Micro Armour: The Game - WWII (2nd Edition)

Each battery section places one 1" impact marker in a closed (one spot) or open (line) sheaf. The markers attack every stand under them, friend or foe, and any stand that moves in during the turn. Indirect missions are plotted by an FO or HQ with LOS, arrive 1 (US, late UK), 2 (German, early UK) or 3 (others) turns later, and need 'to arrive' and 'to deviate' cohesion rolls. Deviation is 1D8 direction and 1D8/2 inches. Mission types are support, pre-registered (-2, 1-turn call), adjusted, barrage (+2 CRT) and multi-turn duration, and the number of FOs depends on nationality.

Indirect artillery fire arrives some turns after it is successfully plotted depending on the nationality as follows

Each artillery stand has smoke missions equal to scenario turns x 0.3 (rounded down), recorded by stand. A stand with a 'D#' (bazooka, PIAT, Panzerschreck) loses its AP ability for the rest of the game when an unmodified AP CRT roll is at or below #. Optionally, a natural 20 on a fire roll means the stand is low on ammunition and may only fire back at stands that fired at it.

Whenever a stand marked with a “D#” in the Order of Battle or Weapons Data Table uses its AP firepower and the unmodified CRT roll result is equal to or less than the number following the “D” the platoon is out of ammo

LOS runs centre to centre and may enter blocking terrain but not pass through it. Personnel stands block LOS only to other personnel, while vehicles and weapons block everything. Target terrain modifiers apply to both the 'to fire' cohesion roll and the CRT roll and stack (e.g. medium IP + medium buildings = +5/+5 to the cohesion roll, +10 to the CRT roll). Smoke and impact markers block LOS and add +3 to fire into or out of them. Ambiguous LOS favours the defender.

A line of sight may not be traced through terrain which blocks line of sight. However, it may be traced into or out of the terrain type.

Firepower minus the target's defence gives the Combat Differential (FV-DV=CD), from -3 to +9; below -3 there is no effect unless it is artillery. Roll 2D6, add terrain and range modifiers, and cross-reference. Results are -, S, (S), D or E, and each successful firer rolls its own CRT. Minefields and overruns attack on fixed columns.

To determine this, subtract the target’s defense value from the attacker’s firepower value. If the difference is lower than -3 and not an artillery attack, it has no effect.

Every stand covered by an artillery impact sheaf is attacked regardless of nationality. If the 'to deviate' cohesion roll fails, the impact sheaf shifts (1D8 direction, 1D6 distance for air strikes) and attacks whatever stand occupies the new location, friend or foe. Stands that move into an impact marker in the following Movement Phase also roll for effect.

All stands in an artillery impact sheaf are subject to attack, regardless of nationality. Artillery shells affect friend and foe alike!

Stands have an AP value against armoured targets and an HE value against unarmoured and personnel targets. Defences are armoured ([7]), unarmoured equipment (4) or personnel (P). Against artillery and air attacks armour keeps 50%, or 25% if open-topped ('U'). Optional rules add special AP ammunition (x1.5 AP, used up on a CRT roll of 5 or less), limited HEAT rounds, and big guns firing HE at tanks within 4".

All stands have two firepower values: one for use against armoured targets (the “AP” value), and one for use against unarmoured targets and personnel (the “HE” value).

Range is measured centre to centre, and adjacent stands count as 1". The chart gives -1 at 1" or less, 0 at 2-5", +1 at 6-10", +2 at 11-15" and a further +1 per extra 5"; dual-purpose AA guns use wider bands. Stands cannot exceed their maximum range. Artillery direct and indirect fire ignore range modifiers.

Find that distance in the “Range” column of the Range Effects Chart and cross-reference with the “Die Roll Modifier” row to determine the effect on the attacker’s combat die roll.

Each stand in an attack rolls its own 'to fire' cohesion check, modified by its own S/D state, +3 for fire/move posture and the target's terrain. Failure means no CRT roll and no further fire that turn. Movement groups roll one base 1D20 and apply each stand's modifiers to it, so some stands may move while others stay; each HQ/GHQ in the group gives -2.

A failed cohesion roll indicates the fire was uncoordinated and/or ineffective. In this case, a roll on the CRT is not conducted and the stand may not fire for the rest of the turn.

Each turn 2D6 + GHQ quality (-2 to +3) is read on the Movement Orders Table for 0-5 orders. Each ordered attempt costs one order whether or not it passes, and a failed group may get more orders. Once orders are spent, each unmoved group may try one independent move at +3 ([R]econ stands are exempt). Unused orders are lost, and losing the GHQ means no orders until a replacement takes over.

Each turn players roll 2D6 and modify the result by applying the “quality” value of the GHQ stand.

Each real minefield may be accompanied by dummies according to force cohesion (1/4 at 11 or less, 1/2 at 12-14, 1 at 15+), all recorded on a Minefield Record Sheet. A stand entering a marker must stop, and it needs a +3 cohesion roll to leave. Only then is the marker revealed as a dummy (removed) or real, in which case it attacks on a fixed CRT column. Stands placed out of sight in blocking or concealing terrain may be recorded secretly.

For each active minefield marker, one or more “dummy” minefields may be deployed. The actual number is based on the player’s force cohesion value

In the Posture Determination Phase players alternately mark multi-stand movement groups, then single-stand groups, as movement or fire/move; unmarked stands are in firing posture. Only movement or fire/move stands may move; fire/move stands move at half MP and take +3 to fire cohesion rolls. Personnel ('P') stands halve their defence when not in firing posture, and only firing-posture stands can give covering fire. The posture holds whether or not the stand actually moves.

There are three possible “postures.” A stand may be in the “firing” posture, “movement” posture, or “fire/move” posture.

Attacks on stands in concealing terrain apply the terrain's cohesion modifier to the 'to fire' roll unless the target has already fired this turn or is adjacent; CRT terrain modifiers always apply. A stand that has fired counts as in clear terrain for spotting for the rest of the turn. In hedgerows, a target can only be spotted by adjacent stands unless it has fired. Units on higher ground gain 5" of sighting per level.

A stand is always considered to be in clear terrain for spotting and line-of-sight purposes in any phase of the current turn after it has fired.

Each HQ/GHQ in a movement group gives -2 to its movement roll, and a non-Suppressed HQ adjacent to a Suppressed stand gives -1 to its recovery roll. GHQ quality is bought at a cost multiplier (x1.2 to x3.2). When a command unit is lost, a replacement needs a cohesion roll at +3 (German/US), +4 (British) or +5 (others). Forces at cohesion 12 or less cannot replace it, and a new GHQ's quality is rolled on 1D20.

When one or more GHQ or HQ stand is part of a movement group, each GHQ and HQ stand provides a -2 cohesion die roll modifier to the movement cohesion roll, regardless of its quality value.

Up to eight armoured vehicles pass over the target and finish adjacent, pinning it; some terrain prohibits this. The defender may opportunity fire at range 0 against halved armour. The defender then rolls cohesion for each overrunner, and each failure is a 2D6 attack on the +5 CRT column. Each overrunner then rolls cohesion (+3 vs infantry with AP 2+), and each failure lets the defender attack on the +2 column (+3 if its AP is 5+).

An Overrun is a kind of “contest of discipline” where the attacker’s stands must maintain their formation and the defender’s must avoid scattering in panic.

A stand faces where its model faces. Fire whose centre-to-centre line misses the Target Front template arc is a side/rear shot, and the target keeps only 50% (rounded up) of its armoured defence. 'R' weapons use their printed values only in the Firing Arc template and otherwise fight with infantry HQ values. Facing changes are free while moving.

Armoured vehicles retain 50% of their defense value (rounded up!) when they are fired upon through their side or rear arc.

Each stand moves once per Movement Phase, spending up to its Weapons Data Table MP value, or half (rounded down) in fire/move posture. Points are spent per inch according to terrain and cannot be saved. A stand allowed to move can always move at least 1" unless the terrain is impassable.

Each stand may execute movement once per Movement Phase by expending up to its total movement point value or half that value rounded down, if in the fire/move posture.

Friendly stands may pass through one another but not end overlapping. Armoured vehicles brush aside enemy transports. To pass through an enemy armoured stand, a vehicle must stop adjacent and pass a +3 cohesion roll or halt there. Vehicles may pass through enemy non-vehicle stands only by overrunning them. Stands engaged along half or more of a base edge may only fire at the enemy they are touching.

An armoured vehicle stand may pass through an enemy armoured vehicle stand only if it makes a successful cohesion roll (to test its nerve).

The Terrain Effects Chart gives per-inch MP costs by class: roads cost 1/2 MP per inch, while woods cost tracked vehicles 3 per inch. A stand with 50% or more of its base entering terrain pays that cost. Weather can turn clear terrain into Rough Terrain 1 or double costs. Streams, rivers and water need fords, bridges, amphibious movement or fording boats.

There are four movement classes: Wheeled (W), Tracked (T), Foot (F), and Amphibious (A).

A vehicle can carry one equipment stand and any number of personnel up to its cargo capacity. Loading needs both stands touching in movement posture and a cohesion roll, and costs 50% MP for personnel or all MP for weapons; loads over 10 points take two turns. Dismounting needs no roll. Cargo shares the carrier's defence and combat results and cannot fire. Optional rules cover tank riders and overloaded transports.

Loading any number of personnel stands onto a transport stand costs the transport stand and each personnel stand 50% of its movement point allowance for the turn, rounded up.

When a tank is removed it is replaced with a wreck marker, which gives cover and does not count for overlap. Two or more wrecks in one space count as Rough Terrain 3. A stand moving through a wreck on a road must pay either the road or the wreck cost and cannot use the road movement rate there. Recovery vehicles, dozer-blade vehicles, large transports and heavy tracked vehicles can clear the road by sitting on the wreck and passing a cohesion roll in the marker-removal phase, after which the marker stays but the road rate resumes.

If two or more wrecks occupy the same space, treat it like Rough Terrain 3 instead. 9.2.2 If a wreck is located on a road or track, moving stands may choose to pay either the cost of the underlying terrain or the cost of the wreck.

Improved positions add stacking cohesion and CRT modifiers. Light ones (3 pts, DV 5) vanish if left empty, medium (6 pts, DV 8) need two E results, and heavy ones are usually indestructible; turning away from the original facing loses the benefit. Wire and AT ditches cost 2 pts per inch. Artillery and bombs attack building areas (DV 4/5/6 for light/medium/heavy), setting them alight with smoke and turning them to rubble after 2/3/5 'E' results.

Improved Positions come in Light, Medium, and Heavy types. All types of improved position are 1 square inch markers and are placed on the playing surface as part of a player’s initial forces.

Open uses 2 x 2D6%, Mixed 4 x 2D6% and Closed 7 x 2D6% of the board area; each piece's area is recorded. Players alternate placing features until the total is reached. The Artillery Deviation compass template is placed on the board at this time.

Open - 2 x 2D6% various terrain features. Maximum sighting distance = 40"

Unless the scenario says otherwise, maximum sighting distance is 40" in Open, 20" in Mixed and 10" in Closed terrain. At night, force cohesion drops by up to 4 (flares can offset this) and sighting is typically 1-5", 10" at most.

maximum sighting distance in “open” terrain is 40 inches, that for “mixed” terrain is 20 inches

Light rain cuts sighting to 3D6", haze/light fog to 2D8" (or by 1D20%), heavy rain/light snow to 2D6", and heavy snow, fog or sandstorm to 1D6", rolled at the start of the turn. Snow makes clear terrain Rough 1, and deep snow also doubles MP costs. Extreme cold freezes water to Rough 1, and extreme heat or cold gives +2 to dismounted personnel movement rolls.

Light Rain: Reduce maximum sighting distance to 3D6”

Players bid a point base secretly and the lowest bid is used. Player B's points = (A's cohesion / B's cohesion) x point base x the scenario force ratio (1:1, 1:2, 1:3 or the reverse). Extras such as HQs (x1.5), GHQ quality multipliers, engineers (+10), FOs (15/25/35 by nation), mines, wire, improved positions, airstrikes and allocated off-map fire turns are priced. A procedure adjusts points for Unit Determination.

To begin with, divide Player A's Force Cohesion Level (FCL) by Player B's FCL and multiply the number obtained by Player B's "point base."

TO&E tables suggest force cohesion ranges by nation, theatre and year, and players agree a value. That value sets initiative, every check, how many dummy minefields and pre-registered targets a force gets, and whether lost commanders can be replaced. GHQ quality (-2 to +3) changes the number of movement orders, and the cohesion ratio between sides scales scenario points.

A force cohesion level, or suggested range of levels, is provided in the scenario or agreed upon by the players prior to the start of play.

A stand represents a 30-50 man infantry or cavalry platoon, 3-6 MGs or light mortars, an artillery battery of 1-3 sections, 3-4 armoured vehicles, an AT/AA platoon or 3-5 soft vehicles. Models must clearly face one side of the stand.

Your vehicles, infantry, cavalry, artillery, and weapons models should be mounted on 1”x 1” stands.

Codes include 'P' (personnel: blocks LOS only to personnel, defence halved when not in firing posture), 'R' (restricted firing arc), 'I' (indirect-fire capable), 'S' (smoke capable), 'U' (open-topped), 'D#' (depletion number) and [R]econ (no +3 for independent movement, +10 points).

Stands with this designation do not suffer the +3 cohesion die roll penalty when attempting to move without an order.

The three defence classes decide which firepower applies and how LOS works. There are special rules for HQs, MMG/light mortar/infantry support stands, weapons stands, recon, dual-purpose guns, infantry close support artillery, multi-turret 'land ships', horse cavalry (mount/dismount), bicycle, ski and mountain troops, boats and engineers.

All stands belong to one of three defense classes: armoured vehicles, unarmoured equipment or weapons, and personnel.

Phases: 1 Initiative; 2 Posture Determination; 3 Artillery Fire/Air Strike; 4 Standard Fire; 5 Joint Plot (artillery plotted for later turns); 6 Movement (with opportunity/covering fire, overruns and close assaults); 7 Marker Removal (remove markers, roll to recover/rally, resolve engineering). All fire happens before movement, and artillery has its own phase ahead of direct fire.

5. Joint Plot Phase – Players plot the points of impact for artillery fire to be in following turns. They also record “calls” for pre-registered indirect artillery fire.

Firing or fire/move stands (+3) that have not fired may halt a moving stand and resolve a standard attack. Any S, (S) or D result forces the mover to pass cohesion or stop for the turn. Each stand suffers only one opportunity fire attack per phase. Opportunity fire in turn triggers covering fire: the moving player's unfired firing-posture stands may attack the opportunity firers at +3.

“Covering fire” (CF) is a variation of standard fire, but is triggered by enemy opportunity fire in the Movement Phase.

Each mission is recorded with turn of plot, plotter ID, mission type, firing units, turn of arrival, duration, impact location in 'right and up' inch coordinates (e.g. '1722 Open 2E'), sheaf and ammunition. Optionally the impact can be plotted as a polar bearing and distance from the FO. Bombing airstrikes and paratrooper/glider landing zones are pre-plotted the same way.

An artillery fire mission must be “plotted” in order to perform indirect artillery fire missions. Use the “Artillery Fire Mission Record” sheet to record the following information for each plotted fire mission.

In the Artillery and Standard Fire Phases the initiative player chooses who attacks first, then players alternate attacks (each attack is one target with any number of firers) until both pass. A player who passes may not attack again that phase. Movement works the same way, alternating movement attempts with orders and then independent attempts.

The players then alternate attacks until both players “pass.” At this point, the Standard Fire Phase ends.

Each player rolls 1D6 and adds his force cohesion level; the higher total wins and ties are rerolled. The initiative player decides who acts first in the fire phases, posture marking, movement and close-assault resolution. Higher-quality forces therefore tend to win initiative.

Each player rolls 1D6 and adds the result to his “force cohesion level” in the specific scenario. The player with the higher total has the initiative this turn.

Drop and landing zones are secretly plotted in clear terrain. For each stand, roll 1D20 (modified by night, wind, AA, aircraft type) and remove it on 20+. A cohesion roll then decides scatter: 1D8 for direction and a distance die set by jump conditions (1D8/2 'On Target' up to 4D6 'Hot Combat Jump'; glider tables up to 2D8+4 'SNAFU'). Landing terrain is then checked with another cohesion roll, and landing on an enemy may trigger a close assault. Gliders also roll forward 1" at a time, and lost paratroop HQs take 1D8/2 turns to replace.

Paratrooper stands of a landing group must determine “if they arrive,” “where” they land, and then “how safely” they land.

The scenario type (meeting engagement, recon in force, hasty attack, assault on a prepared position, delaying action) is chosen first. Terrain density is 2/4/7 x 2D6% of the board for open/mixed/closed. Each player then secretly bids part of his point base, and the higher bidder picks his friendly edge; both bids are lost. The defender deploys first.

When these bids are revealed, the highest bidder chooses which board edge he wants as his "friendly" edge. All points used in the bidding are forfeit by both sides, so bid carefully.

Each type sets a force ratio (1:1 to 3:1), allowed mines, positions and mission types, deployment distances, an objective, a length (12-20 turns) and victory terms. In the Delaying Action, victory level depends on the turn by which the attacker exits 10% of his stands off the defender's edge.

Player B must prevent Player A from exiting 10% of his stands off Defender's edge as long as possible.

The book includes Introductory (Eastern Front 1943), State Farm #79, A Costly Setback, Black Monday, Bir El Gubi, Run to Sidi Suleiman, A Throw at Stonne and Stark Resistance. Each has OOBs with force cohesion levels, terrain, special rules and victory conditions. Korsun (Hill 239), Elsenborn Ridge and El Guettar are separate scenarios.

Both sides enter the playing surface on turn one (1), Germans from one narrow edge, Soviets from the other.

Each side has a force cohesion level (typically about 11-17, set by scenario or TO&E). Any task calls for 1D20, modified cumulatively, which succeeds if equal to or below the cohesion level. The same roll gates firing ('to fire'), moving, artillery arrival and deviation, rallying, loading, engineering work, airborne landings and command replacement. Additions are bad and subtractions good, so lower rolls are always better.

Cohesion is the single most important mechanic of play! It is the very core of Micro Armour: The Game (MATG). There is generally a “cohesion roll” associated with any sort of task a stand or group of stands attempts.

Modifiers apply to the die roll, not the cohesion value, and are all cumulative (state, posture, terrain layers, smoke, range, HQ, mission type). Optional natural-roll rules add events: a natural 1 on a fire roll shifts two CRT columns ('Hot Shot'), and a natural 20 on an artillery deviation roll scatters the fire 1D20/2". A natural 1 or 20 on an ordered movement roll gives 'Intuitive Action' or 'Conflicting Orders'.

Subtractions from the die roll are beneficial modifiers, whereas additions to it represent disadvantageous conditions.

1D20 is the cohesion die, 2D6 is used for the CRT and movement orders, and 1D8 for deviation direction, with '/2' rolls (1D8/2, 1D20/2) for distances. Scatter tables use larger combinations such as 2D8 and 4D6.

Three kinds of dice are required to play the game: One 20-sided die (1D20), one 8-sided die (1D8)

Break point = (armed stands + 2 per HQ + 3 per GHQ) x determination level (35% base, adjusted by situation and nationality) x 7. Each GHQ's formation uses its own poker deck: draw one card per stand lost (two for an HQ, three for a GHQ) and keep the total hidden. When the total exceeds the break point the formation breaks: -5 cohesion except for movement, fires only if fired on, no new artillery plots, airstrikes cancelled, and it must move toward its friendly edge. If all of a side's formations break, the enemy must pass rising cohesion checks to keep fighting.

Every time that unit loses a stand the player draws a poker card. When the total drawn exceeds the unit’s break point it begins behaving very differently.

In the Marker Removal Phase each S/D stand makes a cohesion roll, with its own S/D modifiers and -1 if adjacent to a good HQ. A modified success removes S (recovers). Only an unmodified 1 removes D (rallies). An unmodified 20 inflicts an (S) result (panic), which can eliminate a stand that is already S and D.

A successful, modified, cohesion roll removes an “S” marker from a stand (it “recovers”).

A Suppressed stand adds +4 and a Disorganized stand +3 to all its cohesion rolls; both together give +7. Because every action is a cohesion roll, these states steadily shut down fire, movement and recovery. Artillery, MMG and light mortar fire turns 'No Effect' into S, so support weapons pin targets even when they do no damage.

A stand may be both Disorganized and Suppressed at the same time, in which case the modifiers are cumulative (+7).

A close assault pins its target in place. If a Disorganized result is inflicted, the defender must move 1" away from the stand that caused it, and is eliminated if it cannot. A defender that fails its cohesion roll when hit by a flame-throwing vehicle must retreat at least 1" farther away, or it surrenders and is eliminated.

If, as a result of the close assault process a disorganization result is achieved, then the defender must still move 1” away from the attacking stand that inflicted the result.

Only infantry and cavalry may assault, after ending movement adjacent in movement posture with an MP left. A firing-posture defender first rolls cohesion to strike one assaulter at -3 to the CRT roll, then each assaulter rolls cohesion to attack at -3. Terrain and improved positions are ignored and armour keeps 50% defence. Cavalry double their value vs non-vehicles (not vs buildings or improved positions), engineers get a further -3, and 0-range weapons can only be used here.

Cavalry double their printed combat value when close assaulting personnel or other non-vehicle stands.

Each aircraft is present for up to 3 turns: it may strafe once in any turn and bomb only in turns 2-3 (using its Ordnance Load), never both in one turn. Bomb points are pre-plotted unless a Forward Air Support Coordinator is available (depends on nation/date and a cohesion roll). Each AA stand that passes cohesion adds +2 (40mm or less) or +1 (larger) to the strike's 'to attack' and 'to deviate' cohesion rolls. Deviation is 1D8 direction and 1D6 inches (1D6/2 for strafing).

Each aircraft may be in play for no more than 3 turns.

'S' suppresses (more S results have no effect). '(S)' suppresses, or counts as a D if the target is already Suppressed. 'D' disorganizes, or eliminates a stand that is already Disorganized. 'E' eliminates. Destroyed armoured vehicles leave wreck markers that act as terrain.

If the target is not suppressed it becomes Suppressed as above. If the target stand is already Suppressed, treat this result as a “D.”

Each task needs a set number of successful cohesion rolls, made in the Marker Removal Phase while the stand stays in place; the successes need not be consecutive. Minefield breaching takes 3 for hasty/standard or 5 for concentrated fields by engineers, or 1/2/3 by mine-clearing vehicles. A natural 1 clears the field at once and a natural 20 triggers a mine attack. AT ditches take 2 (dozer) or 4 (engineers), bridges 2 (bridging tank) or 4 (engineers with materials), and wreck clearing works on roads.

Hasty or Standard minefields require three successful cohesion rolls, during the Marker Removal Phase of three different turns, to successfully create the breach.