Empire at Sunrise: The Great War in Asia, 1914 Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• 1.0 Introduction
  • 1.1 Politics
  • 1.2 Components
• 2.0 Geography
  • 2.1 Shifting Scales
  • 2.2 Land and Water
• 3.0 Counters
  • 3.1 Units
  • 3.2 Steps
• 4.0 Control
• 5.0 Set-Up
• 6.0 Stacking
  • 6.1 Limitations
  • 6.2 Task Forces
• 7.0 Dice
• 8.0 Time
• 9.0 Sequence of Play
  • 9.1 Weather Phase
  • 9.2 Player Turns
  • 9.3 Remove All Suppression
• 10.0 Movement in General
• 11.0 Naval Movement
  • 11.1 Naval Movement Costs
  • 11.2 German Mines
  • 11.3 APM/KI Naval Movement
  • 11.4 APM/PC Naval Movement
  • 11.5 Naval Transport (AJA Only)
  • 11.6 Amphibious Assault
• 12.0 Naval Interception
  • 12.1 Non-Phasing Interception
  • 12.2 Phasing Interception
  • 12.3 Kiautschou Insert Concerns
  • 12.4 Pacific Chart Concerns
  • 12.5 Interception Resolution
• 13.0 Naval Combat
• 14.0 Land Movement
  • 14.1 KI Land Movement
  • 14.2 APM Land Movement
  • 14.3 No PC Land Movement
• 15.0 Land Combat
  • 15.1 Scale Differences
  • 15.1 Fortifications
  • 15.2 Land Combat Sequence
  • 15.3 Define a Land Battle
  • 15.4 Conduct Bombardment
  • 15.5 Conduct Assault
  • 15.6 Land Combat Fire Modifiers
  • 15.7 Retreat
  • 15.8 Advance
• 16.0 Supply Rules
• 17.0 Commerce Raiding
• 18.0 Special Units
  • 18.1 Australian Troop Convoy
  • 18.2 Britain's Atlantic Units
  • 18.3 Britain's Civil Defense Unit
  • 18.4 German Polizeitruppe
  • 18.5 Japanese Companies
  • 18.6 Siege Artillery
  • 18.7 S-90
  • 18.8 Wakamiya
• 19.0 Victory

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Politics

All AJA pieces and spaces are "friendly" to each other and "enemy" to all German pieces. The reverse is also true. The following areas are neutral:

• Guam
• Siam
• The Netherlands East Indies
• The Philippines
• The United States
• Mexico
• South America

Land Units can never enter the land portion of neutral territories, but Naval Units may freely enter mixed water/land spaces of the neutrals. China is a "subjugated neutral" and Units of both sides may enter any of its hexes at any time.

1.2 Components

The game is played with one mapsheet, one tracking sheet, one Order of Battle sheet, a half-sheet of 9/16" counters, two six-sided dice, and this rulebook.

2.0 Geography

The playing surface consists of three separate but nested presentations each of which measures space in different ways.

1. Kiautschou Insert (KI): Each hex spans six miles.
2. Asia Pacific Map (APM): Each hex spans 240 miles.
3. Pacific Chart (PC): Each zone spans 1440 miles.

The KI and APM are presented on the mapsheet. The PC is present in the lower half of the tracking sheet, which is also home to the Game Turn Record Track, German Victory Points Track, Battle Box, and Task Force Boxes.

We use the term "space" to refer to all three types of space measurement, KI hex, APM hex, and PC zone, at the same time. The rules single out particular types as required.

2.1 Shifting Scales

Where playing surfaces overlap, and represent the same terrain at different scales, Units must use the lower numbered (more detailed) surface as soon as they are eligible and do not interact with the game on a higher numbered surface upon reaching the lower numbered surface.

For example, Units that set up on the KI do not interact with the game on the APM (or PC) until they leave the insert by exiting off one of its edges to enter an APM hex adjacent to hex 1304.

Similarly, Units at Guam on the APM, hex 2208, do not interact with PC zone C4. However, Units that sailed east from Guam and exited the APM would be immediately placed on PC zone C4 and interact with the game from there. If those same Units sail west (back to where they came from) they would "fall" back into the APM. These distinctions can affect hex control and Naval Interception.

2.2 Land and Water

We often describe hexes and zones in terms of land and water. A land hex or zone is one that contains any amount of land; a water hex or zone, one that contains any amount of water. Many spaces include both land and water:

• Coastal (example 1405)
• Island (example 1507)
• Atoll (examples 2208, 2209)

Islands are treated as coastal spaces. Atolls are unique in that they allow Naval Units to transit at lower cost than coastal/island spaces.

On the PC, zones that contain both land and water have a lighter backdrop, and zones that only contain water have a darker backdrop.

Assume that each mixed land-water zone of the PC contains enough land and water to accommodate any number of Units of any type placed there, as well as an automatic AJA port.

The zones occupied by German Polizeitruppe counters (NeuPommern and Samoa) also contain German ports, until the AJA destroys those counters. Therefore, while those counters exist Units of both sides can enter port in those zones.

PC zones that depict only water cannot accommodate Land Units unless they are passengers on Naval transport.

3.0 Counters

There are two types of counters: markers and Units. Markers annotate certain conditions that apply to Units, as well as track game functions. In most cases, any number of markers can occupy a space. Units represent the actual military groups that participated in the campaign.

3.1 Units

Broadly speaking, the game has two kinds of Units: Land and Naval. Each Unit of both forms has certain pieces of information printed on the counter.

• Name/Number: The Unit's historical designation.
• Type Abbreviation: Type of Naval Unit.
• Illustration/Icon: Land Unit types are identified by standard military planning symbols. Naval Units are represented by silhouette illustrations.
• Size: The size of the Unit, represented in hash marks.
• Firepower Score: The Unit's offensive capabilities.
• Resilience Score: The Unit's defensive capabilities.
• Movement Score: The Unit's ability to move, expressed in Movement Points.

Land Units fall into the following types, as indicated by its military planning symbol.

• Artillery
• Cavalry
• Infantry
• Naval Artillery (NART)
• Polizeitruppe (POL)
• Siege Artillery

Naval Unit types are indicated by an abbreviation printed on the counter.

• BB: Battleship
• BC: Battle Cruiser
• CA: Armored Cruiser
• CD: Coastal Defense
• CL: Light Cruiser
• CRSR: Corsair
• CVS: Seaplane Carrier
• DD: Destroyer
• PC: Protected Cruiser
• PD: Pre-Dreadnought Battleship

Artist's Note: Each ship silhouette is unique for that specific class of ship - in many cases depicting the specific ship represented by the Unit - and so these specific Naval Unit types cannot be identified by icon as is the case with Land Units.

The color of the counter will indicate its nationality:

• Australia/New Zealand: Dark Blue (two shades)
• Britain: Red
• France: Light Blue
• Japan: White
• Russia: Green
• Germany: Khaki

3.2 Steps

Units have a number of steps equal to their Size (hash marks).

• For Land Units, III equals a regiment, II a battalion, and I a company.
• For Naval Units, II represents an undamaged capital ship or full squadron of smaller vessels, while I represents a damaged capital ship or diminished squadron.

Most Units begin the game with two steps, and when they suffer a hit in Combat, the counter will be flipped to its reduced (one step) side, which typically has lower Firepower and Resilience scores. Always apply the scores for the side that is currently face-up. When the Unit suffers another hit, it is Destroyed - removed from the game.

Japanese regiments are an exception, as they have three hash marks at full strength; they will be flipped to their two-step side when they first suffer a hit, replaced with a generic one-step Japanese company when they suffer a second, and Destroyed when they suffer a third.

Design Note: It pained me to omit destroyers, but I had to keep the countermix reasonable. And since they did not feature prominently in the Naval actions recorded, they were first to go. Still, players can assume they are ever present in the background fulfilling various workhorse roles. I made an exception for S-90, which did sink the Takachiho with a torpedo!

4.0 Control

At the start of the game, Germany controls:

• All KI hexes
• Kaiser-Wilhelmsland
• All Atolls marked with the German eagle

All other non-neutral spaces are controlled by the AJA, as well as Hong Kong (APM 1308) and Weiheiwei (APM 1404).

Historical Note: Fearful of German intentions after Germany took possession of Tsingtau, in 1898 Britain leased the nearby port of Weiheiwei from China.

Where opposing Units occupy the same hex, each can treat it as friendly-controlled. During play, sides gain control of a space when they have a Land Unit there and the other side has none. Additionally, AJA Naval Units can gain control of unoccupied German atolls, islands, and coastal hexes on the APM by entering and spending an additional movement point to assert control. Note this gain-control-by-spending option is NOT available on the KI or PC.

Control markers are provided to demarcate control; the pieces provided are not a hard limit.

5.0 Set-Up

Use the Order of Battle sheet to deploy Units at full-strength on the specified playing surface; the AJA player sets up first.

• Place the Game Turn Marker on the first space of the Game Turn Record Track.
• Place the Victory Points Marker on the "0" space of the Victory Points Track.
• Place the other markers to the side of the map.

6.0 Stacking

Friendly Units in the same hex (KI or APM) form a stack. Friendly Units in the same PC zone form a stack to signal they are in the same location within that zone, while separate stacks in a single zone are in separate locations within that zone.

6.1 Limitations

For Land Units, a single KI hex may contain up to:

• SIX hash marks of any kind, PLUS
• SIX hash marks of Artillery (including Naval Artillery).

Ergo, a total of twelve hash marks are permitted if at least six are Artillery. No restrictions exist for Land Units in APM hexes or PC zones: any number of Land Units may stack in those spaces. No restrictions exist for Naval Units any number of Naval Units may occupy a single hex. Nationality imposes no limitation on stacking.

Historical Note: Coordination between the members of the AJA in this campaign was strong. British troops joined the Japanese in attacking Tsingtau, and Japanese destroyers escorted Australia's troop convoys.

6.2 Task Forces

Two Task Force markers are provided for each side to alleviate stacking problems. Put the marker in the space, and place the Units it represents in the relevant Task Force box on the tracking sheet.

7.0 Dice

When the game instructs you to "Roll 2d6", it means to roll two six-sided dice and sum them normally. This is the "raw" result; after applying modifiers to the dice roll, you will have the "final" result. If both dice show the same number (e.g., two sixes, two fives, etc), the roller has obtained "Doubles", which is sometimes advantageous (13.0, 15.5).

8.0 Time

The game has 19 turns, each one week long, so each month is divided into four turns. On the first game turn, all German Units and all AJA Units, except Japanese, are free to move. Japanese Units can move starting on turn 3 (Japan declared war on August 23).

9.0 Sequence of Play

Each Game Turn consists of the following phases performed in the following order:

1. Weather Phase
2. German Player Turn
   • Naval Movement and Combat Phase (11.0-13.0)
   • Land Movement Phase (14.0)
   • Land Combat Phase (15.0)
3. AJA Player Turn
   • Naval Movement and Combat Phase
   • Land Movement Phase
   • Land Combat Phase
4. Remove all Suppression

9.1 Weather Phase

Roll 2d6, applying no modifiers; if the result is 7, then storms afflict the KI, prohibiting all movement and combat on the KI this entire turn. This has no effect on the APM or PC.

9.2 Player Turns

Each game turn includes a German Player Turn and an AJA Player Turn. The side that is currently implementing its Player Turn is phasing, while the other side is non-phasing.

9.3 Remove All Suppression

Exactly what it says on the tin: all Suppression Markers are removed in this phase.

10.0 Movement in General

Units move from space to adjacent space, shifting playing surfaces as necessary, expending Movement Points for each new space entered, up to the maximum permitted by their Movement Score. Spaces on the PC are adjacent both orthogonally and diagonally. The exact cost varies depending on the playing surface and Unit type. A moving Unit must have enough Movement Points remaining to pay the full cost to enter the desired space (exception: Land Units entering hexes on the APM, 14.2). Units can move individually or in stacks. Stacks can drop off Units as they go, in which case the "dropped off" Units immediately end their move. Stacks can also pick up Units as they go, in which case the "picked up" Units are considered to have already spent as many movement points as the stack that absorbed them. Stacks can only move as far as the slowest Unit in the stack.

Movement rules vary from one surface to the next, and by type of unit.

For Naval Units, Movement and Combat comingle. A phasing Naval Unit can move, be Intercepted by non-phasing Naval Units, fight, continue moving, possibly be Intercepted and fight again several times, and then finally conduct its own Interception attempt to fight yet again.

For Land Units, movement and Combat are discrete. After all eligible Land Units have moved, conduct Land Combat.

11.0 Naval Movement

Phasing Naval Units move during their Naval Movement and Combat Phase. A Naval Unit can Intercept (12.0) once during its own phase, and can attempt to Intercept an unlimited number of times during the enemy's phase until successful. Naval Units must move along water spaces (including mixed land/water spaces) and cannot move across all-land hex sides or zone edges. Naval Units can always enter and exit spaces occupied by enemy Units of any kind, but risk Naval Combat when so doing.

11.1 Naval Movement Costs

Spaces incur the following Movement Point costs against the entering Naval Unit:

• KI Coastal or Sea Hex: 0 MP (see 11.3)
• APM Atoll or Sea Hex: 1 MP
• APM Coastal/Island Hex: 2 MP
• PC Zone: 5 MP

11.2 German Mines

On the KI, Tsingtau (hex D5) and all adjacent water hexes contain German naval mines. When any AJA Naval Unit enters one of those hexes, resolve a mine attack: Roll 2d6. If the result is greater than seven, the moving Unit suffers a step loss!

Check each time a moving AJA Naval Unit enters a mined hex, rolling for each Unit separately. These mines never affect German Units (they know where the mines are!).

11.3 APM/KI Naval Movement

Naval Units that enter hex 1304 of the APM must immediately transfer to any east or south edge hex of the KI and can then move up to a number of hexes on the KI equal to their MP score, at no MP cost, regardless of how many MP they previously spent this turn. In other words, naval movement on the KI is "free" but limited to a number of hexes per turn equal to a unit's MP score. Units can move less than their full score and can stop to end their move on the insert as desired. Naval Units can exit the KI, and re-enter the APM, via any east or south edge hex of the insert if they can pay the cost to enter a water hex adjacent to 1304 on the APM.

Naval Units that enter the KI can stop adjacent to any coastal hex to offload their Land Unit passengers on the KI via Amphibious Assault (11.6) during the land Combat phase later that turn. This circumstance can result in opposing Land Units temporarily occupying the same hex on the KI while one is on land and the other a passenger at sea.

11.4 APM/PC Naval Movement

Naval Units can move back and forth between the APM and the PC via the connections indicated on edges of the APM so long as they have enough MP remaining to pay the cost of entering the desired space. Land Units being transported can be moved from the PC to the APM, but can never move from the APM to the PC.

11.5 Naval Transport (AJA Only)

Naval Transport is only available to AJA Units; the Germans can never use Naval Transport. AJA Land Units can move across water spaces and hex sides/zone edges via naval transport. Any one Naval Unit can transport any one friendly Land Unit. Doing so does not degrade the transport's scores in any way. As noted in 11.4, AJA Land Units cannot move from the APM to the PC via naval transport, but they could go the other way.

Design Note: These "transports" are actually escorts for the abstract transport that has no counter in the game. To keep it simple, we just use the existing Naval Units and assume an additional transport is there.

Perform naval transport as a normal naval move with the passenger stacked on top of the transport. Therefore, both must have begun their naval move stacked together. If a transport unit is destroyed, so is its passenger.

Transported Land Units may automatically offload onto a friendly land port (anchor symbol) in their same space at the end of the transport's naval move. Land Units that offloaded into a port at the end of naval movement can move normally during land movement. Transported Land Units can remain aboard their transport at sea if desired.

11.6 Amphibious Assault

To offload into a non-port or enemy controlled space of any kind Land Units must conduct Amphibious Assault during their land Combat Phase, in the meantime they stay with their transport at sea. On the KI, transported Land Units can conduct Amphibious Assault against an adjacent hex. On the APM or PC, Land Units can only attack the space they occupy. Amphibious Assault against an empty hex/zone succeeds automatically.

12.0 Naval Interception

Naval Combat requires successful Interception first. The phasing player's Units can intercept non-phasing Units that occupy the same space (hex or zone) while the non-phasing player's Units can intercept phasing Units up to several hexes away, or in the same PC zone. The mechanics differ on each playing surface.

12.1 Non-Phasing Interception

As phasing Naval Units move, non-phasing Naval Units can try to intercept them in order to trigger naval Combat.

Each non-phasing unit can attempt any number of Interceptions per player turn, until it succeeds. Once a non-phasing unit succeeds at Interception, it can make no further Interception attempts that player turn.

Non-phasing Units can attempt to intercept a moving unit or stack each time it enters a new space, but only once per space entered.

If phasing Units move as a stack they can only be Intercepted as a stack; the non-phasing player cannot single out particular Units for Interception and ignore the rest. It's all or nothing.

However, non-phasing Units do not have to be a stack or come from the same spaces to intercept as a group. In other words, non-phasing Units in different hexes can all attempt Interception, separately, in an attempt to converge on a single moving enemy unit or stack in a particular hex.

Non-phasing Units attempting Interception must do so one stack at a time. After all Interception attempts are complete, those Units that succeeded must fight Naval Combat with the phasing Units they Intercepted.

12.2 Phasing Interception

Phasing Units must move into the same space, be it a hex or zone, as their intended target to attempt Interception (but see 12.3 for an important exception). Phasing Units can attempt only one Interception per player turn.

12.3 Kiautschou Insert Concerns

On the KI, Units attempting Interception need only trace to or enter a hex adjacent to the target (one hex range) and the resulting naval Combat would be fought between adjacent Units. AJA Units that trace an Interception attempt into a German minefield are attacked by that mine field. Phasing Units automatically succeed at attempts to intercept enemy naval Artillery (NART) as long as they are in the same space, or adjacent on the KI.

12.4 Pacific Chart Concerns

On the PC, phasing and non-phasing Naval Units can only intercept enemy Units in their same zone.

12.5 Interception Resolution

To attempt to intercept, the would-be interceptor first rolls 2D6 and applies the following modifiers:

• +3 if attempting on PC
• +1 per hex from interceptor to target on KI or APM
• +1 if target has higher Movement Score than interceptor
• -1 if interceptor has higher Movement Score than target
• -1 per previous Interception Attempt against this same target

"Same target" in this case refers to the same enemy Unit/stack in the same target hex/zone; this modifier does not "carry over" if/when the targeted Unit/stack moves into a new hex/zone. (This simulates the difficulty in escaping when intercepting forces are converging from multiple directions.) Note that Interception Attempts are made per stack; when checking Movement Scores, use the lowest Movement Score in the Intercepting stack and the lowest Movement Score in the target stack.

If the final result is less than ten, the Interception succeeds:

• If on the APM, move the Intercepting Unit to the target's space.
• If on the KI, move the Intercepting Unit to an adjacent space.

Resolve all other Interception Attempts against the same target before resolving Naval Combat.

13.0 Naval Combat

Naval Units, including naval Artillery (NART), in a sea, coastal, or atoll space can participate in a Naval Combat, which can last two rounds. Successful Interception is a prerequisite to a Naval Combat.

Units will fire sequentially according to their Firepower Scores (highest first, lowest last) with tied scores firing simultaneously, and hits being applied within a single echelon before moving to the next. If necessary, place the Combat Marker in the hex, and move the involved Units to the Battle Box on the tracking sheet.

Design Note: In fact, Units on the KI could actually fire on one another from a distance equivalent to two hexes away! But, to keep it simple, we abstract all that long range gunfire to adjacent Units.

Example: the Kongo, with its Firepower of three, rolls first and applies any hits. Then, the Good Hope and the Kaiserin Elisabeth each roll, hits from those rolls are applied, and then the Akitsushima and Cormoran roll.

To resolve fire, the Unit chooses an enemy target and rolls 2d6. If the final result is greater than the target's Resilience Score, it scores a hit and a step-loss is inflicted. If the shooter scores a hit and rolled Doubles, two step losses are inflicted on the target Unit. If the first loss Destroys the target, the second loss is ignored (ships only tend to sink once!). Unlike Assault (15.5), there is no requirement for the shooter to have more hash marks than the target to qualify for this extra hit.

Units that are Destroyed before they have a chance to fire… wait for it… don't get to fire.

Units that are flipped to their reduced side, with its lower Firepower, will of necessity be "bumped down" to a lower echelon, firing later than intended.

Second Round: The first round concludes after each Unit has had a chance to fire, or has been destroyed before firing. If after the first round has concluded, a side has Naval Units (not including NART) remaining, they can declare a second round. Either side may do this if they qualify, and said declaration compels both sides to a full second round, conducted in the same manner as the first. There cannot however be a third round.

Post-Combat: After Naval Combat, Units that were moving can continue to do so with any remaining MP. Phasing Units that survive a Naval Combat could be Intercepted again by non-phasing Units later on during that same move, and have to fight again. Indeed, they could be forced to fight for every new hex or zone entered. And remember, Phasing Units may themselves attempt Interception once per turn, and if that succeeds, they may fight yet again - all of this in the same Naval Movement and Combat Phase.

Design Note: I generally assigned ships 1 point of Firepower per full 100 mm of gun size. Since sources credited the Germans with excellent gunnery and the British with poor gunnery, at 201 mm, I rounded up for German cruisers and down for British cruisers.

14.0 Land Movement

Phasing Land Units move during their Land Movement Phase according to the rules governing their specific playing surface.

14.1 KI Land Movement

On the KI, Land Units move by tracing a path of connected hexes moving from hex to adjacent hex, expending MP as they go, with the cost depending on terrain:

• Moving along a road in a hex: ½ MP
• Entering an open ground hex: 1 MP
• All other hexes: 2 MP

Once a Land Unit has spent a number of MP equal to its MP score it can move no further that player turn. Further:

• Land Units cannot cross all-water hex sides or enter all-water hexes without naval transport.
• Land Units cannot enter hexes occupied by enemy Land Units on the KI unless riding naval transport when they do so.
• Land Units can exit the KI by marching off the North or West edge, and then end their move by placing a "Move 2/2" counter with them in APM hex 1304.

Entrenchment: On the KI only, a Land Unit can entrench – be placed beneath a trench counter – by spending 4 MP in its hex. Once a trench is placed, other friendly Units can freely move underneath and derive protection when they are in the hex; each unit does not need to dig its own.

14.2 APM Land Movement

MP allowances do not apply on the APM for Land Units. Instead, Land Units move one hex every two turns via the following procedure:

• A Land Unit that uses land movement to move from any APM hex to another APM hex is immediately marked with a "Move 1/2" counter and then stops moving.
• Any unit that starts its move already marked by a "Move 1/2" counter (from a previous turn) can flip that counter to its "2/2" side, but remains in the hex.
• Any unit that starts its move already marked by a "2/2" from a previous turn is free to enter a new hex where it immediately earns a new "1/2".

Use the same procedure to move from hex 1304 of the APM "into" the KI. In other words, a Land Unit must graduate to a "2/2" counter while in hex 1304 of the APM before it can access the KI on its next move. Qualifying Units enter the KI anywhere along the north or west edge, with the first edge hex counting as their first hex of movement.

However, Units exiting the KI to the APM do not need to endure that same process. They need only march across the north or west edge of the KI and are then immediately placed on a "2/2" in hex 1304 of the APM. Therefore, they could enter an adjacent APM hex the following turn. Although this may seem expeditious, the need to get to the north or west edge of the KI accounts for the time that would have been consumed via the longer "1/2" to "2/2" process.

14.3 No PC Land Movement

Land Units cannot move under their own power on the PC; they must use naval transport.

15.0 Land Combat

Phasing Units can initiate Land Combat during their Land Combat Phase. Phasing Units are the attacker, and non-phasing Units the defender. Any Unit (including Naval) with a Firepower score in a land, coastal/island, or atoll space can participate in Land Combat. A Unit may attack in land Combat only once per turn; however, a unit may defend in Land Combat any number of times per turn.

15.1 Scale Differences

Units array for Land Combat differently on the different playing surfaces.

On the KI, conduct Combat between adjacent Units. On the APM, always conduct Combat between Units in the same hex.

On the PC conduct Combat between Units in the same zone, but only if one side has used Interception (to initiate Naval Combat) or Amphibious Assault (to initiate Land Combat), otherwise opposing Units coexist in the same zone and cannot fight. Within a PC zone, demonstrate that one side or the other has closed the distance and initiated Combat by stacking opposing Units together in the same stack. Opposing Units in separate stacks are too far apart to conduct Combat unless and until one side or the other uses Interception or amphibious Assault.

15.1 Fortifications

Numbering note: the publisher's rulebook prints this heading as "15.1" a second time (the Scale Differences section above is also 15.1); the printed number is kept as-is.

Fortifications include redoubts and trenches. Three redoubts are printed on the KI in Tsingtau and the adjacent land hexes; they cannot be "made" during play. Land Units can dig trenches during play (14.1). A trench cannot be placed in a redoubt hex.

Fortifications allow friendly, same-hex Units to avail their higher Resilience scores.

• Redoubts give same-hex friendly Units a Resilience score of 10.
• Trenches give same-hex friendly Units a Resilience score of 9.

Siege Artillery can destroy both redoubts and trenches in which case they no longer provide higher Resilience scores. Trench markers go back into the pool to be used/built again.

However, when resolving Assault (15.5) phasing (attacking) Units never benefit from the higher Resilience score of their own fortification (they must leave it) and therefore must use their own Resilience score instead.

15.2 Land Combat Sequence

Resolve all Land Combats in the following sequence:

1. Define a Land Battle (15.3)
2. Conduct Bombardment (15.4)
3. Conduct Assault (15.5)
4. Retreat (15.7)
5. Advance (15.8)

15.3 Define a Land Battle

The attacker (phasing player) does this by selecting a single target stack and then declaring which of their Units will attack that defending (non-phasing) stack. On the KI, attacking Units must be adjacent, so up to six hexes could attack a single defending stack in a single hex. On the APM and PC, attacking Units must be in the same space (hex or zone respectively).

15.4 Conduct Bombardment

All attacking and defending Artillery Units, as well as Naval Units participating in Land Combat, have a chance to fire during bombardment. To conduct bombardment, the attacker and defender alternate firing one Artillery/Naval Unit at a time until all have fired or declined to do so. The attacker fires first with the one Unit of their choice. Then the defender fires back with one Unit of their choice. Continue this alternating sequence until all Units have fired or declined to do so. One such declining unit for each side may be designated as the point unit:

• A point unit does not participate in bombardment, but will participate in the coming Assault.
• A point unit's scores are 0-7-4, regardless of its actual printed values.
• If a side has only Artillery Units then one of them must be designated the point unit.

Fire an Artillery Unit by selecting any one target Unit in the enemy stack(s) as the target and then roll 2d6. Add the firing unit's Firepower score and any fire modifiers (15.6) that apply. If the final result is greater than the target's Resilience score then the firing unit scores a hit against the target.

During bombardment, all hits result in suppression. Additional hits on the same target Unit during bombardment have no further effect. Mark a Unit hit by bombardment with a suppression counter immediately; from that instant forward that Unit suffers the adverse effects of suppression (15.6) for the remainder of the current game turn.

15.5 Conduct Assault

All non-Artillery Units, and any one Artillery unit designated as "point unit," of both sides may fire during Assault. Although Assault fires are rolled one at a time, assume all results are simultaneous; therefore hits inflicted on a unit during Assault are not manifest until after that unit has a chance to fire too.

To conduct Assault, each eligible firing unit selects any one enemy unit in the target stack(s) as its target and then rolls 2d6. Add the firing unit's Firepower score and any fire modifiers (15.6) that apply. If the final result is greater than the target's Resilience score, then the firing unit scores a hit against the target.

During Assault, each hit inflicts a step loss; however, if the firing unit has more hash marks than the target, and scored a hit, and rolled Doubles, then inflict two step losses on the target.

15.6 Land Combat Fire Modifiers

Apply the following modifiers to dice rolls for both Bombardment and Assault:

• -1 Attacking into a city or hill hex
• -1 Attacking via Amphibious Assault (11.6)
• +1 Defending anywhere
• +1 Defending against Amphibious Assault (11.6)
• +1 per extra hash mark if Firing Unit has more than target
• -1 per deficit hash mark if Firing Unit has fewer than target
• -1 if Firing Unit is Suppressed
• +1 if target is Suppressed
• -1 NART firing at Land Unit

15.7 Retreat

After resolving a Land Combat on the KI, determine retreat. The side that lost more steps must check for retreat, unless it occupies a trench or redoubt after Siege Artillery (18.6) has a chance to remove such markers.

To check for retreat, each unit on the side that lost more steps rolls 2d6 and compares that to its Resilience score. If the result is less than its Resilience the unit may stay, otherwise it must retreat one hex. Japanese Units must move closer to the north or east edge, while German Units must move closer to Tsingtau.

Units on the APM or PC do not suffer these forced retreats.

15.8 Advance

After any forced retreats, attacking Units that Assaulted the vacated hex may move into it (advance) free of charge. Phasing Units can "attack" empty hexes on the KI to automatically avail this advance option.

16.0 Supply Rules

There are none.

Supply is always an issue, but given the size and scope of this conflict, small imperial battles on land and sea, associated rules would not be worth the trouble. The units depicted managed their supply issues by carrying, stockpiling, and pilfering; assume your Units do the same.

17.0 Commerce Raiding

"Commerce raiding" here accounts not only for that, but all sorts of German maritime mayhem, such as bombarding wireless stations, firing at British ports, seizing prizes, and stealing coal.

At the end of its move, a German Naval Unit south of the Tropic of Cancer (on either the APM or PC) rolls 2d6, adding the number of movement points spent by that Unit to enter new spaces south of the Tropic of Cancer this turn. If the final result is 16 or more then the Germans earn one victory point; otherwise none. A maximum of 1 VP per turn can be earned via commerce rating.

18.0 Special Units

The following Units have special rules and capabilities.

18.1 Australian Troop Convoy

The Australian Troop Convoy counter arrives as a reinforcement at PC zone E2 during the Naval Movement and Combat Phase of the AJA Player Turn on Turn 12 (first November turn). From there, it must move to Colombo, APM hex 0312, spend at least one extra point in that port hex, and then move off the west APM edge, all by the end of Turn 17 (second December turn). Failure to do so will earn Germany three victory points. Of course, the AJA player can (and should) escort it to prevent German ships from attacking/destroying it.

Design Note: Several ships actually escorted the 36-ship convoy, including the Japanese Battle cruiser Ibuki.

18.2 Britain's Atlantic Units

The AJA can voluntarily have their British Atlantic Units (as designated on the Order of Battle sheet) enter along the east edge of the PC into zone F11 for five Movement Points during any naval movement phase. The British Atlantic Units otherwise do not enter play. Doing this, however, awards a victory point to the Germans. Unless and until they enter, these Units remain off-map.

Design Note: In the real war, the British did this to stop Vice Admiral von Spee at the Falklands during the first week of December, after he sank two British Battle cruisers, Good Hope and Monmouth, a month before off the Chilean coast at the Battle of Coronel.

18.3 Britain's Civil Defense Unit

Do not set this unit up at start. Instead, if a German unit tries to enter Hong Kong (APM 1308) or Weiheiwei (APM 1404) immediately deploy this unit, which can prevent an enemy land move and then defend in Land Combat.

18.4 German Polizeitruppe

These Units represent locally raised native troops led by German officers. Because they start on the PC, and Germans cannot use Naval Transport, these Units cannot move from their starting zones.

Design Note: The NeuPommern unit actually resisted at the Battle of BitaPaka where one German and 31 Melanese died in a combat that also killed seven Australians. The Samoa unit surrendered without a fight, but the New Zealanders could not foresee that, so we give this piece "life" in the game. Therefore, victory over one of these pieces could represent it surrendering without a fight. The presence of these Units also encourages the ANZACs to use their Naval Units to support operations against NeuPommern and Samoa as actually happened.

18.5 Japanese Companies

Do not set these Units up at start. Instead, they enter play after a Japanese regiment (that starts with three steps, but only two sides) has suffered two step losses and therefore needs a one-hash unit to represent what's left. Any Japanese regiment, including Artillery or cavalry, can demote to one of these companies.

18.6 Siege Artillery

After a siege gun bombards and resolves its fire as usual, destroy/remove any trench or redoubt in the target stack. This occurs before retreat resolution so the fortification will not be there to hold Units in place.

Siege Artillery must be "limbered" before it can move by any means. To do this, during land movement the AJA player declares they are limbering the guns and places a Limbered Marker on them. Siege Artillery cannot move in the same turn it limbers.

Once limbered, Siege Artillery can move as usual, including via naval transport. However, it cannot fire until the process is reversed.

Once the Siege Artillery reaches its destination, the AJA must declare unlimbering during their Land Combat Phase: Siege Artillery cannot fire on the player turn it unlimbers. After unlimbering, remove the limbered marker so the Siege Artillery can fire normally.

18.7 S-90

This destroyer cannot use its Firepower score against Land Units; it represents torpedoes.

Design Note: S-90 actually sank the Japanese coastal defense ship, Takachiho, with a torpedo killing 271 sailors, Japan's biggest loss of the entire war!

18.8 Wakamiya

Instead of using its regular Firepower, this ship can declare an automatic successful Interception against any unit within two hexes and then attack with "planes." In that case, roll 2d6.

• A result of 2 means anti-aircraft fire destroyed the planes which can never strike again.
• A result of 12 means the planes inflict one "Artillery" hit on the target, reducing a Naval Unit or suppressing a ground unit.
• Any other die result has no effect.

Design Note: This sea plan carrier hosted and launched four biplanes that attacked German ships and troops throughout the campaign, but to no avail.

19.0 Victory

Over the course of the game, the German Player will score Victory Points for certain accomplishments:

• +3 Australian Troop Convoy Delayed/Destroyed
• +1 per AJA Land Unit step Eliminated
• +1 per AJA Naval Unit Destroyed
• +1 if British call any/all Atlantic Units into play
• +1 per successful Commerce Raiding dice roll

At the end of the game, the German Player will additionally score 1 VP for each step of German Naval Units in PC zone F11.

Then, the following VP reductions will be made for AJA control of the following:

• -5 Tsingtau (KI D5)
• -3 NeuPommern (PC D4)
• -2 Samoa (PC D6)
• -1 each for Ladrone, Lamotrek, Palau, Yap, Truk, and Wolea

If the German score is reduced to less than zero, the AJA wins. Otherwise, Germany wins. Note that the maximum reduction possible is -16 VP, and therefore if the Germans score in excess of 15, it is impossible for the AJA to win.