After a Close Assault

• The loser is automatically suppressed.
• The loser is forced back its Fixed Move, +1D” for each Disruption Point taken.
• The winner is suppressed if he rolled less 6s than the loser, or if he was already suppressed.

If the Winner is not Suppressed:

• A unit with a Close Assault order may make a Variable Move in any direction.
  • If it contacts another enemy unit, it may Close Assault it. This costs an additional Command Dice.
  • It may Close Assault the same unit that it has just forced back if it can contact it.
• A unit with a Close Assault order fights at -1 TN (in the first round only)
• A unit cannot fire after a Close Assault, but may later use opportunity fire.

If the Winner is Suppressed:

• The unit holds in place; it may enter an adjacent building or entrenchment.
• A Remove Suppression order removes the suppression, but the winning unit cannot move (except to enter an adjacent building or entrenchment).

Remove Suppression Order

A Remove Suppression order can be used to remove a suppression from a unit during a Close Assault. The unit must be given the order before dice are rolled.

Close Assault Table

Close Assault Order: The attacker gains a -1 TN in the first round of a Close Assault.

Unit is Suppressed: The Target Number is increased by +1 TN.

Unit is an infantry heavy weapon, gun, close support unit or tank destroyer: These unit types fight at a +2 TN disadvantage in Close Assault.

Unit has no AT vs Armour: The unit rolls its FP dice but with a +2 TN.

Attacker makes a Flank/Rear Attack: A unit gains a -1 TN for attacking the enemy unit’s flank or rear.

Cover Dice: Units in or behind cover gain Cover Dice. Add +1D if the unit is in Light Cover, +2D if the unit is in Medium Cover, and +3D if the unit is in Heavy Cover.

Multiple Move Made: A double move reduces the Close Assault Dice by -1D; a triple move by -2D.

TN of 7+

In worse case situations units may end up with a TN of 7+ As this number cannot be rolled, the unit instead loses one dice and has its TN set to 6+.

For example, a suppressed Soviet rifle platoon is attacked in the flank by a Panzer IV H. The rifle platoon starts with a TN 4+, which is increased to 5+ because of its suppression. It is not equipped with AT weapons (+2 TN) and its TN is increased to 7+. It loses one dice. The Soviet rifle platoon starts with FP: 5D and fights the Close Assault with 4D with a 6+ TN.

The Panzer IV H has FP: 6D and its Close Assault order reduces its 4+ TN to 3+. Its TN is reduced by another -1 for its flank attack for a final TN of 2+.

The Germans roll 6D with a 2+ TN and get four successes. The Soviets roll 5D with a 6+ TN and get one success. The difference between the two rolls is 3: the Germans inflict 3 Disruption Points and the Soviets are Dispersed.

Close Assault is fast and bloody. No Reaction Rolls are made.

Units in Close Assault roll either their FP Dice or AT Dice depending on the target type. Infantry lacking any AT Dice suffer a +2 TN penalty to their FP Dice when assaulting armored units.

Unit Type

Soft Units = FP Dice

Armoured Units = AT. If no AT, use FP with +2 TN

Close Assault

• Each side rolls to hit. The results are compared to see which side
• The loser is always forced back (if not Dispersed).
• Each side has an initial 4+ TN modified by the Close Assault Table.
• Suppressed units have a 5+ TN.

Roll the Attacker’s Dice First

• Roll to hit the defender.
• The attacker has a -1 TN bonus in the first round of Close Assault.
• Remove any non-scoring dice – leave any successful dice on the table.

The Defender now rolls

• Roll to hit the attacker.
• Remove any non-scoring dice – leave any successful dice on the table.

Determine the Winner

Compare the difference in results:

• The winner is the side with the most successes.
• The loser takes Disruption Points equal to the difference in the scores.
• If the loser is Dispersed, remove it from the table.

Draws

A draw occurs when both sides roll the same number of successes:

• Check for and apply any suppressions by comparing the number of 6s rolled.
• If one side rolls less 6s than the other, it is suppressed.
• Fight the Close Assault again by rolling all dice again taking into account any new suppressions.
• In second and subsequent rounds of Close Assault, the Attacker does not gain the -1 TN bonus.

These rules replace those in the Combat HQ rulebook and provide a less, brutal close assault experience.

Close Assault

Close Assault is a brutal exchange of point-blank fire, grenades, bayonets, and rifle butts. Close Assault occurs when a unit with a Close Assault order moves into contact with an enemy unit.

An assaulting unit does not need to see its target, but at least another unit in the battle group must have LOS to the enemy unit or units to be assaulted. Close Assault orders are not issued in the hope that there will be enemies to attack at the end of the Close Assault move.

Blinds cannot be Close Assaulted. The units concealed by the Blind must first be spotted, and this must occur before any units move with a Close Assault order.

Close Assault Order

A unit must be given a Close Assault order to charge into contact with the enemy. A Close Assault order orders one unit to enter Close Assault. To order two units to Close Assault, two orders are required. To order three units to Close Assault, three orders are required, and so on.

A unit with a Close Assault order makes a normal move and attempts to contact an enemy unit. The unit cannot fire before moving to Close Assault, but it may fire if it fails to contact an enemy unit. This fire is made with a -1D penalty.

If a Wild Dice is used to issue a Close Assault order, the unit automatically moves its maximum distance

Dice Chains may be used to issue double and triple moves. Units making multiple moves Close Assault with a -1D penalty for a double move, and a -2D penalty for a triple move.

Suppressed units cannot be ordered to Close Assault, but a Command Dice can be used to remove the suppression before issuing a Close Assault order.

Close Assault Order and Units

The following units can move into contact with an enemy unit:

• Infantry
• AFVs (tanks, tank destroyers, close support tanks, armoured cars)

The following units may fire but cannot move into contact with an enemy unit:

• Infantry heavy weapons
• Infantry guns
• Anti-tank guns

Moving Into Close Assault

Units move into contact with the nearest enemy. It is not possible to bypass any enemy unit unless one of your units is already in contact with it. A maximum of two units can Close Assault one enemy unit.

Assaulting units may manoeuvre to avoid obstacles, but must otherwise move directly towards the enemy. To qualify for a flank or rear attack, a Close Assaulting unit must be able to move directly forward so that it contacts the flank or rear of the enemy unit.

A Close Assaulting unit that becomes suppressed as it moves to Close Assault stops immediately and may be Forced Back from the point where it was suppressed.

A Close Assaulting unit that fails to contact an enemy unit because it failed to roll high enough with its Variable Move may fire with a -1D penalty.

Linear Obstacles and Buildings

When Close Assaulting an enemy behind a linear obstacle it is only necessary to reach the obstacle. No Fixed Move is needed to cross the obstacle.

When Close Assaulting into a building one Fixed Move is needed to enter the building. If insufficient movement remains to enter a building, the units are halted outside and may fire at short range with a -1D penalty.

The ever-productive Colonel Mustard has just built a Marder III. You can see how he got on his blog.

Colonel Mustard

Marder III SdKfz 139

The Marder III SdKfz 139 is built using the Panzer 38(t) chassis and is fitted with the Pak36(r) – a rechambered Soviet 76mm Divisional Gun M1936 (F-22).

• Available: April 1942
• Number Built: 344
• Type: Light AFV (Tank Destroyer)
• Move: Average
  • Reliability: Average
• Reaction: 4D (O)
• Weapon: 76L48 Field Gun
  • Range: 8/16/32
  • FP: 3D AT: 6D
• Notes: 180° fire arc. Open-topped.