This updates the rules given in Armour Battles for Hidden Units.

At the start of the game units may be hidden behind or in terrain. Hidden Units may be moved, but first have to be converted into a Blind. Place a Blind over the location of the Hidden Units and then move them as a Blind. Your opponent may use opportunity spotting to reveal the Blind if it enters into LOS of one or more of his units.

Spotting Hidden Units

Hidden Units are spotted in a similar manner to Blinds, except that the spotting attempt is made against a Blind-sized area of terrain (a wall, hedge, building, wood, etc). If the spotting attempt is successful, a Blind is placed on the table. If the owing player rolls more 1s than 6s against one or more successes by his opponent the units are deployed directly onto the table.

Ambush Fire

Hidden Units may use Ambush Fire. Ambush Fire may be used as opportunity fire or when a hidden unit is activated. Ambush Fire cannot be used by Hidden Units that have just been spotted.

To use Ambush Fire, place the firing unit on the table and declare that it is using Ambush Fire. The unit gains +1D to its Fire or AT dice. This may be increased further using a Wild Dice and a Staff Order.

Interdiction Fire and Hidden Units

Off-table artillery may use interdiction fire against Blind-sized areas of terrain. The player places the Impact Marker and makes an Artillery Reaction check. Roll a Deviation Dice when the battery fires for effect. Move the Impact Marker if the fire deviates. The player with the Hidden Units now determines whether any of his units are within the artillery’s burst radius. If so, he places a Blind over the units and the interdiction fire is resolved against the Blind.

Off-table artillery may be used to interdict a Blind to slow down its movement. A Blind may be suppressed multiple times from off-table artillery fire.

The artillery must specifically target the Blind. Place the Impact Marker on the middle of the Blind and roll the Deviation Dice when it fires for effect. On a “Hit” the Impact Marker is on target, otherwise move it 1D6” in the direction of the deviation arrow as normal. The Blind is only hit if, after deviation, the centre of the Impact Marker remains on the Blind – burst radius isn’t used when firing at Blinds.

A battery firing at a Blind fires with a 5+ TN. This is always dispersed fire, never converged. The Blind has 5D Reaction with a 5+ TN regardless of the units it contains. Cover Dice are not used with interdiction fire.

The Blind must roll more successes than the firing artillery or take a suppression for each hit. Place the Suppression Markers onto the Blind. Blinds are never Forced Back.

A Blind may have a maximum of four suppressions – any excess suppressions are converted into Disruption Points.

Deploying with Suppressions and Disruption

Suppressions and Disruption Points are applied to units as they deploy from the Blind. The owning player allocates one suppression per unit until all suppressions are allocated. If there are more units than suppressions, the owning player chooses which units are suppressed. If there are more suppressions than units, the excess suppressions are converted into Disruption Points.

Disruption Points are allocated by the owning player one at a time to his units. No unit may be allocated more than one Disruption Point until all other units have received one Disruption Point.

Removing Suppressions From Blinds

Suppressions on Blinds may be removed at the cost of one Command Dice each; this does not require a Dice Chain.

For example, Tom wants to use his artillery to Disrupt an Italian Blind before it deploys. He indicates one of his Blinds with LOS to the Italian Blind to act as the Forward Observer for the mission. He rolls his Artillery Response Dice and is successful – his 25-pounder battery fires and scores a “Hit” on the Deviation Dice. He rolls 5D with a 5+ TN. He gets two hits. Alan fails to roll any successes with his Reaction Dice and the Blind takes two suppressions.

On his next Command Pulse Alan deploys the Blind. It contains three M11/39 tanks. Alan assigns the suppressions to two of his tanks. If Alan had not deployed, he could have removed the suppressions using two Command Dice.

Rallying Blinds

Blinds are rallied the same as other units. Your opponent rolls as many dice as the Blind has Disruption Points with a 4+ TN. You remove one Disruption Point for each success.

A Blind is an unknown force that has the potential to be very dangerous if not spotted before being engaged. When activated a Command Group or a Blind can attempt to spot one enemy Blind in LOS.

Spotting attempts are made using four dice in an opposed roll against three dice rolled by your opponent. Your opponent has a 4+ TN. Your TN is determined by how far the Blind is from the spotting unit.

Distance to Unit

• 0–6” Automatic
• 6–12” 3+ TN
• 12–24” 4+ TN
• 24–36” 5+ TN
• 36+” 6+ TN
• Cover Dice +1/+2/+3
• Moving Blind–1TN
• Suppressed Unit +1 TN
• Recon Unit – 1TN

Moving Blind: A unit benefits from a –1TN when attempting to spot a moving Blind.

Cover Dice: Units in cover are harder to spot. The cover dice are added to the opposed roll. Light Cover +1D Medium Cover +2D Heavy Cover +3D

The player who owns the Blind adds the Cover Dice when his opponent attempts to spot a Blind in cover. For example, a Blind rolls 3D when in the open, but rolls 5D if in or behind medium cover.

Suppressed: Suppressed units make all spotting attempts at +1 TN.

Recon: A recon unit makes all spotting attempts with a –1 TN.

Spotting Success

All units in a Blind are deployed immediately when spotted. All units are deployed and complete their movement unless Forced Back by enemy fire.

Automatic Spotting

A Blind is spotted automatically when it is 6” or less from an enemy unit or Blind.

Opportunity Spotting

One attempt can be made to spot a moving enemy Blind. After your opponent has moved his Blind, a spotting attempt can be made during any part of its movement. If this attempt fails, no further spotting attempts can be made against the Blind this Command Pulse. Units that are spotted are deployed and may be fired at with opportunity fire.

Spotting a Blind During Your Command Pulse

There is no cost to attempt to spot a Blind during your Command Pulse, but you must activate the Command Group. A Dice Chain can be used to increase the chance of a Command Group spotting a Blind. Dice Chains are allocated to the Command Group before it makes any spotting attempts. Spotting attempts can be made before or after moving. Only one attempt is allowed per Command Group.

For example, Tom is attempting to spot an Italian Blind. He is using a Command Group containing three British Cruiser Squadrons. Tom uses a Double Dice Chain to increase his chances. Normally he would roll 4D, but using the Double Dice Chain, he adds +2D for a total of 6D. He rolls his dice and scores two successes – three L33 tankettes are deployed.

Returning Units to Blinds

An activated Command Group may return its units back to a Blind if they are out of LOS and more than 36” from the nearest enemy. The units are removed from the table and replaced by a Blind. Place the centre of the Blind over the nominated Command Unit. The Blind may now move normally.

Suppressed units cannot be added to Blinds: the suppression must first be removed.

During World War Two armies tried to keep their troops hidden from the enemy. The colourful uniforms of previous centuries were replaced with drab, earth-toned colours designed to blend into the landscape. In western Europe and Russia greens, browns, and greys were used to good effect.

Towards the end of the war, the Germans employed a wide range of camouflage patterns to remain hidden on the battlefield. In the desert war, sand-coloured uniforms rapidly replaced the khaki originally worn by Commonwealth and Italian troops. Armour and vehicles similarly saw extensive use of drab colours and camouflage patterns. During the winter, troops were issued white smocks and vehicles were frequently white-washed.

Combat HQ uses a system of Hidden Units and Blinds to add uncertainty to enemy locations. Hidden Units can be marked on a sketch map or a note can be made of their location. Blinds are cards used to represent possible enemy locations. Hidden Units are only used when one side is defending and the other is attacking. As enemy locations are unknown, the attacker may be faced with a table that is devoid of visible enemy. Reconnaissance units are needed to probe forward to locate the enemy.

Blinds

A Blind represents a Command Group that hasn’t been spotted by the enemy. Blinds are cards roughly 6” wide x 3” deep. They may be decorated with an army’s flag, or simply be left blank. Alternatively, playing cards (3 1/2” x 2 1/2”) can be used.

Blinds are not essential – you can easily skip them in your first few games.

Number of Blinds

At the start of a game an army has as many Blinds available as Command Dice. It has as many Dummy Blinds as initial Staff Orders.

Dummy Blinds

Dummy Blinds represent small patrols which can be used to spot the enemy, but cannot engage in combat. Until forced to deploy, a Dummy Blind performs like a real Blind. A Dummy Blind is removed from the table when is spotted or has taken four Disruptions from off-table artillery.

Dummy Blinds that are removed from the table do not count as Dispersed units.

Blinds and Command Groups

Blinds may be moved individually or as part of a Blind Command Group. To form a Blind Command Group, nominate one Blind as the leader. Another three Blinds within 12” of the centre of the leader Blind may be added to the Command Group. A Blind Command Group is ordered the same as any other Command Group. All Blinds that move must be within 12” of the leader at the end of their move.

Moving a Blind

Blinds move at Average speed and may always make a triple move for only one Command Dice. Blinds therefore move 18” (6+6+6) +3D6” regardless of what units they contain. Any infantry are assumed to be loaded into their transports or moving at the double to get into position quickly.

Buildings: Blinds may not enter buildings, but infantry and heavy weapons teams may later deploy into buildings if the Blind is adjacent to the building.

Obstacles: A Blind uses one of its Fixed Moves to cross an obstacle.

Suppressed Blind: A Blind that is suppressed from Interdiction Fire moves at its Variable Move only and requires its entire move to cross an obstacle.

Deploying a Blind

Units may only deploy from a Blind before moving. A Blind cannot move and then deploy.

A unit that deploys may move normally. When deploying, all units must have part of their base or model on or touching the Blind. Troops carried in transports may be deployed mounted or dismounted. Light and medium guns may be limbered or unlimbered. Heavy guns remain limbered. Deploying units may face in any direction. Remove the Blind once the units have deployed.

As units deploy, they may be fired at with opportunity fire. The opportunity fire occurs before the deploying units can fire.

A moving Blind that is spotted cannot fire. If you think a Blind is likely to be spotted when it moves, you should consider deploying the units and moving them normally instead.

Opportunity Fire: Units may deploy from a Blind to conduct opportunity fire against enemy units moving within their LOS. They may also deploy from a Blind and use opportunity fire against enemy units that are themselves deploying from a Blind. In which case, all firing is simultaneous.

This post covers the support units that can be added to the Commonwealth Armour Group for Operation Compass.

Commonwealth Support Unit Dividers

Use the following dividers when recalculating battle group statistics after adding support units.

Command Dice Divider: 3

Staff Order Divider: 4

Support Units – All units are Veteran

Off-Table Artillery

• 25-pounder battery

Cruiser Tank Company

• A10 Cruiser
• A10 Cruiser
• A10 Cruiser

Cruiser Tank Company

• A13 Cruiser
• A13 Cruiser
• A13 Cruiser