Combat Commander: Battle Pack #7 – Leader of Men: Tournament Battle Pack
Combat Commander: Battle Pack #7 – Leader of Men: Tournament Battle Pack Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Common Tournament Formats
- Designer's Preferred Format
- Tournament Rules – Combat Commander
- Game – Combat Commander (GMT)
- Tournament Format – Modified Swiss Elimination
- Tournament Scenarios Announced Each Round
- Player Conduct
- Pairing Players
- Odd Numbers and Direct Passes
- Time Limits for Rounds
- Recording Results
- Conditions of Victory
- Advancement to Single Elimination Rounds
- Single Elimination Round Format
- Tournament Scenarios
- Tournament Scenario #1 – Hill 133
- Tournament Scenario #2 – The Start of the Blitzkrieg
- Tournament Scenario #3 – Midnight Clearing
- Tournament Scenario #4 – A Bridge Too Far
- Tournament Scenario #5 – On the Road to Victory
- Tournament Scenario #6 – A Steppe Further On
- Tournament Scenario #7 – A Steppe Further On
- Tournament Scenario #8 – Codes at Dawn
- Tournament Scenario #9 – Operation Mercury
- Tournament Scenario #10 – Operation Barbarossa
- Tournament Scenario #11 – The Villa Strangiato
- Tournament Scenario #12 – Red Sector A
Introduction
This tournament rules expansion, "Leader of Men", is designed to help you organise and run Combat Commander tournaments. It includes guidelines for several tournament types, as well as scenarios suited to tournaments and carefully balanced.
We play these games for many reasons. For some, the social experience matters most. For others, the pure enjoyment of play matters. Many are drawn to the chance to explore historical themes through play.
Whatever our main motivation, many players enjoy competition. Winning gives us a sense of well-being and satisfaction. As a game grows in popularity, so does the wish to test one's skills against a range of opponents in a competitive setting. The best way to do this is an organised tournament.
Whatever the size of the tournament, these rules will allow you to organise and run the event with ease.
Perhaps the most important thing in organising a successful tournament is to have clear, predefined rules. Tournament rules must handle many matters, such as advancement, awards, playing time and the resolution of ties. These guidelines give you those clear rules, so that you need only concern yourself with administering the game in the chosen format.
Common Tournament Formats
There are many possible tournament formats – too many to include them all here. We have therefore included the four most popular formats, together with guidelines on when each is best used.
The formats included are:
- Single Elimination
- Double Elimination
- Swiss
- Swiss Elimination
Single Elimination
Single Elimination is the simplest format. Create a standard bracket; for each match, only the winner advances and the loser is eliminated.
In a tournament of 4, 8, 16, 32 or 64 players the bracket is simple: win and advance. When you have a different number of players, alternative brackets are needed, and some players are automatically passed directly into the first or second round. The purpose of these direct passes is to eliminate players until you reach a number divisible by 4; from that point you play with a simple bracket.
Single Elimination works best with many players and little time. The tricky part is deciding who receives a direct pass, and deciding who goes where in the opening round. This is the creation of the "seeds".
There are many ways to decide them, including at random. What matters is that the method is clear and available to all players.
Double Elimination
Double Elimination works like Single Elimination, with a single-elimination bracket that finally determines one undefeated player.
In a double-elimination bracket, however, there is a second "losers' bracket", where those defeated in a single-elimination match have another chance to advance to the finals. In the end, the "winner" of the winners' bracket faces the "winner" of the losers' bracket.
The advantage of this format over Single Elimination is that players play more matches. In a single-elimination tournament, half of the participants play only one match. In a double-elimination tournament, only ¼ of the participants are eliminated first, and each of them only after playing two matches.
In this case you must not only manage the seeds, as in Single Elimination, but also decide the format of the winner. There is often a single overall winner, decided by a match between the undefeated player who advanced from the winners' bracket and the player who advanced from the losers' bracket. Alternatively, you may decide that the final loser must be eliminated after two defeats: the player advancing from the losers' bracket must beat the undefeated player twice to win the tournament.
Swiss Format
In the Swiss format, all players play a fixed number of rounds, with players who have the same result playing each other in each round.
Two players must not play each other more than once. At the end of the predetermined number of rounds, the person with the best performance wins.
The advantage of the Swiss format is that all players are in play in every round. It is important to play enough rounds to produce a sample: the rule of thumb is 3 rounds up to 8 players, 4 rounds up to 16 players, 5 rounds up to 32 players, and so on.
In the Swiss format, ties are possible. It is therefore important to define clearly how they are resolved. Often the first method is a head-to-head result (if only 2 tied players are involved), and the combined results of all opponents as the second criterion (if there is no head-to-head between two tied players, or if more than two players are tied).
Swiss Elimination Format
This format allows you to play the Swiss method when you have more than the optimal number of players for the number of rounds you intend to play. In this format, play proceeds as in the Swiss format, except that players who have been defeated a certain number of times are eliminated from the game.
Normally this is two defeats, but it may be 3 or 4 depending on the size of the tournament.
When a Swiss Elimination tournament has an odd number of players, you must create rules for direct passes. In general, the pass goes to the player who has suffered the fewest defeats, and no player may receive more than one such benefit. For this purpose, a pass counts as a win.
A modified form of Swiss Elimination is to run a Swiss tournament to narrow the field to the players with the best 4, 8 or 16 results (tie-breaks must still be resolved in this case), and then have those players play a Single Elimination bracket.
This gives the excitement of a fast-paced knockout game while still letting players play more matches.
Whatever type of tournament you choose for your competition, there are many things to do and many things not to do that apply to every type.
- Have fun.
- Do not argue about the rules (as the master you must know the rules and be firm in your answers to questions).
- Respect the time limits.
- Do not change the rules or the advancement formulas during the tournament.
Designer's Preferred Format
As a long-standing game designer and a member of the CC player community, it has been a pleasure to watch the growth and increasing popularity of the CC series.
Nothing demonstrates this more than the fact that the base game is in its third printing.
Alongside this growth there is an increasing number of tournaments played around the world. Creating standard tournament rules allows players everywhere to play CC competitions using the same common format.
As Game Master (GM) I have organised more than a dozen CC tournaments.
In all of them I have organised and run tournaments for a total of over 400 players, that is over 200 opening matches. I have run various types of tournament, from Single Elimination to Swiss to Swiss Elimination.
At that time my preferred tournament format was a Modified Swiss Elimination. This format lets players play some or all of the matches in the preliminary rounds, with a number of players advancing to the single-elimination rounds.
The opportunity for players to play more preliminary rounds is attractive for many reasons. First, it softens the sometimes arbitrary nature of a game of CC, allowing the player to continue in the tournament; and second, it lets players enter and leave the tournament without being penalised for losing a round.
I prefer this format when each preliminary round pairs players of similar skill and record. The first round is determined at random. At the end of each round, players record their results on the Tournament Record Card.
When a player wins, they also record the details of the victory. These details, and the Advancement Points associated with them, are used in the tie-break system.
At the end of a predefined number of preliminary rounds, determined by the number of participants, the players with the four best results advance into the single-elimination rounds.
The following are the rules I use.
Tournament Rules – Combat Commander
Game – Combat Commander (GMT)
The tournament requires the games Combat Commander: Europe (CC: E) and Combat Commander: Mediterranean (CC: M). Rules version 1.1 (published in CC: M and downloadable free from the GMT website) applies to all scenarios. The latest official errata also applies.
Note: tournament organisers should include all the copies of the game needed for players to take part in the tournament.
Tournament Format – Modified Swiss Elimination
- Preliminary Rounds – Swiss
- Up to 20 players – 3 Rounds
- 20–45 players – 4 Rounds
- More than 45 players – 5 Rounds
- Semifinal and Final Rounds – Single Elimination
Tournament Scenarios Announced Each Round
Predefined scenarios for all rounds of the tournament will be provided to players.
Note: the scenarios provided in this expansion have been designed, tested and intended for tournament play.
Player Conduct
Players must arrive at least 10 minutes before the start time to receive their round schedule. Afterwards, players have twenty minutes from the start time of that round to be in their seats and ready to play. The GM (tournament referee, "Game Master" = GM) must validate the start time if it runs past the scheduled time.
Pairing Players
The first round of the tournament begins by pairing players at random. The GM may use any method to create these pairs. In subsequent rounds, players will be divided into groups according to wins and losses. The players in these groups, starting with the group of undefeated players, will then be paired at random. If a group has an odd number of players, a player chosen at random from another group will be selected to complete the pairs.
Odd Numbers and Direct Passes
If there is an odd number of players in the first Swiss round, one player automatically passes to the next round. The player who receives the direct pass is the most recent Champion of a tournament held annually, or is selected at random.
After the first round, the player with the fewest wins (chosen at random in the event of a tie) receives the direct pass. A player who receives a direct pass in a round is considered to have won that round and receives 3.5 Advancement Points. A player may receive only one such advancement per tournament.
Time Limits for Rounds
Each of the preliminary rounds has a limit of 3 hours of play. The Semifinal and Elimination rounds have no time limit.
When the GM calls "Time", play may not continue, including the resolution of any Order, Action, Event, Cause and Die Roll of any kind.
With the GM's approval, the players may instead agree to continue playing. In this case the game must be played to its conclusion. The GM's approval should be given only when the game is close enough to its end that completing it will not delay the start of the next round or interrupt the tournament.
If the players cannot agree to continue, the game ends in a draw and both players record the round as a defeat.
Stalling in order to avoid an obvious defeat and force a draw is not allowed. The GM must judge any such tactic, with a warning (first) and then a defeat (after that).
Recording Results
At the start of the tournament each player receives a Results Record Card. At the end of each game the player notes the result on it and returns it to the GM.
The winner of the last game is the Champion of the Tournament!
Conditions of Victory
All standard CC victory conditions apply to all scenarios in all rounds. The special victory conditions of the scenario also apply, where present.
During the Swiss rounds, players record the result of the game on their Results Record Card: Victory or Defeat. The winner records:
- Whether they won as Attacker, Defender or Reconnaissance
- The Margin of Victory if they won by VP count
- Whether they won by Surrender or by the Objective "V" Marker
These points are Advancement Points and are used only to resolve ties.
Advancement to Single Elimination Rounds
The first four players, by win-loss record, advance to the Single Elimination Semifinal Round. If more than 4 players would advance on the basis of that record, the players with the same lowest win-loss record resolve the tie among themselves by comparing their respective Advancement Points (shown on their Results Record Cards). The player with more Advancement Points wins the tie in their favour. If the tie remains, the following procedure is used: one player shuffles a deck of CC cards, then the two tied players each draw a card at random and compare the die roll. The one who gets the higher result wins. Repeat this process until the four semifinalists are identified.
Single Elimination Round Format
At the end of the Swiss rounds, the four players with the best overall results (including ties, now resolved) advance to the Single Elimination Finals. These finalists are ranked from best to worst, then paired 1 vs 4 and 2 vs 3 (these pairings are the Semifinals).
The winners of the Semifinals will play one match in the Final to determine the Champion of the Tournament.
Results Record Card
The Results Record Card has the following printed fields:
- Name ____ and Badge # ____
- Wins ____ Losses ____ Total Result ____
- For each of Rounds 1 to 6:
- Opponent ____ Advancement Points ____
- Type of Victory: A-2, D-1, R-1.5 (A = Attacker, D = Defender, R = Reconnaissance)
- Margin of Victory: 1–3 > 1; 4–7 > 2; 8–12 > 3; 13+ > 4. Surrender: 3. Objective "V" Marker > 3.
Tournament Scenarios
Each tournament scenario below gives its title, its place and date, the forces, its special rules and its setup table. The printed text of each scenario has the order-of-battle counter diagram and hex map on the same page; those are images and are not reproduced here. Where a table entry carries a superscript number in the source, it refers to the special rule with that number and is shown as "(see Special Rule N)".
Tournament Scenario #1 – Hill 133
Hill 133, somewhere in the depths of Russia, 1943.
"Soldier, the enemy occupies Hill 133. The Motherland and political officer Blutarsky ask you to wrest it from the enemy."
Forces: German (Axis) vs. Russian (Allied).
Special Rules
- HUMAN WAVES: The following rules apply for the whole scenario:
- The Russian player's hand is reduced by 1 card.
- The Russian player always places its eliminated units (and any weapons they have, if any) in the following space of the Time Track, instead of the Casualty Track. Exception: the Hero returns to the available counters, and his weapon, if he has one, to the Weapon Box of the Casualty Track.
- The Russian player may treat Command Confusion orders as "Charge" orders. When a Charge is announced, all Russian units not yet activated in the turn: a) remove the Suppression marker, then: b) are recovered if Broken, then: c) are automatically activated with a Movement order.
- During a Charge order, after completing steps a) to c) – but before Movement begins – any or all Axis units not yet activated for the turn may activate for an Opportunity Fire action, at the discretion of the Axis player. This activation is automatic and does not require playing a card from the Axis hand.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1943 |
| Victory Point Marker | 5 (Axis side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 0/7 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Inexperienced / 3; Allies – Line / 4 |
| Posture | Axis – Defense; Allies – Attack |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – T; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – all; Allies – none |
| Placement | Axis – first; depth 12 hexes; Allies – second; depth 3 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 6; Allies – NA (see Special Rule 1) |
| First Turn | Axis |
Tournament Scenario #2 – The Start of the Blitzkrieg
Polish Frontier, 2 September 1939.
"Pawel, I have no idea what that noise is. Perhaps you should investigate."
Forces: German (Axis) vs. Polish (Allied).
Source note: the printed heading reads "Blitrkrieg" (typo); the English title uses the standard spelling.
Special Rules
- BLITZKRIEG: Before placement, the Allied player places all of its units in an opaque container. It then draws 7 counters: these units start Suppressed. The HMG must be assigned to a Suppressed weapons group if it is drawn. The remaining units are placed normally.
- GARRISON: Allied forces must be placed in a building hex in the "Town". The Town is any hex lettered A–H and numbered 5–10.
- RECONNAISSANCE: All Axis forces must be placed in or adjacent to hex L2. If the Axis player gives up initiative during placement, it may place 1 Commander, 1 Squad and 1 LMG in hex J5.
- SLOW RESPONSE: Before play, the Allied player draws 2 Smoke counters and places the larger of the two in the cup. The smaller one is the maximum number of Allied units that may attempt to recover during any Recovery Order. Treat 1 and 2 as 3.
- AHEAD OF WARSAW: Axis units may gain VP for Exit only when they exit from hexes A9, A10 and B10. Allies may not receive VP for Exit.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1939 |
| Victory Point Marker | 9 (Allied side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 2/8 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 3; Allies – Line / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Attack; Allies – Defense |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – A and K; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – 2; Allies – 1, 3, 4 and 5 |
| Placement | Axis – last (see Special Rule 3); Allies – first (see Special Rules 1 and 2) |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 7; Allies – 9 |
| First Turn | Axis |
Tournament Scenario #3 – Midnight Clearing
Ardennes Forest, Belgium.
In mid-December 1944, two reinforced reconnaissance platoons – one German, one American – clash in no man's land…
Forces: German (Axis) vs. American (Allied).
Special Rules
- HIDDEN BARBED WIRE: Set aside the two Barbed Wire markers. The Allied player may place both Barbed Wire on the map at any time during play. One Barbed Wire must be placed adjacent to a friendly hex, and the second adjacent to the first.
- NO MAN'S LAND: No unit may enter a hex lettered H until either: (a) after the first advance of the Time Track, or (b) after the first unit has Broken.
- INTENSE SNIPER ACTIVITY: The Axis player resolves a Sniper attack for free at the end of each advance of the Time Track.
- WINTER LANDSCAPE: Fields do not exist. Brush has Obstruction 1. If a LOS between two hexes would be blocked by a single Woods hex, treat that hex as having Obstruction 4 (it is not an obstacle).
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1944 |
| Victory Point Marker | 0 |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 0/7 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 3; Allies – Line / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Recon; Allies – Recon |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – B, C, E and F; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – 3; Allies – 5 |
| Placement | Axis – first, depth 4 hexes; Allies – second, depth 4 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 5; Allies – 5 |
| First Turn | Axis |
Tournament Scenario #4 – A Bridge Too Far
Arnhem, the Netherlands, 18 September 1944.
The 2nd Battalion, 1st Parachute Infantry Regiment of Colonel Frost is cut off at the Arnhem bridge. Bittrich's grenadiers are closing in to eliminate the pocket.
"You didn't really think the enemy was made up of old men and young teenagers, did you?"
Forces: German (Axis) vs. British (Allied).
Special Rules
- SURROUNDED: Do not add Objective W to the cup. No unit may voluntarily exit the map; if it is forced to, eliminate it.
- LIGHT SUPPLIES: The Allied player treats the Hidden Mines action (A35.2) as Hidden Barbed Wire (A35.5).
- WELL SUPPLIED: The Axis player treats its Command Confusion actions (A28) as Hand Grenade actions (A34).
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1944 |
| Victory Point Marker | 10 (Allied side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 2/9 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Elite / 4; Allies – Elite / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Attack; Allies – Defense |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – A, F, G and K; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – 5; Allies – 1 to 4 |
| Placement | Axis – last, depth 2 hexes; Allies – first, depth 7 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 11; Allies – 10 |
| First Turn | Axis |
Tournament Scenario #5 – On the Road to Victory
Outskirts of Modica, Sicily, July 1943.
Forces: Italian (Axis) vs. British (Allied).
Special Rules
- POOR MORALE: A Die Roll for Break for any Axis unit that results in a tie Breaks that unit by 1 hex instead of Suppressing it.
- FIRST BAPTISM OF FIRE: An Allied Defensive Fire Die Roll that results in a tie will Break that unit instead of Suppressing it.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1943 |
| Victory Point Marker | 7 (Axis side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 2/8 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Inexperienced / 3; Allies – Elite / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Defense; Allies – Attack |
| Initiative | Allies |
| Objective Markers | Open – F and M; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – all; Allies – none |
| Placement | Axis – first, depth 12 hexes; Allies – last, depth 2 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 11; Allies – 7 |
| First Turn | Allies |
Tournament Scenario #6 – A Steppe Further On
Central Russia, March 1943.
Forces: German (Axis) vs. Russian (Allied).
Special Rules
- RECONNAISSANCE: Placement is simultaneous and hidden.
- LIMITED VALUE OBJECTIVES: Do not place Objective R in the cup; it is not used in the scenario.
- FLUID FRONT LINE: Do not place Objective W in the cup; it is not used in the scenario. Neither side gains VP for Exit. Any unit forced to leave the map is eliminated.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1943 |
| Victory Point Marker | 0 |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 6/11 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Elite / 3; Allies – Elite / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Recon; Allies – Recon |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – A and T; Axis – random; Allies – random |
| Objective Control | Axis – 4; Allies – 3 |
| Placement | Axis – depth 4 hexes (see Special Rule 1); Allies – depth 4 hexes (see Special Rule 1) |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 7; Allies – 10 |
| First Turn | Axis |
Tournament Scenario #7 – A Steppe Further On
Isthmus of Karelia, Finland, late November 1939.
Part of the fiercest fighting of the Winter War took place along the Mannerheim Line on the Karelian Isthmus. Finnish units stubbornly defended their isolated bunkers and fixed positions, while Soviet units probed the line looking for weak points to exploit.
Forces: Finnish (Axis) vs. Russian (Allied).
Source note: the printed heading for this scenario repeats the title of Scenario #6 exactly. It is transcribed as printed; the place, date and special rules are those of Karelia.
Special Rules
- RECONNAISSANCE: Placement is simultaneous and hidden.
- LIMITED VALUE OBJECTIVES: Do not place Objective R in the cup; it is not used in the scenario.
- FLUID FRONT LINE: Do not place Objective W in the cup; it is not used in the scenario. Neither side gains VP for Exit. Any unit forced to leave the map is eliminated.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1939 |
| Victory Point Marker | 5 (Axis side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 7/12 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 3; Allies – Line / 4 |
| Posture | Axis – Defense; Allies – Attack |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – random; Axis – random; Allies – random |
| Objective Control | Axis – all; Allies – none |
| Placement | Axis – first (see Special Rule 2); Allies – last (see Special Rule 3) |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 5; Allies – 9 |
| First Turn | Allies |
Tournament Scenario #8 – Codes at Dawn
Le Touquet, France, 25 June 1940.
The first commando raid into occupied France was carried out by 115 men of No. 11 Independent Company, only three weeks after the final evacuation at Dunkirk. The raiders were divided into four groups, each with reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering tasks. The Le Touquet group swept the Hotel Melimont Plage seeking to take prisoners.
Forces: German (Axis) vs. British (Allied).
Special Rules
- FALSE DAWN: There is Obstruction in every hex equal to the difference between where the Time marker is and the Sudden Death marker. Once the Obstruction becomes zero, this rule no longer applies.
- LIMITED INTELLIGENCE: The Axis player may place up to one Commander, one Squad, one Group and one Weapon in space 1 or 2 of the Time Track. When these units enter play, they may be placed in any unoccupied placement hex that has at least Cover 1.
- RECONNAISSANCE & INTELLIGENCE: At the end of any Allied order, if there is an Allied Squad adjacent to any Axis unit that is not Broken, the Allies may discard an Ambush action from their hand to gain 1 VP.
- ABANDONED: Do not place Objective Q and R markers in the cup; they are not used in this scenario.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1940 |
| Victory Point Marker | 6 (Axis side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 0/5 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 2; Allies – Line / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Defense; Allies – Recon |
| Initiative | Allies |
| Objective Markers | Open – G and H; Axis – random; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – from 2 to 5; Allies – 1 |
| Placement | Axis – first, depth 9 hexes; Allies – last, depth 2 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 6; Allies – 7 |
| First Turn | Allies |
Tournament Scenario #9 – Operation Mercury
Near Rethymnon, Crete, 20 May 1941.
"Expecting an invasion from the sea, the defenders of Rethymnon did not worry about an invasion from the air."
Forces: German (Axis) vs. British (Allied).
Special Rules
- ASSAULT GROUPS: Axis Elite Groups may use Assault Fire actions as if they were Smoke Grenade actions instead.
- PLANNED DEFENSIVE FIRE: The Allied player may use Assault Fire actions as if they were Spray Fire actions instead.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1941 |
| Victory Point Marker | 6 (Allied side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 3/8 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 3; Allies – Line / 2 |
| Posture | Axis – Attack; Allies – Defense |
| Initiative | Axis |
| Objective Markers | Open – K and L; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – 5; Allies – from 1 to 4 |
| Placement | Axis – last, depth 2 hexes; Allies – first, depth 8 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 9; Allies – 8 |
| First Turn | Axis |
Tournament Scenario #10 – Operation Barbarossa
Outskirts of Minsk, Belarus, June 1941.
"Not everything is quiet on the Eastern Front."
Forces: Finnish (Axis) vs. Russian (Allied), as printed.
Source note: the force label for the Axis side is printed as "Finnish" (Forze Finlandesi) in the source, for a scenario set in Belarus in June 1941; the Axis counters shown are German-named. The label is transcribed as printed and has not been corrected.
Special Rules
- SCOUTING: Before placement, the Allied player shuffles its card deck and reveals the top card. If the white die is even, the Allied player must give Initiative to the Axis, but may still conduct the first turn. Reshuffle the card deck before playing.
- SIMULTANEOUS PLACEMENT: Placement is simultaneous and hidden.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1941 |
| Victory Point Marker | 0 |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 0/5 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 3; Allies – Line / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Recon; Allies – Recon |
| Initiative | Allies (see Special Rule 1) |
| Objective Markers | Open – V, W and X; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – none; Allies – 1 |
| Placement | Axis – depth 4 hexes (see Special Rule 2); Allies – depth 4 hexes (see Special Rule 2) |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 7; Allies – 9 |
| First Turn | Axis (see Special Rule 1) |
Tournament Scenario #11 – The Villa Strangiato
Near Road 120, Sicily, July 1943.
The US 7th Army advanced into western Sicily after the collapse of the Axis forward defences on the beaches. The Italian forces nonetheless still had the will to fight.
Forces: Italian (Axis) vs. American (Allied).
Special Rules
- HALF CHANCE: Axis reinforcements must be placed in an Axis original placement hex with at least Cover 1.
- FORCE TEN: When Allied reinforcements enter play, the Allied player reveals the top card of its deck. Considering only the white die, these units are placed as follows:
- 1–3: along the map edge from hex M1 to O5
- 4–5: along the map edge from hex A5 to C1
- 6: along the map edge from hex D1 to L1
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1943 |
| Victory Point Marker | 20 (Axis side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 0/7 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 4; Allies – Line / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Defense; Allies – Attack |
| Initiative | Allies |
| Objective Markers | Open – U; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – all; Allies – none |
| Placement | Axis – first, depth 6 hexes; Allies – last, depth 2 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 11; Allies – 9 |
| Reinforcements 1 (Italian) | Time Track, space 2 |
Tournament Scenario #12 – Red Sector A
Near Aachen, Germany, October 1944.
The attempt by the USA to break into the Ruhr was assigned to the US 1st Army. The Germans defended the city of Aachen and its surroundings with determination to prevent a breakthrough of the Siegfried Line.
Forces: German (Axis) vs. American (Allied).
Special Rules
- MINE CLEARERS: Any mine attack against an Engineer Squad is resolved as follows:
- If the attacker rolls doubles, multiply the roll by two before adding it to the mine's strength.
- If the attacker does not roll doubles, the total attack strength is reduced to zero, no Defense roll is made, and the Mine counter is removed.
- PANZERFAUST: Explosive Charges represent Panzerfausts (PF). PFs have range 2 and may attack only a hex with at least Cover 1. After a PF has fired, place it in the next space of the Time Track. When a PF returns to play, it must either be given to a Squad or Group without a weapon, or be moved to the next space of the Time Track.
- THE LAKESIDE PARK ROAD: The Allied player may voluntarily exit the map only from a road hex. All Axis units are worth 0 VP for Exit.
| Setup item | Value |
|---|---|
| Year Marker | 1944 |
| Victory Point Marker | 10 (Axis side) |
| Time/Sudden Death Markers | 3/8 |
| Troop Quality / Order Limit | Axis – Line / 2; Allies – Line / 3 |
| Posture | Axis – Defense; Allies – Attack |
| Initiative | Allies |
| Objective Markers | Open – L and M; Axis – none; Allies – none |
| Objective Control | Axis – all; Allies – none |
| Placement | Axis – first, depth 7 hexes; Allies – last, depth 2 hexes |
| Surrender Markers | Axis – 7; Allies – 8 |
| First Turn | Allies |