Storm Over Madrid 1936: "Miracle of November"
Storm Over Madrid 1936: "Miracle of November" Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
1 - Counters
1.1 Combat Units
- Combat units on a white background are Republican units, those on a black background are Nationalist units.
- There are 3 types of combat unit: line units, shock units (identified by a star on the left-hand side) and artillery units, identified by the artillery symbol.
- Every unit has two sides. The front is the 'Fresh' side and the back is the 'Spent' side. A unit on its Fresh side can be activated by the phasing player; a unit on its Spent side can no longer be activated and may only defend.
- The combat unit counters display their historical designation, a flag to indicate which faction they belong to (see following page) and 3 values (the first is the Attack Factor, the second the Defence Factor, the third the Movement Points). Exception: Artillery units only have two values: Their Defence Factor and Movement Points.
- Counter diagram labels: Shock unit; Combat factor; Defense factor; Movement points; Setup info.
Setup Information
The letters and figures in red (for the Republicans) or white (for the Nationalists) on the right-hand side of the reverse of the counter are used for the setups of Scenario 1 and the full Campaign.
Those in black on the left-hand side of the reverse of the Republican counters are used for the setup of Scenario 2.
Their use is explained below:
- the figure in a circle on the top right indicates a reinforcement unit, and the turn on which it enters the game. The unit is placed on the corresponding space on the Turn Record Track. A unit without any such indication is placed directly on the map at the start of the game.
- The letter(s) at the side of the counter indicate(s) what area the counter is to be deployed in. If there are several letters, the deployment area is at the player's own choice. If there are no letters, but a number in a square, the unit is to be deployed in the corresponding external box.
- a black cross signifies that the unit is withdrawn from the game and does not take part in this scenario.
Examples shown on the counters: "enters play Turn 5, external box 4" (Sc 1 & Campaign); "enters play Turn 5, area II" (Sc 1 & Campaign); "place in area F, G or L at start of game" (Sc 1 & Campaign); "Sc 2: remove from game" (black cross); "Sc 2: place in area AA at start of game". The Rada Column unit has a [?] on its reverse (see 7).
Republican forces: Republican Regulars, Communists, Anarchists, Unified Socialist Youth (JSU), International Brigades, Basques, Catalan Socialists (PSUC).
1.2 Control Markers
These indicate which player controls a particular area. One side carries the Republican colours, the other the Nationalist colours. They are turned over to the relevant side once an area changes control.
1.3 Event Chits
The Events Chits describe historical or operational events (see 15). There are Republican Event Chits and Nationalist Event Chits.
2 - Map
- The map is divided into 38 areas and 6 external boxes.
- The boundaries of each area are delineated by a grey line or a major river.
- Two areas are deemed to be adjacent if they have a shared boundary. Two areas that only meet at a corner are not deemed to be adjacent. Example: Areas A and H are adjacent. Areas O et M are not adjacent.
- Each area contains a circle or a square, in black or in colour, each containing a letter, and a number preceded by a [+]
- the letter is the area's designation
- the number is the terrain modifier
- The circles designate "normal areas", the squares designate the areas of Madrid and its suburbs, called for simplicity's sake "urban areas".
- The colours of the circles and squares are only important for setting up Scenario 2.
- Roads marked with a red line are the Republican supply routes.
- The exterior boxes are numbered from 1 to 6 and are used for the deployment or arrival of units. Boxes 1 to 3 are the Republican boxes, boxes 4 to 6 the Nationalist boxes. A unit may never enter an enemy box.
- Map key: area border; major road (no effect); minor road (no effect); Republican supply road; major river: area border; stream: no effect; ordinary area (example: designation T, terrain modifier +2); urban area.
3 - General Points
3.1 - Conventions
- The phasing player (the player whose turn it is) is called "Player A". The non-phasing player is called "Player B".
- An area under friendly control is called a "friendly area"; an area under enemy control is called an "enemy area".
3.2 - Stacking
- A player may not have more than 10 units in one area at the same time. There is no stacking limit in the external boxes.
- Stacking rules apply at all times, including during movement. In case of overstacking, you must eat the superfluous counters.
3.3 - Supply Sources
- Nationalist supply sources are the three boxes 4, 5 & 6. Republican supply sources are the three boxes 1, 2 & 3 and area AA (Madrid)
- An area is said to be in supply if a line of friendly controlled areas can be traced from it to a friendly supply source.
- A unit is in supply if it is in an in-supply area.
- An out of supply unit is not turned back onto its Fresh side at the end of the turn.
3.4 - Republican Morale
Republican morale is assessed throughout the game. It can go from "Crumbling" (+2) to "Good" (-2) as indicated on the Morale Track.
3.4.1 Republican Morale Changes
Republican morale can change in one of 4 ways:
- If at the end of a turn (Phase 4b), the number of areas won by the Nationalist is more than the number of areas won by the Republicans: morale drops by 1 level.
- If at the end of a turn (Phase 4b), the number of areas won by the Republican more than or equal to those won by the Nationalists: morale rises by 1 level.
- When the historical event Madrid Defence Council (Junta de Defensa de Madrid) occurs (see 11.0): morale rises by 2 levels.
- When a contested urban area is cleared of the Nationalist troops occupying it, or if it passes from Nationalist control to Republican control: morale immediately rises 1 level.
3.4.2 Morale Test
The Republican player's units may have to undergo a morale test. In this event, the Republican player rolls 1D6 for each unit present in the area, adding or subtracting the following modifiers:
- +/- X: Republican army morale level
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- 1: if under air attack
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- 1: if the number of Nationalist units in the area is lower than the number of Republican units
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- 1: in urban areas
Result of the test:
- 1-4, the test is passed.
- 5-6 the test is failed, and the unit retreats (see 9.7).
- 7+ the test is failed, and the unit is eliminated.
Only line units have to undergo a morale test. Exception: see the Stampede chit.
A unit in area AA (Madrid) never has to undergo a morale test.
A unit in an urban area only has to undergo a Morale Test if the Stampede or Aerial Bombardment chits are played.
3.5 - Controlling Areas
- Areas are always under control, be it Nationalist or Republican.
- An area can be contested (i.e. it contains units from both sides) but that does not alter who controls it.
3.5.1 - Change of Control
- If at any point in the turn the player controlling an area no longer has any units in that area, and there is at least one enemy unit present in it, then the area immediately passes into enemy control.
- If at the end of the turn (Phase 4a) a controlled area, with no friendly units present in it, is out of supply then it immediately passes into enemy control.
3.5.2 - Control of Areas and Republican Morale
- Each time the Nationalist player takes control of an area he advances his marker one space on the Area Control Track. Each time the Republican player takes control of an area he advances his marker one space on the Area Control Track.
- The Area Control Track is consulted in Phase 4b of the sequence of play. If the Nationalist marker is placed higher than the Republican marker, Republican morale is lowered by one level. If the Republican marker is placed higher than, or is at the same level as, the Nationalist marker then Republican morale is raised by one level.
- After the Republican morale has been adjusted as explained above, both markers are replaced on the 0 space.
4 - Sequence of Play
- Declaration of the Start or End of a "Pause in Fighting" (Campaign game only)
- Preparation Phase
- a - Update support points as indicated on the Turn Record Track
- b - Draw Event chits (at player's choice)
- c - Reinforcements Phase
- d - Replacements Phase
- Impulse Phase
- a - Initiative
- b - Activations: Each player alternates activations until every unit has been activated or until both players pass successively.
- Administration Phase
- a - Check control of areas
- b - Adjust Republican morale
- c - Check Victory Conditions
- e - All units in supply are flipped on to their Fresh side.
5 - Support Points
- Each player starts the game with a certain number of Support Points as indicated in the scenario instructions.
- Each player collects a certain number of Support Points during Phase 2a of the game sequence, as indicated on the Turn Record Track.
- Support Points can be spent in four different ways:
- drawing an Event Chit: 1 SP
- activating three artillery units for a bombardment (9.3): 1 SP
- activating more than 5 units: 1 SP
- launching a prepared attack (9.4.2): 1 SP
6 - Event Chits
- Players can draw Event Chits at the start of each turn, during Phase 2b
- One Support Point must be spent in order to draw an Event Chit
- A player may not have more than 5 Event Chits at any one time.
- The same Event Chit may not be played twice during the same turn.
- The effects of the various Event Chits are described on the player aid at the end of the rules.
- if the description contains the words "Replace Impulse", playing the chit is the only action the player can carry out this impulse.
- if the description contains the words "Combat Event", the chit is played alongside a combat activation.
- if the description contains the words "One Time Event", the chit is withdrawn from play once played.
- Certain chits can only enter play after a given turn. Refer to the description on the player aid.
- At the end of the turn players may replace unplayed chits in the draw (without however regaining the Support Points expended to draw the chits).
- Chit symbols: R = Replace Impulse; C = Combat Event; a cross-in-circle symbol = One time event; "Not available before turn N" (example shown: 7 - Durruti's Death, one time event, not available before turn 6).
7 - Reinforcements
- Reinforcements are deployed in the relevant boxes or areas indicated for that particular turn.
- If the arrival area of a unit arriving as a reinforcement is under enemy control, or already contains 10 friendly units (see 3.2), it can be deployed in the nearest available area that meets requirements.
- Exception: The Nationalist units of Rada Column (with a [?] on their reverse side) enter the game at the start of Turn 4 on a die roll of 6, on Turn 5 on a die roll of 3 or + (if they hadn't entered on the previous turn) and automatically on Turn 6 if they have not yet entered the game.
8 - Replacements
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Units eliminated during the game are laced in their side's "Eliminated Units" box.
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During Phase 2d of the game sequence, each player may try to rebuild two line units or one shock unit.
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To rebuild a unit there must be two units of the same type (line or shock) and of the same faction amongst the eliminated units. The player returns one of the two units to play, in any area that he controls. The second unit is permanently removed from the game.
If the two units have different attack factors, the unit with the lower attack factor is returned to play. If the two units have the same attack factor, but different defence factors, the unit with the lower defence factor is returned to play.
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Exceptions:
- Republican units from the International Brigades may not be rebuilt.
- Nationalist units from the Legion, or Moroccan units, may not be rebuilt except during the "Pause in Fighting" period (12.3).
- Artillery units may not be rebuilt.
9 - Activations
- During the Activation Phase each player, beginning with the player who has the initiative, takes turns to declare and play an Impulse.
- He designates an area and chooses which units within the area he is going to activate, and chooses the activation he wishes
- or he plays an Event Marker bearing the text "Replace Impulse"
- or he passes his turn.
- When every unit has been activated or when both players have passed in succession, the Activation Phase is ended and the players move on to the Administration Phase.
- There are three possible types of activation:
- Movement
- Bombardment
- Combat
9.1 - Initiative
Determining initiative for each scenario is explained in Rule 12.
9.2 - Movement
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Player A selects those units that are going to move (reminder: it costs 1 SP to activate more than 5 units) and designates his point unit if they are to cross a river and enter an enemy area clear of any friendly units (9.6).
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Units activated at the same time for a movement impulse must all move at the same time and follow the same route. The number of Movement Points available for a stack of activated units is that of the unit with the least number of Movement Points.
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Movement Points are expended as follows:
- moving from one area to an adjacent area costs 1 MP
- leaving an enemy area, or an area containing at least one enemy unit: +1 MP
- entering an enemy area, or an area containing at least one enemy unit: +1 MP
- crossing a river from or towards an enemy area: +1 MP (there is no supplementary cost if both areas either side of the river are friendly areas)
Note: crossing a river towards an enemy area that does not contain any friendly units may initiate Defensive Fire (see 9.6).
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A unit may NEVER move directly from one enemy area to another enemy area.
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A unit may ALWAYS advance at least ONE area no matter the cost in MPs, providing either the departure area or the arrival area is a friendly area.
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An artillery unit may not enter an enemy area if that area does not contain at least one friendly unit.
9.3 Bombardment
- Fresh artillery units may carry out a bombardment either in their own area or an adjacent area.
- Player A declare his bombardment, the target area and the number of artillery units participating: 1, 2 or 3.
- It costs 1 Support Point to activate 3 artillery units for a bombardment, and no more than 3 artillery units may be activated for the same bombardment.
- Player A designates a defending unit to be point unit if the area is contested; if the area is not contested then Player B designates the point unit.
- Player B adds his point unit's defence factor to the terrain modifier. This is the Defence Value.
- Player A rolls 2D6 if the target area is adjacent, or 3D6 if the target area is the area containing the artillery units, keeping the two best results.
- Add to the dice rolls:
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- 1 if only one unit is bombarding
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- 3 if two units are bombarding
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- 5 if three units are bombarding.
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- The Defence Value of Player B's point unit is subtracted. The result is the number of losses that he suffers immediately. (see 9.6)
- The artillery units are flipped onto their Spent side.
9.4 Combat
There are two different types of Combat:
- Standard Combat
- Assault
9.4.1 - Standard Combat
- Combat can only take place in the area containing the attacking units. It is not possible to attack an adjacent area.
- Only units with a combat factor of 1 or + may attack.
- Combat adheres to the following sequence:
C1 - Player A selects the attacking units (reminder: it costs 1 SP to activate more than five units) and designates his point unit.
C2 - If Player A is the Nationalist player, and the combat is taking place in a normal area, all the Republican line and artillery units present in the area (not the shock units) have to undergo a morale test (see 3.4.2). The result is applied immediately. If all the Republican units are eliminated or retreat, the impulse is terminated and the attacking units are flipped to their Spent side. Otherwise the players move to the following phase.
C3 - Player B decides if there is to be a counterattack and designates his counter-attacking units with the following restriction: only Fresh units with a combat factor or 1 or more may counter-attack.
C4 - Player A calculates the Intensity Level (IL) of the combat as follows: He begins with a starting value of 5, to which the following modifiers are added or subtracted:
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- 1 in the case of an assault (see 9.5).
- +1 if there are more of Player B's units in the area at the moment of combat than there are of Player A.
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- X: the sum of the combat factors of Player B's counter-attacking units.
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- 1 if all of Player A's units are shock units, and Player B has no shock units in the area.
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- 1 if all Player B's units in the area are Spent.
Note: no worries... this calculation will only take you a couple of seconds once you've played through two or three impulses.
C5 - Player A calculates his Attack Value (AV) by totalling the combat factors of his attacking units.
C6 - Player B designates his point unit according to the following priorities:
- a Fresh line or shock unit with a combat factor of 1 or more
- otherwise, a Fresh line or shock unit with a combat factor of 0
- otherwise, a Spent line or shock unit with a combat factor of 1 or more
- otherwise, a Spent line or shock unit with a combat factor of 0.
- otherwise a Fresh artillery unit
- otherwise a Spent artillery unit
Note: if there is a counterattack, the point unit must take part in the attack.
Player B then calculates his Defence Value (DV) by adding the defence factor of his point unit to the area's terrain modifier.
C7 - Player A rolls 2D6, and adds his AV to the roll:
- If the total is higher than the DV the attack is successful. Player B's losses are calculated as follows:
- AV minus DV = the number of Player B's losses
- If the sum of the 2D6 (without modifiers) is less than the combat's Intensity Level (IL), Player A also calculates his losses, which are arrived at as follows: The combat's IL minus the total of the 2D6 attack dice = the number of Player A's losses.
C8 - All those units of Player A that took part in the attack are flipped onto their Spent side, along with any units of Player B that took part in a counterattack.
C9 - Then, the losses are applied to the units of both Player A and Player B as explained in 9.6.
Note: it is important to follow the combat sequence carefully, particularly in playing C8 before C9
9.4.2 Prepared Attack
- To launch a Prepared Attack, a player must expend 1 SP.
- Instead of rolling 2D6 for his attack roll in C7 of the combat sequence, the player rolls 3D6 and keeps the two best results.
9.4.3 - Assault
- An assault is essentially a combination of movement and combat.
- Only shock units may carry out an assault.
- An assault takes place as follows:
- Player A selects the units that will carry out the assault and designates his point unit.
- He moves them according to the movement rules (9.2)
- Once they have arrived in their destination area, the combat is resolved following the combat sequence from C2.
Note: If the assaulting units cross a river to reach their destination area, and there were previously no friendly units in that area, this may initiate defensive fire (9.6)
Note: It is possible to combine an Assault and a Prepared Attack.
9.5 - Defensive Fire
- If Player A carries out a movement or an assault across a river, towards an enemy area that does not contain any friendly units, there is Defensive Fire:
- the combat factors of all Player B's Fresh units, that are in the area and have a combat factor of at least 1, are added together. Add 1 to the total for every trio of Fresh units with a combat factor of 0. This is the Defensive Fire strength.
- Player B rolls 2D6 and adds the Defensive Fire strength (which may be 0).
- Subtract the Defence Factor of Player A's point unit (without taking the terrain modifier into account). The result is the number of losses that Player A suffers immediately.
- The units that took part in the Defensive Fire are not flipped to their Spent side.
- Player A's units that have to retreat because of Defensive Fire must do so towards the area they left to cross the river. Units belonging to Player A that are flipped to their Spent side take no part in the combat, if that combat is an assault.
- In the event of an assault where Player A's point unit is flipped to its Spent side, retreats or is eliminated, Player A can either cancel the attack and finish his Impulse there and then, or he can change his point unit. In this case, the combat sequence starts again from C2, but the attack rolls are done with 3D6, of which the only two least good are kept (even in the case of a Prepared Attack - see 9.4.2).
- See also: 11.2 - Weather
9.6 - Losses
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Losses are taken as follows:
- flipping a unit from Fresh to Spent: 1
- retreating a Spent unit: 1
- flipping a Fresh unit onto its Spent side and retreating it: 2
- eliminating a Spent unit: 2
- eliminating a Fresh unit: 3
Note: a unit that has retreated cannot be eliminated.
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Each player applies his losses to his own units, paying attention to the following restrictions:
- Player A may only apply his losses to those units that took part in the combat. Player B applies them to all units present in the area.
- Players must take the maximum point losses possible.
- If there are more point losses than it is possible to apply, the remaining points are ignored.
- No unit may take more losses than the point unit, unless the latter has been eliminated.
- Artillery units can only be eliminated if all other units have already been eliminated.
9.7 - Retreat
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A unit that has to retreat does so into an adjacent area, or an adjacent Exterior Box, according to the following priorities:
- into a friendly controlled area that does not contain any enemy units
- if not, then into a friendly contested controlled area
- if not, then into a contested enemy area.
Exception: units that are retreating as a result of Defensive Fire, or following an assault by Player A's units, must retreat to the last area they left.
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Stacking rules remain in effect for retreats.
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If a unit cannot retreat according to the conditions outlined above, it is eliminated.
Reminder: a unit may not move more than one area when retreating.
9.8 - Artillery Units and Combat
A Fresh artillery unit may take part in normal combat, a counterattack or defensive fire (but not an assault) as if it had a combat factor of 1.
10. Automatic Victory
- If at the end of a turn, during Phase 4C, the Nationalist player controls area AA (Madrid) and the area is supplied, the game stops with a Nationalist victory.
- If at the end of a turn, during Phase 4C, the Nationalist player has cut the 4 roads used for Republican supply, and his units that are cutting these supply routes are themselves in supply, the game stops with a Nationalist victory.
Note: a supply route is cut if at least one normal area through which the route passes is under Nationalist control and in Nationalist supply.
11 - Special Rule
11.1 - Madrid Defence Council (Junta de Defensa de Madrid)
At the start of Turn 3 and at the start of every subsequent turn if this event has not yet come into play, the Republican player rolls 1D6 and applies the following modifiers:
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- 1 if at least one normal area adjacent to the urban areas is controlled by the Nationalists.
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- 1 for each supply route that has been cut.
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- 1 for each urban area that is contested or that is controlled by the Nationalist.
- +2 if "Pause in Fighting" has been declared by the Nationalist player.
On a roll of 6, the event takes place. The following effects apply:
- from now until the end of the game Republican troops no longer have to undergo a morale test in case of aerial attack.
- Republican morale immediately rises by 2 levels.
- the Republican player immediately gains 2 extra support points.
- Republican morale tests in an urban area ("Stampede" chit) are now done with an extra -1 DRM until the end of the game.
This event can only happen once, and no more die rolls are required once it has occurred.
11.2 - Weather
At the start of each turn, beginning with Turn 10, a 1d6 is rolled with a +1 DRM if the previous turn was "bad weather".
- on a result of 1 to 4, the weather is "clear".
- on a result of 5 or more, the weather is "bad weather".
All assaults carried out during a "bad weather" turn allow the defender to carry out Defensive Fire as if the assault had been across a river (see 9.5)
12 - Scenarios
12.1 - Scenario 1: The Initial Drive on Madrid
- Length: 6 tours
Setup
- follow the indications on the back of the counters (red for Republican units, white for Nationalist units). Remove from play any units entering as reinforcements after Turn 6.
- The Morale Marker is placed on the "Crumbling" space (+2).
- The Turn Marker is placed on space 1.
- The Nationalist Support Points Marker is placed on space 12, the Republican marker on space 6.
- Every area is under Republican control, apart from area D which is under Nationalist control.
Initiative
- The Nationalist player automatically has the initiative during Turns 1 to 3.
- From the start of Turn 4 onwards each player rolls a die; the one with the higher score has the initiative. In the event of both players rolling the same number, the Nationalist has the initiative.
Special Rule
Nationalist units may not cross the Manzanares and the Jarama until there is a minimum of one urban area that has at least as many Nationalist units as there are Republican units in it. As soon as that condition has been met, the restriction is permanently removed.
Victory Conditions
If the conditions for an automatic victory have not been fulfilled, the Nationalist's victory points are arrived at as follows:
- Controlling an urban area: 2 VPs
- Cutting a supply route: 1 VP
- Having at least 5 in supply units in area AA (Madrid): 1 VP
- Republican morale marker in the "Bad" space: - 1 VP
- Republican morale marker in the "Fragile" space, or a higher space: - 2 VPs
- At least 4 Nationalist units in the "Eliminated Units" space: -1 VP
The Nationalist player wins if he has 4 VPs. Failing that, the Republican player wins
12.2 - Scenario 2: Battles of the Corunna Road
(Note: the very free setup in this scenario may very well lead to a more decisive result than was the case historically)
- Length: 5 or 6 turns. The Nationalist player decides if the game starts on Turn 10 or Turn 11. If the game starts on Turn 11, he gains 4 extra Support Points, and the Republican 2 extra Support Points.
Setup
The Republican player places his units first as follows:
- Remove all Republican units with a black cross on the reverse of the counter from the game.
- Place all units entering as reinforcements after Turn 10 on the Turn Record Track.
- Place all the Republican units marked with a black AA in area AA (Madrid).
- Place all the remaining units in the green and brown areas at will. Each of these areas must contain at least one Republican unit.
The Nationalist player places his units second, as follows:
- Place all units entering as reinforcements after Turn 10 on the Turn Record Track.
- Place all the remaining units in the blue and brown areas. Each of these areas must contain at least one Nationalist unit.
Then:
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The Morale Marker is placed on the "Fragile" space (0).
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The Turn Marker is placed on the Turn Record Track on space 10 or space 11 (see above).
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The Nationalist Support Points Marker is placed on space 10 or space 14, the Republican marker on space 6 or space 8 (see above).
Note: Neither player receives the SPs indicated on the Turn Record Track during the first turn of the game.
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All the blue areas are under Nationalist control. All the brown and green areas, and area AA (Madrid) are under Republican control. All of the black areas south of the front line are Nationalist; all of the black areas north of the front line are Republican.
Initiative
The Nationalist player automatically has the initiative on the first turn. He rolls a 1D6; the result is the number of impulses he can play in succession before the Republican player can intervene.
Special Rule
- The Republican player may not activate his units marked with a black AA as long as the city has not yet been bombarded, or as long as there are no Nationalist units in the city. Once these conditions have been met, the Republican player is free to activate these units as he wishes for the rest of the game.
Victory Conditions
To win the game the Nationalist player has to meet one of the two conditions for automatic victory (10.0). Otherwise the Republican wins.
12.3 - Campaign Game: The Battle for Madrid
- Length: 15 turns
Setup
- Follow the indications on the back of the counters (red for Republican units, white for Nationalist units). Place all reinforcement units on the Turn Record Track.
- The Morale Marker is placed on "Crumbling" (+2).
- The Turn Marker is placed on the 1st space.
- The Nationalist Support Points Marker is placed on 12, and the Republican marker on 6.
- Every area is under Republican control except for area D, which is under Nationalist control.
Initiative
- The Nationalist player automatically has the initiative from Turns 1 to 3.
- Starting from Turn 4 onwards each player rolls a die; the one with the higher score has the initiative. In the event of both players rolling the same number, the Nationalist has the initiative.
- The Republican player automatically has the initiative when "Pause in Fighting" has been declared (see below) and in the turns during which "Pause in Fighting" is in force.
- The Nationalist player automatically regains the initiative on the turn following "Pause in Fighting" and rolls 1D6. The result is the number of impulses that he can play in succession before the Republican can intervene.
Special Rule
Nationalist units may not cross the Manzanares and the Jarama until a minimum of one urban area has at least as many Nationalist units as there are Republican units in it. As soon as that condition has been met, the restriction is permanently removed.
Pause in Fighting
Once during the game the Nationalist player may declare a "Pause in Fighting", at the start of the turn (Phase 1):
- The pause may last a maximum of 4 turns (for example, if it is declared on Turn 7, it finishes automatically on Turn 11). However, at the start of each turn (in Phase 1) the Nationalist player may choose to end the pause before all four turns have elapsed.
- During the pause, certain conditions apply to the Nationalist player:
- he gains double the SPs indicated on the Turn Record Track.
- he can rebuild up to 2 shock units per turn, including Moroccan and Legion units.
- he may not enter an uncontested Republican area.
- he may not attack, assault or bombard (either through the use of a chit or artillery units) a Republican area.
- he may not collect chits during Phase 2b
Victory Conditions
To win the game the Nationalist player has to meet one of the two conditions for automatic victory (10.0). Otherwise the Republican wins.
14. Advice on how to play
Play fast. The area impulse puts an emphasis on the chaos of battle and gives chance its due place. The addition of the event chits serves to emphasise this feature. Storm Over Madrid isn't a game of chess, but rather a game that exploits your ability to adapt and your talent for spotting and seizing opportunities. Play fast and try to play two games back to back in the same session, while swopping sides.
For the Republican player:
Don't panic. Your troops will retreat and will be trampled on at the start of the game. Don't panic. Reinforcements will soon arrive. Don't panic. Don't sacrifice your shock units uselessly. Reserve them for important areas at the important moment, and for lightening counterattacks to cut the Nationalists' supply lines. Don't panic.
For the Nationalist player:
Don't allow yourself to be deceived by the superiority of your troops. The road to Madrid is long. Don't neglect to send an advance guard, or to make two- or three-step attacks so you can test the enemy forces' morale. Focus on breakthroughs rather than breaking down the whole front.
15. Event Chits
(The source notes: "Download the player-aid on our website.")
Republican Events
1 - Reserve Artillery Bombardment (x4) Replace Impulse Bombard an area containing at least one of your units, or an area adjacent to an area containing at least one of your units, by rolling 2D6 + 4. The defence's point unit is chosen by the Nationalist player.
2 - Aerial Bombardment (x2) Replace Impulse - Only available from the start of Turn 3 Bombard an area by rolling 2D6 +4. The defence's point unit is chosen by the Republican player.
3 - Tanks! (x2) Combat Event - Only available from the start of Turn 3 Add 3 to your attack factor before rolling the dice OR add 3 to the battle's intensity level if at least one of your units is counterattacking OR add 3 to your defensive fire value before rolling the dice in the event of defensive fire.
4 - Fortification (x2) Combat Event An area's defence value is doubled for the Republican units during this impulse OR Republican units that have counter-attacked are not flipped to their Spent face in C8 of the combat sequence. This event must be played before combat resolution.
5 - No Pasaran (x1) Replace Impulse Flip 1D6 Republican units onto their Fresh side OR rebuild units from the Eliminated Units space, as in the replacements phase OR raise Republican morale by 1 level.
6 - Durruti will save Madrid (x1) Combat Event - To be played at the start of your impulse - Only available from the start of Turn 5 All anarchist units are considered as shock units with a combat factor of 1 for this and the following impulse.
7 - Nationalists' plans captured (x1) Combat Event - To be played at the end of your impulse You may play a second impulse immediately after the current one.
8 - Miaja Saves the day (x2) Combat Event - remove this chit from the game once played Nullifies the requirement for a morale roll in Phase C2 of the combat sequence OR nullifies a Stampede chit played by the Nationalist player.
Nationalist Events
1 - Reserve Artillery Bombardment (x2) Replace Impulse Bombard an area containing at least one of your units, or an area adjacent to one that contains at least one of your units, by rolling 2D6 +4. The defence's point unit is chosen by the Republican player.
2 - Aerial Bombardment (x2) Replace Impulse Bombard an area by rolling 2D6 +4. The defence's point unit is chosen by the Nationalist player. Surviving units then undergo a morale test with a +1 DRM, including those units in an urban area.
3 - Surprise (x1) Combat event There can be no defensive fire or counterattacks during this impulse.
4 - Combat Engineers (x1) Combat event Changes the modifier for the attacked area to 0 for this impulse OR cancels a Fortification chit.
5 - 5th Column (x1) Replace Impulse Flip 1D6 of Republican units in an area to their Spent sides.
6 - Strife within Republican party (x1) Replace Impulse - remove this chit from the game once played For the rest of the turn, every time the Republican player activates communist units/International Brigades and anarchist units together, he rolls 1D6. On a roll of 4-6, he can only activate the communist units/International Brigades or the anarchist units. Those units that cannot be activated because of the chit's consequences are not flipped onto their Spent side.
7 - Durruti's death (x1) Replace Impulse - remove this chit from the game once played - Only available from the start of Turn 6. The Durruti will save Madrid chit is removed from the game.
8 - Stampede (x2) Combat Event - This event cannot be used in area AA (Madrid) During this impulse, line Republican units in an urban area undergo a morale test in Phase C2 of the combat sequence OR Republican shock units in a normal area undergo a morale test in Phase C2 of the combat sequence, as if they were line units. In the latter case a result of 7 or 8 counts as a retreat, not elimination.
9 - Republican Government flees to Valencia (x1) Replace Impulse - remove this chit from the game once played - Can only be played if the Nationalists control an area adjacent to an urban area. The Republican player may neither perform combat nor bombard (either by artillery units or event chits) during his next 3 impulses.
10 - Teresa of Avila's arm (x1) Combat event Re-roll your attack dice OR force the Republican player to re-roll his attack dice OR his defensive fire dice.
11 - Mola's effort (x1) Replace Impulse Immediately rebuild one unit from the eliminated units' box, OR flip 1D6 of Nationalist units onto their Fresh side.
12 - Alfereces Provisionales (x1) Combat event - Can only be played if the lead unit is a Moroccan unit or a Legion unit. The Nationalist side's defence value is increased by +3 for this impulse.