Combat Commander: Resistance! Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Components
• Partisan Leaders Table
• Partisan Fortifications OB
• Random Scenario Generator Update
  • Assignment
  • Step 5 — Order of Battle
  • Step 6 — Leaders
  • Step 7 — Support Rolls
  • Step 8 — Order Limit
  • Step 9 — Fortifications
  • Step 11 — Radios
  • Steps 10–13 — Sighting Markers
  • Step 15 — Cards
• New Rules
  • R1. Partisan Faction
    • Force Deck
    • R1.1 Fate Deck
    • R1.2 Hand Size
    • R1.3 Discard Obligation
    • R1.4 Surrender Level
    • R1.5 Reinforcements
    • R1.6 Point Values
  • R2. Partisan Unit Structure
  • R3. Partisan Stats
    • R3.1 Leadership
    • R3.2 Encircled Morale
• Drvar Map Notes
• Design and Development Notes

Introduction

Combat Commander: Resistance! (CC:R) extends the games CC:Europe and CC:Mediterranean by adding Partisans and their war behind the front lines.

This fourth volume of the Combat Commander series brings rules and special components for fighting Partisan forces against the Axis nations in Europe. CC:R is not a stand-alone game: it requires possession of CC:E and CC:M to be used.

Components

Combat Commander: Resistance! contains:

• 3 maps, 43×56 cm (6 maps in total)
• 6 double-sided scenario sheets (12 scenarios in total)
• 1 sheet of pre-cut counters
• 55 playing cards
• This rulebook

Partisan Leaders Table

The Partisan player uses this table in step 6 of the Random Scenario Generator update below.

Roll	Leader
0	Dimitri
1	Nikolai
2	Mikhail
3	Katrina
4	Yevgeny
5	Vassili
6	Nina, Local Hero

Modifiers

• Against Italy: −1

Partisan Fortifications OB

In a random scenario, a Partisan player assigned to a Defense Posture buys his fortifications from this OB (step 9 of the Random Scenario Generator update below).

Type	Count	Fortification	VP Cost
Minefields	9×	Mines (6 FP)	6
Wire	9×	Wire	4
Entrenchments	3×	Foxholes (Cover 3)	1
Trench line	3×	Trench (Cover 4)	2
Strongpoint	1×	Bunker + Trench (Cover 6)	3

Random Scenario Generator Update

These amendments apply when the Random Scenario Generator (GSA) is used. Except as stated here, the GSA is used normally.

Assignment

If the year is 1942 or later, a player assigned to the Russian faction and in the Line quality may choose to play the Partisans instead. This decision must be taken at the end of step 3, before drawing the Objectives of step 4. If the player does so, he permanently changes his nationality from "Russian" to "Partisan" (the Line quality remains). From this point he uses the Partisan cards, counters and tables instead of those of Russia. The GSA is then used normally, except for the amendments that follow.

Step 5 — Order of Battle

The Partisan faction has no Order of Battle table. Instead, the choice of OB in step 5 is made as follows:

1. The Axis player chooses his OB from among those available in his Order of Battle table. He informs his opponent of his choice.
2. The Partisan player makes an "OB roll" by revealing the top card of his shuffled Fate deck; the two dice shown on it are the OB roll. He multiplies that roll by 6 (giving a result between 12 and 72). He then chooses for his OB any combination of Partisan units totalling exactly that number of silhouettes, with two restrictions:
   • No Leader may be chosen; and
   • At least half of the silhouettes must be Troops [R2].
3. The Partisan player notes which of the two dice of the OB roll was higher: this is the number of weapons he draws at random to include in his OB [R4].
4. The Partisan player notes which of the two dice of the OB roll was lower: this is the number of Leaders he will receive during step 6 of the GSA.

Initiative—The Initiative value of a Partisan OB is always 14.

Point Value—The Point Value of a Partisan OB equals:

• the number of Leaders allocated × 2; plus
• the number of non-Leader units chosen.

Example: The German player decides to play a Fusilier Detachment and informs the Partisan player of his choice. The Partisan player then makes his OB roll and gets "2•5". The sum (7) is multiplied by 6 to get "42": this is the number of silhouettes that must make up his initial force, including at least 21 Troop silhouettes. He chooses 6 Troops (the minimum), 2 Gangs and 2 Sections, for a total of 42 silhouettes across 10 non-Leader units. The higher die was "5", so the Partisan player draws at random a total of five weapons and places them with his starting forces. The lower die was "2", so this is the number of Leaders he will have during step 6.

Example (continued): The point value of this force would be 14 VP: two Leaders at 2 VP each and ten non-Leaders at 1 VP each.

Step 6 — Leaders

The Partisan player uses the Partisan Leaders Table (above). The number of Leaders received is determined by the OB roll above.

Step 7 — Support Rolls

The Partisans have no Support Table. Instead, if the Partisan player is allowed to make a Support Roll during step 7 of the GSA, he draws the top card of his Force deck [R1]. He may buy one, both or none of the units shown on his Force card, in the quantity he wants, limited by the number of counters supplied with the game.

Step 8 — Order Limit

In a random scenario, the Partisan player's Order Limit is always one of the following:

• 2 in Defense
• 3 in Reconnaissance
• 4 in Attack

Step 9 — Fortifications

A Partisan player assigned to a Defense Posture must buy his fortifications from the Partisan Fortifications OB (above), instead of the Fortifications OBs found in the CC:E/CC:M rulebooks.

Step 11 — Radios

The Partisans have no Partisan Radio, so in Attack they must proceed to step 11.1 of the GSA in the CC:Mediterranean rulebook.

Steps 10–13 — Sighting Markers

In a random scenario, the Partisan player automatically receives a specific number of Sighting markers [R7], as follows:

• 2 in Defense
• 3 in Reconnaissance
• 4 in Attack

He may buy 2, 4, 6 or 8 additional Sighting markers at a cost of 1, 2, 3 or 4 Victory Points respectively (half a point each).

Sighting markers are placed on the map, anywhere in his deployment zone, at the same time as he places his starting units.

Step 15 — Cards

The Partisan hand size is one less than normal, so the Partisans draw only 3, 4 or 5 cards (instead of 4, 5 or 6), depending on their posture.

New Rules

The following rules apply to all scenarios, whether published or randomly generated, in which the Allied player commands the new Partisan faction. In that case they must be used together with all the other special rules the scenario may have; in case of conflict, the special rules of the scenario take precedence over those of this playbook.

R1. Partisan Faction

Force Deck

The Partisan faction has no Support Table. Instead it has a 19-card "Force deck". Before the start of the scenario, the Partisan player shuffles his Force deck and places it face down on the table. When the Partisan player announces an Infiltration order [R8] (or if he must make a roll on a Support Table, as in step 7 of the Random Scenario Generator) he draws the top card of his Force deck and chooses one of the two units shown. He also reveals a Force card when one of his units with Encircled Morale is broken [R3.2]. Revealed cards are discarded face up. If the deck is empty, shuffle the discard pile to form a new face-down deck. The cards making up the Force deck are not Fate cards and are never considered to be in the player's hand.

R1.1 Fate Deck

Partisans use a 36-card Fate deck, instead of the 72-card Fate decks of the other factions. Despite its reduced size, it works as a normal Fate deck for all rules.

R1.2 Hand Size

A Partisan player has a hand size one less than normal, so:

• Defense – 3 cards
• Reconnaissance – 4 cards
• Attack – 5 cards

R1.3 Discard Obligation

The Partisan faction has a discard capability of "all". This means that if the Partisan player announces no Order during his Turn, he must discard all the cards in his hand.

R1.4 Surrender Level

The Partisan faction does not use a Surrender marker, and therefore never loses the game by surrendering [6.3, first condition].

R1.5 Reinforcements

Partisans entering the map from the Time Track do so via Sighting markers rather than from their friendly map edge [R7.2.2].

R1.6 Point Values

All Partisan units are worth 1 VP each when they are eliminated or voluntarily leave the map (yes, even the Hero).

R2. Partisan Unit Structure

Partisan units are structured differently from those of the six other factions: they have no platoons or squads. Instead, Partisans have five types of non-Leader units of variable size (and therefore different stacking values) to represent their main combat forces:

• Gang – 6 Partisan icons
• Band – 5 Partisan icons
• Troop – 4 Partisan icons
• Section – 3 Partisan icons
• Crew – 2 Partisan icons

Any reference to a "platoon" or a "squad" on a card or in a rule never applies to a Partisan unit. The unusual organization of the Partisan faction mainly helps the functions of units with Encircled Morale [R3.2] and the Muster ability [R9].

For reasons of taste and aesthetics, Partisan Leaders are identified by proper names instead of military ranks.

R3. Partisan Stats

Many Partisan units have Encircled Morale and/or an Encircled Movement Capability. Most Partisan Leaders also have a new "Leadership" value in place of the normal Command value.

R3.1 Leadership

Most Partisan Leaders have a new value called "Leadership". It appears alone on the non-broken face of the unit (in the same place as the Command value), and is identified by a number in an eye. Leadership works in every case like Command with one exception: during the activation of units, Leadership has no predefined "radius" [3.3.1.1]. Instead, when a non-broken Partisan Leader with Leadership is activated, he may activate all, some or none of the friendly non-Leader units in his LOS to carry out the same Order/Fire Op.

R3.2 Encircled Morale

Encircled Morale appears on the back (broken side) of all non-Leader Partisan units. When a unit with Encircled Morale is broken again, the Partisan player must reveal and discard the top card of his Force deck and consult the unit at the bottom of that card (the one under the barbed wire):

1. Losses—If the unit on the Force card is of size greater than or equal to the broken unit (that is, it has as many or more Partisan icons), the broken unit is eliminated normally.

2. Dispersal—If the unit on the Force card is smaller than the broken unit (that is, it has fewer Partisan icons), the broken unit is replaced by that smaller unit (if one is available) instead of being eliminated.

So a broken Troop (4 icons) that is broken again could possibly be replaced by a broken Section (3 icons), a Crew (2 icons) or a specific Leader instead of being eliminated. If no counter is available to replace it, the Troop is eliminated normally.

If it is replaced, the broken unit is put aside instead of going to the Casualty Track. The replacement unit enters play broken. If the replaced unit had a Weapon, Suppression or Veteran marker, the replacement unit keeps those markers. Also, the replacement unit is treated as being the same unit as the one it replaces: if the replaced unit was already activated earlier in the turn, the replacement unit is also considered to have been activated, and any pending result against the replaced unit (such as going to Suppression) immediately affects the replacement unit.

R3.3 Encircled Movement

A unit with an Encircled Movement Capability treats all Terrain in its hex as having a Normal Movement Cost of "1". Such a unit also ignores the Normal Movement Cost of all hexside terrain (for example Barriers, Hedges and Walls) and does not pay +1 MP to climb a level. Cliffs (which have no "Normal Movement Cost") affect Partisan units normally.

Heavy Weapons—All Encircled Movement bonuses cease as long as the unit carries a Weapon with a negative Movement modifier.

So a Gang with Encircled Movement 1 carrying an HMG will be unable to move. (Of course, it can still Advance out of its hex, or take advantage of a Discretion event [R15].)

This does not imply that a Partisan unit is some sort of "Superman" with greater strength, endurance or agility than its Axis counterparts. It rather represents their perfect knowledge of the local terrain.

R4. Partisan Weapons

Before the start of a scenario involving Partisans, the following Partisan weapons (28 yellow counters in total) must be placed in a cup, so that they can be drawn at random if necessary:

• 8 Molotov Cocktails (from CC:Mediterranean)
• 12 Light MGs
• 3 Medium MGs
• 1 Heavy MG
• 1 Light Mortar
• 1 French "75"
• 2 Demolition Charges

Partisans will generally not have specifically assigned weapons as the other factions do. Instead, Partisan forces will often receive a number of weapons drawn at random: before initial placement, the Partisan player draws at random the number of weapons indicated and uses what he obtains. Any weapon acquired by the Partisan player during the game by random draw will also be drawn from this cup.

R5. Irregular Melee

When the Allied player commands a Partisan force, Melee is no longer immediate. Instead, the following section entirely replaces rule O16.4.

R5.1 Melee Markers

When a hex contains units of both sides, immediately place a Melee marker in the hex if there is not already one. A Melee marker turns the hex it occupies into a "melee hex". A melee hex has two effects:

• Units and Weapons in a melee hex cannot Fire (they act normally for everything else).
• A melee hex cannot be the target of a Fire attack. Nor can a Spotting Round (SR) be placed in it or in an adjacent hex. (A melee hex can still be affected by artillery if the SR later deviates into its hex or an adjacent hex.)

When a melee hex ceases to contain units of both sides, remove the Melee marker. The hex immediately ceases to be a melee hex.

R5.2 Melee Resolution

At the start of the Axis player's turn only, never during the Partisan player's turn, a Melee takes place in each melee hex. If there is more than one melee hex, the Axis player chooses the order of resolution, one Melee at a time.

R5.2.1 Melee Strength

In each Melee, after both players have played and resolved any Ambush Action [A25], each adds up the FP of the units that remain in the melee hex (not Weapons). To this total, add +1 for each unit with a boxed FP to obtain the "Melee FP".

If, due to Ambush Actions, one or both sides have no units in the hex, the Melee ends without further effect.

R5.2.2 Melee Roll

The Partisan player adds his Melee FP to a die roll to obtain his "Melee Total". Then the Axis player does the same.

The rolls, although ostensibly simultaneous, are staggered in order to facilitate triggers and the use of Initiative after the first roll. Note also that both players' Melee FP are locked just before the Partisan player's Melee roll, even if a trigger alters the composition of one or both sides during that roll.

If, due to a trigger during a Melee roll, one or both sides no longer have units in the hex, the Melee ends immediately without further effect.

R5.2.3 Melee Result

Eliminate all the units of the side with the lowest Melee Total. In case of a tie, both sides are eliminated unless one player began the Melee in a Bunker [F101] or Pillbox [F104], in which case only the other side is eliminated.

Note: "Pillbox" is the Combat Commander: Europe term for the fortification printed "Casemate" in the French playbook.

R6. Sewers

R6.1 Sewer Entrance

If a scenario special rule instructs the players to place one or more Sewer Entrance markers on the map, the following rules apply to each hex so designated (and only to those hexes). A hex containing a Sewer Entrance is called a "sewer hex" or simply "Sewer". Sewers are neither Fortifications nor Terrain.

R6.2 Traversing the Sewers

Any number of Partisan units (only; no other nationality may use the sewers) activated for a Progression Order (only; never for a Movement) in a sewer hex may attempt to advance directly into any other sewer hex on the map, even if it is not adjacent. To do so, the Partisan player tells his opponent how many units in the sewer hex will make the attempt and which sewer hex is the destination of the Progression. The Partisan player then makes a Sewer Roll:

• LOST—If the result is a double, the Axis player chooses a sewer hex other than the one left. The Partisan player then chooses one or more of these options:

  • place any number of the designated units in the chosen sewer hex; or
  • place any number of the designated units in the next space of the Time Track.

  Note: If the last Partisan unit on the map is removed in this way, this is treated as a "voluntary exit" for the purposes of rule 6.3 of the base rules.

• If the result is not a double, the progression through the sewers is successful and the Partisan units in Progression are placed in the planned exit sewer hex.

Weapons with a negative Movement modifier cannot be taken into the sewers. A unit possessing such a Weapon may use the sewers only if it first voluntarily eliminates its Weapon.

R6.3 Elimination of Sewers

If a Blaze marker is placed in a sewer hex, permanently remove the Sewer Entrance marker from the map.

R7. Sighting Markers

Sighting markers represent possible positions of Partisan units. Sighting markers are neither units nor weapons, and they are not affected by fire, enemy units, etc.

R7.1 Placement

Each scenario assigns the Partisan player a specific number of Sighting markers (which may be zero). Unless the special rules of the scenario state otherwise, Sighting markers are placed on the map in the same way as the other Partisan forces. New Sighting markers may also be gained during play via the Infiltration order [R8].

R7.2 Effects

R7.2.1 Sighting Marker Movement

Each time a player reveals a random hex because of a trigger, the Partisan player must move one of the Sighting markers already on the map into that random hex, or into an adjacent hex.

R7.2.2 Partisan Reinforcements

When one or more Partisan units enter the map as reinforcements [6.1.2, step 5], the Partisan player performs the following steps in the order given:

a) Place the reinforcements in any hex(es) containing a Sighting marker (instead of on the friendly map edge, as the normal rule requires). Stacking limits must be observed, so if there are not enough hexes with a Sighting marker to accommodate all the Partisan units arriving, the excess units are lost and put aside. If there is no Sighting marker on the map, all arriving reinforcements are lost.

b) Remove from the map one Sighting marker from each hex where at least one Partisan reinforcement was placed. Put the removed Sighting markers aside.

R7.3 Elimination

A Sighting marker is removed from the map when one or more Partisan units are placed in its hex as reinforcements [6.1.2, step 5].

For those already familiar with the Sighting markers of CC:Pacific, note that these work a little differently.

R8. Infiltration Order

When an Infiltration order is announced, the Partisan player loses (spends) a number of Victory Points equal to the numeric identifier of this order (0, 1, 2 or 3), as indicated on the card itself. No units are activated during an Infiltration order.

After paying the VP cost of the order, the Partisan player chooses one of these options:

• place a Sighting marker on the map [R8.1]; or
• place a reinforcement unit on the Time Track [R8.2].

R8.1 Place a Sighting Marker

When an Infiltration order is announced and the Sighting marker option is chosen, the Partisan player places a new Sighting marker in or adjacent to any hex containing a Partisan unit. If all the available Sighting markers are already on the map, this option cannot be chosen.

R8.2 Place Reinforcements

When an Infiltration order is announced and the reinforcement option is chosen, the Partisan player performs the following steps in the order given:

a) He reveals the top card of his Force deck [R1].

b) He chooses one of the two units shown on the card (ignore any VP cost associated with the unit). If no unit can be chosen because none is available, the order ends.

c) He places the chosen unit (with any weapon drawn at random, if applicable) in any space of the Time Track. This ends the order. This new unit will enter play as reinforcements [6.1.2, step 5] when the Time marker enters that space.

R9. Muster Order

Muster is a mechanism by which a Partisan unit forms a slightly larger unit. It is most often used when one wants more firepower than mobility.

When a Muster order is given, the Partisan player activates a single non-broken unit (only). This unit must be of the same type (Band, Troop, Section or Crew) as indicated on the order itself.

R9.1 Muster

The Partisan player removes the activated unit from the map and puts it aside. He then places a Partisan unit of the immediately larger size in that hex. So a non-broken Crew is always replaced by a Section; a Section by a Troop; a Troop by a Band; and a Band by a Gang. In the unlikely event that the larger unit is not available, no replacement unit is received. In that case, you should not have played this order.

If there was a Weapon, Suppression or Veteran marker, the replacement unit keeps these markers. The replacement unit is considered to have been activated for the turn.

Design note: When a unit Musters, it is assumed to form a more effective combat unit by ostensibly incorporating one or two stragglers to fill the ranks, perhaps even some of the same men temporarily rendered combat-ineffective by the size reduction of a previously broken unit during play. Muster may also represent the sudden acquisition of one or two captured weapons, an influx of ammunition, or something as simple as bravado or a sudden excess of zeal among those who until now had timidly "guarded the rear".

R10. Dagger Action

A Dagger may only be played just before the Partisan player makes his Melee roll.

Effect—Increase the Melee roll by +1. Just after the end of the Melee, if at least one Partisan unit has survived, the Partisan player draws a card.

Like all modification-type Actions, the Dagger is cumulative: if several Dagger Actions have been played and the Partisan player wins the Melee, he draws several cards.

R11. No Quarter Action

Addition to rule A38: the German No Quarter Action may also be played against a Partisan opponent.

R12. Trap Action

A Trap may only be played just after one or more enemy units have made a Movement or a Progression into a hex. That hex cannot be a Water hex, nor already contain a Fortification of any type.

Effect—The Partisan player chooses one of these options:

• Place a Mines marker in this hex, then immediately make a Mine Attack [F103.2] against each of the units in Movement/Progression; or
• Place a Wire marker in this hex.

Note that a Trap may be played regardless of the Partisan player's Posture, not only in Defense.

R13. Inexperience Event

When this Event occurs, the Partisan player must immediately discard all the cards in his hand.

R14. Patriotism Event

When this Event occurs, the Partisan player Rallies [3.2.5] one of his broken units, if he has one. If so, he places a Veteran marker on that unit if it does not already have one [E44.1].

R15. Discretion Event

When this Event occurs, the Partisan player may choose one of his units or Sighting markers on the map. If he does, he removes that unit/marker from the hex it occupies and places it in an adjacent hex. A unit cannot be placed in an impassable hex in this way (such as a Blaze).

Drvar Map Notes

Printed on page 11 of the playbook, these notes accompany the Drvar map. The numbered markers 1–5 and the zone labels printed on the aerial photograph are not reproduced; only the written notes are transcribed.

• This terrain is in fact higher than the village. The brown Level 1 could be used to represent the spring-ploughed fields.
• Orchard in place of what is shown in these areas in particular.
• The Roman dome that is revealed is there. See photo.
• The main road leaving to the right leads directly to Tito's HQ. See photo for the alignment.
• Everything is recent. Put orchard in place of the whole section under the main road.

Design and Development Notes

The greatest effort of resistance (in size, success, variety of operations and objectives) against the Axis powers took place in Europe. From a design standpoint, the Partisan module raises these efforts almost to the level of a conventional combat force of the series. Chad, however, did not produce a conventional force with weaker characteristics and a few unusual capabilities. Instead he did two difficult things: (1) he completely changed the hierarchical structure of the units and capabilities of the force (which you will discover greatly changes how you use these units in play), and (2) he meticulously integrated this new structure into the central engine of Combat Commander. You are given something you know how to move on the battlefield fairly quickly, only to discover that what you have in hand is a rather unique force. The effect for players (so far) is to intensify the experience of Chad's original concept.

Because Chad's concept is centred on the narrative experience of combat, we had to spend time thinking precisely about how to support this new work with a narrative in the form of scenarios. Resistance against oppression takes many forms, all of which are noble and necessary, but some forms of resistance are so focused on the action of the individual that a general force-against-force simulation is not appropriate. Research showed that forms of armed resistance could be classified as follows:

• Raids (to recover food ration coupons, or to recover or destroy documents);
• Temporary Liberation of Areas (such as the famous uprisings, many of which suffered terrible reprisal);
• Guerrilla warfare (to destroy critical transport junctions and installations, particularly railways and bridges);
• Espionage and Counterfeiting (among the most exotic of notable operations);
• Political Resistance (the most common mode available to most peoples);
• Concealment and Escapes (of objects and/or persons of great political or military value, or evacuation of trapped forces).

From a design standpoint, the game engine is not able to represent some of these forms of resistance in a way that offers both players the opportunity to explore the tactics and command of units in a meaningful way. This leaves us with the situations of temporary liberation of areas, guerrilla warfare and (in the case of trapped forces) escapes involving forces the size of a company or a detachment.

We then faced a more sensitive subject: given the practical limits of what a module can contain in size and cost, we had to make choices about which resistance forces to represent. We also took great care to find the real terrain on which the actions took place (so the new maps are historically accurate), which sometimes made it impossible to represent a historical action (if we had no means of locating it correctly). We chose the scenarios as follows.

First we needed a few scenarios to fundamentally test and validate the design. These were the first scenarios used while the system was in gestation. As the Partisan forces of the system are "almost" conventional, it was obvious that the best test of the design would be to use Soviet, Greek and French Partisan forces.

Second, we knew there would be interest in seeing how the conventional representation of irregular forces (for example scenario no. 7 of CC:E) compares with the new (and unconventional) representation of those same forces. Thus two of the scenarios revisit scenarios already published, precisely to allow you to make that comparison while appreciating the tactical challenges.

Third, and perhaps the most difficult choice, was to represent the different types of armed resistance while offering a coherent narrative. We found that, keeping the narrative vision of Combat Commander at the centre, the great Enemy Offensives (Yugoslav Partisans against German forces and Chetniks) offered a great variety of situations and revealed the narrative arc of resistance, from the very desperate to the very well planned.

Finally, we thought it worthwhile to show some of the key technical methods of the war, which you will find in the scenarios emphasising the Partisans' response to suppression and extermination (the "cloche"), the German response to the resistance (the "cauldron"), and military operations shared with resistance forces and commandos.

Choosing twelve situations to reach these goals and show Chad's ideas necessarily left valiant resistance efforts for a later date. We hope you understand the reasons behind our choices and we wish to represent the remarkable resistance efforts of other peoples.

Finally, as this module requires an irregular force (introduced later in time) to work correctly against standard forces (previously designed), we had to make the best tests possible. For years, Chad and Kai have refined the design through thorough testing. Then, for this game, Kai led one of the best test teams we have ever had. When you read the names of the testers in the printed credits, know that they are those of the most dedicated and most valiant groups in the hobby. They had a significant and positive impact on the quality of what you now hold in your hands.