Built for War: Design, Build, and Destroy World War II Tanks
Built for War: Design, Build, and Destroy World War II Tanks Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Object of the Game
Players vie for points by collecting tank kill tiles, capturing objectives, deploying support units, and spending initiative that they collect during the course of the game.
Built for War plays out over four years, each of which is broken into 4 seasons. Scoring occurs at the end of each Year. At the end of 4 years, the player with the highest score wins the game.
Components
- Main board
- 4 playerboards
- Early War Technology tiles
- Late War Technology tiles
- Support cards
- Action cards
- AI cards
- AI Tank cards
- Rulebook and player aids
- 4 double-sided doctrine tiles
- Double-sided malfunction/suppressed markers
- Double-sided tank kill tiles
- 8 colored disks
- 4 colored cubes
- 2 season and year tiles
- 2 dice
Setup the Game
- Place the main board on the table.
- Shuffle the Blue technology tiles and place them face-down near the board to form the technology pool. Set the Orange technology tiles aside for now.
- Shuffle the support cards and place them on the main board.
- Shuffle the action cards and place them on the main board.
- Reveal a number of action cards equal to the number of total players +2 and place them next to the game board.
- Place the tank kill, malfunction/suppression tokens, and dice near the board.
- Place the season marker on the Spring location on the main board and place the year marker on the 1942 location on the main board.
- Each player selects a nation to play and sits in that nation's location as shown in the diagram. Collect the matching player board, armor doctrine tile, weight cube, 2 colored disks, and 2 tank kill tiles.
- Each player places one colored disk next to the score track on the main board.
- Place the remaining disk on the initiative track of the main board on the 1 space in the following order top to bottom: Germany (Grey), UK (Beige), Russia (Red), USA (Blue).
- Each player places the weight cube on the 5 space of the weight track on their player board.
- Each player places the 2 tank kill tiles on the tank kill location on their player board.
- Each player randomly draws one support card and places it above their player board.
- Each player randomly draws blue technology tiles from the pool according to the number of human players in the game and places them on their technologies stack.
- 4 players: 4 tiles
- 3 players: 5 tiles
- 2 players: 6 tiles
- Solo play: 8 tiles
Turn Summary
Each year is broken up into 4 seasons. Each season consists of 4 phases.
- I. Research/Build phase
- II. Combat action phase
- III. End of season phase
- IV. End of year phase
Research/Build
All players perform the research/build phase simultaneously.
During this phase, each player will look through the face-down technology tiles in their technology stack to review what is available to research.
Each player then decides if they wish to research one of those technologies or build their tank from the existing blueprint of past technologies researched. This phase is explained in detail below.
Research
Research is the process of learning about new technologies and placing them on a blueprint of a tank that you will build in the future.
To research, select one of your available technology tiles and place it face down on the blueprint section of the player board. Do not announce what technology you are researching.
Some technologies immediately deploy onto a tank when researched. These technology tiles have the word Auto printed on them.
There are many types of technology tiles. Each type of technology is represented by a different icon on them.
- Blitz technologies influence the power and speed of a tank. They improve the blitz action during the combat action phase.
- Cannon technologies influence a tank's ability to destroy other tanks. They improve the fire cannons action.
- Machine Gun technologies influence a tank's ability to kill support units. They improve the fire machine guns action.
- Support technologies influence a tank's ability to recruit units to support the tank in battle. They improve the support action.
- Turret technologies influence a tank's ability to gain initiative using it's turret. They improve the turret action.
- Armor technologies impact a tank's capacity to survive when it is fired upon by other tanks.
- Suspension technologies reduce a tank's weight, allowing it to be more nimble on the battlefield.
- Crew technologies represent the country's tank crew training programs and overall crew skill.
- Mechanic technologies are field mechanics, infrastructure, and parts required to repair tanks on the battlefield.
Technologies with no icon on them are AUXILLARY technologies that represent the assorted tank capabilities that were developed during the war.
Technologies with a dark brown icon on them are primary technologies. A player may only have one of each primary technology type on their tank at any time.
Technologies with a faded brown icon are secondary technologies. A player may have any number of secondary technologies on their tank.
A player may not research an identical technology that they have already researched or built onto their tank.
Build
Build is the process of producing tanks from the technologies that were researched in prior seasons. Once a tank is built, all of the technologies from the player's blueprint are deployed to their tank design. This newly enhanced tank is immediately available during the combat action phase.
First, reveal all face-down technology tiles on the blueprint. A player may discard any technologies from their blueprint that they wish instead of adding them to their tank. A player may also discard any technologies from their tank during a build action.
Move each technology tile from the blueprint to the tank section of the playerboard. Tiles added to the tank should be placed face-up on a location that matches the icon on the technology tile.
If it is a primary technology, place it on top of any primary technology that is located in that space.
If it is a secondary technology, place it beside the primary technology. In most cases, only one location is provided for secondary technologies, but any number of secondary technologies may be placed next to a matching primary technology.
If the technology tile is an auxillary technology (no icon), place it on one of the tile locations on the tank containing no icon. There is no limit to the number of auxillary technologies that can be placed on a tank.
Build Example: The Russian player has chosen to build their tank. They reveal the 3 technologies that are currently on their blueprint; machine guns, pintle mount, and interleaved wheels. They move the tiles from their blueprint and place them on their tank by matching the icons on the tiles to their locations on the playerboard.
Machine guns are a primary technology and cover up the machine gun pre-printed on the board. Pintle mount is a secondary technology and is placed next to the machine guns. Finally, the interleaved wheels have no icon, and so is placed in any location that have no icons or technologies.
Special Technologies
Some special technologies are labeled with the words Auto and/or Discard.
Auto technologies automatically deploy when RESEARCHED. Immediately place the technology on the tank in the appropriate location or discard the technology if it also contains the word Discard.
Discard technologies are not placed on a tank. When they are deployed, remove the tile from the game and immediately receive the benefit of the technology.
Weight
After upgrading a tank, the tank may have a new weight, which impacts both its ability to blitz objectives as well as its reliability.
Count the total weight showing on your playerboard and all technology tiles on the tank. Place the weight cube on the appropriate location on the weight track at the top of the playerboard. Do not count the weight of any technologies that were covered up by other technologies.
Some technologies reduce the tank's weight. Be sure to subtract the weight of those technologies rather than add them to the tank's weight.
Technologies only impact tanks and do not apply to support units (Support units are explained in the combat action section of these rules).
Weight Example: The American player builds the MB Gearbox and No Turret technologies. The MB Gearbox adds 1 additional weight to the tank. The No Turret technology has a weight of -2 and covers weight of 1 technology. The change in weight is +1 - 1 -2 for a net change of -2 weight, moving the weight cube to 3.
At any time during the game a player may confirm a tank's weight by totaling all the visible weight values on the tank.
Pass Tiles
After all players have researched or built, players pass their technology tiles to the next player. During the 1942 and 1943 turns (when players are researching Blue technology tiles), players pass their tiles to the left. During 1944 and 1945, (Orange technology tiles), players pass their tiles to the right. Place the new tiles on the technology location of the player board.
If a player has fewer technology tiles than is allowed for the number of players in the game, they draw one technology tile from the technology pool.
Number of tiles allowed:
- 4 players: 4 tiles
- 3 players: 5 tiles
- 2 players: 6 tiles
- Solo play: 8 tiles
Combat Action
During the combat action phase, each player will use their current tank to perform one action in combat. This phase is done one player at a time in initiative order. Should two players have the same initiative, a player whose initiative disk is on top takes their action before a player whose initiative disk is lower on the stack.
When a player moves their initiative up OR down, the disk is placed on top of any disk already in that location.
The active player taking their action selects one of the available face-up action cards.
There are five types of action cards:
- Support
- Fire Cannons
- Fire Machine Guns
- Turret
- Blitz
In addition, if a Burn Tread card is available, it may be selected by a player to perform any one of the five actions.
A player may discard an action card to repair tank malfunctions and/or rally suppressed units (both malfunctions and suppression are explained later in these rules).
Weight allowance is the safe maximum weight for the action. If the weight of the tank exceeds the weight allowance shown on the selected action card, the player performs the action and then places a malfunction marker on top of the tank location matching the icon of the action card.
A player may not select an action matching an icon on their tank that is covered by a malfunction marker.
Action benefit shows the benefit a player receives for selecting the action.
Support
The Support Action allows a player to call in support for tanks and identify valuable locations they can possess to score victory points.
To perform the support action, draw the top two cards of the support deck. Select one and place it face-up near the top of the active player's playerboard. Place the unselected card face down on top of the support deck.
There are two types of support cards; units and objectives.
Units are the non-tank military units that operate in conjunction with tanks. Each unit has abilities that allow them to execute the same actions as tanks when those actions are selected.
Objectives are desirable locations that players will fight over to score victory points at the end of each year. Objectives have a red banner at the top of the card.
Defense is the ability of the units and objectives to withstand an enemy's attack. Defense is explained under the Blitz, Fire cannons, and Fire machine guns sections.
Unit type and objective type have no impact on game play.
Victory point value is the number of victory points that the player will score if they own this support card during the end of year phase.
Instant initiative is a bonus that a player receives to their initiative value immediately when they deploy some support units. Increase initiative by one for each lightning bolt shown.
Unit abilities are the actions that each unit is capable of performing. Should a player select an action that matches an ability shown on a unit card they own, the player may activate and use the unit as well as their tank.
The active player may activate units and their tank in any order they wish.
Entrenching
At any time during the active player's turn, units may entrench on objectives they own. Entrenchment is always exactly one unit on exactly one objective.
A player may adjust the entrenchment of any of their units as they wish, but only when they are the active player.
To show entrenchment, place the unit card on top of the objective card such that the icons on the objective card are visible above the unit card.
The benefit of entrenching is that the defensive value of entrenched cards is equal to the total value of both the unit and the objective card.
Fire Cannons
The fire cannons action allows a player to fire at enemy tanks using their tank and all supporting units that have a cannon icon on them. Players may fire the cannons on their tank and eligible units in any order they wish.
Suppressed units may not fire cannons (suppressed units are explained under fire machine guns).
The active player chooses a tank to target and their tank or a unit to fire. A player may fire upon any enemy tank containing tank kill tiles on its playerboard.
The active player determines their firepower by rolling one die and adding their firepower bonus to the die roll.
If the active player is firing using their tank, their firepower bonus is the total value shown on their primary and secondary cannon technologies.
If the active player is firing using a support unit, the firepower bonus is the number shown next to the cannon icon.
The targeted player determines their defense by rolling one die and adding to it the first value shown on their primary and secondary armor technologies.
If the firepower is greater than or equal to the defense, the active player destroys one of the defenders tanks. The defender must discard a tank kill tile from their playerboard.
Otherwise, the shot does not penetrate the tank's armor and has no effect.
Overwhelm
If the active player was firing their tank's cannon and their firepower was greater than the defense, the active player may fire their tank again. The target must be a tank with at least one tank kill tile, but it may be a different tank. The attacker can continue overwhelming until their firepower fails to exceed the defense.
Support units only fire once and may not overwhelm.
Once a tank begins firing, it must finish firing before another unit may fire.
Flanking
If the active player's initiative disk is on a higher location than the defender, the player has flanked the enemy tank.
When firing on a flanked tank, the second number on all armor technologies is used instead of the first number when determining the defender's defense bonus.
Support units with cannons also receive the flanking benefit.
A player may continue firing cannons until they have fired with all eligible units and their tank.
In order to flank, the active player's initiative must be higher than the defender's initiative. Being on the same initiative location is not sufficient to flank, even if the active players disk is on top of the defender's disk.
Bonus Production
Tanks that kill enemy tanks are mass produced by a player's nation.
If a tank destroys one or more enemy tanks, the active player receives one tank kill tile and places it on their playerboard. A player receives a single tank kill tile, even if several kills are recorded in a turn.
Bonus production is not received when support units destroy enemy tanks.
HE Ammo and Cannons
Some cannon technologies have high explosive ammo (HE). Cannons so equipped may choose to fire at support units during a fire cannons action. Follow the fire machine guns procedure when a tank fires upon a unit using its cannon, but use the firepower bonus of the cannon when determining firepower.
Destroying units does not create bonus production. Once a player fires upon a tank or unit, they may not switch to the other type of target.
Fire Cannon Example: The British player takes the fire cannon action and decides to use their tank to fire at the German player's tank. They have a 6 pounder gun and APCBC ammo for a total firepower bonus of +3. The die roll is a 4 +3 for a total firepower of 7.
The German player has not upgraded their primary armor. In addition, the British player does not have a higher initiative than the German player. Thus, the shot is at the front armor number which is a 3. The die roll is a 2 +3 for a total defense of 5.
Since the firepower is equal to or higher than the defense, the shot is a kill! The German player must discard a tank kill tile. Because the British player's firepower exceeded the tank's defense value, they overwhelm and may fire again at any players' tank.
At the end of the action, the British player will receive one tank kill tile in bonus production.
Fire Machine Guns
The fire machine guns action allows a player to fire at enemy support units using their tank and supporting units that have a machine gun icon on them. Players may fire the machine guns on their tank and eligible units in any order they wish.
Suppressed units may not fire machine guns (suppressed units are explained below).
The active player selects either their tank or a unit to fire and chooses an enemy support unit to target. Neither tanks, nor objectives, may be targeted by machine guns.
The active player determines their firepower by rolling one die and adding their firepower bonus to the die roll.
If the active player is firing using their tank, their firepower bonus is the total value shown on their primary and secondary machine gun technologies.
If the active player is firing using a support unit, the firepower bonus is the number shown next to the machine gun icon.
The targeted player determines their defense by rolling one die and adding to it the number of defense icons shown on the targeted unit and any objectives on which the unit is entrenched.
If the firepower is greater than the defense value, the unit is destroyed.
If the firepower is equal to the defense value, the unit is suppressed. If the unit was already suppressed, it is destroyed. If it was not already suppressed, place a suppression marker on the unit.
Each tank and eligible unit may fire once during a fire machine guns action.
Fire Machine Guns Example: The Russian player takes the fire machine guns action and decides to use their tank to fire some mechanized infantry. They have a machine gun on their tank which gives a firepower bonus of +2. The die roll is a 4 +2 for a total firepower of 6.
Luckily for the targeted player, the mechanized infantry is entrenched on an objective, enhancing the defense of the unit. Counting the shields on both the objective and the unit card results in +3 defense. The die roll is a 3 +3 for a total defense of 6.
The firepower is not higher than the defense, so the unit is not destroyed. However, the firepower is equal to the defense , so the unit is suppressed. If it had already been suppressed, it would have been destroyed. Since it is now suppressed, the unit may not be used during any actions until the suppressed marker is removed (explained later).
Destruction Award
Destroyed units are flipped over and placed near the active player's playerboard regardless of whether they were destroyed by a tank or another support unit. The destroyed units will provide one victory point at the end of the current year.
Turret
The turret action allows a player to increase their initiative by an amount equal to the total number of lightning bolts on primary and secondary turret technologies on a built tank.
Any turret bonuses shown on support units are added to any initiative increases due to tank technologies. Suppressed units do not provide any turret initiative bonuses.
Increase the player's initiative by moving their initiative disk up one space for each lightning bolt.
Initiative may never surpass 16 initiative. If a player's initiative would ever move above 16 initiative, simply place the initiative disk on top of any disks in the 16 location.
Blitz
The blitz Action is a two-step action. First, it may increase a player's initiative. Second, it allows a player to capture enemy objectives.
Change Initiative
Count the number of lightning bolts shown on the tank's primary and secondary blitz technologies. Subtract from this number any weight penalty shown on the tank's weight track. It is possible that the weight of a tank will actually reduce initiative when taking a blitz action.
Any blitz bonuses shown on support units are also added to initiative. Suppressed units do not provide any blitz initiative bonuses.
Change Initiative Example: The German player decides to blitz. They count the lightning bolts on their blitz technologies, in this case 3. They then subtract any weight penalty. Because their tank weighs 8, they subtract 1 from their initiative for a net of 2 initiative. They move their initiative marker accordingly.
Note, if the German player has any support units with the blitz icon on them, they would also receive those bonuses to their initative gain.
Capture Objectives
After adjusting initiative, the active player may choose to capture an enemy objective.
To capture an objective, reduce the active player's initiative by an amount equal to the defense value of the objective and the defense value of any unit entrenched on the objective.
A player may not capture an objective if doing so would reduce their initiative below zero.
The active player takes the captured objective card from the targeted player and places it above their playerboard. The active player may then adjust the entrenchment of all of their units and objectives freely.
Capture Objectives Example: After taking their initiative gains, the German player decides to capture the objective protected by the mechanized infantry. They move their initiative disk down 3 spaces on the initiative track and take the objective from the other player. The unit that was entrenched on the objective is not harmed in any way.
The German player may immediately entrench one of their own support units on the newly captured objective, if they wish.
Repair and Rally
During the course of the game, a player's tank may malfunction due to its weight exceeding the weight allowance of an action. In addition, a player's units may become suppressed due to enemy fire.
To repair these malfunctions and/or rally these suppressed units, a player can perform the repair and rally action.
To do so, discard any one of the available action cards. Instead of performing the action shown on the card, the player removes one malfunction from their tank or suppression marker from their units for each gear symbol shown on their mechanic technology. The starting mechanic ability is one, but this may be increased by researching more advanced mechanic technologies.
Tanks never malfunction when performing a repair and rally action as the weight allowance on an action card is ignored.
Desperate Measures
If the active player does not like any of the available action cards during their turn, or no actions are available, they may declare desperate measures. Reveal the top action card from the face-down action card deck and place it directly into the discard.
The active player must either perform that action as if it was the selected action, or they must use the card to perform a repair and rally action. If the card is used for its printed action, any weight allowance penalties are applied per normal rules.
End of Season
The end of the season occurs after each player has taken a single combat action.
Leave all face-up action cards that were not selected during the combat action phase. Reveal additional action cards until a there are face-up action cards equal to the number of players in the game plus two. If there are equal to or more face-up action cards than needed, do not reveal any additional cards.
Reshuffle the discarded action cards to form a new action deck when exhausted.
If it is winter, proceed to the end of year phase. Otherwise, move the season marker to the next season and continue with the research/build phase.
End of Year
At the end of each year, players score victory points according to how well their nation fared that year. End of year is the only time that player scores are adjusted.
Basic Victory Points
Each player scores as follows:
- 1 VP for each tank kill tile on their playerboard.
- 1 VP for each VP symbol on the objective cards and units they own (even suppressed units).
- 1 VP for each enemy support unit they destroyed (face-down cards).
Victory Points from Initiative
After all players have received their basic victory points players can purchase victory points using initiative.
In initiative order, each player may choose to spend initiative to score victory points. The amount of initiative that must be spent to score VPs increases each year:
- 1942: 1 VP per initiative
- 1943: 2 VP per 3 initiative
- 1944: 1 VP per 2 initiative
- 1945: 1 VP per 3 initiative
A player may never voluntarily lower their initiative below zero.
After scoring, destroyed unit cards are discarded to the support card discard pile. All other objectives, units, and tank kill tiles remain in place. They can be scored again in subsequent years.
End of Year Maintenance
Move the year marker to the next year and the season marker to the spring season.
Each player receives one additional tank kill tile, which they place on their player board.
Each player may flip their doctrine tile over or leave it in its current orientation. Be sure to collect any immediate benefits provided by a face-up doctrine tile.
All players may change the entrenchment of units and objectives.
Fresh Start
In solo and two-human player games, players may choose to discard the technology tiles in their technology stack and draw new ones. A player must discard all technologies or none.
Technologies that have been built onto a tank or researched into a blueprint remain where they are.
Advanced Technologies
At the end of 1943, a technology reset occurs. All players discard their Blue technology tiles from their technology stack and replace them with an equal number of random Orange technology tiles.
Blue technologies that have been built onto a tank or researched into a blueprint remain where they are.
End of Game
End of Game Scoring
At the end of 1945, players may receive bonus points.
- Most tank kill tiles: 3 VP. If there is a tie for the most tank kill tiles, all tied players receive the bonus.
- No tank kill tiles: -3 VP
- Malfunctions markers: -1 VP for each malfunction marker on a player's tank.
Winning the Game
The player with the most victory points wins the game. If there is a victory point tie, the player with the highest initiative position, including being on top of a stack of initiative markers, wins the game.
Optional Rules
Fast Start
For a faster and more asymmetric start to the game, do the following:
After game setup, each player selects one of their 4 starting technology tiles to place face-down on their blueprint and one tile to install on their tank as if they had taken a build action.
Pass the two other tiles to the player on their left. Each player then draws two more technology tiles to form their starting technology stack of four tiles.
AI Expansion Rules
The AI expansion was an optional purchase during the Kickstarter campaign for Built for War. If your copy of the game does not have the AI expansion, a limited number of copies may be available from mrbgames.com.
Concept
The AI expansion allows for nations to be controlled by an advanced, yet simple, AI player. The AI can control any number of nations in a game. AI players can supplement a multi-player game or allow for full solo play!
AI Components
- 60 AI cards
- 40 AI tank cards
Setup
Setup the game for the Human Players in the same manner you would for a multi-player game, with the following exceptions.
- Decide which nations will be controlled by the AI.
- Decide on the difficulty level desired of each AI player. Difficulty can be different for each nation played by the AI. The difficulty levels, from easiest to hardest, are as follows:
- Captain
- Major
- Colonel
- General
- Field Marshal
- Shuffle the AI deck and set it near the main board. The AI deck is used to control all AI players.
- Place the AI controlled VP and initiative disks on the main board in their normal locations.
- The AI does not use player boards, technologies, or doctrine tiles. Leave those components in the game box.
- For each AI player, place that nation's AI tank cards near the main board. Do not shuffle these cards. The non-AI player tank cards will not be used during this game.
- Determine a starting tank for each AI player. Roll 2 dice and sum the numbers. Find the AI tank card that shows the number rolled in the 1942 location on the card. Place this Tank card face-up in the play area. Place a number of tank kill tiles above the card matching the tank kill number shown on the card.
- Draw 1 support card for each AI player and place it face up next to the AI's player's starting tank.
Research or Build
AI players do not research or build. AI players skip this phase. Human players research or build normally.
Combat Actions
Determining a Combat Action
AI players execute actions in their normal initiative order. When it is an AI player's turn, do the following:
- Reveal the top card from the AI deck and check these three requirements.
- AVAILABLE: If the first action on the AI card does not appear on a face-up action card, proceed to the next action shown on the AI card.
- BENEFICIAL: If the action would provide no benefit to the AI, proceed to the next action on the AI card. Minimal benefits count towards meeting this requirement.
- WEIGHT LIMIT: If the only action cards available would cause any of the active AI tanks to malfunction, proceed to the next action on the AI card.
- If the AI cannot meet all requirements of the first action, move to the second action on the AI card repeating the process. Repeat again for the third action as well.
- If the AI cannot meet all of the requirements on the AI card, repeat the above steps ignoring the WEIGHT LIMIT requirement. (The other two requirements must still be met).
- If the AI still cannot meet all requirements, the AI will invoke desperate measures per normal rules. In addition, discard and replace all face up action cards and remove all suppression markers from the nation's support units.
When selecting an action card, the AI will select a Burn Tread card before other types of cards. Within a card type, the AI will select the card with the largest weight allowance.
Performing a Combat Action
AI actions are executed in the same manner as a human player, except they use the characteristics printed on the AI tank cards. All AI tanks and eligible support units perform the selected action.
AI decision-making for fire cannons, fire machine guns, blitz and support actions is outlined on the AI player aid.
Malfunctions
AI tanks do not malfunction. Any AI tank that would malfunction instead loses 1 tank kill tile. Tanks with no tank kill tiles function normally.
Reinforcements
After performing its action, the AI player may receive reinforcements.
If the AI card shows a number of reinforcement stars that are less than or equal to the difficulty chosen at the beginning of the game, the AI player receives reinforcements.
If the reinforcement shows soldiers, reveal the top card from the support deck and place it face-up next to the AI player's tank. Entrench the card if able to do so. This support unit or objective now belongs to the AI player.
If the reinforcement shows a tank, then repeat the procedure to determine a starting tank using the current year's tank numbers.
If the tank rolled is already in play, add tank kill tiles to the AI card equal to the card's tank kill number.
There is no limit to the number of tanks, nor tank kill tiles, an AI player may have in play.
End of Year Scoring
AI scores normally. In addition, roll two dice on the year end AI initiative spending table to determine how much initiative the AI player will spend (see the AI player aid).
End of Year Maintenance
Obsolescence
Any AI tank card that contains no tank kill tiles is discarded.
Production
Each AI tank card receives 1 additional tank kill tile.
New Tank
If the AI player has no AI tank cards, repeat the procedure to determine a starting tank using the current year's tank numbers.
Golden Rule
The AI usually make good decisions, but not always. Sometimes, decisions will not seem optimal. That is by design as the AI is meant to model human behavior, not perfection. Crush the AI when they make a bone-headed move, just like you do with your friends. Enjoy!
Appendix
Doctrine Tiles
Some doctrine tiles provide an immediate benefit when selected, even at the start of the game.
- Auftragstaktik: May draw and add one action card to the available actions immediately prior to selecting an action.
- Blitzkrieg: Draw one support card at random at the beginning of the year.
- Innovators: A research action taken in the spring also builds all technology tiles from the blueprint onto the tank.
- Cruiser Tanks: At the start of the year, gain +2 initiative.
- Sloped Armor: When targeted by cannons, may reroll the tank's defense roll The second roll must be accepted.
- Rasputitsa: Enemy players must spend +1 initiative to capture your objectives.
- Mass Production: At the start of the year, receive +1 tank kill tile.
- Motor Pool: When selecting an action that would cause your tank to malfunction, roll a die and add the die roll to the weight allowance of the action card.
Combat Actions in Detail
Player aid, printed on the final page of the rulebook.
In initiative order, each player selects an action from the face-up action cards and executes it completely before the next player takes their turn.
Support
Draw two support cards. Place one face-up above your player board. Place the other card face-down on top of the support card deck.
Fire Cannons
- Select an eligible unit or tank to fire.
- Select a tank to target.
- Active players rolls one die and adds the firepower bonus to determine the firepower.
- Defender rolls one die and adds the defense bonus to determine defense.
- If the firepower is equal to or greater than the defense, the defender discards one tank kill tile.
- Overwhelm: If a tank is firing and the firepower is greater than the defense, the tank may fire again at any tank with tank kill tiles.
- Repeat until all units and the tank have fired their cannons.
- Bonus Production: If at least one kill occurred, the active player places one tank kill tile on their playerboard.
Fire Machine Guns
- Select an eligible unit or tank to fire.
- Select a unit to target.
- Active players rolls one die and adds the firepower bonus to determine the firepower.
- Defender rolls one die and adds the defense bonus to determine defense. Be sure to include the defense of any entrenched objectives to this bonus.
- If the firepower is greater than the defense, the active player takes the support card and places it face-down near their player board.
- If the firepower is equal to the defense, the unit is suppressed. If already suppressed, the unit is killed as above. Otherwise, place a suppressed marker on the unit.
- Repeat until all units and the tank have fired their machine guns.
Turret
Increase initiative by the turret value shown on the tank and unsuppressed units.
Blitz
Increase initiative by the blitz value shown on the tank and unsuppressed units.
Spend initiative to capture one objective.
Burn Tread
Take any action.
Repair/Rally
Discard any action card to remove one malfunction marker from your tank or suppression marker from your units for each gear icon on your mechanic.
Malfunctions
If the weight allowance on any card is greater than the weight of your tank and you did any action other than repair/rally, place a malfunction marker on the location of your tank matching the icon on the action card.