TACTICAL COMMAND

Advanced LOS: The rule change about seeing over obstacles isn't much of problem; it
just requires a pause to measure. It can be ignored without much effect. The Advanced LOS rule
that shouldn’t be ignored, however, is the part about the recon units and spotting hidden stands.
This really makes recon units useful and gives players a reason to keep them alive. As long as
there is coordination between the recon unit and another unit, the recon stands can "report the
locations" of the enemy.
Advanced Fire and Movement: This adds a lot to the game without adding any
complexity. It allows fast units to use their speed to engage the enemy with “hit and run” tactics.
Motivation Ratings: The first thing to note is that the ratings work best when they’re thought of
in relative terms (i.e. as a comparative assessment of the two sides in the battle). This way, if
both sides were “regular” troops, but one side was obviously better, that side could be rated
“veteran”. Thus, the ratings are situational: a unit may rate “veteran” in one scenario but
“regular” in another when facing better troops. Some generalizations can be made, though.
Some suggested ratings are Green for French units in 1940, as well as for Russian units in 1941
and 1942 (by 1942, some units may be Regular). A Green rating can also be used for German
conscript units at the end of the war (Volkssturm units). Regular ratings can be used for units
that have some experience, or at least good training and sound doctrine. Infantry of the BEF in
1940, for example, probably rates Regular, as do most of the units hitting the shores on or after
D-Day. Veteran ratings should be reserved for units that have extensive combat experience (for
example, the U.S. 1st Infantry Division in Normandy should be rated Veteran). Elite ratings can
be given to US Ranger units, US and British Airborne units, most Soviet Guards units, and
certain German SS units (but not the myriad SS divisions created in the last year or so of the
war). These ratings do not serve to designate that the individuals in the units were of
certain quality. Rather, the ratings serve to reflect the command and control structures, unit
cohesiveness, as well as officer initiative. This is why French units in 1940 or Italian units in
North Africa should be given the Green rating; their individual soldiers were brave, but their
doctrine and methods of command were generally outmoded.
Cover: Infantry, artillery, and guns that start a scenario set up on the map probably should be
assumed to be in soft cover where they are set up. This reflects trenches, foxholes, firing
positions and gun pits prepared prior to the engagement.
Front Arc and Armor Ratings: Armor ratings for the sides and rear of AFVs were initially set
to 0, even though most AFVs in World War II had all-around armored protection. This was to
reflect the fact that a company that has been flanked is in a much worse tactical position than
when the enemy is head-on. Based on player feedback, I changed the armor rating to half that of
the front arc value. This still makes AFVs extremely vulnerable to flank and rear shots, yet still
provides some variations to better reflect the few armored behemoths that were occasionally
encountered (the Char B1 in 1940, the KV 2 in 1941, or the Tiger from 1942/43) that had good
all-around protection. If players want, they can set rear arc armor ratings to 0 to reflect not only
the poor rear armor of nearly every AFV, but also the confusion and surprise involved in being
attacked from the rear.
Firing at the Enemy: All similar stands of a company must fire at the same enemy stand. This
was done for a number of reasons. First, I unashamedly admit it was done to speed up the game.