Solo Infantry Squad Combat

SOLO INFANTRY SQUAD COMBAT

By Mike Haran

Introduction

This is a solo game depicting modern warfare. The player pits his ten-man squad and its support AFV against a similarly equipped opponent using a solo system. The enemy appear at random positions upon the table, moving and performing actions as the game proceeds. In order to perform any of the actions the player and the opponent must expend impulses. The player decides which men and /or vehicles he will move and/ or combat .He then totals up how many impulses he will expended and if they are within the limit he proceeds. When the virtual players turn occurs the solo sequence is followed,the player performing all of his actions for him using the virtual player rules.

Five impulses are awarded to each side’s infantry and five to player’s vehicles. No impulses are required to place the virtual player’s vehicles and infantry although he pays the standard amount to perform other actions.

Preparation

Using colored poster board cut out hills and ditches, walls ,bush and trees.
Place and the affix the markers denoting all of the letters of the alphabet along the top of the table.Place the numeral markers 1-26 along the left side of the table. Place at least one bush, tree, ditch or hill within five inches of one of these reference points. B4,J11,F13,R16,E17,I17,J19,W22,E21,E23.
Assign weapons noted on the weapons chart to each squad. Assign vehicle one vehicle to a squad using the vehicles chart.
Roll one dice for each soldier in order to establish firing ability, movement and strength using the rolled die number minus three. Below average ability=zero.Average ability= one .Above average ability=two .Superior ability=three.
Each piece used in the game is assigned a number. Mark i/d for the individual soldier on the bottom of the base or use a system where standing soldier is number one,crouch number two ,prone number three, standing wearing a green helmet number four etc. Note soldiers characteristics rolled for on the above by placing a number alongside the word firing ,movement and strength .Below average ability place a -1.Average ability place a 0.Above average ability place a +1Superior ability place a +2.
Line opponent troops up off the table. Place one opponent vehicle on south edge of table ready for use 0-6 inches.
Place your troops any where on the start line within six inches of the northern edge of the table. Place one of your vehicles anywhere six inches from any table edge .
Assign five impulses to each squad and five to each squads vehicle. As a sequence is played tick off the used impulses

Sequence

.A sequence is ended when all of a squads impulses points are expended. This includes those assigned to the vehicle, or if the vehicle is being played ,those assigned to the infantry.Roll 1d6 for the ten man infantry squad and 1d6 for the squads vehicle in order to define the phasing player.

Roll dice for infantry. High dice is phasing player.
Roll dice for vehicle. High dice is phasing player. If infantry is rolled successfully but the player loses the vehicle die roll no vehicle is played on this sequence. This includes the non phasing infantry player.
When all impulses are expendedthe phasing player is diced for again asabove.

Add one to the die number for the player who failed the previous die rolls adding one for each previous failed attempt up to last successful die roll turn for the failing player. Phasing player may now conduct actions for any infantry or vehicle, expending the below costs as he does so. Players may not elect to miss the turn retaining the sequence so long as he has unexpended impulses for either his soldiers or his vehicle.

In order to move or perform actions the squad expends impulses. Infantry impulses apply to the entire squad,not to each individual soldier.Vehicle impulses are separate from those of the soldiers and apply to the squads vehicle only. When a new impulse sequence begins the impulses available to all units of both sides are five for the infantry and five for the vehicle.

Soldier impulses expenditure

Move standing soldier one inch =expend one impulse.
Move crouching soldier one inch = expend two impulses.
Move prone soldier one inch = expend three impulses.
Move soldier from prone to crouch, crouch to stand or stand to crouch =expend one impulse.
Soldier climbs one height or enters ditch in prone position=expend three impulses.
Soldier climbs one height or enters ditch in crouch position = expend two impulses.
Soldier climbs one height or enters ditch in stand position= expend one impulse.
Soldier fires rifle= expend one impulse.
Soldier fires LMG= expend two impulses.
Soldier fires MPL, GLR, MSL= expend threeimpulses.

A soldiers individual characteristics will allow the squad extra impulses only when the particular soldier takes an action for which he is credited extra impulses. A moving soldier gains an extra impulse if he so chooses only when moving .A firing soldier subtracts one from the rolled firing die number. A soldier assigned to a crewed weapon having a negative connotation having a strength impulse may overcome that penalty when moving with the weapon. This advantage is one , two or minus one depending upon that marked at the game start. Average soldiers have no modification to their impulses expenditure.

The squads vehicle expends impulses as in the below starting with the five assigned. Each vehicle has a certain maximum movement distance allowance .Weapons must have weapon operators ,equipment must have equipment operators in order to be played as actions are undertaken only if the operator is available .See weapon position and crew position at end of text.

Vehicles impulses expenditure

I.Move vehicle 0-25% of movement allowance = expend one impulse.

II.Move vehicle 26-50% of movement allowance =expend two impulses.

III.Move vehicle 51-100% of movement allowance=expend three impulses.

IV.Turn vehicle=expend one impulse.

V.Fire vehicle weapons.

a.1x7.62 machine gun=expend one impulse.

b.1x12.70 machine gun or AA gun=expend two impulses.

c.1x Main gun, MRT, MSL=expend three impulses.

Infantry notes

Impulses and posture

A die is rolled before each movement or other action in order to ascertain soldiers posture. Use the below chart.
To move an infantry piece decide its destination this turn sequence and if enough impulses available perform the desired actions.
If the piece changes its posture so as to move faster or to arrive at new position in the stand crouch or prone position take into account the additional movement costs when moving the piece.
Units may use their weapons during movement if sufficient movement factors are available after expending impulses in order to fire the weapon.
The live players soldiers moved off the table are considered lost and do not come back into play. The virtual player soldiers are put aside and may come back into play .Place at the extreme right of line.

Posture of soldier
DIE: / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8
WALL / CROUCH / CROUCH / CROUCH / CROUCH / CROUCH / PRONE / PRONE / PRONE
BUSH / CROUCH / CROUCH / CROUCH / CROUCH / PRONE / PRONE / STAND / STAND
DITCH / STAND / STAND / STAND / STAND / STAND / STAND / PRONE / PRONE
SMOKE / PRONE / PRONE / PRONE / PRONE / CROUCH / CROUCH / STAND / STAND
CLEAR / PRONE / PRONE / PRONE / PRONE / CROUCH / CROUCH / STAND / STAND
TREE / STAND / STAND / STAND / STAND / STAND / CROUCH / PRONE / PRONE
HEIGHT / STAND / STAND / STAND / STAND / CROUCH / CROUCH / PRONE / PRONE
Soldier is within one inch of cover of cover or concealment noted in the left column cross referenced with 1d6 gives posture. Add two if soldier suppressed. Add one if soldier stunned.

Soldier characteristics

Soldiers are assigned additional impulses prior to game start. Add or subtract these as he completesactions. Soldiers may not impart their impulses unless part of a crewed weapon team and only those relating to firing or carrying the weapon. Weapons are listed on the weapons chart as -1/-2 in the movement column. This indicates that the weapon deducts this number of impulses from the total assigned to a soldiers movement impulses. Soldiers marked +1may cancel out weak soldiers -1 when moving a crewed weapon. On the other hand two strong soldiers will be allowed to move up to their full movement in the case of -2 as they both contribute two movement impulses above those normally allowed.

Placing opponent

As this is a solitaire game it is necessary to place the opponent when he wins sequence die roll.Line up the available out of play enemy soldiers. Roll 1d6 in order to determine how many opponent soldiers or vehicles are to be placed.For each opponent soldier removed from play move one column right when ascertaining his number to be placed. Die equals number counting from the left.When all opponent soldiers are placed roll 1d6 on the solo placement chart.

Number of miniatures to be placed
Die number / 1-2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6
Soldiers / 3 / 2 / 1 / 0 / 0
Vehicles / 2 / 1 / 1 / 1 / 0

Solo placement chart.
Die / Reference / Direction / Direction / Posture
1 / b4 / North / 1 inch / Prone
2 / j11 / East / 2 inches / Prone
3 / f13 / South / 2 inches / Prone
4 / r16 / West / 3 inches / Prone
5 / e17 / South / 3 inches / Prone
6 / l17 / East / 4 inches / Crouch
7 / j19 / North / 5 inches / Crouch
8 / w22 / West / 5 inches / Crouch
9 / e21 / North / 6 inches / Stand
10 / e23 / South / 6 inches / Stand
A 1d6 is rolled in order to place the vehicle or man on the table.
A further die is rolled in order to ascertain the direction in which he will be placed in relation to the placement square, and then another in order to arrive at the distance from the reference point.
When all of this is complete, place the man or vehicle in the best cover position as explained below.
As the game progress the men or the vehicle will be instructed on what actions to take and how on the virtual player infantry and virtual player vehicle paragraphs below

Roll a 1d10. Place one opponent soldier in the position rolled .Roll a further dice for each column to the right in order to place the soldier or vehicle north ,south, east or west of the reference position just rolled. Roll another to determine the distance from the reference point. Die number is the number of inches the soldier is moved. Now place the soldier in the best cover if enough movement impules are available. If not enough available place him in the best cover choose next best within allowed impulses. Choose one of the below actions taking in to account impulses left after moving to cover going for best choice available. On future turns the procedure for each placed soldier is followed taking into account the impulses available for the squad.If a choice of soldiers presents itself choose the soldier that has the greatest hit probability if a firing choice is specified.If a movement choice is specified choose the soldier most likely to hit a target on the next turn or on a following turn.

Choice one

Move soldier into a position adjacent one of your soldiers where he has a 50/50 chance of winning a melee turn. Place soldier in stand position.

Choice two.

Soldier will take any shot giving a possibility of hitting one of your vehicles with an AP or HE round. Place soldier in prone position if this allows him a clear line of sight to the target. If no clear line of sight place soldier in the crouch, or if this still prohibits firing, place soldier standing.

Choice three.

Take all possible shots at nearest enemy soldiers using as many soldiers as posible .Take best first, worst last. Use GP, AP or HE. If there, is a danger of injuring or of killing the virtual player’s soldier this player uses only GP weapons. If there is a choice use the weapon having the highest blast number not able to injure or kill one of the virtual player’s soldier’s.

Choice four

If there is no chance of scoring a hit the soldier takes the best possible automatic weapons suppressive fire i.e. the fire that will, according to the above rules, cause the defender soldier to be classified as suppressed.

Choice five

If no shots are possible for the virtual player due to any of he above move the soldier in the nearest and best cover facing the greatest number of your troops if impulses available. Place soldier in prone position if this allows a clear line of sight to the target. If no clear line of sight place soldier in the crouch, or if this still prohibits firing place soldier standing.

To move vehicles follow the above substituting a position offering the best cover for prone, a position offering the best shot at your vehicle or one of your men for crouch, and a position offering the best shot at the greatest number of your men for stand regardless of cover.

Infantry Weapons

Abbreviations

RFL=rifle, LMG=Light machine gun,GLR=Grenade launcher rifle, MPL=Medium portable launcher,MSL-Missile,MRT=Mortar using GP=General purpose ammunition. HE=High explosives’ .AP=Armor piercing.

RFL/LMG

Player states his firing soldier and then decides whether to use automatic fire or single shots. Go to the range column,this lists single shots and automatic fire hit numbers,the latter is the lower number. Target must be within 30º arc of the firing soldiers facing. If more than one eligible target roll an additional dice, if using automatic fire, for each . If the number or under is rolled the target is eliminated.For a missusing automatic fire the target soldier is suppressed if the die roll was off by up to or less than +2/-2.Target soldier does not take any action on the next turn. Mark as suppressed.

GLR,MRT,MPL,MSL

Grenade launcher rifles and medium portable launchers are fired at any angle within 60º of the firing soldiers facing. Mortars and Missiles are fired at any angle and their targets do not have cover die roll modifiers if they are six inches or more from the cover. One impulse is expended for single shots and one for automatic fire increasing with each extra die roll taken at additional targets,

When firing AP/HE rounds the firing player before rolling the firing dice must first state the intended impact point. If there is a miss ,i.e. the required die is not rolled on the individual weapons chart, the impact point must be ascertained . Roll one dice. One equals north, two south , three east, four west, five north east, and six, north west. Roll a further dice in order to ascertain the distance from the aimed impact point ,the point stated by the firing player as being the impact position. The rolled die number equals the number of inches away from the intended impact point the round lands. In the case of the virtual player the desired impact point will be the target determined in the solo action rules. Place a three-inch disc in order to ascertain if a soldier or a vehicle is within the blast area placing the centre of the circle over the actual impact point as opposed to the intended impact point.

Note the blast number for the weapon used.Roll 1d6 for each man or vehicle within the blast area. Any man within the blast area may be suppressed, stunned, wounded or killed according to how the blast die roll went. Roll the listed blast die number or under and the man is killed. Roll one over the required blast die number and the man is wounded, roll two over and the man is stunned, roll three or more over the required hit number, but not over five, the man is in is suppressed. If over five the required die number is rolled there is no affect. If using automatic fire repeat the procedure for eligible targets.GLR MPL,MSL,MRT expend two impulses per firing .

Effects of infantry fire

A wounded man may not be used on the next turn unless a six is rolled. A stunned man may, not be used on the next turns unless a 5-6 is rolled. A suppressed man does not perform actions on the next turn but may on those following if no further suppression is in effect, the man neither wounded nor killed. Make a note on the infantry roster by placing a counter in the correct column. If a vehicle is in the blast area ascertain which part of the circle it touches and then note the armor basis number and the blast number.If the latter is the same or greater than the former the vehicle is eliminated from play. For non penetrating rounds see below.

Firing procedure for the virtual player

In the case of the virtual player use the weapon and round matched with the type, HE or AP, having the highest hit probability on the firing chart. Use automatic fire in preference to single shots if there is a greater chance of a hit.If there is no chance of a hit with either single shots or automatic weapons fire use automatic fire most likely to cause the target to become suppressed.