17. Close Combat

Close Combat represents the desperate, violent struggle that occurs at close quarters, where a decisive action must result, one side ultimately giving ground to the other.

17.1 When does Close Combat Occur?

Close Combat occurs when two opposing infantry Units move to within 4" of each other. Where nothing greater than a single Minor Obstacle is between the opposing Units, Close Combat will automatically occur.

When a Medium obstacle is between the opposing Units, Close Combat may occur if the active player wishes.

Where Line of Sight is broken, but where an unobstructed path exists between the opposing Units, such as when the enemy Unit is located behind a passable terrain feature, such as around the corner of a building or behind a door on the ground floor of a building, Close Combat may occur if the active player wishes.

Where a Major Obstacle or greater is between the opposing Units, such as when the enemy Unit is on a higher level inside a building, or on the other side of a high solid wall, Close Combat cannot take place.

No Unit can enter Close Combat with a vehicle. Vehicles never fight in Close Combat.

17.2 Who Fights?

If a Unit comes within 4" of an enemy Unit and engages them in Close Combat, all of the figures in both Units fight, even if most are more than 4" from the enemy. Move the attacking figures so that they are within 4" of the defenders.

Where multiple Units move into Close Combat in the same Phase, the attacking player may choose whether they fight at the same time or in sequence; one Unit fighting first, concluding that Close Combat and then the next Unit fighting.

If the Unit being attacked has one or more friendly Units within 4", these can choose to do one of the following:

Fight in the Close Combat.
Fire supporting fire.
Play no part in the combat.

Only figures that have Line of Sight to the attacking enemy may fire supporting fire.

17.2.1 Defending Cover

Defending cover is where a Unit that is in, or behind, cover is attacked by a unit that is outside, or on the other side of, that cover. Where both units are in the same area terrain that gives cover, neither side is defending it.

17.3 The Combat Dice

Both players begin with one Combat Dice for each figure, not including Leaders, that are in Close Combat. Adjust this number using the table below to establish the total number of Combat Dice to be rolled. Do this in the order listed, from top to bottom, rounding down any odd numbers:

Factor	Combat Dice Adjustment
Number of Orders all Leaders in the combat are currently capable of issuing.	+1
Each two Firepower Dice of Supporting Fire.	+1
Elite Unit.	+2
Green Unit.	-2
Each D6 of fully visible movement the Attacker used to get into contact (first round only).	+1
Each two points of Shock on Regular or Elite Units.	-1
Each point of Shock on Green Units.	-1
Each SMG or Assault Rifle.	+1
Each Defender's LMG where the Attacker moves in their Arc of Fire (first round only).	+3
Each Defender's MMG or HMG where the Attacker moves in their Arc of Fire (first round only).	+4
Each Defender's LMG, MMG or HMG where Attacker moved through Suppressing Fire.	+3
Attacking an enemy in Light Cover (first round only).	Remove ⅓ of the dice
Attacking an enemy in Hard Cover (first round only).	Remove half of the dice
Hit in the rear in the first round of Close Combat.	Remove half of the dice
Unit is Pinned.	Remove half of the dice

17.3.1 Overwhelming Numbers

If one side has four times as many dice as their opponent, or more, the side with fewer dice will surrender if no Leader is present. Take a Force Morale Test, rolling for a Unit wiped out. Where a Leader is present, the Unit Breaks and flees immediately. The Unit moves 18" inches directly away from their opponent, and ends their movement with their backs to the enemy. They take three points of Shock per Team. A Force Morale Test is taken for the Unit Breaking.

17.4 Resolving Combat

If neither side Breaks, both players roll their Combat Dice. Rolls of 1 to 4 have no effect. Rolls of 5 or 6 result in a hit. The total number of hits determines the winner of the Close Combat.

17.4.1 Effect of Hits

The hits rolled have the following effects.

Roll	Result
5	One Shock
6	One Kill

If multiple Teams are fighting, kills and Shock are spread equally between them, with the player deciding which Team is allocated any odd Kills or Shock. Only one odd Kill or Shock hit can be apportioned to any single Team.

Supporting Units never suffer any hits as a result of Close Combat.

17.5 Result of Close Combat

If one side is wiped out or breaks due to Shock, their opponent automatically wins the Combat. Otherwise, the winner is the side with the highest number of hits. Check the table below for the outcome.

The winner can choose to advance and occupy the ground previously held by their defeated opponent, or to hold their own position.

Close combat results
Draw
Fight again immediately. This happens for a maximum of two rounds, after which both sides retire 6" away from their opponent.
Defeated by One
Loser retreats 6" directly away from the enemy, ending their movement facing the enemy. Aggressive Units, or Stubborn Units in defence, treat a Defeat by 1 result as a Draw and fight again immediately.
Defeated by Two
Loser retreats 9" directly away from the enemy, ending their movement facing the enemy. Add one point of Shock on each losing Team./td>
Defeated by Three
Loser retreats 12" directly away from the enemy, ending their movement facing away from the enemy. Add two points of Shock on each losing Team.
Defeated by Four
If all Leaders have been killed or Stunned, the Unit will surrender. Take a Force Morale Test for a Unit wiped out. If a Leader is captured, test Force Morale for the Leader being captured. If the loser has an active Leader, the Unit Breaks and retreat 18" directly away from the enemy. They end their movement facing away from the enemy. Add three points of Shock on each losing Team. Take a Force Morale Test for a Unit Breaking (even if Shock does not amount to double the number of remaining figures).

In action
A Soviet SMG Section moves to within 4" of a German Squad in a small Russian farmhouse and chooses to fight Close Combat. With seven men, they have seven Combat Dice. Their Junior Leader is not wounded so adds two Combat Dice, one for each Order he has. They then add eight more Combat dice, one for each SMG, including the Leaders. That's 17 Combat Dice. However, the Germans are defending hard cover so the Soviets remove half of their dice, rounding down, to make eight Combat Dice in total. The Germans have just eight men and a wounded Leader. They get eight Combat Dice plus one for the Leader. However, they add one dice for the Soviet movement and 3 dice for the LMG as the Russians attacked through its Arc of Fire; 11 Combat Dice in all. An enemy in Hard cover is a tough opponent.

In action

A Soviet SMG Section moves to within 4" of a German Squad in a small Russian farmhouse and chooses to fight Close Combat.

With seven men, they have seven Combat Dice. Their Junior Leader is not wounded so adds two Combat Dice, one for each Order he has. They then add eight more Combat dice, one for each SMG, including the Leaders. That's 17 Combat Dice. However, the Germans are defending hard cover so the Soviets remove half of their dice, rounding down, to make eight Combat Dice in total.

The Germans have just eight men and a wounded Leader. They get eight Combat Dice plus one for the Leader. However, they add one dice for the Soviet movement and 3 dice for the LMG as the Russians attacked through its Arc of Fire; 11 Combat Dice in all. An enemy in Hard cover is a tough opponent.

17.5.1 Leaders in Close Combat

At the end of each round of Close Combat, check for hits on Leaders and apply any results before the next round is fought. See Section 13.2.7, Hits on Leaders.

17.5.2 Aggressive Troops in Combat

Aggressive Troops gain the Storm of Steel Bonus in Close Combat.

17.5.3 Stubborn Troops in Combat

Stubborn Troops gain the Storm of Steel Bonus in Close Combat when they are defending.

17.5.4 Supporting Fire Units

Units that fired Supporting Fire withdraw with the Units that lost the Close Combat. They add any Shock indicated by the Result.

17.5.5 Crewed Weapons

A Unit with a crewed weapon that is obliged to withdraw after a round of Close Combat will abandon their weapon and be removed from the game. Take a Force Morale Test for the loss of a Support Unit.

17.5.6 Prisoners

Where prisoners are taken, the winner allocates guards at a 1 to 4 ratio. The prisoners and guards are removed from play immediately.

17.6 Close Combat in Buildings

Troops attacking from outside a building can only engage an enemy on the ground floor. If the enemy is on any other floor, they cannot stop the attackers entering the ground floor of the building.

Units in a building moving from one floor to an adjacent floor occupied by the enemy will fight in Close Combat.

Units in a building attacked from outside are defending Hard Cover. When being attacked from another floor inside the building, they are defending Light Cover. A Unit in Close Combat with an enemy on the same floor of a building gain no defensive advantage.

Units in Bunkers can only be engaged in Close Combat if the entrance is contacted. They count as being in Hard Cover and are not counted as though hit in the rear.

17.7 Tank Over-Runs

Vehicles cannot fight in Close Combat, but tracked vehicles can over‐run infantry positions. To do this they move into contact with the enemy Unit. Each Team contacted rolls a D6. If they roll above the amount of Shock the Team has, the Team evades, moving 2D6 inches in any direction the player wishes.

If the Team fails to roll above their current Shock level, roll for 1D6 hits on the Team, treating it as a target in Light Cover. The Team is then moved 4" directly away from the tank.

17.7.1 Tanks Against Crewed Weapons

Crewed weapons contacted by a tank or tracked AFV roll 1D6. If they roll a 6 they move 3" in any direction and avoid contact. On any other roll, the weapon is destroyed and the crew removed from play. Roll for Force Morale for a Support Weapon destroyed.

17.8 Ramming AFVs

Where two armoured vehicles come into contact, both vehicles roll 1D6 for each point of their Armour strength. A Crash Hit is achieved on a roll of 5 or 6.

Compare the number of Crash Hits inflicted by both AFVs. If the numbers are equal, both vehicles have bounced off and both take two Shock.

If one vehicle has rolled more 5's or 6's than their opponent, both vehicles have bounced off. The winning vehicle suffers two Shock, the losing vehicle suffers three Shock.