1945

Vehicle Rules By Tom Hinshelwood

The Bazooka is an American anti-armour weapon that requires a two-man crew to operate. The Panzershreck is a German copy of the Bazooka, only really differing in the size of the warhead. For the purposes of this ga me both have identical statistics. A character from the squad must be assigned to work as the loader for this weapon and must remain within 2 of the weapon at all times. If he cannot then the Bazooka is unable to fire when the character equipped with it has his go. Bazooka: C 1 S 6 M 12 L 16 E 24 MR 32 DMG 11 AMMO 5 2.01 Distance From Blast 0 1 2 3 to 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 Damage D6+6 D6+4 D6+2 D6+1

1.0 Introduction
The following are rules to allow the use of tanks and other vehicles in games of 1945. As well as rules for the use of AFVs (Armoured Fighting Vehicles) there are, of course, rules for blowing them to pieces. For tanks include one card in the turn deck to represent all of the vehicles crew, not one card for each character. This way it makes for simpler play if all the characters inside a vehicle act at the same time instead of the possibility of the gunners card being drawn before the drivers, with the problem being you wanted the gunner to shoot after the vehicle had moved. When characters exit a vehicle they need to be assigned a separate card which is shuffled into the turn deck for the next turn. Vehicles should really only be used in previously planned scenarios as they can have immense effectiveness on the battlefield against small squads.

PIAT The PIAT is the British anti-armour weapon standing for Projector Infantry Anti-Tank. It is operated by a single character. PIAT: C 1 S 6 M 8 L 12 E 15 MR 20 DMG 13 AMMO 6 2.02 Distance From Blast 0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 Damage D6+6 D6+3 D6+1

2.0 Special Skills

Below is the Special Skill Driver, which is required by characters wishing to effectively use vehicles. It is purchased in the same way as other special skills at the cost of 1 upgrade point.

Panzerfaust The Panzerfaust is a one-shot anti-armour weapon that must be discarded after firing, whether it hits or not. It is a light-weight weapon that is unique because characters using it only suffer a +1 penalty to the TN if they do not have the Heavy Weapons special skill. PFaust: C 1 S 8 M 12 L 14 E 16 MR 18 DMG 9 AMMO na 2.03 Distance From Blast 0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 Damage D6+6 D6+3 D6+1

Driver Look, I know where we need to go, its just finding it thats proving a bit tricky.
This character is skilled in the driving of all wheeled vehicles, including Jeeps, motorcycles and civilian vehicles as well AFVs.

2.0 Heavy Weapons

Heavy weapons cover all the really big guns not mentioned in other categories, such as anti-armour weapons, mortars and large gun emplacements. To use a heavy weapon effectively requires special training and therefore to use one without penalty requires the Heavy Weapons special skill. Heavy weapons cannot Auto-Fire. All of the below weapons count as Ammo-Low and are used as per the normal Fire action. The DMG of each weapon is used when resolving direct hits, whether against a tank, house or luckless soldier. In addition to this the table below represents the explosive blast of the weapon, and how much damage is caused to those that fall within its blast radius. Bazooka/Panzershreck

3.0 VEHICLE ACTIONS

Like infantry characters, vehicles move, shoot and turn by using actions and special actions and like infantry characters vehicles may only make two actions per turn, from either Move or Fire. There are no vehicle special actions. . or one special action. To use any vehicle, whether a humble jeep or a mighty Tiger tank, requires the use of this special action. Any character can use this special action, but to do so without the Drive special skill means that any tests made will be at +1 TN. If the vehicle in question is a tank then this penalty is +2 instead.

3.14 Vehicle Armour Rating

TN Modifier +1 +2 +3

3.1 Move
Each vehicle has a Movement Allowance which is the number of inches it is able to travel by taking this action. During this action the vehicle is able to make any number of changes of direction up to 45-degrees at the cost of 1 for each. Any distance travelled in reverse is done so at the cost of 2 from the Movement Allowance for every 1 travelled. Should the vehicle need to make any turns of an angle greater than 45-degrees the driver must make a Morale test against TN 4, with the greater the success equalling the lesser cost from the Movement Allowance for the turn. Consult the below table (3.11) for the result. Add the vehicles Manoeuvre modifier to the roll. 3.11 Morale Result -1 or less +0 to +1 +2 or more Cost of Turn 3 2 1

+1 to +6 +7 to +12 12+

If a vehicle rams another then both vehicles involved need to roll a D6 and add the Armour Rating for the appropriate sections that collide, once for each vehicle. For example: A crazed German driver rams his Tiger tank into the side of an Allied truck. The effect of the ram is first worked out for the truck. The Tiger tank rolls a D6 and adds its frontal Armour Rating of +16 for a total of 18, which then becomes the target number for the truck to beat, but with its side Armour Rating of +5 it only manages to get 10 in total. With a difference of +8 the truck is destroyed instantly. Now the effect of the ram must be worked out for the Tiger. The truck makes its roll, getting 11 this time which the Tiger automatically beats with its Armour Rating of +16, meaning it goes completely unscathed.

3.2 Fire
A tank must first spot its target in the same way that infantry characters do so, but because of the restricted view caused by being inside a tank, such spot rolls are made at a +1 modifier to the TN if the target in question is within a 90-degree arch, otherwise the penalty is +2. This penalty can be avoided if the tank commander opens hatch for a look around. If he chooses to do this then he risks being subjected to attacks from the Covering Fire action or from well-played Leadership cards. The loss of the tank commander means that all TNs are subject to a +1 penalty. This fire action is performed the same as the Fire action for infantry. Consult the below table (3.21) to determine the effect of the firing. In addition tanks that Move before Firing have a +2 penalty to the TN for firing from a moving vehicle, instead of the normal +1. A tank may not fire its main armament more than once per turn. 3.21 Fire Result -3 or more -2 to 1 +0 to +1 +2 or more Effect The shell travels 2d6 inches as described in the below table (3.22) The shell travels 1d6 inches as described in the below table (3.22) The shell hits the target. The shell hits the target but receives a +2 modifier to the DMG roll. Effect The shell lands 90-degrees to the left of the target The shell lands 45-degrees to the left of the target The shell lands directly short of the target The shell lands directly long of the target The shell lands 45-degrees to the right of the target

Vehicles must make the appropriate rolls for crossing difficult terrain as do infantry. If the vehicle fails to equal the TN then it becomes temporarily stuck and loses the rest of its Movement Allowance for this action. Use the vehicles Manoeuvre modifier when making such rolls. Getting In and Out of Vehicles As long as a character can reach the entrance to the vehicle during one of his actions the character is then considered to have boarded that vehicle and the player can select whereabouts in the vehicle he is, such as in the drivers seat of a Jeep. As long as a vehicle is stationary a character can leave it without any need for rolling. However, if the vehicle is moving at the time, the character will suffer damage according to how fast the vehicle is moving, as shown on the below table (12.11). 3.12 Vehicle Speed 1 to 12 12 to 24 24 + Ramming If a character is in the path of a moving vehicle the driver of the vehicle rolls a D6 adding his Morale modifier to create a TN that the character rammed must equal with a D6 roll plus his Movement modifier as he attempts to jump out of the way. If the character equals or beats the TN he has managed to avoid being hit and suffers no damage, if his score is less than the TN then he suffers damage dependant on the vehicles speed, as shown on the below table (3.13), with a modifier depending on the vehicles front Armour Rating, as shown in the second below table (3.14). 3.13 Vehicle Speed 1 to 12 12 to 24 24 + Damage TN D6 D6+3 D6+5 Damage TN D6 D6+3 D6+5

3.22

D6 Result 1 2 3 4 5

The shell round lands 90-degrees to the right of the target 5.1 Range Close Short Medium Long Extreme DMG Modifier +2 +1 +0 -1 -2

Usually a tank is armed with a machinegun of some sort, this can be employed with the Fire action in addition to the main weapon. Use the standard Fire action for resolving this.

4.0 VEHICLE DAMAGE

All Vehicles have Armour Ratings which are similar to the Strength ability that infantry characters have. When a vehicle is hit by any weapon the attacker rolls for damage as normal to get the TN, and the player controlling the vehicle makes an Armour test by rolling a D6 and adding the Armour Rating for the area of the vehicle hit. If the result is equal or higher than the damage TN then the vehicle is hit but not damaged. If the result is less then consult the below table (4.01) for the effect. 4.01 Armour Result -1 -2 Effect Minor Damage No effect, but treat the next Minor Damage result as Major Damage Serious Damage The character suffer a +1 modifier to the TN of all tasks when using the vehicle and the movement allowance is reduced by 2 . Crippling Damage Characters suffer a +2 modifier to the TN to all tasks when using the vehicle and the movement allowance is reduced by 4 . All crew must make a Strength test against DMG TN D6+1. Immobilised The vehicle comes to a halt and cannot be used again. The driver must make a Drive test TN 6 to avoid crashing. On a D6 roll of 4+ any mounted weapons are still operational. Any further Armour rolls are made at +6 TN. All crew must make a Strength test against DMG TN D6+3. Destroyed The vehicle explodes. If moving the vehicle automatically crashes. Everyone inside is killed. Everyone within 4 must make a Strength test against the explosion, TN D6+3

When a tank round scores a direct hit use the DMG modifier in the profile. Below it is the explosive effect of the round. Light C 1 S 10 M 20 L 40 E 60 M 80 DMG 10 AMMO 6 5.2 Distance from Shell 0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 Damage D6+4 D6+2 D6+1

Medium C 1 S 13 M 25 L 50 E 75 M 100 DMG 12 AMMO 6 5.3 Distance from Shell 0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 Damage D6+5 D6+3 D6+1

-3

-4

Heavy C 1 S 15 M 30 L 60 E 80 M 120 DMG 14 AMMO 6 5.4 Distance from Shell 0 to 1 1 to 2 2 to 3 Damage D6+6 D6+4 D6+2

-5 or less

6.0 Light Vehicles

To use all land vehicles effectively requires proper training, therefore to do so without penalty requires the Drive special skill. If the character operating one of these vehicles does not have this skill all TN are subject to a +1 penalty on account of his inexperience. Motorcycle Used primarily as a scout vehicle, the motorcycle can be used to attack by having a sidecar with an attached machinegun. Movement Allowance: 14 Manoeuvre:+3 Armour: Front: +3 Sides: +3 Rear: +3 Crew: Driver, (Gunner) Passengers : 1 (1)

5.0 TANK ARMAMENTS

For simplicities sake tank armaments are divided into three categories, Light, Medium and Heavy, each progressively more powerful than the last. On the vehicle stats it will state which type of gun the tank is armed with. The infantry rules do not go into detail about the effects of range on the stopping power of bullets, but when using tanks range plays an important factor in how penetrating the round is. Use the range category of the target to determine the modifier, if any, to the DMG of the hit, as shown on the below table (5.1).

Additional Armaments: Heavy Machinegun Crew: 5 Jeep The iconic vehicle used by the American army during the war after for decades afterwards. It may be equipped with a turretmounted weapon, usually a machinegun, in place of being able to carry two passengers. Use these statistic for British Land Rovers and other similar four-wheel drive vehicles. Movement Allowance: 12 Manoeuvre: +2 Armour: Front: +6 Sides: +4 Rear: +4 Crew: Driver, (Gunner) Passengers : 3 (1) Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger Movement Allowance: 7 Manoeuvre: +2 Armour: Front: +14 Sides: +12 Gun Type: Heavy Additional Armaments: Heavy Machinegun Crew: 5 Rear: +10

Panzerkampfwagen VI Knigstiger (King Tiger) Movement Allowance: 7 Manoeuvre: +1 Armour: Front: +16 Sides: +13 Rear: +11 Gun Type: Heavy Additional Armaments: 2x Heavy Machinegun Crew: 5 M4 Sherman Movement Allowance: 8 Manoeuvre: +2 Armour: Front: +12 Sides: +10 Gun Type: Medium Additional Armaments: Heavy Machinegun Crew: 5 Tank Destroyer M10 Wolverine Movement Allowance: 8 Manoeuvre: +1 Armour: Front: +13 Sides: +11 Gun Type: Heavy Additional Armaments: Heavy Machinegun Crew: 5 Rear: +10 Rear: +9

Civilian Car These statistics can be used to represent any average car of the ear. For sports cars simply increase the Speed/Manoeuvre modifiers and lower the Armour and number of passengers. Movement Allowance: 12 Manoeuvre: +3 Armour: Front: +5 Sides: +5 Rear: +5 Crew: Driver Passengers : 3

Truck Like the statistics for the civilian car, these statistics can be modified to closer resemble the type of truck being used or can be left alone to represent any unarmoured transport vehicle. Movement Allowance: 10 Manoeuvre: +1 Front: +7 Sides: +6 Rear: +6 Crew: Driver Passengers : 20

7.0 Armoured Vehicles

Fighting

Characters operating these vehicles without the Drive special skill perform all tasks with a +2 penalty to TNs on account of their lack of proper training. The amount of different tanks in the period is vast and the below list is but a small selection of the numerous variations. For other tanks just use statistics for the equivalent type of tank or devised statistics for particular vehicles, basing them on those described below. Panzerkampfwagen IV Movement Allowance: 7 Manoeuvre: +2 Armour: Front: +12 Sides: +10 Gun Type: Medium Additional Armaments: Heavy Machinegun Crew: 5 Panzerkampfwagen V Panther Movement Allowance: 8 Armour: Front: +14 Gun Type: Medium Manoeuvre: +2 Sides: +13 Rear: +10 Rear: +8