Force on Force house rules

Here are some of the house rules we have used.  As usual they are still up to change, deletion or ignorance as they have always been!

Failed Bail Out Check (Smoke and Retreat rule) – If a mobile vehicle with smoke grenade launchers suffers a bail out failure the crew does not bail, instead the vehicle throws out a 6” wide smoke screen which is placed 6” to front of the vehicle (or in the turret direction) and the vehicle immediately reverses 5” in a straight line.  On the following turn the vehicle attempts to stabilize, if it fails it makes a further 5” move, and continues to do so until it recovers.  If the vehicle reverses into an obstacle that it cannot or fails to surmount then the crew bails.  A “smoke and retreat” crew still suffers the bailed out penalty.  The smoke from a vehicle smoke screen stops all LOS.

Failed Bail Out Check – All vehicle crews who bail or “Smoke and Retreat” suffer a -1DShift to morale per failure and lose a level in confidence.  A vehicle crew who drops below MOR6 is removed from play and the VP is awarded to the opposition.

Thermal IR Night Vision Device: +1DShift to spotting at night.  In the campaign all heavy tanks, UN IFV, vehicles with RWS, gunship helicopters, Specter/Spooky and UAV are equipped with thermal IR night vision devices.

IR Search Light: All medium tanks and Hotakistani IFV have IR Search lights.  NVG but with a -1DShift for spotting targets.

BAR Armour: All UN vehicles capable of having BAR armour have effective BAR armour on a TQ 4+.  Roll once for a platoon or unit of vehicles.

ERA: All Hotakistani vehicles capable of having ERA have ERA on a TQ 4+.  Roll once for a platoon or unit of vehicles.

Uparmoured: All conventional force vehicles capable of being uparmoured are uparmoured.

Remote Weapon Station (RWS): All UN vehicles capable of mounting a RWS station have an operating RWS station on a TQ 4+.  Roll once for a platoon or unit of vehicles.

Combat Assault Dog: A combat assault dog has all the benefits of a normal military dog and in addition will automatically take the first hit when assaulting and does not count as a casualty for morale purposes.

DARPA Dog (Ammo): A DARPA Ammo dog carries ammunition, a unit may use the dog (and remove the dog) in any activation to add a +2FP.

DARPA Dog (Gun): The unmanned ground vehicle is armed with a AP3/AT0 RWS and counts as an uparmoured vehicle (2D6 armour).

Obstacles (tall wall): Breaking through a wall without a dozer blade requires a TQ 4+ to succeed, costs 2” of movement, cannot be performed at Rapid movement, and requires a bog check.  Compound walls and building walls are broken on a TQ -1DShift.  All low walls are broken through on a TQ +1DShift.

Obstacle (mound): Mounds are successfully navigated on a TQ 4+, costs 2” and cannot be performed a Rapid movement speed.

Obstacle (stream): Crossing ditches or streams cost 2” per 1” moved, and requires a bog check on entering and on exiting.

Progress: When I unit attempts to breach or break through a wall or attempt to pass over an obstacle that requires a TQ and fails, place a marker, in the next turn the team receives a +1DShift to repeat the action.

POW from overrun downed units: When a unit overruns a downed enemy unit roll D6 for each casualty, a score of 1 the casualty becomes a dependent POW, otherwise the casualty is dead.

Medium Range Weapons: All RPG-like, LAW, AT-4 etc. weapons are considered medium for movement

Arming Distance:  AT-4 has an arming distance of 4˝.  Other systems (other than the LAW/RPG series) have an arming distance of 8˝.  ATGMs receive a -1DShift against targets less than 24˝.  A rocket weapon fired at a target within the arming distance still adds +1FP vs. infantry or soft targets.

ATGM Reloads:  Each time a Javelin or other ground mounted ATGM is fired roll a TQ with a -1DShift, if the test is passed the Javelin anti-tank specialist may continue to fire the Javelin, otherwise the soldier is out of reloads.  If a team that no longer has a Javelin is adjacent to its own armoured or uparmoured vehicle for a whole turn it may replenish its Javelin on a successful TQ.

Multi-wheeled vehicles:  When a 6-wheeled or 8-wheeled vehicle suffers an immobilization for the first time roll a D8, on a 4+ its suffers limited mobility instead of immobilization and can still move up to 3” per turn.

Ploughed fields:  Any team wearing battle armour which uses rapid movement to cross a field must roll a TQ, if the TQ is failed one of their number receives a light wound (sprained ankle, stunned etc.).

Narrow streets and UN force:  When faced with an insurgent opposition UN forces in narrow urban streets (<2˝ wide), bridges and alleyways UNSAF will only move at Rapid pace if they pass a TQ, this is due to UNSAF being wary of IEDs in choke points.

Entering compound buildings: Windows in Malikastan are generally narrow or barred, therefore windows may not be used to enter or exit a building except with a successful breaching attempt.

Offboard Setup:  Forward Observer’s (FO), Forward Air Controllers (JTAC or FAC, and therefore any air assets as well), artillery vehicles, HMG/AGL, Guns, Multi-barreled Rocket Launchers,  Mortars, ATGMs, Sniper teams and Anti-aircraft teams may setup offboard.

The offboard location is represented by a vertical rod of 2˝, 4˝ or 6˝ height at the edge of the board.  To find the height roll a D3, on a 1 it is 2˝, on a 2 it is 4˝ and on 3 it is 6˝.  The owning player positions the rod on the friendly edge or on an enfilading edge (if a TQ is passed, the player may select an enfilading edge which is adjacent to the friendly edge).  The offboard support teams are placed in an offboard area and are activated as normal, and may fire at any target that can be observed from the top of the rod.  They must also pass a spotting TQ to fire.

All fire between onboard and offboard teams (and between offboard teams) are considered to be beyond optimum range, with the exception of ATGMs and vehicle main guns of 20mm+ calibre.

Certain onboard teams may fire on the offboard fire support: Forward Observer’s (FO), Forward Air Controllers (FAC, and therefore any air assets as well), vehicles, GPMG, HMG, Light guns, Light Mortars, ATGMs, SAM and Sniper teams.  All combat between onboard and offboard (or offboard vs. offboard) teams are resolved only after the target is first spotted by rolling a successful TQ.

All offboard teams are considered to be in +2 defensive terrain and are considered to be “in cover” from the turn following the turn in which they enter the offboard fire support location.  The regular player may “move” teams that have not yet entered the board to the Offboard Fire Support location through a normal activation.  The insurgent player may place a team offboard when a 6 is rolled on the Hotspot dice roll.  The first time the insurgent player decides to create a Fire Support location the player may place an offboard rod on the edge opposite to the UNSAF player’s friendly edge.

Night with a New Moon
Non-NVG units:

No optimum range bonus
Must spot to fire at any target, unless the target is moving and within double optimum.

Must first pass a spot check to attempt to interrupt an enemy.

NVG Units:

Do not have to spot target unless attempting to engage a non-moving unit in cover beyond double optimum.
Vehicles with NVG are assumed to have infinite optimum range.  All non-technical vehicles are considered to possess NVG

All units: Once any unit is engaged successfully in a turn all other units may fire upon the firing unit or the target without a spotting attempt for that turn.  In following turns the unit returns to “hidden” status.

Fields and treelines

SCRUB, +1 Cover to all units, no LOS through more than 6” of scrub, moving units do not count as exposed.

PLOUGHED, +1 cover to non-moving infantry unit, no LOS effect, infantry who rapid move through a ploughed field suffer a light wound on a failed TQ.  Moving infantry count as exposed.

FALLOW: +1 cover to non-moving infantry unit.  Moving infantry do not count as exposed.

OPEN GROUND: No cover (but can still "be in cover").  Moving infantry count as exposed.

MATURE CROPS, +1 cover to all units, no LOS through more than 2”. Vehicle to vehicle LOS unaffected, but +1 cover

TREELINES block LOS, +1 cover for unit in treeline.  Unit must be declared to be against the treeline to be seen or to see through the treeline.