HISTORICAL HOUSE RULES

MAY 2011

EYES ONLY

Introduction
Greetings, Commander! These unofficial rules may help you to enrich the Axis and Allies Miniatures game with the features yet unknown. A lot of rules are optionally. Besides the basic rules you will be able to pick the ones you like to build the best gaming experience possible. Additionally you will be able to strategically build up your reserve units and conduct long campaigns. As all additional features are increasing the complexity of the game, they are intended for experienced players. I don't want to violate any copyright related to original AAM thinktank, therefore i will not copy here the exact contents of the Advanced Rulebook included in the Starter set - take it as a prerequiiste for playing with the following rulebook. These rules were developed with following definitions: - 1 Soldier represents one squad (8-12 infantrymen) or crew (4 men with mortar/MG) - 1 artillery unit is 1 gun plus crew - 1 vehicle or 1 aircraft represents one machine of that type - 1 hex has 100m across and Speed 1 is in 5-14 km/h range. This game is an abstraction, its realism defined by three ranges, three types of units, two defense numbers and a card space for about four to five abilities. For example, all vehicles with armor 5-20mm thick have Defense Value 2 - because the game scale does not cover such a minor difference. All vehicles with speed 15-23 km/h will receive Speed 2 etc... Therefore, i was more focused on historical atmosphere and feeling than on an exact and technically accurate simulation of historical combat. I think I can show how it 'looked like' and what the consequences were, though not exactly 'how' it worked. Most Axis & Allies Miniatures players use 1:100 (15mm) scale models for ground units and 1:300 (approx.) for aircraft, but you may apply these rules for any scale from 1:72 down to 1:300 as long as you remain consistend in its use. Personally, i use 1:144 (12mm) scale for ground units and 1:200 for aircraft and it works fine. All cards issued under this system should have a model available on world-wide market at least in one scale. I believe that you will find the Historical House Rules useful and enriching if you give them a try and i hope that you will stay with me to continue in the development of this excellent game :)
Rules marked as "*Try:" are enriching, but purely optional.

Additional informations, rulebooks, counters and cards, as well as the possibility to post your ideas and criticism, are available in the HHR4.0 ressource thread in the Axis & Allies forumini: http://aaminis.myfastforum.org/AAM_HHR4_0_cards_and_rules_about24287.html

PART I: Elementary Mechanisms

About the Historical House Rules list: Unless playing a HHR tournament, feel free to add, exclude or modify any of the existing rules before the game starts if both sides agree on this selection. However, changing the rules during a running game is not allowed. Basics I. Deployment: Both sides deploy up to 2 hexes from their respective map border. In case of a defender-attacker scenario, the defender deploys 2 hexes around held objectives and the attacker 2 hexes from the opposite map border. Obstacles may be placed up to 4 hexes from the owner's deployment zone. Stacking Limit: On one 3" hex, you may locate up to 3 friendly units and 3 enemy units (3+3). One of the 6 units may be a Vehicle and one Aircraft at the maximum. With 2" map hexes, use 2+2 stacking limit instead. Winning Conditions: If you dont play a specific scenario, the game is evaluated after the 7th turn when both players resolve all their counters. If the winner is not decided yet, the game continues until the end of the 10th turn.
Rem: Any unit placed next to the objective hex with active (face-up) disruption counter is not holding it. A unit without attacking ability may never control an objective (horses, trucks, etc...)

II.

III.

IV.

Multiple abilities of the same name are not cumulative.

Initiative I. Unless playing a specific scenario, roll 2d6 on initiative before you choose a map set. Add your best commander's initiative to your roll (+Init). The player with highest score has tactical advantage and may proceed to set up the battlefield. Roll for second time 2d6+Init before Deployment phase. Again, the player who won may choose who will deploy his/her army first.
*Try: Instead of fielding whole the army at once, players alter in placing their units.

II.

III.

Roll for third time 2d6+Init before start of the game itself. The one who wins may choose who will have the upper hand for the first turn. Repeat this roll at start of any following turn.

Disruption / Damage I. Disrupted unit is a unit under fire, pinned / buttoned or panicking. Disrupted units have -1 to hit and -1 defense; they cannot move unless having special abilities which are overruling this statement. Cumulative Disruption occurs in case of multiple defensive-fire attacks against one target. The effect of active disrupted counters is cumulative and each successive hit reduces the chance of the target to hit in its assault phase by -1. However, it does not further reduce the target's defense.
F.e: 2 or more Anti Aircraft Guns shoot defensively at one Aircraft. The Aircraft suffers a -1 to each of its attack dice in its assault phase for every disrupted counter on it from the defensive-fire attacks.

II.

III.

Damaged unit is usually a vehicle with damaged turret, track or hull. This unit has permanent penalty -1 to hit, -1 defense and speed reduced by 1.

cards: PART II: The HHR cards: A Brief Description

It is nearly impossible to compare every unit to the other, so the cards and rules are progressively changing, upgraded according to your tips and thoughts. Each change will be traceable in the changelog section of the main HHR thread in the Axis & Allies forumini. Detailed Description:

Multiple Nationality: In case the unit was used by more than one nation, you will find their list under the main nation flag together with the year of introduction. It might be a unit in licensed production, bought or captured by enemy units. The list of national users is not complete and mentions only those nations, where that unit appeared in a battle AND in substantial numbers (tens of pieces at least). Theatre of Operations: You may find on the bottom right side the area of employment for the main nation, on the bottom left side there are secondary owners. Small symbols under national flags show the individual rarity modifications. Zones of operations are as follow: WER = Western Europe (France, Belgium, Holland, Norway, ...) MED = Mediterranean (Africa, Middle East, Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, ...) PAC = Pacific Islands CBI = China, Burma, India MISC = Multiple theaters according to the unit national availability BERLIN, JAPAN, ... = Specific national theatres Captured units (marked by a 'C' on the national flag on the bottom left side), like a T-34 tank used in Finnish army, cost 20% more points (rounded up). There must have been an extra material and life investment forgoing its conversion.

Asterisk: Usually positioned to the left of a specific SA. Means that the special ability cannot be used while the unit is disrupted. Commanders may not usually comand while they are disrupted.
Rem: A Commander's abilities affect also himself.

Unit Subtypes: Infantry: Commander, Sniper, Partisan, Spotter and Special are Infantry subcategories. Cavalry: Cavalry Cavalry and its Commanders and Animal are Cavalry subcategories. Tanks: Tank, Heavy Tank, Tank Destroyer, Assault Gun, and Artillery are Tank subcategories.

PART III: Defense

DefensiveDefensive-Fire attacks I. Every unit can defend itself. Once per Movement phase and once again in its Assault phase. Machine guns can fire more than once. Vehicles cannot fire defensively against Soldiers. Defensive-fire attacks can be used on any of the 7 (including the own) adjacent hexes against: a) units moving from one adjacent hex to another adjacent hex b) units leaving adjacent hex or turning in it.
Rem: Defensive fire against turning units applies only against Guns and Vehicles. In AAM, an infantry unit has no 'front' and 'back' as they represent a multiple infantrymen squad. Therefore there is no need to 'turn' infantry. Rem: Defensive Fire is restricted by special abilites (No Turret, Fixed Howitzer, etc...). Disrupted unis cannot fire defensively unless having special abilites.

II.

A unit hit by Defensive Fire gets a face-up Disrupted counter. No unit can be damaged or destroyed by a defensive-fire attack.
*Try: Defensive-fire attacks will be as lethal as standard attacks. This way you could accelerate your large-scale battles.

III.

'Fanatics' or units using special commander ability to move & attack in their assault phase can be disrupted by defensive-fire attacks, but finish their charge anyway. All ground units except these with AA and adhoc AA Ability cannot make Defensive-fire attacks against Aircraft.
Expl: Aircrafts strike on ground targets without warning. Only flak and some MG units are prepared to face such a situation. All other units fail to react on the plane before flying over them as they are focused on the ground combat.

IV.

Enhanced Cover I. II. III. Cover roll can be used against any attack. Even against defensive-fire attacks. If a unit successfully evades the defensive fire, it does not become Disrupted. A unit which successfully passes the Cover roll cannot be more than Disrupted (even if already Disrupted). Cover is reduced in accordance with the distance between target and attacker: a) At long distance: Soldiers cover on 4+, Vehicles cover on 5+ as in standard AAM rules. b) At medium distance: Soldier cover on 5+, Vehicles cover on 6+ (penalty -1) c) At short distance: Soldier cover on 6+, Vehicles cover on 7+ (penalty -2) d) All ground targets are considered at long range to Aircraft positions. Therefore cover and visibility against Aircraft is not reduced by distance and units with 'Superior Camouflage' SA cannot be discovered by an Aircraft.
Rem: 7+ is not equal to 'no cover at all', because the correction by unit abilities is still possible.

IV.

The Bombardment special ability was deleted in HHR. Destruction ability is used instead and indicates how much the target cover is reduced (-1 to -4) depending on the caliber of the gun. Approximate table for gun calibers is: 250-200mm: -3, 200-150mm: -2, 122100mm: -1, Smaller caliber: no change to the target's cover. Concealing: Concealed units have +1 on cover rolls on any terrain. Any Soldier unit can start concealing itself at the beginning of the turn. If the unit does not move nor attack during this turn, it becomes concealed. (use special HHR counter) Concealment can be cancelled only by movement out of the hex.
Expl: Concealing does not mean necessarily 'digging-in'. It signifies better use of the terrain where the unit is located - hiding behind sole trees, stones, crawling behind stream banks, ...

V.

VI.

No unit can have better cover than 2+.

PART IV: Infantry

Paratroopers I. Airborne units (with SA Paratroopers) can be deployed in your deployment zone before the start of each scenario according to the standard rules for deployment (i.e. as foot soldiers). In case you want to deploy these units behind enemy lines anywhere on the map, you need an Aircraft with Airlift SA (Junkers Ju52, Dakot C47 Skytrain, etc). Paratrooper units jump in the aircraft assault phase according to a few rules: a) Paratrooper units drop in the hex of the transporting Aircraft. b) The drop is always affected by Dispersion (see PART V: Artillery section). c) Paratrooper units are inactive until the end of the turn. They cannot attack or respond defensively (as they have to collect weapons and buddies). d) When landing on a town or forest hex, the paratroopers receive a face-up Disrupted counter as they plunge in the maze of chimneys, roofs and tree branches. e) If the transporting Aircraft is disrupted before the units it carries have left the board, all dropped units become disrupted. f) If the transporting Aircraft is destroyed, all units still on board have to make a save roll on 4+ to reach the ground disrupted. This drop is also affected by Dispersion. If you roll 1-3, the unit did not manage to escape and is destroyed in the crashed Aircraft.

II.

*Try: Encirclement: Every attacking Soldier unit is focused on one target only. If another enemy unit appears behind (rear hexes are these from the first target point of view) and attacks, the surrounded unit gets immediately a face-down Disrupted counter. *Try: Damaged Soldier units: Soldier units may receive damaged status as well. It represents a unit with few casualties, unable to move (-1 speed) but still defending their comrades. This option favors infantry use.

PART V: Artillery
Indirect Fire I. II. III. Units with Indirect Fire SA may fire without Line of Sight (LoS). The attack strenght and is written on the card as Anti-Soldier/Anti-Vehicle (f.e. Indirect Fire 9/5) value. All indirecct attacks have following abilities: Inaccurate 1, Shrapnel 2 and Blast. Any undisrupted Spotter or Commander, instead of attacking or moving, may call for artillery support at the beginning of the assault phase against one target hex. An empty hex or an invisible unit is not a valid target. Any indirect artillery attack guided by a Commander (w/o Spotter SA) has Dispersion. Roll 2D6. First roll represents estimate, second reality. If the unit estimate is better (higher) than the real situation, the attack hits the targeted hex. Otherwise the shells hit one of the 6 adjacent hexes surrounding the target. Use another D6 to decide which one.
*Try: Spotter or Commander add only a fix value to the estimate roll. *Try: Spotter increases the estimate roll to 6, so with a reality roll of 6, you still miss the target.

IV.

V.

Indirect attacks are always considered as at long range when calculating target cover and hit always the Vehicles Rear.
Rem: In indirect fire, gun muzzle speed does not affect the damage dealt to the target only size matters when calculating cover.

VI. VII.

Units with X+ ability have (for gaming purposes) unlimited range and can be used in Campaigns at the Rear to bombard the enemy positions. Counterbattery fire: You can aim your artillery at enemy artillery the next turn after it has fired and thus reveald its position. If the enemy artillery did not move since the last attack you can attack it with your artillery. This attack has Dispersion unless attacking a Rocket launcher battery, which creates too much light and smoke and is easily located (as written on the rocket launcher cards). Heavy guns: All artillery pieces on wheeled carriage with Heavy SA (except AA guns) must be spiked in the ground while firing due to the recoil effect. Therefore they cannot turn once unloaded, they may fire only on targets in their frontal arc. To rotate such a gun, you must use a Vehicle which could transport the gun. You dont have to load and unload the gun for each rotating maneuver. Keeping the transport unit in the hex with the heavy gun is enough. However, while rotating a heavy gun, the gun and gun transport are not allowed to do any other actions in that phase.

VIII.

IX.

Destruction X only reduces the cover of 'soft' targets (HE shells).

Example: M7 105mm has Indirect Fire 8/4 :- At range 5+ Destruction 1 You can fire with a Commander spotting without LoS on a range of 5 or more hexes. On the Dispersion roll 4+3, your first indirect attack hits the target infantry position with their cover reduced on 5+ (long distance, but with penalty 1 for Destruction ability). However, on the roll 4+4, you missed the original target and you have to roll another d6 and you may even hit your own units close to the target, so be careful!

Towing the Artillery I. Artillery may board or dismount a transporting unit instead of moving (or attacking with) both units in that phase. However, Artillery with speed 0 may be loaded/unloaded in the assault phase only, so its preparation takes whole the turn. A transport towing the artillery is slowed by 2 if the gun has the Heavy SA, by 1 if the artillery has no indication of weight and by 0 if it has the Light SA. Some tractors and vehicles are powerful enough to not to be slowed by towed guns (special ability Heavy Puller).

II. III.

*Try: Rear/Front Artillery defense: For the artillery models mounted with a front shield add +1 to their frontal defense and use facing. The shield is ineffective against air strikes and indirect fire bombardment.

PART VI: Vehicles

Movement I. Turning of vehicles. A vehicle may turn freely at the beginning or at the end of its movement. However, while turning next to an enemy unit, it may become the target of defensive-fire attacks.
Rem. Guns may turn anytime, if not state otherwise (f.e. pegged heavy guns)

II.

Reverse driving of vehicles. All vehicles including these with Strike and Fade ability may move at Speed 1 only while moving at reverse gear. When you want to drive them at full speed, you have to turn them first. This rule is especially important for self-propelled guns and the vehicles with different frontal/rear armour when triggering a defensive-fire attack.
Rem: There are some exceptions as in case of Panhard, Autoblinda or Sdkfz234 armored cars with doubled steering. They can go backwards at full speed.

Transport I. All towed and carried units may leave the transport before its movement in the Movement or Assault phase. Treat both units as moved after the mounting/dismounting action. The transport towing an artillery unit cannot carry more Soldiers (as the gun crew occupies the rest of the available space). In case of trucks or other vehicles with the Multiple Transport SA , they may transport one Soldier:Artillery and one Soldier:Infantry unit. Soldier with the Mechanized Tactics SA can dismount after the vehicles movement (and attack in the following attack phase f.e.).

II.

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III.

Units carried on Vehicles with Exposed Transport SA can be directly targeted by enemy fire and they may also shoot at the targets in their range. However, transported units can fire defensively/offensively only from an immobile vehicle. If any or both units are hit (face-up or face-down Disrupted), they dismount immediately. Treat the dismounted unit as moved during that phase. If any transport is hit second time (Damaged), all carried units are immediately face-up Disrupted and dismount. If the carrier is destroyed, roll a die: on 1-3 the units are destroyed before they can leave the Vehicle. On 4-6 they managed to escape, but with a face-up and face-down disrupted counter. This affect also towed guns, as the crew is carried on the vehicle. Units inside a vehicle with the Transport SA (as M3 Halftrack or SdKfz251) are not affected by vehicle disruption. Capturing a transport: When an unarmed unit (like a truck, horses, etc) is adjacent to an armed enemy and no friendly units are adjacent to the transport, it is forced to surrender together with its cargo. The opponent may choose to overtake this unit until the end of the game or destroy it immediately in its attack phase. If there is no space left in the where you unload your units, place all remaining units beghind the vehicle in its path of arrival.

IV.

V. VI.

VII.

*Try: All AFVs (Frontal Defense 3+) offer 1 limited cover for the infantry in their hex. *Try: Vehicle Defense: Do not apply 1 defense for the damaged vehicle, as this is already included in Disruption penalty and the armor is not really reduced by a hit. This will favor vehicles use a bit.

*Try: Vehicle Defense: Ignore the penalties for damaged vehicles. Use the advanced damage table (ADT) instead (See HHR Counter Collection to play with ADT):

Roll 1-2 3-4 5-6

Effect D1/ Immobilized D2/ Hull Damage D3/ Turret Damage

(if no turret, then Gun damage)

Description Damaged unit cannot move and has -1 defense. Damaged unit has -1 speed and -1 attack dice on S/V. Damaged unit has -1 to hit and -1 attack dice on S/V.

Damaged D1-D3 are cumulative, but twice the same damage type = destruction. This will favor vehicles use. In campaigns, when you use ADT, vehicle repairs cost 1/3, 2/3 or 3/3 value depending on the amount of damage received. Immobile units staying in the enemy territory are captured.

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PART VII: Aircraft

COMING SOON

PART VIII: Additional Optional Rules

Weather When playing under standard weather conditions the visibility is 16 hexes (if unit SAs do not state otherwise). Other parameters are shown in following table: Daytime Dawn Day Dusk Night Weather Clear Cloudy Rain/Snow Base Visibility Visibility 8 Visibility 16 Visibility 8 Visibility 4 Modification Base Visibility Base Visibility -1 hex Base Visibility /2 (and no Aircraft allowed)

Examples: A clear night has visibility 4 hexes. Same night while snow is falling has visibility of 2 hexes only (Base /2). Clear Day has visibility 16 hexes, while cloudy 15 hexes. When raining visibility is reduced to 8 hexes.

Terrain modifications snow covered/muddy ground: a) Vehicle movement is reduce by 1 to a minimum of 1. b) All road bonuses are negated c) Soldiers with speed 1 and 'Relocate 1' have their speed reduced to 'Relocate 1'. All artillery pieces except these with Speed 1 cannot be relocated unless being towed by a transport vehicle. d) In case of snow covered terrain, infantry on skis is not affected by reduced speed. e) In subzero temperatures, swamps and lakes are frozen. Soldiers can cross the ice. When a vehicle crosses the ice, it must roll on the movement: take the frontal defense of that vehicle. If you roll less, you broke the ice and the vehicle is destroyed. When the ice is hit by a gun with 'Destruction X' SA, it reverts to the original terrain.

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Night Combat During the night, all attacks against unlit targets at other than short distance have -1 penalty on each attack die. You may use Flares to negate this effect: Flare (1939): 1pt per unit: Allows the Soldier unit to fire a flare in its assault phase in addition to its normal attack(s). The flare can be fired up to 4 hexes away from the unit's current position and illuminates the target hex and all adjacent hexes for the rest of the turn. Morale I. II. III. All units have some level of marel. Under standard conditions, a unit which receives a disrupted counter is disrupted next turn. If the unit has (or gains) superior morale (see table below), roll a D6 whenever the unit receives active disruption. On a 5-6, remove the disrupted counter immediately. If the unit has (or gains) lack of determination (see table below), roll a D6 whenever the unit receives active disruption. On a 1-3, put a destroyed counter on this unit.

Morale Modifiers a) An elite unit has superior morale until disrupted b) A unit awarded with a medal (campaign rules) has superior morale until disrupted c) A unit which destroys an enemy gains superior morale (or loses lack of determination) until disrupted d) Any commander removes lack of determination from all adjacent friendly units. e) An inexperienced unit has lack of determination f) A unit standing alone without Line of Sight or radio contact on other friendly units gets lack of determination (vehicles usually have radio equipment). This does not affect veteran or elite units. g) A unit whose last adjacent friendly unit has been destroyed gets lack of determination. This does not affect veteran or elite units. Hidden Deployment Playing with Hidden Unit Markers (See HHR Counter section) I. II. Print these markers twice. Each represents one unit. Place on on the board and put one with the same number on your card (or better, put it inside the protector foil to prevent number mixing). You are not allowed to look on opponent's unit cards with numbers! The sword points to the side the unit is facing. When an enemy unit has LoS to the hidden unit, reveal this unit to the enemy. Once revealed, do not cover the unit again. When the unit is in cover, roll on cover first (as if attacked) at the beginning of each phase the enemy has Line of Sight to your unit and also each time the hidden unit attacks. If you succeed, do not reveal this unit to the enemy.

III. IV. V.

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Expl: This way, a hidden unit in cover may in rare case destroy an enemy unit without being discovered.

PART IX: Resources

Books related to AAM:HHR AAM:HHR 4.0 Rulebook AAM:HHR Counters and Hexes List 4.0 AAM:HHR Campaign rules Miniset:Heroes Rules Unit cards as well as Counters, Tokens and much more can be found in the HHR thread in the Axis&Allies forumini: http://aaminis.myfastforum.org/AAM_HHR4_0_cards_and_rules_about24287.html Acknowledgement Thx to the Black Knight group for previously development of the HHR rules and cards. Especially i want to thank Sindor, who sadly lost his interest in this magnificent game. This game would be nothing without you! Also i would like to take the chance to thank all of you players out there for playing with these new rules and giving a constant feedback and criticism in the HHR thread. Together, this game evolves more and more to a fantastic ruleset for games beyond comparison. THANK YOU!

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