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Axis & Allies: Miniatures
Special Abilities Q&A Axis & Allies: Miniatures (AAM) is a miniatures gaming system that recreates World War Two
battles using a scale of 15mm. Since its first release back in 2005, it has slowly evolved with
each new booster set (10 so far) and each new rulebook edition. (1st, 2nd, Advanced and
Extended) Over time the game system has developed its own language and terminology which
can be confusing for a newcomer. Wizards of the Coast (WotC), the publisher of AAM, created a
website to help players with rule questions and to give them a venue to discuss the game with
other players around the world. It is a great source for official rulings on issues that come up
during game play.
Unfortunately, the particular information that you might be looking for is probably scattered all
over the web site. This is partly due to the nature of internet discussion boards, partly to
infrequent official rule clarification documents and partly to the amount of time & effort it would
take to be constantly compiling new rulings. The reality is that AAM is just one product among
dozens that WotC publishes. So the game system has pretty much been left on its own. As a
result, it has been lacking a comprehensive list of special ability rulings that can be easily
referenced by players. This document is my attempt to fill that gap.
What you have before you is a comprehensive, alphabetical list of all known official Q&A,
errata and clarifications relating to all 195 different special abilities (SA) in use as of Nov. 2010.
Some special abilities such as Strike & Fade 1, Strike & Fade 2 have been combined since they
are basically the same SA just with different numerical values. In place of the number value, an
X is displayed to reflect multiple SAs using the same name. Each SA listing appears with the text
as it appears on the revised versions of the AAM game cards. You can find these at the WotC
website. Under the SA text, you will find any questions and official answers that were available
as of Nov. 2010. In some cases, the original wording of the Q&A has been modified. This was
done only to correct grammar, misspellings or to shorten the text for clarity. Every effort has
been made to preserve the context of the original questions and answers.
This document could not have been possible without the contributions of countless AAM players
posting their questions at the WotC discussion board and the staff at WotC who took the time to
answer them. I would like to give a special thanks to Mons Johnson, Robert Mull, Justin Webb,
Steve Winter and all the unnamed staff members at WotC who have helped to maintain the AAM
website. Thank you for taking the time.
The Wizards of the Coast game company is the owner of the Axis & Allies: Miniatures game
system and they retain the full copyrights to it. I have used information found at their website,
but make no claim to it. This document is offered as a free game aid to anyone interested in a
better understanding of the game system.
Tom Sessler
aka Sgt Fury
(Current as of November 10, 2010)
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Ace - This unit ignores the -1 penalty on each attack die when attacking Aircraft. If an enemy
Aircraft is placed within four hexes of this unit, this unit may make a defensive-fire attack
against it.
Additional Hull Mounted Cannon - In your assault phase, this unit can make an extra
attack at 12/10/8. The target must be a Vehicle in front of this unit.
Aggression X - In your assault phase, this unit can move at speed X before attacking.
Q: How does Aggression plus High Gear interact with each other?
A: You can use High Gear and Aggression together along with Road Bonus.
Agility - This unit's short range against Aircraft is 0 - 2 hexes and its medium range against
Aircraft is 3-5 hexes.
Aircraft - Aircraft are placed during the flight phase and attack during the airstrike phase.
Units attacking Aircraft use their anti-Soldier attacks and get -1 on each attack die.
All Guns Blazing - After this unit attacks in your assault phase, it can make one extra attack
against a Soldier.
Amphibious - This unit can cross streams without making a movement roll. This unit can
enter water hexes as though they were double-cost terrain hexes.
Q: Can an Amphibious Vehicle float down a stream?
A: No. Streams are hex-side terrain. They don’t run through hexes. They run in between them.
Therefore, even if there were some allowance for this, the stream wouldn't lead you into a hex
anyway.
Angriff - In your assault phase, friendly non-artillery Soldiers adjacent to this unit can move
into an enemy unit's hex and then attack that unit. They get +1 on each attack die result for that
attack.
(See Banzai Charge for Q&A)
Antiair - This unit ignores the -1 penalty on each attack die when attacking Aircraft. If an
enemy Aircraft is placed in a hex adjacent to this unit, this unit may make a defensive-fire attack
against it.
Q: Can an artillery unit without the Antiair special ability attack Aircraft?
A: No. (Comes from the 11/12/2009 Rules update)
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Antiair Support - While in the same hex as a friendly unit with the Anti-air ability this unit
gains the Anti-air ability.
Armor Piercing Rounds - Once per game, before you roll this unit's attack against a
Vehicle, you can declare you are using these rounds. If you score two hits against that Vehicle
with this attack, score an additional hit.
Q: What happens if a Sherman Easy Eight announces the use of an Armored Piercing Round and
fires upon a vehicle with Heavy Armor? How do you get damaged or destroy results?
A: If an AP round scores two hits, it automatically gets a 'free' third hit. If this happens against a
tank with the Heavy Armor SA, then the tank takes all three hits. But the Heavy Armor SA
cancels the second one, so the ultimate effect is that the tank suffers only two hits, not three. If
the Easy 8 scores enough successes to get three hits from a single attack, then the AP round has
no additional effect. The text of that special ability stipulates that the bonus hit applies if the
attack scores two hits. You can never score more than three hits against a single target in a single
attack.
AVRE - This unit ignores Obstacles. This unit destroys each Obstacle it crosses. This unit
destroys each Obstacle in hexes it enters.
Q: I assume the sentence "This unit destroys each obstacle it crosses." refers to Barbed Wire.
A: Yes. Barbed Wire is the only obstacle that can be crossed.
The following text comes from a Rules Update printed on the back of the D-Day booster set
check list:
Churchill AVRE
The AVRE vehicles were specially designed to destroy and/or easily cross any obstructions found
on the beaches of Normandy. The Churchill AVRE immediately destroys any Obstacle it crosses
and any Obstacle in a hex that it enters. Since it also ignores Obstacles, the AVRE is never
adversely affected by Fortifications or Traps.
Q: Since the Churchill AVRE ignores obstacles, does that mean it does not have to make the
minefield disruption roll when it enters the hex or ends its movement in a hex with a minefield?
A: An AVRE ignores obstacles which means it doesn't need to make any disruption roll. As soon
as it enters the hex with the mine, it is removed.
Q: Does the Churchill AVRE actually get to automatically destroy a pillbox in a hex it enters?
A: Yes. It enters the hex and removes the pillbox.
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Q: Normally a vehicle has to make a successful movement roll to enter a hex with a tank obstacle
in it. But since the AVRE special ability says it ignores obstacles, does this mean it gets to
ignore the movement roll requirement to enter the hex with the tank obstacle in it? Does it
automatically destroy the tank obstacle as it moves through the hex?
A: Yes. The AVRE ignores the effects of anti-tank obstacles. No movement roll is needed. It
enters the hex and the anti-tank obstacle is immediately removed.
Q: Barbed wire is placed along the boundary between hexes. Does the Churchill AVRE have to
cross the barbed wire to destroy it or be adjacent to it?
A: AVRE must cross a hex side that the barb wire is on. Once crossed, remove the barbed wire
obstacle immediately.
Awareness - This unit can make defensive-fire attacks against Soldiers that enter its hex.
Q: The wording of this special ability clearly says “that enters its hex”. What if the enemy soldier
is leaving the hex or moving sideways from adjacent hex to adjacent hex. Normal defensive fire
would allow you to take a shot.
A: A special ability means exactly what it states; no more and no less. Awareness gives the
ability to use defensive fire in the specific situation that it describes which is when an enemy
soldier enters the vehicle's hex. Not when the soldier moves across the vehicle's front, not when
it leaves the vehicle's hex, but only when it enters the vehicle's hex. Everything that the SA
doesn't explicitly change about defensive fire remains the same as normal. The vehicle doesn't
gain an expanded field of fire, and the attack can hit the soldier in either the hex that it's leaving
or the hex that it's entering (which must be the vehicle's hex).
Back blast - If this unit attacks, it fails all cover rolls for the rest of the turn.
Banzai Charge (Commander Ability) - In your assault phase, friendly non-Artillery soldiers
adjacent to this unit can move into an enemy unit's hex and then attack that unit. They get +1 on
each attack die for that attack.
Q: Do the Banzai Charge and Angriff special abilities operate the same way?
A: Yes.
Q: For a Soldier to use the Banzai Charge / Angriff special ability, it must move into an adjacent
hex, right? It can't attack an enemy unit located in the same hex where it starts.
A: Correct. The SA requires movement into an adjacent, enemy occupied hex.
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Q: If I use this ability to move a friendly Soldier into an adjacent enemy-unit’s hex, does that
movement provoke defensive fire?
A: Yes.
Q: Can a Soldier that starts Disrupted be used for a Banzai Charge / Angriff?
A: No. Disrupted Soldiers can't Banzai Charge / Angriff.
Q: If a Soldier using Banzai Charge / Angriff becomes disrupted from defensive fire does it
complete its’ move and attack?
A: A Soldier disrupted by defensive fire is stopped in place. If the defensive fire hit the soldier in
its starting hex, then it can't attack. If the defensive fire hit the Soldier in the defender's hex, then
it could still attack.
Q: During my assault phase, can I attack with or move all my Soldiers first, and then use Banzai
Charge / Angriff to let them move and attack again?
A: No. The move and attack parts of the Banzai Charge / Angriff ability count as a unit’s move
or attack for that phase.
Q: Can I use both Banzai Charge and Angriff on the same unit? Do they stack for +2 on each
attack die?
A: No. Duplicate bonuses from commander abilities don’t stack. A single unit can benefit from
any number of commander effects at the same time, but if more than one grants a bonus to the
same roll or statistic, only the highest bonus applies. Although named differently, these two SAs
are considered to be the same.
Q: Can Banzai / Angriff be used to attack Aircraft?
A: No.
Q: Does a Banzai Charging / Angriffing Soldier have to make a movement roll when crossing a
stream to reach an enemy unit? If it fails the roll, can it do something else that phase?
A: Yes, it must make a movement roll. If it fails the roll, it can’t do anything else that phase.
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Q: Can the Imperial Sgt use his Banzai Charge SA on Japanese Bicycle Troops and have them
move up to three hexes on a road?
A: No, only into an adjacent hex. Here is a 11/12/09 rules update on this: “In your assault phase,
friendly non-disrupted, non-Artillery Soldiers adjacent to this unit can move into an adjacent hex
and attack an enemy Soldier or Vehicle in that hex. They get +1 on each attack die for that
attack.”
Barbed Wire - This Obstacle is placed along the boundary between hexes. A Soldier must
make a successful movement roll to cross this Obstacle.
From the 11/12/2009 Rules Update: Each individual Barbed Wire piece covers two adjoining
hexsides, as shown below.
Q: I’m not sure how you are allowed to place Barbed Wire around an objective.
A: The diagram below shows the hex sides where Barbed Wire can be placed around the
Objective.
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Q: I can’t find the rules covering obstacles or fortifications like Barbed Wire. Where are they?
What do they say?
A: The original Obstacle rules were printed on the back of the D-Day check list. It reads:
Obstacles
The Axis and Allies D-Day set introduces Obstacles to the battlefield. Obstacles belong to
neither side, and can be deployed by the Axis or the Allies. Obstacles count toward your army's
100-point limit, and you have to show your opponent all the Obstacles in your army before you
deploy them.
Obstacles don't count against the normal stacking limits, but are limited to one per hex and one
per hex edge. Obstacles can't move. Obstacles can't be placed in hexes adjacent to the objective
or on hex edges that surround the hex that contains the objective.
You can put a Barbed Wire on a hex edge that surrounds a hex that contains another obstacle, as
long as that hex isn't the objective.
There are two kinds of Obstacles - Fortifications and Traps.
Fortifications
Fortifications are deployed before all other units, since they are fixed and obvious on the
battlefield. Once the first player is determined after the initial coin flip, that player deploys all
his Fortifications. Then the second player deploys all his Fortifications. After all Fortifications
have been deployed, deploy units normally.
(The following is no longer in play, but I'm including it here for reference. As of the 11/12/2009
update, minefields are placed like fortifications.)
Traps
Since traps represent hazards that are hidden and not obvious, they aren't deployed during
normal deployment. During your assault phase, you can place a Trap in any unoccupied hex that
isn't adjacent to the objective.
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Battlefield Awareness - This unit can make defensive-fire attacks against Vehicles that
move out of hexes adjacent to this unit. (The defensive-fire attack must be made while the target
is still in an adjacent hex).
Q: How is Battlefield Awareness different from regular defensive fire?
A: Defensive fire is usually only provoked when an enemy unit moves from one adjacent hex
directly into another adjacent hex. The Battlefield Awareness ability allows a unit to make
defensive-fire attacks against Vehicles that move from an adjacent hex to a non-adjacent hex.
Normally the firer can choose what hex the defensive fire attack occurs in, but if the enemy unit
moves to a non-adjacent hex, the unit has to make the defensive fire attack while the target is still
in the adjacent hex.
Blast - When this unit attacks, make a separate attack roll against each unit in the target hex.
(This includes friendly units.).
Note: As of booster set nine, there are eight units that have the Blast SA; the Germans have the
SIG 33, Nebelwerfer 41, Sturmpanzer IV “Brummbar” and the Hummel, the US have the M12
GMC, the British have the Churchill AVRE and the Soviets have the BM-13 Katyusha Rocket
Launcher and SU-122. All of these units also have the Bombardment SA.
Q: A rifleman is sharing the same hex with a Fanatical/Expert/Imperial Sniper. A Brummbar
tank is four hexes away and decides to target the rifleman. Does the sniper take damage from the
Blast targeted at the rifleman located in the same hex?
A: Yes. The Blast gets the sniper too.
Q: Assume a tank with the Blast special ability is firing at a vehicle with a Soldier riding along
as a passenger. The Blast effect requires attacks against all units in the hex, even friendly units.
Is a separate attack made against the passenger, in addition to the vehicle?
A: Yes. Blast affects every unit in the hex, including passengers aboard a Transport. The Soldier
would be the target of a separate attack roll.
Q: Does Blast affect Aircraft?
A: No. You can’t attack an Aircraft with the Blast ability and you also can’t make a separate
attack as one of the Blast ability’s separate attacks.
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Q: An enemy Soldier is in the same hex as my tank with the Blast SA. If I decide to attack that
Soldier, does the tank have to roll an attack against itself being that Blast affects every unit in the
targeted hex?
A: Yes.
Bomb - Once per game, instead of rolling this unit's attack against an enemy unit in the same
hex, you can declare you are using bombs. If you do, roll 12 attack dice against enemy soldier or
8 attack dice against enemy vehicles.
Bombs - Once per game, instead of rolling this unit's attack against an enemy Soldier or
Vehicle in the same hex, you can declare you are using bombs. If you do, roll 12 attack dice
against enemy that unit if it’s a Soldier or 8 attack dice if it’s a vehicle.
Q: When targeting a Vehicle, does the bomb attack go against the front or rear armor value of the
Vehicle?
A: The rear armor, because the plane is in the same hex as the target Vehicle.
Bombardment - This unit's attacks ignore cover. This unit can’t attack Aircraft.
Q: The German Wespe, US M4A3 (105) Sherman, US M7 105mm Priest and the Soviet SU-152
have the Bombardment special ability, which allows them to ignore cover. What happens if any
of these tanks attacks a unit with the superior camouflage special ability? Could this unit be
bombarded at medium and long ranges?
A: Bombardment attacks ignore cover, but superior camouflage prevents the attack from
happening in the first place. (Note: There are eight other AAM units that have both the
Bombardment and Blast special abilities. Those units could target the unit in the above example
if there was another unit in the same hex. See the Blast SA for more details.)
Q: Can units with the Bombardment SA use it to attack Aircraft?
A: No. According to the 11/12/09 clarification, both of these units’ Bombardment SA should
include “This unit can’t attack Aircraft.”
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Bravado X - This unit rolls X extra attack dice when attacking if none of your units have been
destroyed this game.
(This special ability was removed from the Italian Fucile Modello 1891. It’s listed here for
reference purposes.)
Q: My opponent is the “first player” and just scored two hits against one of my Soldiers, so now
it has a face-down Destroyed counter on it. It’s my assault phase now. Does my Fucile Modello
still roll two extra dice when attacking?
A: Yes. A unit becomes destroyed when face-down hit counters are flipped (during the casualty
phase). Although it has a face-down Destroyed counter on it, it isn’t actually destroyed until the
casualty phase.
Bravery Enforcement (Commander Ability) - Friendly disrupted Soldiers adjacent to this
unit do not suffer the -1 penalty to their attack value.
The text of the Russian Commissar’s special ability was revised. It used to read as;
At the beginning of your assault phase, you can destroy a friendly Soldier adjacent to this unit. If
you do, other friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit get +1 on each attack die this phase.
Bridge Demolition - This unit may attempt to destroy a bridge or Obstacle in its hex instead
of moving or attacking in your assault phase. Roll a die. If you roll a 4 or higher, destroy the
bridge or Obstacle. (Units now need to make a movement roll to cross the stream or obstacle,
and the road is broken at that point.)
Q: Why are those words crossed out in the above special ability text?
A: According to the 11/12/2009 errata; Remove the words "or obstacle" from the last sentence of
the Bridge Demolition special ability. A movement roll is required to cross a destroyed bridge, as
it would be to cross any un-bridged stream, but not a destroyed obstacle. This currently applies to
the Royal Engineers, U.S. Engineers and Pioneers units.
Q: Can I leave an engineer loaded in any vehicle and still use him to remove obstacles in a hex?
A: Units on a transport can't interact with their surroundings except in specific, limited ways. In
a larger sense, units on transport are treated as being "in the transport" rather than "in the hex."
With that in mind, the answer is no, engineers on a transport can't destroy obstacles or bridges
while in a vehicle with the Transport SA. The 11/12/2009 errata says; “A unit can't use this
special ability while boarded on transport.”
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Q: Does an engineer need to cross a barbed wire obstacle before it can destroy it?
A: An engineer only needs to be in a hex adjacent to the barbed wire obstacle before making the
die roll to remove it.
Brushcutters - This unit can enter forest hexes without making a movement roll.
Camouflaged - Until this unit attacks or moves, enemy units can’t attack this unit at medium
or long range.
Chatting On The Radio - This unit only counts as a Spotter if it doesn’t move in the assault
phase.
Q: So a unit with the Chatting on the Radio SA can’t move if it spots and can’t spot if it moves.
But what about spotting either before or after it performs an attack in the assault phase?
A: Attacking has no effect on spotting.
Q: A spotter can’t move if he spots in the assault phase and can’t spot if he has already moved.
But what happens if the spotter is a passenger in a Vehicle with the Transport SA? Can the
Transport move and then the spotter spots or vice versa?
A: Yes, that is allowed because the spotter himself did not move. The Transport he is sitting in
does the moving, he just along for the ride.
Q: Are US Rangers with their Soldier-Spotter subtype supposed to suffer from the Chatting on
the Radio limitation of not being able to move if they spot?
A: No. US Rangers don’t have the Chatting on the Radio SA.
Charge - This unit can move while disrupted if it moves closer to an enemy Soldier.
Close Assault X -This unit has an attack value of X against Vehicles in its hex. This attack
ignores cover.
Q: Can a Solder perform a Close Assault while loaded on a Vehicle with Fighting Platform?
A: Yes. Close Assault can be used without dismounting, if the transport has Fighting Platform.
Collapsible Screen - While this unit is in a water hex, it can’t attack.
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Commander Special Abilities -
Q: Do Commander Effects follow the Commander? When do they function?
A: Yes, they follow the commander. Commander Effects are based on the Commander's current
position. Unless the card states otherwise, a Commander’s ability is always "on," both before and
after the leader's move. He could also be the passenger in a Vehicle with the Transport SA and
use his special ability before the transport moves and after it moves. Example: A Red Devil
Captain is sitting in a jeep located adjacent to a unit that attacks, it gets the benefit of his
Pinpointer SA. Then the Jeep moves to another location on the map adjacent to some other
friendly units. Those friendly units can now attack and get the benefit of the Captain’s SA.
Meanwhile back at the original location another friendly unit is attacking. But now the Captain is
no longer adjacent to that unit, the special ability moved with the Captain.
Command Awareness - Friendly Vehicles within two hexes of this unit get “Awareness –
This unit can make defensive-fire attacks against Soldiers that enter its hex”
(See Awareness for Q&A.)
Command Dependant - In your movement phase, this unit can't move unless it starts its
move adjacent to a friendly Commander.
Q: If all my Commanders have been destroyed, can this unit move at all?
A: Yes. This unit can still move during your assault phase.
Q: Can I use the T34/76 Commander Tank for the Command Dependent Ability of Mosin
Nagant and DP-27?
A: No. "Commander" and "Tank Commander" are two different subtypes.
Q: I have a Mosin Nagant mounted on a Vehicle with the Transport SA but no Commander
adjacent to tell him to get off. How can I get him off the Vehicle?
A: Command Dependant units can always dismount a Vehicle without a Commander. But they
do need an adjacent Commander in order to load up on a Vehicle with the Transport SA.
Command Demolition – Each friendly soldier adjacent to this unit may attempt to destroy
an obstacle in its hex instead of moving or attacking in your assault phase. Roll a die. If you roll
a 4 or higher, destroy the obstacle.
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Command Leadership - Friendly Vehicles within two hexes of this unit get “Well Led –
This unit rolls one extra attack die when attacking during your assault phase.”
Q: Would a M4 Sherman T-34 Calliope’s Top-Mounted Rockets SA get the extra attack die
benefit of the Sherman Commander’s Well Led SA?
A: Yes
Command Quick Reactions - Each friendly vehiclewithin 2 hexes of this unit can change
facing after making an attack.
Command Ruthless - Friendly Vehicles within two hexes of this unit get “Ruthless – This
unit gets +1 on each attack die against disrupted and damaged units.”
Commander Hunter - This unit rolls two extra attack dice when attacking a Commander.
Complexity - If it fails movement roll, cannot move for remaining game.
(This special ability was removed from the French Char B1-BIS. It’s listed here for reference
purposes.)
Concealed - While this unit has cover, enemy units can’t attack this unit at long range.
Q: Does “has cover” mean that the unit must succeed at a cover roll to get the Concealed ability?
A: No. A unit “has cover” just by being in hex filled with defensive terrain. This means that a
unit with the Concealed special ability can’t be attacked directly at long range while it’s in a
forest, hill, marsh, town or other hex that gives a unit cover.
Coordinated Fire - This unit rolls one extra attack die while adjacent to a friendly
Commander.
Q: The M1 Garand unit has the Coordinated Fire SA and the Polish officer unit has a
Commander SA by the same name. The wording is different, but these SAs are named the same.
Are these different because the Polish Officer’s special ability is a Commander SA? Can these
SAs stack?
A: A Commander SA is still a special ability, it’s just a subset. That means these two don't stack.
(Can’t be combined) I suspect that's why they were given the same name even though they have
different wording.
Coordinated Fire (Commander Ability) - Friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit roll one
extra attack die when attacking units that this unit has attacked this turn.
Covering Fire - Soldiers attacked by this unit can’t make defensive fire attacks this turn.
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Courage – This unit can move while disrupted if it moves closer to the nearest enemy unit.
Crack Shot - This unit gets +1 on each attack die.
Q: Can a sniper use the Crack Shot special ability verses an Aircraft?
A: The Sniper can shoot at Aircraft, but can’t use the Crack Shot SA verses Aircraft. (From
11/12/2009 Errata)
Defensive Preparation - Friendly Artillery adjacent to this unit gets +1/+1 defense.
Q: Can the Defensive Preparation SA be used with a Wespe? I don't see any restrictions with
regards to artillery being a vehicle or soldier type.
A: Nothing in the wording of Defensive Preparation limits it to Soldiers. At the time this special
ability was first introduced there were only soldier – artillery units. Since the card doesn’t
specify soldier or vehicle, the Wespe can benefit from a Vigilant Lt. with the Defensive
Preparation SA.
Determined Charge - This unit doesn’t immediately end its movement when hit and
disrupted by defensive-fire attacks.
Q: Suppose a Polish Cavalry unit with Determined Charge is adjacent to a Soldier. The Cavalry
declares he is entering the Soldiers hex. The Soldier disrupts it with defensive fire prior to
entering. Now that the Cavalry is disrupted can it choose not to enter the hex it declared and
instead run away or is it committed to entering the declared hex first?
A: Once you declare the move and get attacked with defensive fire, regardless of the effect of the
fire, you're committed to that move. A big part of your opponent's decision to use his one
defensive fire attack is because you said the Cavalry was entering his hex, so you can't change
the conditions after he's reacted to them. Nothing says, however, that the Cavalry must stop in
that hex. You could move the Cavalry into the defender's hex and then keep going from there.
Note that the Cavalry does get a face-up disrupted marker from the successful defensive fire
attack. It just doesn't stop moving.
Dismounted Attack - While there are no enemy Soldiers adjacent to this unit, this unit’s
short range against Vehicles is 0-2 hexes.
Dispersal (Commander Ability) - Friendly soldiers adjacent to this unit get +1/+1 defense
against attacks from units with the Blast ability.
Double Shot - This unit can make two attacks in your assault phase. When making a
defensive-fire attack, this unit makes two attack rolls against the unit that provoked the attack.
Dug In - This unit can’t move and can’t be carried by a unit with Transport ability.
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Elan - Friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit get +1/+1 defense against defensive-fire attacks.
Elusive - While this unit is in a forest hex or marsh hex, it gets +1/+1 defense.
Endurance - Whenever this unit receives a face-up Destroyed counter, roll a die. On a 5 or
higher, ignore the destroyed counter.
Entrenched - Until this unit moves, it gets a +1/+1 defense.
Q: If a unit with the entrenched SA starts the game loaded in a vehicle and then unloads during
the movement phase, does that count as movement and cause it to lose the benefit of its’ SA?
A: Once it dismounts it has moved and no longer receives the benefit of the Entrenched SA.
Enhanced Range X - This unit’s long range is 5-X hexes.
Excellent Suspension - This unit can enter hill hexes as though they were clear hexes.
Exert Will - At the beginning of your movement phase, remove all Disrupted counters from
friendly soldiers adjacent to this unit.
Q: Does Exert Will remove both face-up and face-down Disrupted counters?
A: Yes.
Q: When the SS Hauptsturmfuhrer uses Exert Will, does he remove any disruption counters from
himself also, or would he need another Hauptsturmfuhrer for that?
A: The Hauptsturmfuhrer removes his own disrupted markers. Page 26 of the Rulebook says,
"Commander abilities can affect the commander himself." Since the Hauptsturmfuhrer ignores
the effect of his own disrupted marker, his commander effect still functions. He doesn't need
another leader to help him out.
Experienced Recon - This unit can attack units with the Camouflage ability or the Superior
Camouflage ability at medium range.
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Exposed Transport - This unit can carry one Soldier. That Soldier can be attacked while it’s
boarded on this transport. (A friendly Soldier can board or dismount this unit instead of moving
during your movement phase.)
Q: Can I use Defensive Fire to attack a soldier riding on a T-34/76 with the Exposed Transport
SA?
A: Defensive fire is only used against moving units. When a Vehicle triggers Defensive Fire, it's
the vehicle that's moving, not the passengers. So the answer is no, you can't use Defensive Fire to
attack the passengers instead of the Vehicle.
Extended Range X - This unit's long range against Vehicles is 5-X hexes.
Q: German Flak 88 w/shield just says Extended Range 20 versus the North Africa 88 which has
Extended Range 20 for vehicles only. Which is it?
A: The Flak 88 w/shield should have the same wording as the other 88s. It should say;
“Extended Range 20 - This unit’s long range against Vehicles is 5–20 hexes.”
Extra Fuel - Friendly Vehicles with a base speed of 3 or higher get +1 speed. (Multiple
abilities of the same name aren’t cumulative.)
Q: If a vehicle has abilities like Strike & Fade, Aggression, High Gear, Vanguard, etc. does my
vehicle get the +1 speed when they use these abilities?
A: If a Vehicle has a printed speed value of 3 or more, then it gets the Extra Fuel bonus every
time it moves, regardless of any other circumstance. If it has a printed speed value of 2 or less,
then it never gets the Extra Fuel bonus, ever, regardless of any other circumstance.
Q: Every time it moves, meaning both movement and assault phase, right?
A: Correct, during both phases.
Q: Does a damaged Pz-IVf2 gain speed+1 from a fuel dump? The speed on the card is 3, but the
damage reduces it to 2.
A: A Vehicle's eligibility to benefit from Extra Fuel is based on its printed speed, regardless of
modifications. Damage doesn't change that.
Extra Hull Mounted Cannon - In your assault phase, this unit can make an extra attack at
8/7/5. The target must be a Vehicle or Soldier in front of this unit.
(See Fixed Gun for Q&A)
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Extra Machine Guns - In your assault phase, this unit can make an extra attack against a
Soldier.
Fanatic - This unit ignores face up Disrupted counters.
Q: Does the Hauptsturmfuhrer keep moving even if defensive fire is successfully fired at him?
A: The Haupsturmfuhrer keeps moving because the face up Disruption counter is removed as
soon as it is placed on him.
Q: Is the Hauptsturmfuhrer effectively immune to defensive fire?
A: He isn’t totally immune to defensive fire. If the defender is a Marine Flamethrower and it
successfully rolls three 6s, the Haupsturmfuhrer is destroyed not disrupted. If you are using lethal
defensive fire, he can be destroyed by achieving two hits.
Q: Since a Hauptsturmfuhrer can ignore face up disrupted counters does his +3 initiative still
apply when disrupted?
A: Yes. Losing his commander abilities is an effect of being disrupted. Because the
Hauptsturmfuhrer ignores disrupted markers, he ignores that effect the same way he ignores the
other effects. So he doesn’t lose his commander ability because any face up disruption marker
placed on him is immediately removed.
Fearless - Friendly soldiers adjacent to this unit get +1/+1 defense against defensive-fire
attacks.
Ferocity - During your assault phase, this unit must attack if able.
(This special ability was removed from the Japanese Type 3 Chi-Nu tank. It’s listed here for
reference purposes.)
Fighting Platform - A non-artillery Soldier carried by this unit can attack during your assault
phase if this unit doesn't move during that phase.
Q: Can a Soldier unit mounted on a Vehicle with the Fighting Platform SA use defensive fire?
A: Yes.
Q: Can they perform a Close Assault while loaded on a Vehicle with Fighting Platform?
A: Yes. Close Assault can be used without dismounting, but only if the transport has the Fighting
Platform SA.
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Q: The French P107 Half Track’s Fighting Platform SA doesn’t mention the restriction for non-
artillery Soldiers. Has this changed?
A: It should have the standard wording for this special ability. Soldier-artillery subtypes can’t
attack while being transported by this unit. We'll include that the next time the Clarifications
document is updated. (From a post dated 1/6/10)
Fire Hazard - When this unit receives a damaged counter, roll a die. On a 5 or higher, destroy
it immediately.
Firepower - After this unit moves or attacks in your assault phase, it may make an extra attack.
The target must be in the same hex as this unit.
Fixed Gun - This unit can attack Vehicles only if they are in front of this unit.
Q: Which tanks in AAM currently have no turret?
A: The Australian Carro Armato M11/39 is the only one with the Fixed Gun special ability while
the British Archer has the only Fixed Rear Gun SA. All the rest either have the Fixed Howitzer
SA or the No Turret SA.
As of set 9, these units have a Fixed Howitzer:
Polish TKS Ursus Tankette, American M12 GMC & M7 105mm Priest, Soviet SU-122, ISU-122
& SU-152 and the German SIG 33, STUG III Ausf. D, Hummel, Sturmpanzer IV “Brummbar”
& Wespe.
These units have No Turret:
The Soviet SU-76M & SU-85, Italian Semovente L40 da 47/32, Semovente 75/18 & Semovente
90/53, the Finnish STUG-III Ausf. G, the Japanese Type 1 Ho-Ni, the German Panzerjager I,
Marder II, Elefant, Nashorn, Marder III Ausf. M, STUG III Ausf. G, SS-Jagdpanther, Jagdpanzer
38(T) Hetzer, Jagdpanzer IV/48, Jagdpanzer IV/70(V), Jagdpanther & Jagdtiger.
Q: What is the difference between No Turret and Fixed Howitzer?
A: Vehicles with the Fixed Howitzer SA can only target Vehicles and Soldiers that are located in
their front firing arc. In comparison, Vehicles with the No Turret SA are restricted to attacking
Vehicles in front of them, but can target Soldiers in any direction using their anti-Soldier value.
19
Q: How can my tank with a fixed turret perform defensive fire?
A: They can only use defensive fire against a target that is “in front of” your tank. In the case of
the British Archer tank, it can only target units that are “behind” it. In either case, they can’t
target an enemy unit within their own hex. This is important to remember because if an enemy
Vehicle attempts to enter the same hex as your fixed turreted tank, you can only perform the
defensive fire while that enemy Vehicle is in the first hex. Once it enters the same hex as your
fixed turreted tank, you can no longer target it.
Q: What about the American M3 Lee, British Grant I and French Char B1-BIS?
A: These tanks are special cases since they have both a turreted gun and an additional Hull-
Mounted Cannon. For defensive fire, an enemy vehicle would need to be in front of these tanks
in order for them to use their Hull-Mounted Cannon SA. Otherwise, they must use the attack
values of their turreted gun.
Q: Is there a difference between the French Extra Hull-Mounted Cannon and the US/UK
version?
A: Yes. The French version has 8/7/5 for its’ cannon compared to the stronger 12/10/8 for the
US/UK version. More importantly, the French cannon can be used verses Soldiers and Vehicles.
The US/UK version can only be used verses Vehicles.
Q: Can a fixed turreted tank fire at soldiers or vehicles in its’ hex during a normal attack in the
assault phase?
A: No. Tanks with fixed turrets can’t fire at enemy units within their own hex. But in the case of
the M3 Lee, it could use its’ turret mounted gun verses a target in its own hex.
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Q: What exactly do you mean by the terms “in front of” and “behind”?
A: Here is a diagram to explain it:
Everything in the green hexes is “in front of” this Vehicle. Everything in the orange hexes is
“behind” it. The blue hexes are neither “in front of” nor “behind’ this vehicle. If the vehicle in
the diagram has the Fixed Howitzer special ability, then it can attack only those targets that are in
the green hexes. If instead it has the No Turret special ability, then it can attack Soldiers in the
green, blue, and orange hexes, but it can only attack Vehicles if they are in the green hexes. If the
Vehicle pictured was a British Archer tank destroyer with its Fixed Rear Gun SA, then it could
only attack those targets that are “behind” it.
Fixed Howitzer - This unit can attack only units in front of it.
(See Fixed Gun for Q&A)
Fixed Rear Gun - This unit can attack Vehicles only if they are behind this unit.
(See Fixed Gun for Q&A)
Flamethrower - This unit's short-range attack ignores cover. If this unit rolls three or more 6's
on a short-range attack against a solder or vehicle, the target is destroyed immediately.
Q: Can a unit with the Flamethrower ability be used to attack Aircraft or Obstacles?
A: No. Aircraft and Obstacles are unaffected by this special ability. (Comes from 11/12/2009
Rules Update)
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Q: Can you use the Flamethrower ability as you make a defensive-fire attack?
A: Yes.
Q: Does the flamethrower’s special ability trump the usual cap on defensive fire (max effect
disruption only)?
A: Yes. This falls under the "Abilities trump rules" heading (page 26). The flamethrower's
special ability over-rides the usual defensive fire restrictions.
Q: If a unit with the Flamethrower special ability rolls three or more 6s on its Flamethrower
attack, does the target unit get removed from play at that exact moment or is a face-down
Destroyed counter placed on it instead?
A: The unit is removed from play immediately.
Q: If an attacking flamethrower unit is Disrupted or Damaged (in the case of a vehicle) the rules
state that unit suffers a -1 to all attack dice. This would mean that the maximum a player could
roll would be a five. Can that unit still use its’ special ability? What if I have +1 to my attack
dice? Would three fives be enough?
A: Three 6s are three 6s, regardless of whether the attacking flamethrower has disruption,
damage or has a +1 modifier. Only those numbers actually showing on the dice are considered.
Modifiers don't matter.
Flammable - Whenever this unit is attacked, roll a die. On a 5 or higher, destroy it
immediately.
Flanking Attack - This unit rolls one extra attack die when attacking a Vehicle's rear.
Forest Camouflage - While this unit is in a forest hex, it automatically succeeds at cover
rolls against long range attacks.
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Fortification - During deployment, Fortifications are placed by each player in turn before all
other units. Fortifications can be placed on the battle map in any hex that isn’t adjacent to the
objective. Fortifications don’t count against stacking limits.
Q: Do players alternate the placement of Fortifications or does one player place all of his first,
then the second player?
A: This comes from the Rules Update on the back of the D-Day check list:
Fortifications are deployed before all other units, since they are fixed and obvious on the
battlefield. Once the first player is determined after the initial coin flip, that player deploys all
his Fortifications. Then the second player deploys all his Fortifications. After all Fortifications
have been deployed, deploy units normally.
Forest Runner - This unit can enter forest hexes as though they were clear hexes.
(This special ability was removed from the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tank. It’s listed here for
reference purposes.)
Fury 2 - This unit rolls two extra attack dice when attacking if one or more of your opponent’s
units was destroyed last turn.
Q: Does Fury 2 also add to a Greek soldier’s Close Assault SA?
A: Yes, Close Assault is considered an attack, so it'll benefit from the +2 dice when Fury kicks
in.
Gliderborne - During deployment, deploy this unit in any unoccupied hex not in your
opponent’s starting area.
Green - This unit must roll a 4+ to remove a Disrupted counter.
Q: Does the Green special ability allow the Untested Recruit to remove a disruption counter only
on the turn it receives it?
A: No, the Untested Recruit can try to lose the disruption counter every turn.
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Guard Crew - After rolling attack dice for this unit, you may reroll a single die result of 1.
Q: What does “a single die result of 1” mean?
A: When you attack a unit, you roll attack dice to see how many successes you score. The Guard
Crew ability allows you to reroll any one attack die that landed as a “natural” 1. You can only
reroll that die once, even if it comes up 1 again. If you are lucky, and roll a 4 or higher on the
rerolled die, you will increase the number of successes scored on that attack by 1. When a special
ability refers to numbers rolled on attack dice, it means the numbers rolled on the dice before any
bonuses or penalties are applied.
Gun Crew Hunter - This unit rolls two extra attack dice when attacking Artillery.
Q: Can the Hunting Sniper’s SA be used against a Vehicle – Artillery unit like the German
Wespe?
A: Yes.
Gun Shield - This unit gets +1/+1 defense against Soldiers at long range.
Gun Transport - This unit has the transport ability. It can carry non-large Artillery.
Q: The French P107 Half Track’s Gun Transport SA doesn’t mention the restriction on carrying
non-large Artillery. Has this changed?
A: It should have the standard wording for this special ability. It can't transport large artillery.
We'll include that the next time the Clarifications document is updated. (From a post dated
1/6/10)
Gung Ho - This unit gets +1 on each attack die when making defensive-fire attacks.
Hand to Hand X - This unit has an attack value of X against Soldiers in its hex. This attack
ignores cover.
Hard Charger - At the end of your movement phase, remove any face-up Disrupted counters
from this unit.
Hardened Veteran - This unit can move while disrupted and rerolls one attack die during its
turn.
Hard to Spot - This unit gets +1 on cover rolls.
24
Headshot - Once per game, instead of attacking a Vehicle, you may roll six attack dice. If you
roll three or more successes, place a face-up Disrupted counter on that Vehicle.
Q: If a sniper fires on a vehicle using headshot, is a naturally rolled three considered a success
against the vehicle because of "Crack Shot"?
A: Yes.
Q: Let’s assume that a sniper fires at a Sherman tank and successfully disrupts it. Then a Tiger
tank fires at the Sherman. Would the Tiger still need to score 3 hits in order to destroy the
Sherman? Or just two hits since the sniper has already hit the Sherman with a Disruption?
A: The Tiger would still need to get three hits. The Headshot itself is not a “hit” and does not
count toward hits for placing face down disruption, damage, or destroyed markers. Headshots
don't combine with hits from any other sources. But by being immediately disrupted, the target's
defenses are lowered by one, thus making it easier for other units to score hits with follow up
attacks. So the Sherman’s defenses would be lowered to 4/3 and the Tiger would only need to get
8 successes instead of 10 in order to score three hits.
Q: If a unit is in cover, can it roll a cover roll if someone chooses to use the headshot ability?
A: Cover does not affect Head Shot (because a successful cover roll limits the attack to
disruption, and that's what Head Shot does, even though the marker is placed face up instead of
face down). The exception is when Head Shot is used as defensive fire. A successful cover roll
entirely cancels a defensive fire attack.
Q: Would a second successful headshot in the same turn verses the same target have any effect?
A: No. There is no stacking of Headshots. If a vehicle already has a face-up disruption marker, it
can't have another, regardless of where it's coming from. A second Headshot against an already
disrupted tank in the hope of extending the length of the disruption would have no effect at all. If
you need a rationale for this, assume that a disrupted tank is completely buttoned up while the
crew sorts out the situation. No head is available to be shot.
Q: If a headshot succeeds and a face up disrupt marker is placed, when does it come off? The
new card states "put a face-up disrupted counter on that vehicle." So does the face-up counter
come off when all the other face-up disrupted counters come off?
A: Yes. It is removed during the next Casualty phase.
25
Heavy Armor - Ignore the first Damaged counter this unit receives each game.
Q: A PAK 40 gets 10 successes on a tank with the Heavy armor SA and defense of 5. Is this tank
damaged, destroyed or just disrupted?
A: The first five successes equals one hit which means a face-down disruption marker is placed
on it. The sixth success equals a second hit and would normally damage the vehicle, but the
Heavy Armor SA causes that hit to be discarded. The tenth success would normally be a third
hit, but now becomes the second hit. A face down damaged marker is placed on the vehicle.
Q: Is it at all possible to destroy a unit with the Heavy Armor SA in one attack?
A: No, because the maximum number of hits you could achieve with one attack is 3. The Heavy
Armor SA would remove the second hit leaving that unit damaged, not destroyed.
Heavy Gun - This unit is treated as a vehicle for stacking purposes.
(This is a discontinued special ability. It was replaced with the Large SA. It’s listed here for
reference purposes.)
Heavy Rifle - While this unit is adjacent to a friendly Soldier with a base speed of 1, it gets a
speed of 1.
Heavy Transport - This unit has the transport ability but can carry 2 soldiers and doesn't
have the restriction against carrying Artillery. (A friendly Soldier can board or dismount this unit
instead of moving during your movement phase.
HE round - Once per game, instead of rolling this unit’s attack against an enemy Soldier at
medium or long range, you can declare you are using these rounds. If you do, roll 15 attack dice
against that Soldier.
Hero - This unit doesn't get placed on the battle map during deployment. At the beginning of
any of your movement phases, you may deploy this unit in any hex that contains a friendly
(nationality) Soldier. This unit ignores face-up Disrupted counters.
Q: If a single Soldier is already mounted on a Heavy Transport unit (capacity 2), could a Hero be
placed directly into the transport unit with it?
A: Yes.
Q: Can a Hero be placed into a hex already at the stacking limit?
A: Heroes can be over-stacked (by 1, as per the stacking rules) when they are placed.
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Q: When you place a hero in the beginning of the movement phase is it allowed to move as well?
A: Yes, the initial placement of the hero doesn't count as movement so he can move as normal.
Q: Can a Hero be stopped by defensive fire? If not, is there even any reason to shoot at them for
defensive fire?
A: No, they can’t be stopped by normal Defensive Fire. But if the Lethal Defensive Fire rule
from the Expanded Rules is used, then there is a reason to use Defensive Fire against them. You
could score enough successes to get two hits. Then they would be removed in the casualty phase.
Q: If a friendly Soldier is mounted on a transport, can a hero deploy into the same hex at the
beginning of the movement phase?
A: Yes.
High Explosive Round - Once per game, roll 15 attack dice against an infantry unit at
medium or long range.
High Gear X - If this unit makes its entire move along a road, it gets +X speed.
Q: If a Vehicle with High Gear moves entirely on the road using its’ High Gear ability and
speed, does it get the road bonus?
A: Yes.
Q: Bicycle Troops get High Gear 2, so is the first movement along the road free? Can they move
4 along the road?
A: No, because bicycle troops are classed as Soldiers. Only Vehicles get the normal road bonus.
Highly Flammable - When this unit receives a Damaged counter, roll a die. On a 3 or higher,
destroy it immediately.
Q: Does this happen when the tank receives a face-down counter or does it wait until hit counters
are flipped during the casualty phase?
A: The roll occurs as soon as the Carro Armato M13/40 receives the face-down damaged
counter.
27
Q: Assuming it goes second in an assault phase, would a Carro Armato still have a chance to
shoot back if it failed its’ Highly Flammable roll? Isn’t damage applied simultaneously to both
sides in the casualty phase?
A: Highly Flammable is an exception to the simultaneous damage rule. The flammability die roll
is made when the damaged marker is received, and if the Carro Armato fails the roll, the tank is
removed immediately.
Q: If a Carro Armato M13/40 receives 6 successful hits in a round, it would receive a face down
disrupted, damaged and destroyed counter. The Carro Armato only has to succeed on one
flammable roll because there is only one damaged counter. If successful it can return fire, if
going second, before being destroyed in the casualty phase.
A: Correct.
Q: If a Carro Armato with a face-up damaged counter receives 6 successful hits in a round it
receives a face down disrupted and destroyed counter. The Carro Armato gets to return fire, if
going second, without having to make a flammable roll. Correct?
A: Correct. It's odd, but according to the letter of the rules, that's the way it works. Basically, no
vehicle can ever receive two damaged markers in a game. Once you're damaged, you can't be
damaged further, only destroyed.
Hull-mounted Flamethrower - This unit’s short-range attack ignores cover. If this unit
rolls three or more 6s on a short-range attack, the target is destroyed immediately. This ability
doesn’t work against enemy units that are behind this unit.
Q: Can this SA attack be used against obstacles or aircraft?
A: No. Aircraft and Obstacles are unaffected by this special ability. (Comes from 11/12/2009
Rules Update)
Improved Accuracy - Friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit have a medium range of 2-6
hexes.
Q: Does this SA negate the Limited Range 2 special ability of units like the PPSh-41 SMG?
A: Limited Range 2 doesn't reduce the unit's medium range to 2 hexes. It states, "This unit can
attack Soldiers only at ranges of 2 or less." So the Eagle-Eyed NCO extends the PPSh-41’s
medium range to 6 hexes, but the PPSh-41 still can't attack anything further than two hexes
away. Other units that are allowed to use their full medium range can take advantage of
Improved Accuracy.
28
Improved Indirect Fire - If a friendly U.S. commander is within 4 hexes or a friendly
spotter is within eight hexes of an enemy soldier and has line of sight to it, this unit's attack
against that Soldier ignores line of sight.
Q: Are Commanders considered to be spotters?
A: Only artillery with the Improved Indirect Fire SA allows a Commander to spot for it. So
unless the SA of artillery specifically states it, the Commander can’t spot for artillery.
Q: Why can Improved Indirect Fire be used verses enemy soldiers, but not vehicles? You would
think that a spotter could point out the location of enemy vehicles just as easily as squads of
enemy soldiers.
A: That's the way the designers wanted it. There's not much I can offer beyond that.
Q: Does indirect fire hit the front or rear defense when attacking a target? What if a spotter is
looking at a target’s rear, but the artillery is in the front arc?
A: Whether you hit the front or rear of a target depends on the facing of the target to the artillery
unit. A spotter doesn’t change this. It only allows the artillery unit to ignore line of sight.
Improvisation - If a Soldier or Vehicle is destroyed in the same hex as this unit, this unit can
use the attack values of the destroyed unit as long as it remains in the destroyed unit's hex.
Q: Ok, does this work? One of my units attacks and gets enough successes to place a face down
destroyed marker on an enemy unit. In the same assault phase, I then move a Resourceful Hero
into the same hex of the soon to be destroyed enemy unit. Since the Resourceful Hero is
technically in the same hex as the destroyed unit during the casualty phase, does it get to use its’
Improvisation special ability?
A: Yes.
Inaccurate 1 - This unit gets -1 on each attack die.
Indirect Fire - If friendly Spotter is within eight hexes of an enemy Soldier and has line of
sight to it, this unit’s attack against that Soldier ignores line of sight.
Q: Does Indirect Fire hit the front or rear defense when attacking a target? What if a spotter is
looking at a target’s rear, but the unit with Indirect Fire is in the front arc?
A: Whether you hit the front or rear of a target depends on the facing of the target to the unit
with the Indirect Fire SA. A spotter doesn’t change this. It only allows that unit to ignore line of
sight.
29
Initiative +X (Commander Ability) - Add X to your initiative rolls.
Intimidation (Commander Ability) - Enemy Soldiers adjacent to this unit get a -1 on each
attack die.
Jet - This unit can't attack Soldiers in forest, town, or marsh hex. Each 6 this unit rolls against
Aircraft counts as two successes.
Lack of Determination - If this unit gets a face-up Disrupted counter, destroy it
immediately.
Q: So is a unit with this special ability immediately destroyed if it’s successfully hit by a
defensive-fire attack?
A: Yes.
Q: If a unit with this SA gets a face down disruption marker when is it destroyed?
A: When it is turned face up in the casualty phase of the turn.
Large - This unit is treated as Vehicle for stacking purposes.
Q: How can I load up a German 88 Flak Gun with the Large SA if only one vehicle per hex is
allowed?
A: The current stacking rules allow you to temporarily over stack the hex. Using a transport with
the Large Transport SA, you can drive in and then load up the 88 Flak Gun. Once the gun is
loaded, it no longer counts towards the stacking limit within the hex.
Large Gun - This unit is treated as Vehicle for stacking purposes.
Note: Text found on the Soviet 85mm AA Gun and the Japanese Type 88 75mm AA Gun from
the Counter Offensive / number 10 booster set.
Large Transport - This unit has the transport ability but can carry two Soldiers, one of which
can be Artillery. (A friendly Soldier can board or dismount this unit instead of moving during
your movement phase.)
Large Silhouette - This unit gets -1 on cover rolls.
Lead the Way - Once per turn, this unit can reroll a single attack die or movement roll.
30
Light Artillery - This unit can be carried by units with the transport ability.
Q: Can a US Jeep with the Transport SA tow a Quad 50?
A: Yes, because the Quad 50 has the Light Artillery SA which allows any Vehicle with the
Transport SA to carry it.
Light Towing - This unit can transport units that have the light artillery ability.
Q: Can transports with the Light Towing SA carry anything else besides units with the Light
Artillery SA?
A: No. They can only carry Soldier units with the Light Artillery SA.
Limited Ammo - This unit can’t make defensive fire attacks.
Limited Covering Fire - Soldiers attacked by this unit at short range can’t make defensive
fire attacks this turn.
Limited Range X - This unit can attack only at ranges of X or less.
Low Silhouette - This unit gets cover rolls in clear hexes and succeeds on a roll of 6.
Mechanized Tactics - At the end of your movement phase, this unit can dismount from a
unit that has the Transport ability.
Q: Can a Panzer Grenadier load onto a vehicle with transport ability, move within that vehicle to
a hex already containing an Oberleutnant, unload using its’ Mechanized Tactics SA and then be
included in an Angriff attack against an adjacent enemy unit in that turn’s assault phase?
A: Yes. A Panzer Grenadier can board a transport in the Movement phase and then ride to a hex
that's either adjacent to an Oberleutnant or that an Oberleutnant subsequently moves adjacent to.
At the end of the Movement phase, the Panzer Grenadier dismounts for free. In the Assault
phase, the Oberleutnant can use Angriff to let the Panzer Grenadier enter an enemy hex and
attack. The Oberleutnant doesn't even need to be adjacent to the Panzer Grenadier at the
beginning of the Assault phase. It could move adjacent in the Assault phase. As long as it's
adjacent when the Panzer Grenadier takes its turn, Angriff can apply. But remember, no unit can
dismount during the Assault phase under any circumstances.
31
Minefield - Whenever a unit ends it move or leaves a hex containing this Obstacle, the unit’s
controller rolls a die. On a 3 or less, put a face-up Disrupted counter on that unit.
Q: I can’t find the rules covering obstacles or fortifications like Minefields. Where are they?
What do they say?
A: The original Obstacle rules were printed on the back of the D-Day check list. (See Barbed
Wire for the full text.)
Q: How are Minefields deployed? The original rules for Obstacle-Trap says I don’t place them
out during initial deployment
A: This has been changed as of the 11/12/2009 Rules Update document. Minefields are now
deployed just like Fortifications.
Q: The Fortification special ability says the obstacles are place “in turn”. What does that mean?
A: Once the first player is determined after the initial coin flip, that player deploys all his
Fortifications. Then the second player deploys all his Fortifications. After all Fortifications have
been deployed, deploy units normally.
Q: When an Engineer enters a hex with a Minefield obstacle, which ability occurs first, the
Minefield ability or the Engineer ability?
A: Because the Demolitions attempt happens at the end of the phase, the mines get to attack first.
Special abilities can be used while disrupted, however, so the Demolitions attempt can still be
made even if the engineer is disrupted.
Q: If an engineer or pioneer unit destroys a minefield is it removed from the board immediately?
A: Yes. The obstacle would be removed immediately making the hex passable immediately.
Q: Does an engineer or pioneer get two shots to destroy the minefield, one at the end of
movement phase and one at the end of assault phase?
A: No. Only during the assault phase.
32
Q: The Minefield SA says "whenever a unit ends it move or leaves a hex…" Can you confirm
that "units" doesn’t include aircraft?
A: Aircraft are units. But they don’t “enter'” or “leave” a hex. They are placed in a hex, so they
don't meet the conditions of the Minefield special ability.
Q: When you roll for a unit attempting to leave a minefield and the result is face-up disruption,
does it get the counter in the minefield hex or does it still manage to leave the minefield and it is
then disrupted in the adjacent hex?
A: It stays in the Minefield.
Q: This still isn’t clear to me. If my unit stays in a hex containing a minefield, do I need to roll
for it on future movement and assault phases even if I didn’t move?
A: Yes. The 11/12/09 clarification document says; “Whenever a unit enters a hex containing this
Obstacle, or ends its movement phase or assault phase in a hex containing this Obstacle, the
unit's controller rolls a die. On a 3 or less, put a face-up Disrupted counter on that unit.”
Multi-turreted - This unit can attack twice during your assault phase. One target must be a
unit in front of this unit. The other target must be a unit not in front of this unit.
Mobility - This unit gets +1/+1 defense against defensive fire attacks.
Mountaineering - This unit gets +1 on movement rolls.
No Turret - This unit can attack Vehicles only if they are in front of this unit.
(See Fixed Gun for Q&A)
Open Back - Enemy units can use their anti-Soldier attack values when attacking this unit
from behind.
Note: The 11/12/2009 Rules Update changed the text of this SA and specifies that the rear
defense of a unit must be targeted. The US M7 105mm Priest and Soviet Veteran SU-76M from
the Counter Offensive / number 10 booster set have the updated text for this special ability. It
reads as; Enemy units can use their anti-Soldier attack values when attacking the rear defense of
this unit. Any previous units with this SA now use this version of the text.
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Open Crew - If this unit is within two hexes of an enemy Soldier, this unit gets -1 on each
attack die.
Organization - Once per turn, after both players roll initiative dice during the initiative phase,
you may reroll both of your initiative dice.
Overheat - If unit rolls three or more 1's on a single attack, place a face-up Disrupted counter
on it. This counter isn’t removed at the beginning of the next casualty phase.
Overlapping Fire - This unit can make defensive-fire attacks against soldiers.
Overrun - Once per phase, when this unit moves into a hex, you may disrupt one Soldier in
that hex.
Q: Can a Tiger I move three spaces and disrupt three different infantry in three different hexes?
Can it do a "drive-by" disruption without stopping?
A: The Tiger I doesn't need to stop in a hex after disrupting a Soldier there, but the text specifies
"once per phase." Only one Soldier can be disrupted, no matter how many hexes the Tiger tank
enters.
Q: If a Tiger I uses the Overrun ability on a Soldier, does the disruption happen immediately or
does a face-down Disrupted counter get placed instead?
A: The disruption happens immediately. Put a face-up Disrupted counter on the Soldier.
Q: A Tiger's Overrun ability disrupts one infantry in a square it is entering. Does this take place
before or after the infantry gets its defensive fire? Does the defensive fire occur first, then the
Overrun ability?
A: Here's the sequence.
1. A Tiger tank announces that it intends to move from a neighboring hex into a hex containing a
Bazooka unit.
2. The Bazooka can use defensive fire immediately, before the Tiger leaves the neighboring hex.
If it scores 7 successes (6 if the Tiger is damaged), then the Tiger
is disrupted immediately and it stops in the neighboring hex. No overrun occurs.
3. If the Bazooka fails to score enough successes, then the Tiger enters the Bazooka's hex and the
Bazooka is overrun and disrupted immediately.
4. If the Bazooka declined to use defensive fire against the Tiger in the neighboring hex, then the
Tiger enters the Bazooka's hex, and the Bazooka is overrun and disrupted immediately so that it
gets no defensive fire.
So as long as the defending unit uses its defensive fire before a Tiger enters its hex, the defensive
fire would happen before the overrun occurs.
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Paratrooper - This unit doesn’t get placed on the map during deployment. At the end of any
movement phases, you may deploy this unit on the map in any hex that isn’t adjacent to an
enemy unit. It can’t move that phase.
Q: Isn’t the Veteran Fallschirmjäger from the number 7 /1940-43 booster set a Paratrooper?
A: Yes, it should have the Paratrooper subtype. This was corrected in the 11/12/09 clarification
document. This SA was added to the number 10/ Counter Offensive booster set version of this
unit by the same name. (36/50)
Q: Does the “Screaming Eagle” Captain’s initiative bonus apply before he is deployed on the
map?
A: Yes.
Q: Can I over-stack a Paratrooper into a hex that already contains three of my units?
A: Yes. Paratroopers can be over-stacked (by 1, as per the stacking rules) when they are placed.
But if you do place a paratrooper into an over-stacked condition, there's no chance to get that hex
back into compliance before the over-stack penalty takes effect.
Q: If the Screaming Eagle Captain never uses the paratrooper ability and hence is still "off map"
at the end of turn 10, does it count as alive or dead for victory conditions at that point?
A: Dead. If you want your paratroopers to count as "on the map" for a points-based victory, the
pieces need to be physically on the map when the game ends. Under normal conditions, this
shouldn't be any difficulty. If for some reason you haven't deployed a paratrooper until turn 10,
you can just place it in a quiet corner of the map during your turn 10 Movement phase to claim
its VP value. In a timed tournament game, however, this will put a little more pressure on players
to get their paratroopers into the mix in a timely fashion.
Paratrooper Commander - Friendly Paratroopers adjacent to this unit roll one extra die
when attacking.
Partisan - During deployment, deploy this unit in any unoccupied hex on the edge of the battle
map.
Q: If I put partisans down during the initial deployment phase before my opponent, can he put
his troops in the same hex without triggering defensive fire?
A: Defensive Fire is triggered by movement, and troop placement is not movement, so there's no
defensive fire.
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Pillbox - This obstacle can hold one Soldier. A Soldier in this Obstacle has cover and gets +1
on cover rolls.
Q: Can a Soldier – Artillery unit like the German 88 Flak Gun with the Large SA be placed
inside a Pillbox?
A: Yes.
Q: Can units like Ammo Dumps, Fuel Depots and Headquarters be put inside a Pillbox during
deployment?
A: Yes.
Q: I can’t find the rules covering obstacles or fortifications like Pillbox. Where are they? What
do they say?
A: The original Obstacle rules were printed on the back of the D-Day check list. You can find
the reprinted rules under the Barbed Wire SA.
Pinpointer (Command Ability) - Units attacked by friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit get -1
on cover rolls.
Q: Does the Pinpointer special ability have any range restrictions? Suppose I have a Red Devil
Captain next to an 81mm Mortar. The Mortar attacks an enemy unit 16 hexes away. Does the
Red Devil Captain need to see the target?
A: The only range limit on the Pinpointer SA is that he must be adjacent to the attacker. The
target can be anywhere. The Red Devil Captain doesn’t need to see the target, but the attacker
does either by LOS or another unit spotting for it (in the case of indirect fire).
Q: If I use this ability and my friendly adjacent Soldier is in the same hex as an enemy unit that it
is attacking, does the Pinpointer SA’s -1 penalty stack with the -1 penalty incurred by being in
the same hex as an attacker?
A: Yes. In this case, the enemy unit would get -2 on cover rolls for that attack.
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Plentiful Ammo - After each friendly Soldier or Vehicle attacks, you may re-roll any 1's from
its attack dice roll. (You may only re-roll an attack die once with this ability)
Q: So what happens with the Brixia's Overheat special ability when you have an ammo dump?
Does the Brixia get a chance to reroll the 1s and avoid overheating?
A: Yes, because the Plentiful Ammo SA is different from the Overheat SA, so you would be
allowed to reroll the 1s.
Q: If an IS-2 with the Veteran Guard SA also has an Ammo Dump with the Plentiful Ammo SA
on its side, does it get to reroll 1s a second time?
A: Yes, the two special abilities can overlap because they are different SAs. You can apply them
in either order.
Poor Suspension - This vehicle can't enter hill hexes except along a road.
Prone to Breakdown - This unit can't move while damaged.
Q: My opponent is the “first player.” During his assault phase, he scores two hits against my
Crusader, which gets a face-down Disrupted counter and a face-down Damaged counter. Can I
then move my Crusader during my assault phase?
A: Yes. Although your Crusader has a face-down Damaged counter, it only becomes “damaged”
during the casualty phase when face-down hit counters are flipped over.
Quick Swivel - When making a defensive-fire attack, this unit rolls one extra attack die.
Rapid Fire - In your assault phase, this unit can make an additional attack. If this unit rolls any
1's during the additional attack, put a face-up Disrupted counter on it. This counter isn’t removed
at beginning of next casualty phase.
Q: If I roll a 1, does this mean the unit's second attack is immediately halted and it is disrupted
until the following turn? Or does it just mean that the second attack happens but then doesn't
remove the disruption until the following turn’s casualty phase?
A: The rapid fire attack is resolved normally. The unit becomes disrupted after the attack.
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Recon - While this unit has line of sight to an enemy unit, add +1 to your initiative rolls.
Q: Suppose I have a +2 Commander and a Recon unit with LOS to an enemy unit adding +1 for
a total of +3 to my initiative roll. My opponent has a +3 commander. We both roll snake eyes.
With our +3 we both have a result of 5. Is this called a tie and rerolled?
A: Yes.
Relocate X - This unit has speed X during your assault phase.
Q: Can a unit with Relocate X move after it fires, or can it only do so if it has not fired?
A: The Relocate X special ability allows a unit to either move or fire in the Assault phase, but
not both.
Remote Control - Instead of attacking during your assault phase, choose an enemy Soldier or
Vehicle and then roll 2 dice. If both die rolls are greater than the range to the target, roll 12
attack dice against that target if it’s a Vehicle or 8 attack dice if it’s a Soldier.
Q: When the Goliath uses its’ Remote Control SA does it need LOS to the target?
A: Yes
Q: Is it true that the Goliath would have to be in a vehicle that has the Fighting Platform SA to be
able to use its own SA while mounted?
A: Yes.
Q: Is the Goliath's Remote Control attack considered a close assault against vehicles or is it a
normal attack that originates in the Goliath's hex for purposes of facing?
A: Normal attack
Q: Does the target of a Goliath’s Remote Control attack receive a normal cover roll, no cover roll
or a -1 cover roll?
A: A normal cover roll with no modification.
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Q: Is it true that the Goliath's Remote Control SA can’t be used for defensive fire in any phase or
situation?
A: The Goliath can attack using its normal attack dice in any situation where an attack would be
allowed, including defensive fire. The Remote Control SA can be used only during your own
assault phase, which means it can't be used in defensive fire.
Restricted Range X - This unit can attack only units at ranges of X or less.
Robust - This unit gets +1 on movement rolls. While disrupted, this unit has speed 1.
Rockets 8 - Once per game, instead of rolling this unit's attack against an enemy Soldier or
Vehicle within four hexes, you can declare you are using rockets. If you do, roll eight attack dice
against that unit.
Rocket Salvo - Once per game, instead of rolling this unit's attack against an enemy Soldier or
Vehicle, you can declare you are using a rocket salvo. If you do, roll ten attack dice against each
Soldier adjacent to the target and five attack dice against each Vehicle adjacent to the target.
(This includes the target unit and friendly units.)
Q: An enemy unit gets within one space of my Soviet Katyusha. Normally the Katusha has no
attack ability at short range (range 1). But what happens if I declare a Rocket Salvo and target a
hex just beyond the enemy unit at range 2? Can I hit the target at range one with the splash effect
of the Rocket Salvo? Do I have to have a target at range 2? Can I target an empty hex behind the
unit I want to hit?
A: If the Katyusha has a target at range 2, the splash effect of the Rocket Salvo could hit a target
at range 1. But the target at close range can't be the primary target. And yes, you must have a
target. An empty hex can't be the primary target.
Q: Can I target a friendly unit so I can get the splash effect on adjacent enemy units?
A: No, friendly units can’t be targeted. Only enemy units can be targeted.
Ruthless - This unit gets +1 on each attack die against disrupted and damaged units.
Q: Does a unit with Ruthless get the +1 bonus against units with face-down Disrupted or
Damaged counters?
A: No. Units only become “disrupted” and “damaged” when face-down hit counters are flipped
over during the casualty phase.
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Q: Does the wording of this special ability mean the target unit must be both disrupted and
damaged or just has to be suffering from either disruption or damage?
A: You get the +1 bonus against units that are either disrupted, damaged or suffering from both
conditions at the same time.
Q: Using an Oberleutnant, can I Angriff an SS Panzergrenadier into an enemy units’ hex and
gain a +2 on each attack dice if the enemy unit is either disrupted or damaged?
A: Yes. Assuming the enemy unit is either disrupted or damaged. You would get +1 from the
Oberleutnant’s Angriff special ability and +1 for the SS Panzergrenadier’s Ruthless special
ability. You would only need to roll a 2 or higher to score a success.
Seasoned Crew - Units attacked by this unit get -1 on cover rolls against this unit’s attacks.
Shock Troops – For this unit’s first attack of the game, it gets +1 on each attack die.
Shrapnel 2 - Each success this unit rolls against a soldier counts as two successes.
Side-skirts - This unit gets +1/+1 defense against units that have the close assault ability.
Q: Does the attacking unit with the Close Assault SA have to be using that special ability for a
Vehicle with the Side-skirts SA to get its’ defensive bonus?
A: No. The Side-skirts SA bonus applies against attackers that have the Close Assault SA
whether or not they're attacking with Close Assault.
Sirens - This unit gets 1 extra success when attacking Soldiers. This extra success only counts
towards disruptions.
Q: Suppose I attack a Soldier unit with a 4/4 defense. The Stuka with the Sirens SA gets 3
successes plus an extra one for the Sirens. This would be a disruption, correct? But if I rolled
four successes, the extra Siren bonus doesn’t apply, yes?
A: That is correct. The bonus success can be applied towards achieving a disruption result, but
not a destroyed result.
Q: If another unit now attacked the same target and scored enough successes to equal one hit,
that unit would be destroyed, right?
A: Yes, the Stuka achieved enough successes to get a face down disruption which is one hit.
Then the second unit attacks and scores enough successes to get a second hit. Face down hits
stack, so that target will be destroyed once the counters are flipped up in the casualty phase.
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Slow - Enemy Aircraft get +1 on each attack die when attacking this unit.
Smoke Screen - Once per game at the end of your movement phase, you may put a smoke
screen in this unit's hex. A smoke screen blocks line of sight into, out of and through its hex.
Remove the smoke screen at the end of the turn.
Q: Can two units in the same hex as a smoke screen attack each other (at range 0)?
A: A Smoke Screen does not prevent attacks at range 0.
Q: Can a Soldier in a smoke filled hex as a vehicle use his Close Assault SA against that
Vehicle?
A: Yes. Close assault doesn't depend on line of sight "into, out of, or through" the hex.
Q: Can an aircraft see into/out of/through a smoke screen?
A: Although Line of Sight to and from aircraft is never affected by terrain, smoke is not terrain,
it's a special ability. So yes, smoke affects aircraft the same as everything else.
Q: If an Aircraft is placed in a hex with smoke, what units can attack it?
A: Only units in the same hex as the smoke.
Q: Can a Nashorn with its Superior Optics shoot over a Smoke Screen?
A: No. The Nashorn’s Superior Optics special ability says that, “it can ignore one terrain in any
one hex when determining line of sight.” The text of the Smoke Screen special ability does not
indicate or even imply that it's a terrain effect. Smoke Screens also act differently from normal
blocking terrain in that it obstructs LOS not merely through the hex, but also into and out of the
hex.
Q: Does a unit leaving a hex that contains a smoke screen still provoke defensive fire (moving to
another adjacent hex) if an enemy unit was adjacent to the hex with the smoke screen?
A: Defensive fire can be triggered by a move into or out of a smoke-screened hex.
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Q: I assume the enemy unit can only target the unit leaving the smoke screen hex in the hex
adjacent to the enemy unit that doesn't contain the smoke screen?
A: If the attacker is not in the smoke, then the attack must occur in the hex that isn't smoke-
screened. If the attacker is in the smoke, then the attack must happen in the smoke-screened hex.
Speed Boost - Once per game, before you roll this units attack against an Aircraft, you can
declare you are using a speed boost. If you do, the results of that attack are resolved
immediately.
Spotter - If this unit is within eight hexes of an enemy unit and has line of sight to it, friendly
Aircraft roll one extra attack die when attacking that unit.
Q: What units are considered to be Spotters?
A: Any unit with the Spotter special ability. There are also some units that have the subtype
Spotter like the US Ranger (Soldier-Spotter). A unit with the Improved Indirect Fire SA can use
any spotter including the US Ranger even though it doesn’t have the Spotter SA.
Q: Can a US Ranger give Aircraft the Spotter bonus?
A: No. Rangers are Soldier-Spotters but don't have the Spotter special ability that gives Aircraft
the attack bonus.
Q: Can the US Ranger spot for indirect fire units both before and after it moves in the assault
phase or only if it doesn’t move during the assault phase?
A: Because the US Ranger doesn’t have the Chatting on the Radio SA, it can move and then spot
or spot and then move.
Q: Are Commanders considered to be spotters?
A: Only artillery with the Improved Indirect Fire special ability allows a Commander to spot for
it. So unless the SA of artillery specifically states it, the Commander can’t spot for artillery.
Q: Can a Spotter provide the aircraft bonus to Aircraft attacking other Aircraft?
A: According to the 11/12/09 Rules Update; this special ability provides a bonus only for attacks
against Vehicles and Soldiers.
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Q: What if a spotter is looking at a target’s rear, but the artillery is in the front arc? Does the
indirect artillery hit the front or rear defense?
A: Whether you hit the front or rear of a target depends on the facing of the target to the artillery
unit. A spotter doesn’t change this. It only allows the artillery unit to ignore line of sight.
Q: If I use Rockets or Bombs on an enemy unit and I have a unit with the Spotter SA that is
within eight hexes and has line of sight to the target do I get to roll an extra attack die for the
Rockets or Bombs attack?
A: Yes.
Q: Can a Spotter be used to spot for Aircraft and Indirect Artillery in the same phase?
A: Yes.
SS Determination - This unit can move while disrupted.
Q: I presume that a disrupted unit with SS Determination (i.e. Panther) can still move, but suffers
all the other penalties (-1 to each attack dice, -1 to defense, no defensive fire). Is this correct?
A: That is correct.
Q: During my movement phase, my Panther provokes defensive fire from one of my opponent’s
units. My opponent rolls enough successes to disrupt the Panther. Can the Panther finish up the
rest of its movement even though it’s disrupted?
A: Yes. The SS Determination ability lets the Panther keep moving, even though it was disrupted
by defensive fire.
SS Hunter - This unit rolls two extra attack dice when attacking an SS unit.
Stalwart - Friendly Soldiers adjacent get +1 on each attack die when making defensive-fire
attacks.
Stars and Stripes - This unit rolls one extra attack die while adjacent to a friendly
commander.
Q: Does Stars & Stripes still apply when the adjacent commander is disrupted?
A: Stars & Stripes is a special ability of the soldier, not commander ability, and it doesn't state
anything about the commander needing to be undisrupted. So yes, if there is an Allied
commander adjacent, disrupted or otherwise, the M1 Garands get the Stars & Stripes bonus.
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Steady Firing - This unit rolls two extra attack dice when attacking a Soldier.
Steely Resolve 2 - An attack must beat this unit’s defense by 2 or more in order to score two
hits against it.
Strafe - This unit can attack another enemy soldier unit that is adjacent to the original target
hex.
Q: When an Aircraft with this SA makes a second / strafing attack, does this second target need
to be in the same line of fire as the original target?
A: No. The second target can be in either the same hex or any of the six hexes surrounding the
original target.
Strike and Fade X - In your assault phase, this unit can move at speed X after attacking.
Q: How do Strike and Fade plus High Gear interact with each other?
A: You can use High Gear with Strike & Fade. For example; a Humber could move 5 hexes
along a road after it shoots using a combination of Strike and Fade 2, Road Bonus and High Gear
2.
Q: M3 Lee has, potentially, 2 attacks. Can you use strike and fade after each attack?
A: No. It does both of its attacks, then it can move a hex.
Q: Do damage tokens influence the speed of a unit using the Strike & Fade ability?
A: Damage does reduce Strike & Fade speed by 1. Note that the road bonus applies during Strike
& Fade movement (as does High Gear).
Q: Can a damaged unit (but not disrupted) with Strike and Fade 1 still move at speed 1 after
firing?
A: If the unit only has Strike & Fade 1, and it gets damaged, its Strike & Fade speed drops to 0
and it can't move at all after attacking, even on a road.
Subtle – This unit gets +1 on cover rolls against long range attacks.
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Superior Armor X - An attack must beat this unit's defense by X or more in order to score
two hits against it.
Q: A Tiger tank’s frontal defense is 7 and it has Superior Armor 2. Does this special ability
simply add to a unit’s defense? Would the Tiger’s defense now be 9?
A: No. Superior Armor 2 doesn't change the vehicle's defense value at all. What it does is make
it harder for a single attack to score two hits against the vehicle. A single attack must score
enough successes to beat the target vehicle's defense rating by 2, not just by 1, in order to score
two hits.
To clarify your example, a Tiger I has frontal defense 7 and Superior Armor 2. That means 7
successes against the tank's frontal armor would cause 1 hit while 9 successes against the tank's
front would cause 2 hits. Without Superior Armor 2, 8 successes would cause 2 hits. Note that
Superior Armor 2 has no effect at all against three attacks (14 successes against the tank's front
will still cause 3 hits.) The tank is still disrupted by one hit, damaged by two hits, and destroyed
by three hits. Superior Armor 2 just makes it harder to get two hits from a single roll of the dice,
and that's all it does.
Superior Camouflage - While this unit has cover, enemy units can’t attack this unit at
medium or long range.
Q: Does “has cover” mean that the unit must succeed at a cover roll to get the Superior
Camouflage ability?
A: No. A unit “has cover” just by being in hex filled with defensive terrain. This means that a
Sniper with Superior Camouflage can’t be attacked directly at medium or long range while it’s in
a forest, hill, marsh, town or other hex that gives it cover.
Q: A rifleman is sharing the same hex with a Fanatical/Expert/Imperial Sniper. A Brummbar
tank is four hexes away and decides to target the rifleman. Does the sniper take damage from the
Blast targeted at the rifleman located in the same hex?
A: Yes. The Blast gets the sniper too.
Superior Frontal Armor 2 - An attack against this unit’s front defense must beat it by 2 or
more in order to score two hits against it.
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Superior Optics - While this unit is in a hill hex, it can ignore the terrain in any one hex when
determining line of sight.
Q: Can you explain this a little more?
A: To determine line of sight for a Nashorn attacking from a hill hex, draw a line from the center
of the Nashorn’s hex to the center of the target’s hex. Ignoring the terrain in the Nashorn’s hex,
the target’s hex, and one other hex of your choice, if you can draw the line without crossing any
part of a hex containing towns, hills, or forests, then the Nashorn has line of sight to the target.
Q: Can a Nashorn use its Superior Optics ability to “ignore” a smoke screen?
A: No. Superior Optics allows the Nashorn to ignore one hex of terrain when determining line of
sight. A smoke screen isn’t terrain and doesn’t modify terrain in any way.
Suppressive Fire - This unit can make any number of defensive-fire attacks each phase.
Q: Can you please explain how the Suppressive Fire special ability works?
A: Units with Suppressive Fire can Defensive Fire once each time an enemy unit moves from an
adjacent hex to another adjacent hex. This means it can attack the same enemy unit twice or
more if that enemy moved from an adjacent hex to another adjacent hex twice or more.
Q: So does this mean any units with this capability can defensive fire against the same enemy
unit or an unlimited number of units, as many times, as the defensive fire condition presents
itself?
A: The standard rule is that a unit can make one defensive fire attack per phase, period. A unit
with Suppressive Fire can make as many defensive fire attacks as it wants. It doesn't matter
whether it attacks five different units or the same unit five times. It can attack only once per
enemy move, but it can react to every enemy move around it.
Surprise Fire - This unit rolls one extra attack die when attacking from a forest hex.
Tall Silhouette - This unit fails cover rolls.
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Tally Ho! (Commander Ability) - In your movement phase, friendly non-Artillery Soldiers that
start their move adjacent to this unit gets +1 speed.
Q: Could an Inspiring Lt. use his Tally Ho special ability to first move a soldier, then move itself
with Tally Ho and then Tally Ho any soldiers adjacent to it after it has moved?
A: Yes. Unless the card states otherwise, a Commander’s ability is always "on," both before and
after the leader's move. He could also be the passenger in a Vehicle with the Transport SA and
use his Tally Ho to inspire his fellow Soldiers forward.
Tank Obstacle - A vehicle must make a successful movement roll to enter the hex that
contains this Obstacle.
Q: I can’t find the rules covering obstacles or for fortifications like Tank Obstacles. Where are
they? What do they say?
A: The original Obstacle rules were printed on the back of the D-Day check list. You can find
the reprinted rules under the Barbed Wire SA.
Tank Hunter - This units gets +1 on each attack die against vehicles.
Tenacity - Friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit roll one extra attack die when attacking
targets in their hex.
Terrain Expert - Friendly soldiers adjacent to this unit get +1/+1 defense against long-range
attacks.
Thin Wheels - This unit can’t cross streams or enter marshes except along road.
Tides of War - Friendly Soldiers adjacent to this unit roll one extra attack die when attacking
if an enemy unit was destroyed last turn.
Top Mounted Rockets - This unit can’t attack aircraft. This unit’s attacks ignore cover.
Once per game, instead of rolling this unit’s attack against an enemy Soldier or Vehicle, you can
declare you are using top-mounted rockets. If you do, roll 8 attack dice against each Soldier
adjacent to the target and 4 attack dice against each Vehicle adjacent to the target. (This includes
the target unit and friendly units.)
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Transport - This unit can carry one soldier. (A friendly soldier can board or dismount this unit
instead of moving during your movement phase.)
Q: Can you explain how boarding and dismounting works?
A: A Soldier in the same hex as this Vehicle can use its move in the movement phase to "board"
it, and a Soldier that starts its movement phase boarded can use its move in the movement phase
to "dismount" it. For example, on one turn, a transport Vehicle could move into a Soldier's hex
and the Soldier could board it. Then, on the next turn, the Vehicle could move, and then the
Soldier could dismount. (Comes from the 11/12/2009 Rules Update)
Q: Can units with the Transport ability carry Soldiers with the subtype Artillery, Motorcycle or
Cavalry?
A: No.
Q: Can a Soldier with speed 0 board and dismount a unit with the Transport ability?
A: Yes.
Q: While boarded on a vehicle with the Transport special ability can a soldier attack?
A: No. While boarded a soldier can’t attack. Only vehicles with the Fighting Platform special
ability allow this.
Q: Can Soldiers board and/or dismount units with the Transport ability during the assault phase?
A: No. Soldiers can only board or dismount during the movement phase.
Q: Can a Soldier be attacked while being transported?
A: No. A Soldier carried by a unit with the Transport ability can’t be attacked. However, if the
Transport Vehicle is attacked and destroyed, the carried Soldier is destroyed too. Another
exception would be if the Vehicle is attacked with the Blast SA.
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Q: Assume a tank with the Blast special ability is firing at a vehicle with a Soldier riding along
as a passenger. The Blast effect requires attacks against all units in the hex, even friendly units.
Is a separate attack made against the passenger, in addition to the vehicle?
A: Yes. Blast affects every unit in the hex, including passengers aboard a Transport. The Soldier
would be the target of a separate attack roll. According to the 11/12/2009 Rules Update: Any
abilities that affect "each" unit in a hex, will affect boarded units.
Q: If a Vehicle with the Transport SA is disrupted, are passengers disrupted as well?
A: No. While a unit is boarded, it can't be attacked. But any abilities that affect "each" unit in a
hex, will affect boarded units such as the Blast SA.
Q: Can a Panzer Grenadier use its’ ability to load onto a vehicle, move within that vehicle to a
hex already containing an Oberleutnant, unload and then be included in an Angriff attack against
an adjacent enemy unit in that turn’s assault phase?
A: Yes. A Panzer Grenadier can board a transport in the Movement phase and ride to a hex that's
either adjacent to an Oberleutnant or that an Oberleutnant subsequently moves adjacent to. At the
end of the Movement phase, the Panzer Grenadier dismounts for free. In the Assault phase, the
Oberleutnant can use Angriff to let the Panzer Grenadier enter an enemy hex and attack. The
Oberleutnant doesn't even need to be adjacent to the Panzer Grenadier at the beginning of the
Assault phase. It could move adjacent in the Assault phase. As long as it's adjacent when the
Panzer Grenadier takes its turn, Angriff can apply. But remember, no unit can dismount during
the Assault phase under any circumstances.
Q: Do Commander Abilities function while a Commander is loaded in a Transport? Is a loaded
unit adjacent to anything? Does the initiative bonus still count?
A: Yes. Transported units can’t fire, but Command effects are still there (Commanders
apparently can still yell from the half-track)
Q: Do dismounting soldiers provoke Defensive Fire attacks?
A: No. Defensive Fire only occurs if a unit moves from one hex to another hex.
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Q: Does a Mosin-Nagant Rifleman need to be adjacent to a friendly commander in order to board
and/or dismount a vehicle?
A: Boarding and dismounting from transports happens only during the Movement phase, and the
Mosin-Nagant rifleman needs an adjacent commander to move at all during the Movement
phase. So it needs an adjacent commander to board a vehicle with Transport. During a later
Movement Phase, the Mosin-Nagant riflemen can always dismount, even without an adjacent
commander to order them off.
Q: Can a Soldier start a game already boarded on a unit with Transport?
A: Yes.
Q: Does a Soldier boarded on a unit with Transport count against stacking limits in a hex?
A: No.
Trench Crossing - This unit can cross streams without making a movement roll.
Turret Lock – This unit can’t attack while in a hill hex.
Undermanned - This unit can’t attack while disrupted.
Unreliable - Face-up Disrupted counters aren’t removed from this unit at the beginning of the
casualty phase.
Q: When can you remove Disruption from a unit with the Unreliable special ability?
A: Once it's disrupted, it never recovers. Consider it immobilized.
Q: Is there another special ability that would remove the disruption?
A: None right now. Maybe one like that will appear in a future set.
Urban Combat - While this unit is in a town hex, it gets +1 on cover rolls.
(This special ability was removed from the French MAS 7.5mm Rifle, but the Communist
Partisan still has it.)
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Vanguard - After both armies are deployed, this unit can move at speed 4 before the first turn
begins.
Q: What does “before the first turn begins” mean?
A: It means, after the map has been chosen and both players have deployed their units, but before
the initiative has been determined for the first turn.
Q: If a Crusader moves at speed 4 before the first turn, does it get the road bonus?
A: Yes.
Vast Experience - Each 6 this unit rolls against an enemy unit counts as 2 successes.
Veteran Crew - While disrupted, this unit can still move and not suffer -1 penalty to each
attack die. (It still suffers the -1 penalty to defense and can’t make defensive fire attacks).
Q: During my movement phase, my Rhino Sherman provokes defensive fire from one of my
opponent’s units. My opponent rolls enough successes to disrupt the Rhino. Can the Rhino finish
up the rest of its movement even though it’s disrupted?
A: Yes. The Veteran Crew ability lets the Rhino keep moving, even though it’s disrupted by
defensive fire.
Veteran Guard - After rolling attack dice for this unit, you may reroll up to two die results of
1. While disrupted, this unit can still move and doesn’t suffer the -1 penalty to each attack die. (It
still suffers the -1 penalty to defense and can’t make defensive-fire attacks.
Q: If an IS-2 with the Veteran Guard SA also has an Ammo Dump with the Plentiful Ammo SA
on its side, does it get to reroll 1s a second time?
A: Yes, the two special abilities can overlap because they are different SAs. You can apply them
in either order.
Water Craft - This unit can enter only water hexes. This unit can enter water hexes as though
they were clear hexes.
Weak Suspension - This unit must make a successful movement roll to enter a hill hex
except along a road.