Assault on Belgium

 

 

Assault on Belgium is a Demo and contains only minimal rules. If there is doubt about a rule: Anything not specifically forbidden is permitted.

Set-up: Belgium can set its units on any hex in Belgium. Germany can, thereafter, set its units on any German hex in Germany. Now Germany begins to move.
Victory Requirements: Germany must conquer Brussels and Antwerp in one move.

Stacking Limits
Only 3 land units per side are allowed on one land hex at a time.

Land Movement
Land units move at their MOVEMENT rate, i.e. the white number on the bottom right (black circle), and must pay the movement cost for every hex they enter. The cost of a hex depends upon the terrain type. Once a unit has used up its MOVEMENT points, it must cease movement for the ongoing turn (month). If a unit enters a hex which is occupied by an enemy unit it must stop moving and a battle arises. A battle vector is placed with its origin at the hex where the unit came from (the main attacking direction). The units are now taken from the map and are positioned on the upper or lower part of the battle chart - depending on the number on top of the battle vector.
Reaction of the Non-initiative Player
The non-initiative player (Belgium) may set units in hexes neighboring the battle hex.

Air Movement
The initiative player (Germany) positions German planes.

Combat Support
Bombers can fly this mission. The planes are placed on existing battle hexes. Planes which survive one air combat round can add their tactical factors to the strength of the land units. The tactical factors are the numbers on the bottom left. No more tactical factors may be added than the ground units have strength. Only one bomber per side per round may be used.

Interception/Escorts
Fighters can be used on all air missions within their range, for escort or interception. The available fighters of one side protect their own bombers and try to attack enemy bombers. Bombers do not fight each other. Belgium now positions its planes for interception.

Combat Phase
Air Combat
First, one round of air combat takes place. Air combat component: top left of the unit counter (light blue square).
(Naval components, light green square, are not used here) Air combat ratio: The air combat. components are subtracted from one another. All fighters from both sides fight each other. Each fighter may fire only once. Only fighters which come through this combat unaffected are able to approach opposing bombers and get tangled in a new air combat round.
Two D6 dice are rolled simultaneously and the air combat table is consulted.

Example: A German fighter of value 6 versus a Belgian fighter of value 3. This means that the German attacks with a +3 ratio whereas the Belgian fighter has a -3 ratio. The German rolls an 8 and the Belgian receives an 'A' (aborted)result.The Belgian player now rolls a 6 for No effect. Belgium has no bombers. The Belgian fighter is aborted and can not approach the German bombers. In Assault on Belgium, the affected planes are simply removed from the game. The air combat results in Morsecode..._ have quite different effects. Possible results are:
E = Eliminated.
D = Damaged.
A = Aborted.

Land Combat
Land combat components: attack strength (green square), defense strength (dark yellow square). (Command level, red square, are not used here) Land combat ratio: Attack strength minus/plus defense strength. The attacker rolls a D6, the result is read off the land combat table. The first figure represents the number of hits taken by the attacker. The second figure represents the number of hits for the defender. Hits must be subtracted from both attack and defense strength. An 'R' means that the unit must retreat. If a unit does not want to retreat it has to take one more hit instead. When the number of hits reaches the number of a unit’s defense strength, it is eliminated. Example: A 5-4-6 infantry* with 2 hits does have an attack strength of 3 and a defense strength of 2 left.

* 5 = attack strength
4 = defense strength
6 = movement rate
If a unit has taken more hits than is has defense strength, the surplus hits are distributed onto other defense units present. There can be several combat rounds until someone retreats or is eliminated. After every combat round everyone is asked if he wants to retreat.
Since there can be several units stacked in a hex, the fighting units may be exchanged after every combat round. Only one unit per side is allowed to fight at a time. The other units are not active and in no way reinforce the units which are fighting.
Terrain:

The terrain affects both movement (1) and combat(2).
(1): You have to pay the number of movement points put down on the terrain table Example: To enter a rough terrain hex costs 2 movement points.
(2): Some types of units will be hindered:
-2 Arm means that tanks are 2 points weaker in both attack and. defense;
+2 other defenders improves all defenders but tanks;
defender ignores retreat means that a defender, who has received a result with an R does not have to retreat
Air tactical bombardment factors -1 reduces the tactical bombardment factor of a plane by one.
Retreat After Combat

If the combat results in a retreat or if one player chooses a voluntary withdrawal, the following must be considered: A defender cannot withdraw in the main attacking direction of the opponent. The retreat must be made into friendly hexes or onto the defending players own units. If this is impossible, these retreating units are eliminated. Planes which were used for support move with the withdrawing units.

Tank Battles:
Tank battle markers can only be set in battle hexes which contain tanks. When a battle ends, the victorious player MAY pursue the opponent and provoke further battles. Also, in tank battles, the stacking limit per hex can be raised to 5 units.

One movement point is used to start a tank battle. A tank battle marker can be placed. If a tank has at least one movement point left after moving into the chosen hex. Then proceed as in land combat by rolling a D6 and looking up the result in the land combat chart. If the defender withdraws, the tank may pursue him, paying the movement cost for the new hex and another one for the new battle. If the defender withdraws again after the new battle round he can be pursued again in the same manner.
Example: A German tank has 5 movement points, it pays one for the battle and the tank battle marker is placed on the tank battles with the '4' facing up. The first combat round makes the Belgium infantry suffer two hits. It withdraws into a neighboring clear hex. The German units pursue. The tank battle marker is adjusted, the 2 now facing up because one movement point had to be paid for the new - clear - hex, the other for the new tank battle.
Up to 5 tanks or other units can be placed in a tank battle. Planes which have survived the air combat can move along with the tanks and attack with them. Even a new air combat round may arise if enemy planes have withdrawn with the enemy units being pursued. Also, non-tank units such as infantry may accompany the tanks - provided they have an equal number of movement points. The tank battle marker is irrevocably removed if infantry on the attacking side is made into a fighting unit, even once, in the ongoing battle.
Instead of pursuing the withdrawing enemy units, other hostile units which have not yet been involved can be attacked. If there is MORE than one tank in a tank battle, several new tank battles may arise.

Anti-Aircraft Artillery
When hostile bombers attack cities, the anti-aircraft artillery has the first shot at them.
Example: A German bomber with a tactical bombardment factor of 4 supports a German land attack on Brussels. Brussels has an anti-aircraft artillery strength of 3. The Belgian player rolls a 4 and looks up the result in the Anti Air Table: (The figures indicate the number of bombing factors being lost.) The German bomber only has an effective bombing strength of 3 left, to be used in the following land battle.

End of the Game
The game ends when all battles in existence at the end of the German move are finished. The only thing left to do is to check on the conditions for victory.
Optional Rule: NL and France may not be moved into.