Quartermaster General: South Front
Quartermaster General: South Front Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What's New?
Quartermaster General: South Front is the second 2-player game using the Quartermaster General system, following Quartermaster General: East Front. If you're already familiar with East Front, you'll be pleased to find that none of the rules have changed, and the new additional rules will feel very familiar.
- One key difference is that players have only one action per turn — this game is quicker than East Front.
- The Allies now have three factions to manage (France, UK, USA), while the Axis have the same two (Germany, Pact) found in East Front. You'll need to review a couple of special rules regarding the USA entry into the war and the French infantry.
- Minor Country Forces (MCFs) have been added. MCFs defend the spaces of smaller countries that started the conflict as neutrals, but were later either attacked or voluntarily joined the war.
- The biggest change is the addition of a full-fledged naval game. Fleets can now be used to transport infantry, tanks, and airplanes, and transported infantry and tanks can be used to attack land spaces. Unlike in East Front, players are able to directly attack sea spaces with forces containing fleets, airplanes, and/or carriers. The mechanics of sea battles are basically the same as those of land battles, except: sea battles have their own combat ranking system; Anti-Air and Naval Combat reactions can be used, albeit somewhat differently; and there's a new reaction, Withdraw Navy, that allows your fleets and carriers to retreat.
Credits
- Game Design: Ian Brody
- Development: Karin Weston-Brody
- Graphic Design & Illustration: Nicholas Avallone
- Additional Layout: Honda Eiji
- Editing: Kevin Chapman, Beatrice Di Meglio, and Fabrizio Rolla
- Production & Supervision: Roberto Di Meglio and Fabio Maiorana
- Playtesting: Andreas Michaelsen, Andy Daglish, Ben Foster, Bryn Thomas, Federico Savarino, Heikki Laakkonen, Kalle Paju, Iikka Airaksinen, Ilkka Rytkönen, Hervé "Graftodt" Sicre, Jason & Ian Mark, Kevin & Melanie Chapman, Lindy Castro, Luke Esswein, Milind, Olivier Gaillot, Pimentas, Sascha Edmonds, Sebastian Adamiak, Sergey Krupin, Simon Macdonald, Tommaso Mannucci.
A game created by the Griggling Games' design studio. Produced, and distributed Worldwide by Ares Games Srl.
Components
- 1 rulebook
- 1 game board composed of two fold-out sections
- 72 cards:
- 38 Allies cards (2 France, 21 UK, 15 USA)
- 3 Allies Contingency cards (3 UK)
- 28 Axis cards (11 Germany, 17 Pact)
- 3 Axis Contingency cards (3 Pact)
- 41 wooden pieces:
- 23 Allies pieces (1 France, 12 UK, 10 USA)
- 18 Axis pieces (6 Germany, 12 Pact)
- 1 punchboard with 40 markers and counters (see Components Summary, below)
- 2 Player Aid sheets
Components Summary — Markers
- 1 Game Round marker
- 25 double-sided Control markers
- 1 Malta Depot marker
- 6 Minor Country Force counters
- 2 Victory Star markers
- 2 Victory Point markers
- 3 Supply Flag Markers (South Atlantic, Bulgaria, Rome)
Components Summary — Wooden Pieces
| Faction | Infantry | Tank | Airplane | Fleet | Carrier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| France (Allies) | x1 | — | — | — | — |
| United Kingdom (Allies) | x3 | x1 | x3 | x4 | x1 |
| United States (Allies) | x2 | x2 | x3 | x3 | x1 |
| Germany (Axis) | x2 | x2 | x2 | — | — |
| Pact (Axis) | x4 | x1 | x3 | x3 | x1 |
Setup
- Place the game board between the players. Place both Victory Point markers on the blank space of the Victory Point track, and the Game Round marker on the gray space at the left of the Game Round track, pointing to the "Summer 1940" space.
- Place the Rome Supply Flag marker in Rome.
- Place the South Atlantic Supply Flags marker in South Atlantic.
- Place the Yugoslavia Victory Star marker in Yugoslavia.
- Place the Minor Country Force counters on the spaces printed on them, neutral side up.
- You may wish to place Control markers (see Control, page 6).
- Set all of the other markers to the side until needed.
- Each player takes a Player Aid sheet.
- Each player takes their 3 Contingency cards and sets them to the side, Initial side up.
- Take the deck of cards for the side you're playing, Axis or Allies, separate the Mid War cards from the Late War cards, and set aside your Late War cards.
- Shuffle your Mid War cards and draw 5 cards. However, if this is your first game, you may want to select the 5 cards labeled "First Game" instead, and shuffle the rest.
- Place your starting pieces on the board (see below). Set the rest of your pieces to the side — these are your available pieces.
Mulligan: If you don't like your starting hand, you may reshuffle your hand into your Mid War cards and draw a new hand. This is known as a mulligan. Once you decide to take a mulligan, you must play with the new hand — you can't take another mulligan!
Allies Starting Pieces
- Gibraltar: 1 UK infantry
- Western Mediterranean: 1 UK fleet
- Malta: 1 UK infantry
- Eastern Mediterranean: 1 UK fleet
- El Alamein: 1 UK tank
- Egypt: 1 UK airplane
Axis Starting Pieces
- Rome: 1 Pact tank, 1 Pact airplane
- Tyrrhenian Sea: 1 Pact fleet
- Naples: 1 Pact infantry
- Sicily: 1 Pact airplane
- Ionian Sea: 1 Pact fleet
- Tripoli: 1 Pact infantry
The Game Board
The map on the game board has land and water (sea) spaces. All named spaces are playable. Spaces that share a common border are adjacent to one another. The illustration shows the pieces placed during setup.
Game Board Features
- A. Victory Stars: Each Victory Star in spaces you control is worth 1 Victory Point during scoring. Spaces with Victory Stars may be referred to as Victory Star spaces.
- B. Supply Flags: Spaces with Supply Flags may be referred to as Supply Flag spaces (see Supply, page 9).
- C. Desert Climate Spaces: Land spaces shaded in tan hues are known as Desert Climate spaces. The climate has an effect on how some reactions (see Reactions, page 19) can be used in combat.
- D. Straits: A strait is indicated on the game board by an anchor icon with arrows. The anchor appears on the land space you must control in order to use the strait, and the arrows indicate which two sea spaces are connected by the strait. If you control the anchor icon space, then the two sea spaces are considered adjacent for you; if not, the spaces are not considered adjacent for you.
Note: In this game, Sicily and Naples are adjacent land spaces, whereas Gibraltar and Morocco are not.
- E. Game Round track
- F. Victory Point track
Pieces
Each faction has a fixed number of pieces; if all are on the board, no more may be placed. Pieces removed from the board immediately become available to be placed again, and at any time during your turn you may remove any of your own pieces from the board.
Except for the number of pieces provided, there is no limit to the number of pieces that can be in one space; however, pieces from opposing sides may never occupy the same space.
German and Pact pieces may occupy the same space without restriction. Likewise, French, United Kingdom (UK), and United States (USA) pieces may occupy the same space. Your pieces may occupy the same space as Minor Country Force counters you control.
Control
At the beginning of the game, spaces are controlled according to the table below. Neutral land spaces are not controlled by either player.
Whenever one of your infantry or tanks occupies a land space, you take control of the space. You continue to control the space, even if your piece is no longer there, until an enemy piece occupies the space.
Use Control markers to indicate which side controls unoccupied spaces, when it isn't obvious.
In water spaces, a fleet or carrier controls the space it occupies; unoccupied water spaces are considered to be controlled by both players.
Control at Start
| Side | Left Board | Right Board |
|---|---|---|
| Allies | Gibraltar, Malta | El Alamein, Egypt, Cyprus, Palestine-Jordan, Arabia |
| Axis | Morocco, Algeria, Sardinia, Tunisia, Rome, Naples, Sicily, Tripoli | Albania, Benghazi, Tobruk, Western Desert, Syria-Lebanon |
| Neutral | Yugoslavia, Bulgaria | Athens (Greece), Crete (Greece), Iraq |
Players and Factions
Players: The game is played by two opposing players, the Axis and the Allies. Several cards refer to the Allies as the "Western Allies" — this is in anticipation of combined games (see Combined Games, below), wherein the Western Allies and the Soviet Union will be separate players. In Quartermaster General: South Front, the terms "Allies" and "Western Allies" are synonymous.
Factions: The Allies player has three factions: France, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (USA). The United Kingdom faction includes the nations that fought alongside them, such as Canada, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, and many others.
The Axis player has two factions, Germany and the Pact. The Pact represents the nations that fought with Germany in World War II — signatories of the Tripartite Pact. In Quartermaster General: South Front, this is mainly Italy, but also includes Bulgaria and others.
- When a card refers to a piece (or force) without specifying the faction, the faction of the card is implied.
- A card's reaction can only be used in conjunction with a piece of the same faction (see Reactions, page 19).
Combined Games: It is possible to play this game together with Quartermaster General: East Front and Quartermaster General: West Front. Combined games rules and components are included in Quartermaster General: West Front (due in 2026).
Factions
| Faction | Supply Flag Spaces |
|---|---|
| France (Allies) | Any United Kingdom Supply Flag |
| United Kingdom (Allies) | South Atlantic*, Red Sea |
| United States (Allies) | South Atlantic* |
| Germany (Axis) | Rome* |
| Pact (Axis) | Rome, Bulgaria* |
* Supply Flag Marker. Supply Flag markers are equivalent to printed Supply Flags in every way, but are not printed on the board, since these flags will not exist in combined games.
Cards
Each player has a draw deck, hand, and discard pile. There is no hand size limit. You will use cards in various ways throughout the game, including:
- Playing a card as an action, to resolve the card's play text;
- Using a card's reaction;
- Discarding cards to use the Conscription, Forced March, or Desperate Attack actions (see Actions, page 11);
- As directed by the play text on certain cards.
Card Anatomy
Example: the United Kingdom Mid War "First Game" card Britain Supports Greece ("Activate Greece for the Allies, if possible; then you may deploy a UK infantry in Athens or Crete.") with the reaction Stand Fast ("Athens or Crete").
- Faction
- Era: Mid War or Late War
- Card Title: Has no game play effect
- Play text: Effect when the card is played as an action
- Reaction: May only be used in combat (see Reactions, page 19)
- Reaction details: Modifiers or reminders for the reaction
- First game label: These cards are recommended as your first game starting hand.
Whenever you are directed to discard cards, these always come from your hand. After you use a card in some manner, it is immediately discarded face down. If you did not use the card for its play text or reaction, your opponent cannot examine it.
Late War Cards
Late War cards are not used in the initial setup. After the Winter 1941 Allies turn, both players shuffle their Late War cards into their draw decks, mixing them together with those Mid War cards that haven't yet been drawn.
Running Out of Cards
When you run out of cards in your draw deck, continue playing with the cards in your hand. (You do not reuse or reshuffle cards from your discard pile!) A shortage of cards on the last few turns reflects the diminishing manpower and raw material reserves available to the combatants on this front.
Contingency Cards
- Before starting play, take a moment to examine your own Contingency cards, as these are quite important.
- Contingency cards have two sides.
Example: the Pact Contingency card Bulgaria Signs Pact ("Activate Bulgaria for the Axis, if possible; then you may recruit a German infantry there. Place the Bulgaria Supply Flags marker in Bulgaria."). Example: the United Kingdom Contingency card Task Force Diverted (Initial side, S 67: "The Axis gain 2 VP. Eliminate an Axis piece in either South Atlantic or Red Sea.").
- Each player starts with 3 Contingency cards, Initial side up.
- You may choose a Contingency card to play on your turn as an action. You cannot use or discard a Contingency card in any other way.
- After you've used its Initial side once, flip the Contingency card over to its Second side. After the Second side has been used once, discard the card. You cannot flip a card to play its Second side without using its Initial side first.
- Contingency cards are not part of your hand.
Supply
At any point, a piece is either supplied or unsupplied. This situation may change throughout the course of the turn as positions on the board change.
Supply Flags
For a piece to be supplied, it must be able to trace a supply path back to a space containing a Supply Flag of its faction.
- France and United Kingdom pieces may trace supply to South Atlantic or Red Sea.
- United States pieces may trace supply to South Atlantic.
- German and Pact pieces may trace supply to Rome. They may also trace supply to Bulgaria, once the Bulgaria Signs Pact Contingency card has been used.
Supply Paths
A supply path:
- Can only include spaces controlled by that side.
- Can include unoccupied spaces, as long as they are not adjacent to an enemy piece that is able to interdict supply in that space (see below). This includes the space with the Supply Flag itself.
- Infantry, tanks, and airplanes interdict supply in adjacent, unoccupied land spaces.
- Fleets and airplanes interdict supply in adjacent, unoccupied water spaces. A carrier without an airplane does not interdict supply in an adjacent space.
Remember, an unoccupied water space is controlled by both players.
Supply Effects
- You cannot move a piece into a space where it would be unsupplied at the moment you move it. (However, an airplane may jump over such a space.)
- An unsupplied piece can move into a space where it would be supplied at the moment you move it.
- Unsupplied pieces cannot attack.
- Unsupplied airplanes and fleets cannot be used to continue an attack (see page 18). Unsupplied defending airplanes and fleets can be used to support a combat in an adjacent space (see page 18).
- All of your unsupplied pieces are eliminated during the Supply step of your turn. The other player's pieces are not affected.
Supply Example: The UK infantry in Malta can trace supply through Ionian Sea and Aegean Sea, as each of these spaces contains a UK piece. The Pact airplane in Athens and fleet in Gulf of Gabes do not interdict supply, as Ionian Sea and Aegean Sea are both occupied by UK pieces.
Since unoccupied water spaces are considered controlled by both players, supply can continue to be traced through Levantine Sea, as no Axis airplanes or fleets are adjacent to it, and the infantry in Egypt does not interdict supply through a water space. From there, supply must be traced through Palestine-Jordan (Syria-Lebanon is controlled by the Axis). Finally, supply is traced to the Supply Flag in Red Sea.
Supply cannot be traced through Gulf of Sidra, as it is adjacent to the Pact fleet in Gulf of Gabes, which can interdict supply in an adjacent, unoccupied sea space. Nor can Eastern Mediterranean be used, as the Pact airplane in El Alamein interdicts supply through that unoccupied space.
Malta Depot
The Malta Depot marker is placed when the Allies play Faith, Hope & Charity (United Kingdom Mid War, First Game: "If the Allies control Malta: Gain 1 VP; recruit a UK airplane in Malta; and place the Malta Depot marker." — Anti-Air). Once the Malta Depot marker has been placed, for the remainder of the game, Allies pieces in Malta itself are always in supply.
Game Rounds
Quartermaster General: South Front is played over 16 seasonal game rounds. The Axis player takes the first turn in each game round. After the Axis turn is complete, the Allies player takes their turn. After the end of each Allies turn, advance the Game Round marker one space on the Game Round track.
Most of the spaces on the Game Round track are game rounds, but the following special spaces trigger other events:
- + Late Cards: Each player shuffles in their Late War cards (see Late War Cards, page 9).
- USA at War: Before this round, USA pieces cannot move or be deployed (but may be recruited).
- Scoring: Players gain 1 Victory Point for each Victory Star they control, winning the game if they are 10 or more points ahead of their opponent (see Scoring and Victory, page 23).
Reaction Reminders
These symbols remind players they cannot use the indicated reactions during these game rounds, except in Desert Climate spaces (Sustain Attack and Advance! reactions cannot be played during certain rounds). Combat in Desert Climate spaces is not affected by the season. A combat is considered to take place in the space being attacked, not the space of the attacking force.
Turn Sequence
- First Movement step: You may move all of your pieces (see Movement, page 13).
- Action step: Take 1 action.
- Second Movement step: You may move your tanks, fleets, and carriers. Infantry and airplanes may only move in order to unload from a fleet (see Naval Transport, page 15).
- Supply step: Remove your unsupplied pieces from the board. The other player's pieces are not affected.
- Draw step: Draw until your hand has 5 cards or until you have drawn 2 cards, whichever comes first. If you start your draw step with fewer than 3 cards in hand, you will not end your turn with 5 cards in hand. In the rare situation where you begin your draw step with 5 or more cards, do not draw any cards.
Actions
Most of the time, you'll want to use the Play action; but don't forget the other options, especially your Contingency cards, as they will give you flexibility and help counteract bad luck.
- Play: Play a card to resolve its play text, discarding it afterwards.
- Conscription: Discard 1 card to deploy an infantry, or 2 cards to deploy a tank, airplane, fleet, or carrier. This piece must be deployed in or adjacent to a Supply Flag space of its faction.
- Forced March: Discard 1 card to move 1 piece.
- Desperate Attack: Discard 2 cards and then attack a space.
- Production Initiative: Draw 1 card.
- Contingency: Use one of your Contingency cards.
- Pass: Do nothing.
Discards for Conscription, Forced March, and Desperate Attack actions do not need to be of the same faction as the piece(s) affected.
Deploying Pieces
When you deploy, take one of your available pieces and place it on a space you control. You'll have the opportunity to deploy during your Action step when you:
- Resolve the play text of certain cards;
- Use the Conscription action to deploy a piece.
Rules for Deploying Pieces
- You may only deploy a piece in a space you control. You may deploy a piece (including an airplane) in a space you didn't control at the beginning of the step, as long as you control the space at the moment you deploy the piece.
- You may only deploy a piece in a space where it is supplied at the moment you deploy it. In other words, you must be able to trace a path to a space with a Supply Flag for that faction (see Supply, page 9).
- When you deploy a piece using the Conscription action, you must place it in a space containing a Supply Flag of its faction, or in a space adjacent to such a space.
- An infantry, tank, or airplane may be deployed in a land space.
- An infantry, tank, or airplane may be directly loaded onto a fleet that's not currently transporting a piece (see Naval Transport, page 15).
- An airplane may be deployed directly onto a carrier (see page 14).
- Fleets and carriers may only be deployed in water spaces.
Remember, pieces from opposing factions can never occupy the same space, but pieces from friendly factions can. Also, there is no restriction on the number of pieces that can occupy a space.
Deploy vs. Recruit
Most of your pieces will be placed on the board by deploying them. However, some cards direct you to recruit a piece. In this case, there are fewer restrictions:
- You may recruit a piece in a space that you control, or in a space that is enemy-controlled but unoccupied, in which case you gain control of that space. You cannot recruit a piece in an enemy-occupied space.
- You may recruit a piece in a space where it is unsupplied. However, that piece will be removed during your Supply step unless you put it in supply before then.
Movement
You'll have opportunities to move your pieces during the Movement steps of your turn, and possibly during the Action step as well. Most movement happens during the First Movement step.
- When you move a piece, move it to an adjacent space, except for airplanes, which may normally move up to 2 spaces.
- You may never move a piece to a space occupied by an enemy piece. However, an airplane may "jump" over an enemy-occupied space (see Airplane Movement, page 14).
- You may not move a piece to a space where it would be unsupplied at the moment it moves there (see Supply, page 9). However, an airplane may jump over such a space.
- Infantry and tanks may only move to land spaces, except when loading onto or being transported by a fleet. See Naval Transport on page 15.
- Airplanes may only move to land spaces, except when loading onto or being transported by a fleet or landing on or being carried by a carrier (see Carriers, page 14). An airplane may jump over a water space. Your airplane cannot end its move in a land space that you did not control at the beginning of the step.
- Fleets and carriers may only move to water spaces. Pieces being transported or carried move along with the fleet or carrier.
When you are directed by a card to move a piece, you may choose to not actually move the piece from the space, but declare it to "have moved" in place.
First Movement Step
You may move each of your pieces during your First Movement step.
- Move your pieces one at a time, in whatever order you wish.
- Infantry and tanks may move into (unoccupied) enemy-controlled spaces.
- Supply is determined for a moving piece at the moment it moves, so the order you move your pieces may matter.
Second Movement Step
- Tanks, fleets, and carriers may move. Tanks may not load onto fleets, and if transported (see Naval Transport, page 15), tanks must unload. Tanks may move or unload into enemy-controlled spaces.
- Infantry and airplanes may not move, except to unload from a fleet. Infantry may not unload into an enemy-controlled space during the Second Movement step.
Otherwise, the same rules apply as in the First Movement step.
Movement During Action Steps
There are several situations when you may be able to move a piece during your Action step:
- You play a card with play text that allows you to move one or more pieces;
- You use a Forced March action to move a piece;
- You use a card with the Advance! reaction after combat to move an infantry or tank into a space you attacked (see Advance!, page 20).
If you are able to move a piece during the Action step, you may use that move to unload a piece from a fleet (see Naval Transport, page 15). Unlike the Second Movement step, infantry that unload during your Action step may unload into an (unoccupied) enemy-controlled space.
Retreat and Withdraw Navy
When defending during your opponent's turn, you may be able to move a piece by discarding a card with the Retreat (see Retreat, page 20) or Withdraw Navy reaction (see Withdraw Navy, page 21).
Airplane Movement
Airplanes have somewhat different movement rules than other pieces.
- They can move up to 2 spaces, if moving on their own (not on a fleet or carrier, see below). This includes moving to or from a carrier.
- They can only move 1 space to load onto a fleet or unload from a fleet, or when using a Retreat reaction during a land combat (see Retreat, page 20).
- They may only move in the Second Movement step when unloading from a fleet (see Naval Transport, page 15).
- If moving 2 spaces, they can "jump" over the intervening space, even if it is a water space, enemy-occupied, enemy-controlled, or unsupplied. They cannot jump over neutral spaces.
- They cannot end their move in a land space that you did not control at the beginning of the step, including to unload from a fleet.
Example of Airplane Movement: In the diagram below:
- The airplane can move onto the carrier in Gulf of Gabes. The carrier may then also move, if it hasn't done so already.
- The airplane can move to Malta, since it is UK-controlled and supplied (back to South Atlantic via Western Mediterranean).
- The airplane cannot move to Athens, since it is more than 2 spaces away.
- The airplane cannot move to Crete, since it is not Allies-controlled.
- The airplane can move 1 space to load onto the fleet in Eastern Mediterranean.
Carriers
Aircraft carriers, or just carriers, can carry 1 airplane of the same faction.
- An airplane may remain on a carrier at the end of the turn.
- A carrier can never be removed while it carries an airplane, even if eliminated — the airplane will always be removed instead.
- When a carrier moves, an airplane on it moves with it. During the First Movement step, an airplane can move to or from a carrier, either before or after the carrier moves. During the Second Movement step, an airplane on a carrier can only move with the carrier.
- Airplanes are not loaded onto and unloaded from carriers like pieces onto fleets, and cannot be unloaded from a carrier during the Second Movement step.
Naval Transport
Naval transport allows your fleets to move infantry, tanks, and airplanes over water spaces. Each fleet may transport one piece at a time. A piece that's being transported moves with the fleet.
- A UK fleet may transport a UK or French piece.
- A USA fleet may transport a USA or French piece.
- A Pact fleet may transport a Pact or German piece.
Also see Transported Pieces in Combat, page 18, for more details.
Loading
To transport a piece, first it must load onto a fleet.
- An infantry, tank, or airplane may move into an adjacent water space occupied by a fleet of the appropriate faction to load.
- Most of the time pieces load onto fleets during the First Movement step, but if a piece is able to move during the Action step (example, Allied Forces Headquarters), it may load at that time.
- Pieces may not be loaded onto fleets during the Second Movement step.
- Put the piece beside the fleet to show that the piece has been loaded for transport. The fleet may move before or after a piece loads onto it.
- You may deploy a piece loaded directly onto a fleet, assuming the other requirements are met.
Unloading
- Before the end of the turn, a transported piece must unload from a fleet by moving it into an adjacent land space. You cannot unload a piece from one fleet onto another, or onto a carrier. A piece that cannot unload for any reason is eliminated.
- Most of the time, pieces unload during the Second Movement step. During the Second Movement step, a fleet may move before or after it unloads a piece it's transporting.
- During the Second Movement step, infantry, tanks, and airplanes unload.
- During the Second Movement step, infantry units may only unload into a space you control at the moment of unloading, and airplanes may only unload into a space that you controlled at the beginning of the step. Thus, a transported tank can unload into an unoccupied enemy-controlled space, take control of it, and then allow an infantry (but not an airplane) being transported by a different fleet to unload into the same space.
- If a piece is able to move during the Action step (due to card play text, a Forced March action, or an Advance! reaction), you may unload it. In addition, an infantry unloaded during the Action step may unload into an unoccupied but enemy-controlled space!
Transported Airplanes
- Unlike infantry, an airplane may only unload into a space you controlled at the beginning of the step.
- An airplane cannot move two spaces and load onto fleet. It can only load from a land space adjacent to a fleet.
- An airplane being transported cannot be used in either land or water combat (except insofar that it will be removed if the fleet transporting it is removed).
- An airplane being transported cannot fulfill a card's prerequisite. For example, the Axis could not use a transported airplane to fulfill the prerequisite for Fallschirmjaegers (Germany Mid War).
Naval Transport Movement Summary
| Piece | First Movement Step | Second Movement Step |
|---|---|---|
| Infantry | May move 1 space to a land space, or load onto/unload from an adjacent fleet. | None, except a transported infantry must unload into a land space you control. |
| Tank | May move 1 space to a land space. | May move 1 space to a land space — a transported tank must unload. |
| Airplane | May move up to 2 spaces to a land space, or load onto/unload from a carrier; may load onto/unload from a fleet 1 space away. | None, except a transported airplane must unload into a land space you controlled at the beginning of the step. |
| Fleet | May move 1 space to a water space — pieces loaded on a fleet move with the fleet. | May move 1 space to a water space — a piece loaded on a fleet moves with the fleet. Transported pieces must be unloaded by the end of the step or be eliminated (see Naval Transport, above). |
| Carrier | May move 1 space to a water space — carried airplanes move with the carrier. | May move 1 space to a water space — carried airplanes move with the carrier. |
During the Second Movement step in the example illustrated in this section of the manual: the fleet moves to Tyrrhenian Sea; then the tank unloads into Naples. See Example of Play on page 24 for another illustration of naval transport.
Combat
In Quartermaster General: South Front, all combat takes place between opposing pieces on adjacent spaces. There are two types of combat: land combat and sea (water) combat. The type is determined by the space being attacked, not the space that contains the attacking force.
You may initiate combat when directed to attack by a card's play text, or when using the Desperate Attack action (see Actions, page 11).
The basic procedure for resolving land combat or sea combat is similar:
- All pieces attacking together (see Land and Sea Forces, below) are called a force.
- All of the pieces in an attacking force must belong to the same faction (except the French piece, see France, page 22).
- All of the pieces in an attacking force must be in the same space.
- No pieces from the attacking faction that could be included in a force can be excluded from that force.
- A force can contain any number of pieces.
- Combat is conducted by one attacking force against a single adjacent enemy-controlled space.
Combat is fought over one or more attack rounds. You cannot change forces between attack rounds.
Attack vs. Eliminate: Some cards will direct you to eliminate an enemy piece. When you eliminate a piece, simply remove it from the board. You need not have an adjacent piece, and no reactions are allowed — it is not considered "combat".
Land and Sea Forces
Land
- A land force contains infantry and/or tanks.
- Airplanes and fleets are not considered part of a land force. You cannot attack a land space with just airplanes and/or fleets, although these may support the combat.
- The attacking force may be transported on fleets.
- You may attack an unoccupied enemy-controlled space, if that seems beneficial.
Sea
- A sea force contains fleets, airplanes, and/or carriers. A sea force may consist of only airplanes attacking a water space from a land space.
- A carrier cannot be the only piece in a force that initiates an attack; the attacking force must contain at least one fleet or airplane. However, a carrier can be the last piece remaining in an attacking force.
- Fleets and airplanes adjacent to the space being attacked may support the combat.
Attack Rounds
Immediately after an attack round is initiated, the defender may use one reaction (see Reactions, page 19) in response to the attack. If the reaction does not prevent it, the defender must either:
- Remove one piece of any faction from the attacked space, or
- Remove an airplane or fleet adjacent to the attacked space, of the same faction as a defending piece.
The defender chooses which piece to remove.
After an attack round, if any pieces remain in the attacked space, the attacker may initiate another attack round.
Continuing the Attack
To initiate a second (or subsequent) attack round, the attacker must do one of the following:
- Remove a piece from the attacking force,
- Remove an airplane or fleet adjacent to the attacked space, or
- Use a card with an appropriate reaction (see Reactions, page 19).
A piece removed, or reaction used, must be of the same or higher rank (see below) as the piece removed or reaction used by the defender. Note that the ranking of pieces and reactions is different in land and sea combats!
You cannot remove the last piece of an attacking force to continue an attack.
The attacker may continue the attack, initiating a new attack round, as long as they are able to remove a piece of sufficient rank or use an appropriate reaction.
Combat Rank (Top to Bottom)
Land
- Stand Fast and Sustain Attack reactions
- Airplane, Fleet
- Tank
- Infantry
Sea
- Naval Combat reaction
- Fleet
- Airplane, Anti-Air reaction (defense vs. attacking force containing airplane)
- Carrier (defense only)*
* A carrier cannot be removed to continue an attack, but may be the last piece in an attacking force.
Airplanes and Fleets in Combat
An airplane or fleet in the attacked space may be removed as the result of the attack, like any other piece.
Airplanes and fleets in adjacent spaces may also participate in combat.
When defending, instead of removing a piece from the attacked space, you may remove an airplane or fleet (supplied or unsupplied) from a space adjacent to the attacked space. The airplane or fleet must belong to the same faction as a piece currently in the attacked space this attack round.
Likewise, when you continue an attack, instead of removing a piece from the attacking force, you may remove a supplied airplane or fleet from any space adjacent to the attacked space. The airplane or fleet must belong to the same faction as the attacking force.
Transported Pieces in Combat
Transported infantry and tanks may comprise an attacking land force. Transported airplanes cannot participate in land or sea combat.
If a fleet transporting a piece is removed, the piece it is transporting is also removed.
After Land Combat
If there are no more pieces in an attacked land space, the attacker may use an Advance! reaction to move a piece from the attacking force into the attacked space (see Advance!, page 20).
Reactions
During combat, you may use a card to utilize its reaction, discarding it afterwards.
Note that you cannot use a reaction in response to a piece being eliminated (see Attack vs. Eliminate, page 17).
- You cannot delay the use of a reaction. For example, in land combat you must use an Anti-Air reaction immediately after an enemy airplane is removed.
- You may only use one Reaction at a time. For example, you cannot use both a Stand Fast and Exchange simultaneously. However, you could use a Stand Fast on the initial attack round, and an Exchange on a subsequent attack round.
- The Advance! reaction is slightly different from the others, since it is used after the last attack round is resolved.
The Player Aid sheet has shortened versions of the descriptions that follow. Use the expanded descriptions to resolve any questions.
Reaction Summary
| Reaction | Spaces Allowed | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Sustain Attack | Land | Continue an attack. Cannot be used during Winter turns, except in Desert Climate spaces. |
| Advance! | Land | A piece from the attacking force may move into the attacked space. Cannot be used during Spring turns, except in Desert Climate spaces. |
| Stand Fast | Land | Do not remove a defending piece. |
| Exchange | Land | While removing a defending piece, the attacker must also remove a piece (of any rank). |
| Retreat | Land, Defend | Move 1 defending piece 1 space. If any defenders remain in the space, 1 must still be removed. |
| Withdraw Navy | Sea | Move 1 defending fleet or carrier 1 space. If any defenders remain in the space, 1 must still be removed. |
| Anti-Air | Land and Sea | Land: counters the effect of an airplane just removed in combat. Sea, when the attacking force contains an airplane and you are defending: remove a defending piece instead. |
| Naval Combat | Land or Sea | Land: counters the effect of a fleet just removed in combat. Sea: when attacking, continue the attack; when defending, do not remove a defending piece. |
Factions and Reactions
A card used for a reaction must belong to the same faction as a piece currently involved in the combat. For the attacker, this means the faction of the attacking force. For the defender, this means the faction of a piece in the defending space during that attack round.
Sustain Attack (Land)
When attacking, instead of removing a piece to initiate another attack round, you may use a card with the Sustain Attack reaction. This card must belong to the same faction as the attacking force.
Note that the Sustain Attack reaction is the only way to continue an attack after the defender uses a Stand Fast reaction.
You may not use a Sustain Attack reaction during a Winter turn, unless attacking a Desert Climate space. The attacking force does not need to be in a Desert Climate space.
Advance! (After Land)
When you are attacking, if no pieces remain in the attacked space at the end of an attack round, you may use a card with the Advance! reaction to move one infantry or tank from the attacking force into the attacked space. This card must belong to the same faction as the attacking force.
The advancing piece must follow the normal movement rules. In particular, you cannot advance if your piece would be unsupplied.
You may only use one Advance! reaction per combat.
You cannot use the Advance! reaction during a Spring turn to move into a space, unless it's a Desert Climate space. The attacking force does not need to be in a Desert Climate space.
You may use an Advance! reaction to unload an attacking infantry or tank from a fleet. When you don't have a tank, using an Advance! reaction is a good way to take a space you've just attacked, whether attacking from land or sea.
Stand Fast (Land)
When defending, you may use a card with the Stand Fast reaction instead of removing a piece. The card must belong to the same faction as a piece in the attacked space.
Every Stand Fast reaction is limited by the reaction details on the card. For example, Rock of Gibraltar (United Kingdom, First Game: "Deploy a UK fleet in South Atlantic and/or a UK infantry in Gibraltar." — Stand Fast), can only be used by a piece defending in Gibraltar.
Note, Stand Fast shares the highest land combat rank with Sustain Attack; the only way for an attacker to continue an attack against a Stand Fast is with a Sustain Attack reaction.
Exchange (Land)
When defending, when you remove a piece as the result of the attack, you may use a card with the Exchange reaction to require the attacker to remove an attacking piece as well.
The defending piece you remove as the result of the attack must belong to the same faction as the card you used.
The attacker may remove an infantry or tank from the attacking force, or a supplied airplane or fleet of the attacking faction adjacent to the attacked space. In the latter case, the defender might additionally be able to use an Anti-Air or Naval Combat reaction to force the attacker to lose another piece (see below).
The attacker may remove a piece with any combat rank, regardless of the rank of the piece the defender removes.
Remember, the piece the attacker removes due to an Exchange does not by itself allow the attacker to continue the attack; the attacker must still remove another piece or use an appropriate reaction in order to continue the attack.
Retreat (Land)
When defending, before you remove a piece as the result of the attack, you may use a card with the Retreat reaction to move one piece of that card's faction out of the attacked space.
The retreating piece must follow the normal movement rules, with some additional restrictions:
- The retreating piece must move to a land space you currently control (it cannot load onto a fleet).
- An airplane may only retreat one space, and may not move onto a carrier.
If you still have any pieces remaining in the attacked space after using a Retreat, you must still remove one of them as the result of the attack.
Withdraw Navy (Sea)
When defending, before you remove a piece as the result of the attack, you may use a Withdraw Navy reaction to move one fleet or carrier (along with any carried airplane) of that card's faction out of the attacked space.
The withdrawing piece must follow the normal movement rules.
If you still have any pieces remaining in the attacked space after using a Withdraw Navy, you must still remove one of them as the result of the attack.
Anti-Air (Land and Sea)
Whenever your opponent removes an airplane in land or sea combat, you may use a card with the Anti-Air reaction. If you are attacking, this card must belong to the same faction as the attacking force. If you are defending, this card must belong to the same faction as a piece in the attacked space (with one exception, see below).
When you are attacking, if the defender removes an airplane as the result of the attack, you may use an Anti-Air reaction to continue the attack without removing a piece. (If this airplane was the last piece in the attacked space, there is no point to using an Anti-Air reaction, as there would be no further benefit.)
When you are defending, if the attacker removes an airplane to continue an attack, you may use an Anti-Air reaction to end the round. Then, in order to continue the attack, the attacker must remove another piece of at least the rank of the defending piece you removed as the result of the previous attack round. The attacker may choose not to continue after an Anti-Air reaction is used.
If you use an Exchange reaction, and the attacker removes an airplane because of it, you may then additionally use an Anti-Air reaction. The attacker must then remove an additional piece. Note: The Anti-Air reaction must match the same faction as the piece lost when the Exchange reaction was used, even if no pieces of that faction remain in the attacked space.
If you use an Exchange reaction while removing a defending airplane, the attacker must still remove a piece because of the Exchange, even if the attacker is able to use an Anti-Air reaction to continue the attack.
In sea combat only, the defender may use an Anti-Air reaction when attacked by a force containing an airplane, instead of removing a defending piece. (Since attacking land forces do not contain airplanes, this ability is not available in land combats.)
Naval Combat (Land and Sea)
In a land combat, whenever your opponent removes a fleet, you may use a card with the Naval Combat reaction. The rules for Naval Combat reactions in land combat are the same as those for Anti-Air reactions, except Naval Combat reactions counteract fleets instead of airplanes.
In a sea combat, the Naval Combat reaction's effect is somewhat simplified and broadened. You may use a Naval Combat reaction whenever you would need to remove a piece, on either attack or defense.
Note that Naval Combat has the highest sea combat rank, so a Naval Combat reaction used on behalf of the attacking force is the only way to continue an attack after the defender uses a Naval Combat reaction.
Example of Anti-Air and Naval Combat Reactions: Two Pact airplanes attack a UK fleet. The UK fleet could use either an Anti-Air reaction or a Naval Combat reaction instead of losing its fleet (without using a Withdraw Navy reaction). If the UK uses an Anti-Air reaction, the Pact could remove an airplane to continue the attack; however, if the UK used a Naval Combat reaction, the Pact could not do so, because in sea combat airplanes have a lower rank than Naval Combat reactions. The Pact could use its own Naval Combat reaction to continue the attack, despite not having any fleets in the combat. (The reaction may be thought to represent sea-specific equipment and training.)
France
In Quartermaster General: South Front, the France faction represents the Free French soldiers that continued fighting against the Axis, even after the government in Paris had capitulated. The French infantry:
- May use any United Kingdom Supply Flag as if it were a French Supply Flag;
- May be transported by any UK or USA fleet;
- May be included in a UK or USA attacking force in the same space, but not vice versa;
- Cannot be supported by UK or USA fleets and airplanes in combat if it is the only remaining piece.
Only French reactions may be used on behalf of the French piece.
Minor Countries
In Quartermaster General: South Front, there are four minor countries which are neutral at the start of the game. Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Iraq each have only one space. Greece has two spaces, Athens and Crete.
Each space in a minor country has one or more Minor Country Force counters placed during setup, neutral side up. All the counters have icons of infantry on the other side of them, except for that of Crete. The Crete counter is placed to indicate that the space is neutral, but contains no defending forces.
Minor countries may be activated due to the play of a card like Britain Supports Greece (United Kingdom Mid War, First Game: "Activate Greece for the Allies, if possible; then you may deploy a UK infantry in Athens or Crete." — Stand Fast), or by a player declaring war on them, which activates the minor country for the other player.
Bulgaria Signs Pact (Pact Contingency: "Activate Bulgaria for the Axis, if possible; then you may recruit a German infantry there. Place the Bulgaria Supply Flags marker in Bulgaria."). Before playing this Contingency card, the Axis player should note that it places the Bulgaria Supply Flags marker in Bulgaria, a critical resource for the Axis.
You may declare war on a neutral minor country at any time during your turn. You cannot attack or move into a neutral space without first declaring war on its country. An airplane cannot jump over a neutral space.
The unnamed spaces of Spain, Portugal, and Turkey are impassible in Quartermaster General: South Front.
Activating Minor Countries
- When a neutral minor country is activated, it is no longer neutral. It joins one side or the other (Allies or Axis), which immediately takes control of all its spaces. Place control markers to show which player controls the minor country's spaces. Flip the Minor Country's Force counters to their active side, except for the Crete counter, which is removed upon activation.
- Once activated, a country can never be deactivated, or reactivated.
Using Minor Country Force ("MCF") Counters
Minor Country Force counters cannot move, nor can they be part of an attacking force or support an attack.
- MCFs are always in supply.
- On defense, MCFs defend like infantry.
- On defense, the player that controls an MCF may use reactions on behalf of the MCF, from any faction they control. For example, the Allies player could use Britain Supports Greece for its Stand Fast reaction and prevent the MCF in Athens from being removed, or use French Foreign Legion (France Mid War: "Deploy a French infantry; then take another action." — Exchange) for its Exchange reaction.
- Since MCFs cannot move, you cannot use a Retreat reaction on behalf of an MCF.
- You may trace supply through controlled MCFs as if they were your pieces.
- MCFs do not interdict supply in adjacent spaces.
Scoring and Victory
The game is won by the side with the most Victory Points (VPs). You'll accumulate VPs due to card text and during scoring, which happens after the Winter 1940, Winter 1941, Winter 1942, and Spring 1944 game rounds.
During each scoring round, players gain 1 VP for each Victory Star they control at that moment. If, at the end of a scoring round, you have at least 10 more VPs than your opponent, you win immediately.
If neither player is ahead by 10 or more VPs after the fourth and final scoring round, the player with the most VPs wins. If the score is tied, the Axis player wins.
The only time you can win is at the end of a scoring round; it does not matter if you have 10 more VPs than your opponent at some other point, only after a scoring round.
Example of Play
It is the beginning of the Summer 1940 round, the start of the game. The pieces are set up as usual (see Setup, page 4). It is worth pointing out that the Pact infantry in Tripoli begins the game unsupplied, as the UK fleet in Western Mediterranean interdicts supply through the empty Gulf of Gabes, and the UK fleet in Eastern Mediterranean interdicts supply through the empty Gulf of Sidra. The same is true of the UK infantry in Malta, as the Pact fleets interdict supply through the same water spaces. In this example, we have placed control markers in the empty spaces so it was clear which side controls them.
Axis Turn 1
First Movement Step
The Axis player intends to try to take El Alamein by surprise!
The Pact tank in Rome (A) loads onto the fleet in Tyrrhenian Sea. That fleet (B) then moves to Ionian Sea. Note that it would not be possible for the fleet to make that move if the Allies controlled Sicily.
The Pact airplane in Rome (C) moves to Sicily.
The Pact infantry in Naples (D) moves north to garrison Rome.
The Pact fleet in Ionian Sea (E) moves to Gulf of Sidra.
The Pact airplane in Sicily (F) now moves to Tripoli. Before the fleet moved to Gulf of Sidra, this move would not have been allowed, since the airplane would have been unsupplied in Tripoli. However, with the fleet in Gulf of Sidra, all of the Axis controlled spaces in Africa are now supplied.
The infantry in Tripoli (G) loads onto the fleet that moved to Gulf of Sidra.
Action Step
The Axis now plays Libyan Divisions (Pact Mid War: "Deploy a Pact infantry in Benghazi or an adjacent land space; then move that infantry or attack with a force containing that infantry."), deploys a Pact infantry in Tobruk (H) and attacks El Alamein with it.
The Allies are ready for the attack and use ANZAC Reinforcements (United Kingdom Mid War, First Game: "Recruit 1 or 2 UK infantry in or adjacent to Red Sea (not necessarily together)." — Retreat) in order to Stand Fast against the attack.
The only way to continue a combat against a Stand Fast is by using a Sustain Attack. The Axis player decides to use Greco-Italian War (Pact Mid War: "Declare war on Greece, if possible. Deploy a Pact infantry in Albania; then move that infantry or attack with a force containing that infantry." — Sustain Attack) for its Sustain Attack reaction against the Stand Fast — the only Sustain Attack the Pact has! The Allies player could lose their airplane, but then decides it would be safer to lose the tank (I), in case the Axis has an Anti-Air reaction in hand.
To finish the combat, the Axis player uses L3/35 Tankette (Pact Mid War: "Move a Pact infantry or tank into a Desert Climate space; then take another action." — Advance!) for its Advance! reaction, and moves their attacking infantry into El Alamein (J).
Second Movement Step
The Axis player unloads the infantry from the fleet in Gulf of Sidra (K) into unoccupied Tobruk.
The fleet in Gulf of Sidra (L) moves to Gulf of Gabes.
The fleet in Ionian Sea (M) moves to Gulf of Sidra, and the tank moves along with it. The tank then also unloads into Tobruk (N).
Supply Step
All of the Axis pieces are supplied.
Draw Step
The Axis used 3 of their 5 starting cards. After drawing the maximum number of 2 cards, the Axis player will end the turn with 4 cards in hand.
Allies Turn 1
The Allies start their turn with 4 cards in hand, having used 1 in the fight in El Alamein. They hope to shore up their defenses in Egypt and put Malta back in supply.
First Movement Step
The Allies have been badly beaten in Egypt, and decide not to move any of their pieces.
Action Step
The Allies player now uses the Contingency card Expeditionary Force (United Kingdom Contingency, Initial side: "Discard 1 card or the Axis gain 1 VP. Deploy a UK infantry; then you may discard 1 card to take another action.") to deploy an infantry in Egypt (A), to try to defend it. Not wanting to use too many of their cards, the Allies give the Axis player 1 Victory Point. The Allies player does discard 1 card to take another action.
The Allies now play Mediterranean Station (United Kingdom Mid War, First Game: "Deploy a UK fleet in Western Mediterranean or Eastern Mediterranean; then move that fleet or attack with a force containing that fleet." — Naval Combat) to deploy a UK fleet in Eastern Mediterranean (B) and attack the Pact fleet in Gulf of Sidra.
However, the Axis player is ready for the attack and uses Regia Marina (Pact Mid War: "Deploy a Pact fleet or attack with a force containing a Pact fleet." — Naval Combat) for its Naval Combat reaction. In sea combat, you may use a Naval Combat reaction to prevent your fleet from being removed. The combat will end if the Allies player doesn't have their own Naval Combat reaction.
The Allies player is ready, and uses Swordfish Night Attack (United Kingdom Mid War, First Game: "Attack a water space with a UK force containing an airplane; then take another action." — Naval Combat) for its Naval Combat reaction to continue the attack.
Next, the Axis loses their Pact airplane in Tripoli (C), in support of the defending fleet. The Allies are still able to continue the attack by removing 1 of the attacking fleets (D).
The Axis player now uses Decima Flottiglia MAS (Pact Mid War: "Eliminate an Allies fleet or carrier adjacent to a Pact infantry, unless the Allies discard a card of that piece's faction." — Withdraw Navy) for its Withdraw Navy reaction, and moves the Pact fleet into Ionian Sea (E).
Second Movement Step
The Allies player moves their fleet in Eastern Mediterranean into Gulf of Sidra (F), and puts Malta back into supply.
While the Allies player has technically achieved both of their goals of reinforcing Egypt and putting Malta back in supply, the Axis reactions have significantly impacted the anticipated result.
Not shown, neither the fleet in Western Mediterranean nor the infantry in Gibraltar move.
Supply Step
All of the Allies pieces are supplied.
Draw Step
The Allies only have 1 card in hand, so they draw 2 cards and end the turn with a hand of 3 cards.
To end the game round, the Game Round marker is advanced one season.
Special Card Cases
Generally, resolution of a card's text must be followed precisely, and in the order presented.
- If a card's text would violate the rules — for example, if it directs you to deploy a piece in an enemy-occupied space — then you cannot play that card.
- Likewise, if a card requires something impossible — for example, eliminating a non-existent piece — then you cannot play that card. Exception: If a card directs you to draw a certain number of cards and you do not have that many cards left in your draw deck, draw as many as you can and resolve the rest of the text as usual.
- If a card specifies prerequisites or conditions that are not satisfied, you cannot play that card. For example, you cannot play the Battle of Gondar card (United Kingdom Mid War: "Eliminate a UK piece in or adjacent to Red Sea to gain 2 VPs." — Sustain Attack) if you do not have a UK piece to eliminate.
- If a force must contain certain pieces, the force may contain additional pieces: the text specifies the minimum requirement, not the precise amount. For example, you can play Rommel Strikes! (Germany Mid War: "Attack a Desert Climate space with a German force containing a tank; then take another action." — Advance!) to attack with a force containing both a tank and an infantry piece.
- If a card allows you to deploy more pieces than you have available, you may deploy fewer pieces, or remove one or more pieces from the board to make them available to deploy.
- When a card directs you to remove a piece, you choose which piece to remove. When a card directs the other player to remove a piece, the other player decides which one.
- When a card directs you to discard cards, these always come from your hand, not from your deck or Contingency cards.
Publisher Information
A game created by the Griggling Games' design studio. Produced, and distributed Worldwide by Ares Games Srl.
Ares Games Srl, Via dei Metalmeccanici 16, 55041, Capezzano Pianore (LU), Italy. www.aresgames.eu
Retain this information for your records.
© 2025 Ares Games Srl. © 2025 Ian Brody. Quartermaster General and Quartermaster General: South Front are trademarks of Ian Brody. All rights reserved.
Made in China. Warning. Not suitable for children under three years. Small parts.
Version 1.0 — 2025.05.07