����� ���� ����� �� ����������������������������������� ���� ������ ���� �������� ��� ����� �� ������ ����� ���� �������� ��� ���� ��� ������������������� 9.0 Retreats �� � ����� ����� ����� ����� 9.0a Retreats are given as the number of hexes the affected units must retreat. Unless using the “no retreat option” (9.2, below), allof a side’s units in a combat must retreat that number of hexes. 9.0b Units can retreat only into or through hexes that the units could move through during movement. Units which cannot retreat or continue their retreat for this reason must lose one step per retreat hex the stack cannot do. The owning player selects the unit that takes these losses. Note: That is one step from the stack, not per unit. 9.0c Retreat is always given in hexes, not movement points. Except where prohibitive terrain prevents retreat, terrain has no effect on the retreat’s length. 9.0d Any hex containing an EZOC (friendly units do not negate) which a retreating unit must enter during its retreat costs the retreating unit one step. � � ����� ����� ��� �� ��� �� � � �� � � �� ����� � � � ����� ����� �� ��� � ����� ����� ����� ����� �� �� � � ��� �� ����� ��� ��� � ��� � ��� ����� ������ ������ ��� ��� ���� �� ��� �������������������������������������� ������������������������������������ ������������������������������������� ������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� �������������������������������������� ����������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������� ����� ������� ��� ����� �������� ��� ���������� ������ ����� ���� ������ ��� �������� ��� ���� ���� ������ �������� ������� ���� �������� ���� �������� ������� �������� ������ ������� This loss is in addition to the combat result itself. If a stack must do so, the stack must lose one step, total, per EZOC hex entered. The owning player chooses the unit to lose this step. 9.0e Retreating units can stay together as a stack or retreat using separate paths. 9.1 Retreat’s Path 9.1a The owning player retreats his own units. 9.1b Each retreat path hex must be farther away from the unit’s original hex than the last (e.g., The second hex retreated is two hexes away from the combat hex.). 9.1c The unit must retreat toward a supply source, if possible. 9.1d If possible, the unit must not retreat into an EZOC. Units can violate this rule to satisfy 9.1b or 9.1c and those rules take precedence. Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. The Gamers, Inc. 9.2 No Retreat Option When the Combat Results Table calls for one or more retreat hexes, the owning player can opt to convert any retreat amount into step losses, on a one step per one hex basis. Therefore, if the defender suffers an “r3” result, he may opt for any of the following: retreat 3, no step loss; retreat 2, one step loss; retreat 1, two step losses; or no retreat, three step losses. The owning player can choose any combination of retreat hexes and step losses to fulfill his retreat result, provided the total equals the table’s retreat result. Again, step losses affect single units, retreat hexes affect the entire force involved in the combat. 10.0 Advance After Combat Any time an attack causes the defender’s hex to become vacant, attacking units can occupy the hex. The attacking player chooses which units, if any, he wants to advance with. The stacking limit restricts such occupation. If the defender retreats further than one hex, only exploitation capable units can advance as many hexes as the defender’s retreat result. Note that even if the defender expends step losses to cover part of his retreat result, the advance after combat is equal to the original result. The defender’s original hex must be the first advance hex. After entering that hex, advancing units can go anywhere (they can split up or stay together)—except for hexes containing enemy units or prohibitive terrain. While advancing after combat, units ignore EZOCs. Any unit involved in the combat can advance after combat (involved meaning it contributed at least a 0 attack strength to the combat). Only units exploitation capable, however, can advance more than one hex. 10.0a If the combat destroys the defender leaving an unfulfilled retreat result, the attacker can advance the retreat result’s number of hexes. 10.0b Calculate advances, as retreats, by number of hexes, not movement points. 10.0c The defender cannot advance after combat. 10.0d Attacking units must advance into (or through) the defender’s hex if it becomes vacant during an overrun attack. 11.0 Exploitation The Exploitation Phase allows friendly units that are specified as exploitation capable to move and conduct overrun attacks using their full movement allowance again. 11.0a Generally, only units with a colored box around their unit values are exploit-capable. The game rules can also define other units or conditions to give the exploit capability. 11.0b A unit that is in a EZOC at the Exploitation Phase’s beginning cannot move, or overrun in the Exploitation Phase. 11.0c Units which are not exploitcapable cannot apply 3.1e to move. 12.0 Supply SCS games simulate supply in an abstract “trace” manner. Individual games vary in the exact manner of handling supply. Procedure: During the Supply Phase, the phasing player checks each of his units to determine if a supply line trace exists. If a trace is not possible, he marks the unit with an Out of Supply marker. If, in a later Supply Phase, a supply line trace exists for such units, the owning player removes the Out of Supply marker. Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved. 12.1 Tracing Supply Lines 12.1a A Supply Line Trace is a path free of enemy units and EZOCs between each unit and the side’s supply source. Generally, supply line traces may be any contiguous hex length. The Game Rules list the “Supply Source” for each side. EZOCs, enemy units, and impassable terrain hexes/hexsides block supply line traces. If the path used is not blocked, a supply trace is possible. If the path is blocked (and no other unblocked path is available—the player may check any potential path), mark the unit out of supply. The owning player checks each unit or stack for a supply line trace independently. 12.1b After a successful trace, units are “in supply” until the next Supply Phase—regardless of changing circumstances. Conversely, out-of-supply units must wait until (at least) the next Supply Phase to qualify as being in supply. 12.1c Game rules which contradict the above take precedence. 12.2 Out of Supply Effects The game rules specify the out of supply effects. A unit is subject to the out-of-supply effects from the moment it receives a marker until it is removed or the unit is destroyed. Page 7 Standard Combat Series Designer’s Notes This series was designed for two reasons. First, it was meant to offset our other series which, by an order of magnitude, are much more complicated than the SCS. Second, it was designed to be a basic—read FUN—game which can be played at times when the others seem like too much of a good thing. These games are made for the “break out the beer and pretzels, and here we go” type of evening. While none of our games are designed with the beginner as their raison d’être, the SCS was designed as something the beginner would be able to handle—as opposed to being devoured by. I want to make the reasons behind a few things in this series known. First of all is our standard rounding rule. I have been forever pained by the “11 to 6? Oh, I’m so sorry, that’s only a 1 to 1 attack.” More importantly, watching players scrounge the map looking for a strength point or two to “make the odds break” is downright embarrassing. By making the “table break” happen at the 1/2 value, I hope to make players spend less time pre-calculating and more time just shooting from the hip. Its the shoot from the hip gun fight that is fun in wargaming, not the ravings of the accountant gone mad looking for each individual strength point. If your opponent starts to pre-calculate combats in this system (even after making it tougher on him), feel free to slap him silly! Sure, he can start scrounging for enough points to make that last 0.5, but only if you let him dodge around the Fog of War rule ! Quite a few people seem to think our standard rounding rule is an attempt at limited intelligence—it isn’t. The Fog of War rule is the limited intelligence part of this game. The standard rounding rule merely represents a different way of expressing what happens to the remainder in odds (and other) expressions. Another very carefully set up set of rules involves the determination of who gets to exploit, and who doesn’t, specifically the effect of EZOCs on the matter. Because of the EZOC restriction, the development and use of reserves is rewarded. A player must be aware of his units. He cannot assume that just because a unit is “mech” it will be able to function in the Exploitation Phase. Likewise, units are also restricted in their ability to overrun if they begin movement in an EZOC. The assumption here is that units in contact with the enemy will not have the ability to quickly disengage, reconsolidate, and plan future movements so as to take advantage of fleeting opportunities. Units in a “safe” reserve location can, and it’s those units which I feel should be allowed to overrun and use the Exploitation Phase. These version 1.7 rules can be used directly with any of the games in the series. It reflects a continual process of refinement and correction which will make each of our series rules the best they can possibly be. Players all over the world have added their voice here to make these rules and the system better by pointing out weak points and errors—for them and their effort we are grateful. Quality Wargames Since 1988 M M P Multi-Man Publishing Page 8 Multi-Man Publishing, LLC 403 Headquarters Drive, Suite 7, Millersville MD 21108 © 2005 All Rights Reserved.
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