Heroes of Stalingrad: Battleground Set #5 – The Sewers
Heroes of Stalingrad: Battleground Set #5 – The Sewers Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1 - Introduction
On the sewer map, players must distinguish "Tile" squares (which are on the terrain tiles) from "Off Map Grid" squares (which are the squares on the Sewer grid, not covered by terrain tiles).
Use the tiles from this expansion to create one underground battlefield or fight on different levels, as your armies slug it out, both in the sewers and on the surface.
1.1 - Components
- Room tiles 4x4 - x1 (front and back)
- Room tiles 4x3 - x2 (front and back)
- Corridor tiles 3x2 - x7 (front and back)
- Corridor tiles 2x2 - x7 (front and back)
- Corridor tiles 1x2 - x10 (front and back)
- Hatch tiles - x4 (lettered A, B, C and D; front and back)
- Hatchway tiles 1x1 - x4 (lettered A, B, C and D; front and back)
- Sewer conditions tile - x1 (front and back)
- Light source markers - x12 (front and back)
- Special tiles 1x1 - x2 (front and back)
2 - Battlefield
2.1 - Terrain Elements
Access
The Hatch tiles are for the surface and the Hatchway tiles for the sewer board.
When using both an underground and a surface map, start by composing the surface map. Place the Hatches. For the sewers, use a grid that is the same format as the surface map. Position the identically lettered Hatchways (A & A in the example) on the same spot in the grid as their matching Hatches above ground.
Hatch and Hatchway tiles are entry or exit points. During a Movement Action, an Infantry Unit can spend one movement point to go one level up or down, moving from a Hatch onto the matching Hatchway or vice versa. This does not interrupt the unit's movement.
Conduits
Obstacle - Impassable side/diagonal
Coinciding Conduits provide passage between sewer tiles that may or may not be otherwise connected or accessible. To be coinciding, conduit tiles can be no more than one square apart, even diagonally.
- Conduits cannot be placed both directly diagonally from each other and adjacent to each other.
Movement actions
- A unit may use a Conduit to join another Conduit with which it coincides. When performing a Movement Action, count all traversed sewer and grid squares.
- You can only enter or leave a Conduit square via the square indicated by the blue arrows on the tile (Front only; Impassable sideways and diagonally).
- A unit may stop or begin its Movement Action on a conduit square or on the vacant grid square in between two sewer tiles.
Firing actions
- Conduits block Line of Sight.
- A unit cannot fire diagonally into or out of a conduit. Firing distance within, into or out of a conduit is limited to one square.
- It is prohibited to fire all the way through a conduit at a unit positioned in front of the access.
- A unit can toss a grenade into the Conduit, thereby targeting all units present in the entire Conduit, entrance to exit(s).
Other special rules
- Assault rules are applied normally, thereby respecting the blue arrows on the conduits (as used in buildings).
- ZoC rules are applied normally, thereby respecting the blue arrows on the conduits (as used in buildings).
- Depending on the scenario, units may also exit such a conduit should it serve as deployment or entry point to move onto the sewer map.
Narrow Passages
Obstacle - Defensive Bonus (infantry)
Narrow passages have no special rules, but here are some details:
- A Narrow Passage is a Terrain Element.
- A unit can therefore Ambush there.
- A Narrow Passage offers a Defensive Bonus.
- A Narrow Passage reduces Line of Sight.
- A Narrow Passage reduces Zone of Control.
Overflows
Conduits may coincide through Overflows with Water Bodies, located within 2 squares.
- A Unit can only enter an Overflow from a Conduit square.
- A unit that uses an Overflow spends only one movement point to be flushed from the Conduit tile straight onto a Water Body square no more than 2 squares distant from the Conduit tile.
- If the unit does not have the Amphibious Special Ability or Amphibious Special Movement, it must be placed on a space adjacent to the Water Body squares. It receives a Suppressed Marker. This is a forced move.
- If the unit has the Amphibious Special Ability or Amphibious Special Movement, it may remain in the Water Body squares and receives no Suppressed Marker.
Aquatic Passages
An Aquatic Passage is a link between Water Bodies located within 6 squares of each other, allowing Underwater Movement between those Water Bodies. Imagine these passages as being right underneath the sewer level you are currently using.
Water Bodies have the "Water" symbol so only units with Amphibious Special Move or Special Abilities can enter them. Water Body squares with blue arrows are an Aquatic Passage Access.
Units in an Aquatic Passage are in a Submerged Position. They are placed OFF-MAP near the Water Body where they entered or where they want to leave the passage. In the example, Submerged Positions are represented by the Submerged Position icon.
Movement actions
Units spend 1 Movement point to enter or leave an Aquatic Passage and only 1 Movement point to move from one Submerged Position to another regardless of the length of the Aquatic Passage.
Important: Since an Aquatic Passage may offer a great strategic movement advantage, units may not enter AND exit an Aquatic Passage during the same Turn. Only units, already present in an Aquatic Passage at the beginning of a Turn, may exit.
Allies and Enemies may not be present together in the same Submerged Position, except during an assault.
Enemy units present in a Submerged Position block the Aquatic Passage.
Submerged Positions A and B are for the Aquatic Passage linking Water Bodies WB.1 and WB.2.
Submerged Positions B and C are for the Aquatic Passage linking Water Bodies WB.2 and WB.3.
During a Turn, a Unit entering an Aquatic Passage from the Water Body access WB.1 can:
- Stop moving and stay in Submerged Position A, if no enemy is present in Submerged Position A, OR
- Use the Aquatic Passage to go to Submerged Position B, if no enemy is present in A and B, OR
- Assault an enemy present in Submerged Position A, OR
- Assault an enemy present in Submerged Position B if no enemy is present in Submerged Position A.
During a Turn, a Unit present in Submerged Position B can:
- Use the Aquatic Passage to go to Submerged Position A or C, if no enemy is present in those positions, OR
- Exit onto a linked Water Body WB.1, WB.2 or WB.3 if no enemy is present in the Access square. This ends the unit's Movement Action, OR
- Use the Aquatic Passage to assault an enemy Unit present in another Submerged Position in that same Aquatic Passage (A or C), or in a linked Water Body Access square WB.1, WB.2 or WB.3.
Assaults
Select which enemy is targeted if several are present in a Submerged Position. Attacking units, defeated during an Assault in an Aquatic Passage, must retreat to their former location. This location may be an Aquatic Passage Access or a Submerged Position.
Defending units, defeated during an Assault in an Aquatic Passage, must either retreat into the Water Body right behind them or fall back to the Submerged Position at the far end of the passage. The defending unit is destroyed if an enemy unit occupies the retreat location.
Firing actions
Units in an Aquatic Passage cannot take any Firing Action and cannot be targeted by a regular Firing Action.
Units can only be targeted if an enemy, positioned in a Water Body Access square, plunges a grenade into the passage. The grenade targets all units, friend and foe alike, in the Aquatic Passage.
Spells
A unit in an Aquatic Passage can cast a spell on another friendly or enemy unit in that Aquatic Passage. The spell caster has Obscured Line of Sight to their targets.
2.2 - Special Environment
Sewers
The sewers are a special environment with specific rules. Several specific rules apply to the whole board.
These illustrated symbols apply to all wall sides of sewer tiles. Sewer walls are Impassable, they block Line of Sight and grenades cannot be tossed over them.
Firing Actions are modified since sewers tend to be obscure places.
- The maximum range for a Firing Action is 7 squares.
- The penalty for firing at Long Range is applied when shooting at a target beyond 5 squares.
- In order to spot a Concealed unit in a Terrain Element, you need to be adjacent to it. A unit can conceal itself in open ground (i.e., not in a Terrain Element) if no enemy has a Clear Line of Sight to it within 2 squares or less.
- You cannot use the Indirect Fire Special Ability, neither Aircraft Units nor Artillery, in the sewers.
Light Sources
Light Sources are placed on Interspaces and illuminate the adjacent squares.
Firing Actions against Illuminated Units are resolved like Firing Actions performed on the surface in daylight.
Apply daylight rules for spotting an illuminated unit in ambush.
Destruction of light sources
During its activation, a unit with Line of Sight to an Interspace with a Light Source marker, can perform a Firing Action to destroy that Light Source. A light source may also be destroyed if an explosion Template covers all or part of it.
In either case, to destroy a Light Source, roll one die. Do not add the unit's Combat Value. You may add bonuses from options, Action Cards or others. Obstacle penalties apply. Long Range penalties apply beyond 7 squares, since light sources are always illuminated. The Light Source is Destroyed on a result of 3 or more.
Vehicles
Vehicles are allowed into the sewers if your map layout or scenario provides a possibility for them to be there.
They could simply drive into the sewers via a huge off-map drain pipe outlet, appear out of a portal (in Shadows over Normandie) or gain access otherwise.
Vehicles in sewers:
- Cannot enter or exit through Hatches and Hatchways.
- Can move through Narrow Passages.
- May not use Conduits or Aquatic Passages.
- Cannot enter Water Bodies even with the Amphibious Special Ability, which allows movement into and across Water Bodies.
3 - Special Ability
Burrower
Units with the Burrower Special Ability can use a Movement Action to dig a passage through walls to go from one sewer tile to another (A). They cannot stop on an Off Map square (B) and must end their move on a terrain tile.
Scenarios
The booklet's Solo Mode notes require the expansion pack Heroes of Normandie - Solo Mode.
Rattenkrieg - 1st Part
Front: Stalingrad Army: German / USSR Date: 14-15 October 1942 Players: 2
Solo Mode: the AI can play either side.
Recruitment of the Armies
Russians - 300 points: The Russian player can spend up to 300 points to build an army. There is no limit to the number of Orders he can have.
Any amount of Light Vehicles but no more than one Heavy Vehicle can be included.
Germans - 300 points: The German player can spend up to 300 points to build an army. There is no limit to the number of Orders he can have.
Any amount of Light Vehicles but no more than one Heavy Vehicle can be included.
Preparation
- Randomly determine the Initiative.
- Place 1 Primary and 2 Secondary Objectives.
- Each player draws 4 Action Cards.
- The game lasts 6 Turns.
The player with the Initiative deploys first in the deployment zone of his choice (Zone 1/2). His opponent deploys in the opposite zone.
This battle is played in two parts. In the first part, the goal for both players is to control as many objectives as possible at the end of round 6.
Each of them will bring a bonus in the second game. Do not read the scenario of the second game before playing this one.
Solo Rules
Solo Mode: As part of its Movement Action, an AI infantry unit moving through a square with a Hatch or a square adjacent to a Hatch must make a check to see if it is moving through it.
Roll one die:
- 1-3: The unit ignores the Hatch.
- 4-6: The unit goes through the Hatch.
If an AI infantry unit begins its Movement Action on a square with a Hatch or a square adjacent to a Hatch, it moves through it.
These rules are ignored if the unit is adjacent to a Primary or Secondary Objective.
Rattenkrieg - 2nd Part
Recruitment of the Armies
Solo Mode: the AI can play either side.
Russians - 450 points: The Russian player can spend up to 450 points to build an army. There is no limit to the number of Orders he can have nor to the number of Heavy or Light Vehicles.
The player who controlled the Primary Objective at the end of the first game has a bonus of 50 points to create his army.
Germans - 450 points: The German player can spend up to 450 points to build an army. There is no limit to the number of Orders he can have nor to the number of Heavy or Light Vehicles.
The player who controlled the Primary Objective at the end of the first game has a bonus of 50 points to create his army.
Preparation & Solo Rules
- Randomly determine the Initiative.
- Place 1 Primary Objective.
- Place 1 Detonator Marker.
- Each player draws 4 Action Cards.
- The game lasts 8 Turns.
The player with the Initiative deploys first in the deployment zone of the same color as the one he chose in the 1st Part of the scenario. His opponent deploys in the other deployment zone.
The player who controlled the Secondary Objective 1 at the end of the 1st game may deploy units in deployment zone 1.
The player who controlled the Secondary Objective 2 at the end of the 1st game may deploy units in deployment zone 2.
If a player cannot deploy all of his units in his deployment zone(s), he may move them in during the game, either in the Activation Phase or Supply Phase, through an edge of the board adjacent to his deployment zone.
Solo Mode: As part of its Movement Action, an AI infantry unit moving through a square with a Hatch or a square adjacent to a Hatch must make a check to see if it is moving through it.
Roll one die:
- 1-3: The unit ignores the Hatch.
- 4-6: The unit goes through the Hatch.
If an AI infantry unit begins its Movement Action on a square with a Hatch or a square adjacent to a Hatch, it moves through it.
These rules are ignored if the unit is adjacent to a Primary or Secondary Objective.
Victory Conditions
To win this game, you must control the Primary Objective without destroying the building where it is located.
Starting with turn 5, the game ends at the end of a Supply Phase as soon as either player controls the Primary Objective.
I'm gonna blow it up!!
A unit on the Detonator's square may be activated (in either the Activation Phase or Supply Phase) to interact with it. It may perform one of the following two actions:
-
Disable the Detonator: (discard the detonator marker)
-
Use the Detonator: A huge explosion obliterates the building where the Primary Objective is located. The game ends immediately.
-
Victory: Victory goes to the player who controls the Primary Objective at the end of the Supply Phase in Turn 5 or a later Turn.
-
Draw: If the building is destroyed or if, at the end of the turn 8, no player controls the Objective, it's a draw.