10. Infantry Movement

Movement on the battlefield is an unpredictable affair. Troops become more cautious and their performance less predictable when bullets start to fly but, more importantly, the speed with which the enemy responds to your actions is uncertain. Here we cover all Units that move on foot, whether infantry, Leaders or Support Units.

10.1 Infantry Movement

When a deployed infantry Unit is activated, it can move, change facing, or take up a Tactical stance.

Change Facing

When activated, an Infantry Unit can immediately change their facing, rotating up to 180 degrees on the spot without counting as moving. If a Unit changes facing in this way, it cannot remain on Overwatch and the Overwatch marker is removed. The Unit may now activate normally, with no penalty for changing facing.

Tactical

A stationary Unit may assume a Tactical stance. This will increase the level of cover they are in by one level, up to a maximum of Hard Cover. Place a Tactical Marker with the Unit.

A Unit with a Tactical marker in the Open will be treated as if it is in Light Cover. A Unit in Light Cover will be treated as if it is in Hard Cover. A Unit with a Tactical marker in Hard Cover does not increase its cover, but when under fire from a weapon that reduces cover, they retain the benefit of Hard Cover.

A Unit can remain Tactical until the end of the Turn. If it moves faster than Tactical speed, fires, goes on Overwatch or is Pinned, its Tactical stance ends and the Tactical marker is removed.

Moving

When moving a Unit, the player indicates the point on the table which they want the Unit to move to. This must be a clear feature, such as "towards that corner”, "to this wall” or "into the building”. The path taken should be directly towards the point indicated unless the player indicates a different route.

A Section activated on a Command Dice roll of 2, or using one Leader Order, will roll once for movement, all Teams in the Section moving that distance. When the Teams in a Section are activated individually, each Team rolls separately for movement.

10.1.1 Rates of Movement

Units move at three rates. Normal Movement, Tactical Movement or At the Double.

Normal Movement
Roll two Movement Dice and move the total distance rolled in inches. Units crossing obstacles use Normal Movement adjusted depending on the size or type of obstacle.

If an infantry Unit wishes to move and fire, it moves 1D6 inches and fires with half the normal Firepower Dice. The Unit may fire and then move, or move and then fire.

Tactical Movement
Place a Tactical Marker with the Unit. Roll one Movement Dice and move the total distance rolled in inches. A unit moving Tactically cannot fire or cross obstacles.
At the Double
Roll three Movement Dice and move the total rolled in inches. Each Team adds one point of Shock. Where a Section is not comprised of multiple Teams, it adds just one point of Shock. A unit moving At the Double cannot fire or cross obstacles

The Unit halts when they reach the point indicated or when they have moved the full distance rolled. No figure can move more than the total distance rolled.

Figures end their movement facing in any direction the player wishes.

A Unit can pass through another friendly Unit with no reduction in movement. No Unit can pass through a vehicle.

10.1.2 Terrain and Movement

The biggest factor limiting movement around the battlefield will be terrain. Terrain affects movement on foot as follows:

Open or Hard Ground

No penalty for any movement.

Broken Ground

No penalty for Tactical or Normal movement. Units cannot move At the Double.

Rough Ground

One pip is subtracted from each D6 of Tactical or Normal movement. Units cannot move At the Double.

Heavy Going

Only Normal movement is possible, with the lower of the dice rolled being discarded.

10.1.2.1 Crossing Obstacles

Crossing obstacles is always done at Normal Movement speed, rolling two Movement Dice and adjusting for the obstacle being crossed. Units cannot move Tactically, move At the Double, or move and fire.

Minor Obstacle

Roll two Movement Dice and discard the lower of the dice rolled when the obstacle is crossed. If movement is insufficient to cross the obstacle, the Unit will move towards it with both dice and halt when it is reached.

Medium Obstacle

Roll two Movement Dice and discard the higher of the dice rolled when the obstacle is crossed. If movement is insufficient to cross the obstacle, the Unit will move towards it with both dice and halt when it is reached.

Major Obstacle

These can only be crossed when the figures start the Phase adjacent to the obstacle. They take a whole Phase to cross. Place the figures directly on the other side of the obstacle.

Streams

Narrow streams and waterways of up to 1” wide can be crossed by jumping, treating them as a Minor Obstacle. Wider waterways must be moved through. Moving in a knee-deep stream is counted a Broken Ground. A waistdeep stream is Rough Ground. A chest-deep stream is Heavy Going.

10.1.2.2 Movement in varying Terrain

Troops moving in more than one type of terrain move at the slower rate for the entire Phase.

In action
A player uses a Command Dice roll of 3 to activate a Junior Leader. The Leader then uses one Order to activate the rifle Team to move Tactically towards a hedge. They place a Tactical Marker with the Team and rolling a 4 on 1D6, moving 4” as a result.

Using his second Order, the Leader activates the Bren Team to move across the hedge into a lane. The LMG Team rolls 2D6, rolling 3 and 5. The hedge is a Medium Obstacle, so they remove the higher dice rolled, moving 3” across the hedge.

Had the hedge been a minor obstacle, they would have removed the lower dice rolled, moving 5”.

10.1.3 Shock & Movement

A Team with Shock reduces the distance it moves by 1” for each point.

Where a Section of two or more Teams move as a single Unit, it will roll once for the distance moved and reduce that total by 1” for each point of Shock on the Team with the greater amount of Shock.

Where Two Teams in a Section are activated individually, the Teams will roll separately for movement and each will reduce its movement by the amount of Shock on that particular Team.

Where the amount of Shock equals, or exceeds, the distance rolled for movement, the Unit will not move.

The effect of Shock is in addition to normal terrain movement penalties.

In action
A US Scout Team is crossing a fence, a Minor Obstacle. They have two points of Shock and are keen to rally that, but at present they are exposed in a Dutch field. Heading for cover is more important. The Team is 2” away from the fence. They must move with Normal movement as they are attempting to cross an Obstacle, so roll 2D6. They roll a 1 and 4. As the Obstacle is Minor, they remove the lower of the dice rolled. This leaves the 4, normally sufficient to see them move over the fence and 2” past it. However, they have two points of Shock and that reduces movement by 2”. As a result, the Scout Team moves 2” to the fence, but they do not cross it.

10.1.4 Movement in Buildings

Infantry Units can move into and out of buildings. When entering buildings with large openings, such as barns, Normal Movement rates for Open Ground are used. For structures with smaller doors, such as houses, Units enter or leave via a doorway using Normal Movement with the lower dice rolled discarded. If movement is insufficient to move through the door, the Unit will move towards it with both dice and halt when the door is reached.

Troops can enter a building through large windows using Normal Movement, discarding the higher dice rolled.

Troops moving on one floor of a building move as though in Broken Ground.

Troops moving from one floor in a building to the floor above or below, take a full Phase to do so with no firing allowed. In addition to changing floors, up or down, they can move up to 6” within the floor moved to.

Wheeled Support Units, such as Anti-Tank guns or infantry guns, cannot move into undamaged buildings. They can move into buildings with large doors, such as barns or damaged buildings where sufficient space has been created. They cannot move to any level above ground level.

10.1.5 Infantry Embarking and Disembarking

An Infantry Unit boarding a vehicle must begin the Phase adjacent to the vehicle. It takes a full Phase of activation to embark, during which they cannot take any other action and the vehicle cannot move.

For an Infantry Unit to disembark, the vehicle must be stationary or moving Cautiously with one Movement Dice. Alternatively, the Unit may make an Assault Deployment, see Section 8.2.2, Chain of Command Point Actions.

The Unit disembarking moves up to 1D6 inches from the centre of the vehicle, Terrain effects are ignored but Major Obstacles cannot be crossed. It can immediately Fire for Effect with half their Firepower Dice or go Tactical.

Disembarking, including an Assault Deployment, counts as movement and can be interrupted by an enemy using an Ambush, Interrupt or React Fire.

10.2 Leaders Moving

Junior Leaders always move with the Section or Team they are attached to. Where attached to a Section which is operating as separate Teams, the Leader remains with one Team of the player’s choice.

A Senior Leader can move with any activated Unit they are attached to, or they can use one of their Orders to move on their own. They move through difficult terrain and cross obstacles with the same restrictions that apply to infantry, but never add Shock when moving At the Double.

10.3 Weapons with Limited Movement

Tripod mounted machine guns, infantry guns and AntiTank guns never move and fire in the same Phase. There is no set-up time for these Support Weapons; if they move during a Phase, they cannot fire; if they do not move in a Phase, they can fire.

Tripod mounted machine guns, infantry guns and AntiTank guns have a 90° Arc of Fire, 45° either side of the barrel. They can turn to engage any target in that arc without counting as moving. Turn the model so that the barrel lines up with the Unit being targeted. Any greater change of facing will require a full Phase of Normal Movement.

MMG and HMG Teams of three or more crew figures move without restriction. If reduced to two figures or less, the only movement possible is to change weapon facing. Turning to target a Unit outside their Arc of Fire requires a full Phase of Normal Movement.

Weapons mounted on a turntable have a 180° Arc of Fire.

Infantry flamethrowers cannot move At the Double.

Heavier Support Units, such as wheeled Anti-Tank guns or infantry guns, are categorised by weight in the National Arsenals. These may all move in Open Ground. They may not move in Broken Ground or worse or cross obstacles. Static guns, such as the 88mm Flak, can never be moved other than to change their Arc of Fire.

Where Light, Medium and Heavy Guns have three or more crew figures, they move without restriction in Open Ground. If reduced to two figures or less, they can only engage targets in their Arc of Fire, turning within that arc, but no further.

All guns move with two Movement Dice. Light guns movement full distance rolled. Medium guns discard the lower dice rolled. Heavy guns discard the higher dice rolled. A "double” rolled will see one D6 discarded. No gun can move Tactically.

10.3.1 Support Weapons Unlimbering

To unlimber heavier Support Weapons, such as Anti-Tank or Infantry Guns, the vehicle must be stationary, or an Assault Deployment used, see Section 8.2.2, Chain of Command Point Actions. A Support Weapon unlimbering from a vehicle moves up to 1D6 from the centre of the vehicle. Support Weapons unlimbering cannot fire or assume a Tactical Stance.

Unlimbering counts as movement and can be interrupted by an enemy using an Ambush, Interrupt or React Fire.

10.4 Capturing a Jump-Off Point

A Unit or armoured vehicle that moves to within 4” of an enemy Jump–Off Point will block it, preventing the enemy deploying from it.

If a Unit or armoured vehicle moves onto an enemy Jump-Off Point, they capture it, preventing the enemy deploying from it or moving it. A captured Jump Off Point is removed at the end of the Turn and a Force Morale Test is taken, rolling on the Bad Things Happen Table.

A captured Jump Off Point can be recaptured by moving a Unit onto it before the end of the current Turn.

10.5 Infantry Units Leaving the Table

No Units may voluntarily leave the table during a game. Units that are forced to leave the table are lost and do not return.