8. Chain of Command Points

Accumulating Chain of Command Points during play represents a commander building up their tactical awareness. It reflects a platoon leader’s ability to "read the battle" and respond dynamically to its challenges.

8.1 Gaining chain of command points

A player can gain Chain of Command Points in four ways.

In the Mission set-up.
Each 5 rolled with their own Command Dice.
Their opponent rolls two or more 6’s on their Command Dice.
A Random Event.

Both players track the number of Chain of Command Points they accumulate using the pips on their Chain of Command Dice. There is no limit to how many Chain of Command Points a player can accumulate.

8.2 Using Chain of Command Points

Chain of Command Points can be used to react and respond to the tactical situation. The points are available for use as soon as they are gained and may be played as individual points, multiple points or as a full Chain of Command Dice of six points, as the player chooses.

No Unit can use Chain of Command points more than once in any Phase. Chain of Command Dice and Points are discarded once used.

8.2.1. Chain of Command Dice Actions

A full Chain of Command Dice of six points can be used to do the following,

Chain of Command Dice
Interrupt an Enemy Phase
End the Turn
Ambush
Avoid a Force Morale Test
Move a Jump Off Point

Interrupting an Enemy Phase

At any time in an opponent’s Phase, a player can halt their opponent’s activation to move or fire with one un-Pinned Section, Team or single vehicle Crew Position that is already deployed on the table. This does not activate the Leader and no Orders can be issued. When the Interrupt is complete, the opponent continues with their activation. This may only be used once in any single Phase of play.

End the Turn

Either player may End a Turn with a Chain of Command Dice in any Phase of play. The Turn ends at the completion of the current Phase of play. See Section 6.3, The Turn End.

Ambush

Once in any Phase of play, a player can Ambush with one as yet undeployed Infantry Team or Support Unit. This can be placed anywhere within 12" of a friendly Jump‐ Off Point and more than 6" from an enemy infantry Unit.

The ambushing Team may fire at any enemy in their arc of Fire or place a single explosive charge or grenade into a vehicle within 4".

Where the Unit or vehicle being ambushed is moving, the ambushing player can choose the point in the enemy’s movement at which the Ambush happens. The effect of the Ambush is applied before the target completes its movement. Any Shock caused reduces the distance the target Unit moves. If the target is Pinned, it will halt at the point the firer opened fire.

Vehicles can never Ambush. A Team ambushing is not moving, nor can it move.

A Team on Overwatch covering the area from which an Ambush is made can fire after the Ambush is complete.

A Chain of Command Dice may be played to interrupt the Phase, allowing a Unit to fire on the ambushing Unit. This happens after the Ambush is complete but before the Phase ends.

At the end of the Phase of play, the ambushing Unit can leave the table to be deployed later in the game or it can remain on the table. If the ambushing Unit is a single Team that is part of a Section, it must leave the table. If it is a Team which cannot move and fire in the same Phase, such as a tripod mounted machine gun or Anti-Tank gun, it must remain on the table.

Any Shock on the Ambushing Team is removed if it leaves the table. If the ambushing Unit is Pinned or Broken, it may not leave the table.

Avoid a Force Morale Test

A player can avoid taking a Force Morale Test. This cannot be used to ignore a test that has already been taken. See Section 4.3, Force Morale.

Move a Jump-Off Point

A friendly Jump-Off Point that has not been captured by the enemy can be moved a maximum of 18" in any direction. The new location must be to a point at least 6" to the rear of friendly troops, (other than snipers) and be either in, or behind, cover from all deployed enemy Units. If this is done in the player’s own Phase, the moved Jump-Off Point can immediately be used to deploy from.

In action
As a German Mk IV Tank moves down a snowy Belgian lane. The US player plays a full Chain of Command Dice to Ambush, deploying a Bazooka Team 12" from a Jump-Off Point, where it can get a flank shot on the Panzer. They immediately resolve the shot, destroying the tank. The Bazooka Team would leave the table on the conclusion of this Phase of play, but the Germans have an MG42 Team on Overwatch. It fires at the Bazooka Team, killing one figure and inflicting two points of Shock. That Breaks the Team and a Force Morale roll is made. When the Phase ends, the remaining one figure with the Bazooka cannot be removed from the table as it has Broken.

In action

As a German Mk IV Tank moves down a snowy Belgian lane. The US player plays a full Chain of Command Dice to Ambush, deploying a Bazooka Team 12" from a Jump-Off Point, where it can get a flank shot on the Panzer. They immediately resolve the shot, destroying the tank.

The Bazooka Team would leave the table on the conclusion of this Phase of play, but the Germans have an MG42 Team on Overwatch. It fires at the Bazooka Team, killing one figure and inflicting two points of Shock. That Breaks the Team and a Force Morale roll is made. When the Phase ends, the remaining one figure with the Bazooka cannot be removed from the table as it has Broken.

8.2.2 Chain of Command Point Actions

The following actions use Chain of Command Points, rather than whole Chain of Command Dice. They are generally less powerful than a whole Chain of Command Dice, but are still potentially highly effective.

Chain of Command Points
Recce Action 1 Point
React Fire 3 Points
Hit the Dirt 3 Points
Reposition 3 Points
Reposition a Sniper 3 Points
Assault Deployment 3 Points

Recce Action

In their own Phase of play, a Scout Team can be activated using one Chain of Command Point, either moving, firing, going Tactical or rallying one point of Shock.

React Fire

In their opponent’s Phase of play, an Infantry Unit can immediately Fire for Effect at an enemy Unit moving in, or through, its 90 degree frontal Arc of Fire. See Section 13.1, Frontal Arc of Fire.

The firer chooses the point in the enemy Unit’s movement at which they open fire. The effect of firing is calculated before the target completes its movement. Any Shock caused will reduce the distance moved. If the target becomes Pinned, it will halt at the point the firer opened fire.

Hit the Dirt

In any Phase of play, an Infantry Unit being fired at can respond by Hitting the Dirt. Before the firing takes place, a Tactical Marker is placed with the Unit, increasing the level of cover they are in by one level, up to a maximum of Hard Cover. The target Unit remains Tactical until it takes any other action or the Turn ends. See Section 10.1, Infantry Movement.

If the target Unit is moving, they end their movement at the point where the enemy fires. A Unit that is already Tactical, or moving Tactically, gains no benefit from using Hit the Dirt.

Reposition

In their own Phase of play, an Infantry Unit that has not yet been activated can make a Reposition, even if it is currently Pinned. The Unit rolls 1D6 and moves that distance in inches, with any Shock on the Unit ignored. It can cross minor or medium obstacles or enter a building through a door or ground floor window. A player may not use a Reposition to move a Unit into Close Combat.

A Unit which Repositions does not count as activating or moving. A Reposition will not trigger an enemy Overwatch or allow the enemy to respond with React Fire, Interrupt, or with an Ambush. A Unit which Repositions can subsequently activate as normal in the Phase.

Reposition a Sniper

Snipers do not move like other Units but must be repositioned using Chain of Command points. In any Phase of play, a player can use Chain of Command Points to move a Sniper to another location in cover within 18" of the current position and at least 12" from any enemy Units. The sniper cannot fire in the Phase they move.

Any Unit on Overwatch attempting to spot the sniper must begin that process again, even if the sniper’s new position is in their Overwatch area. See Section 14.1.2.1, Engaging a Sniper.

Assault Deployment

A vehicle carrying an Infantry Unit can move at any speed and disembark its passengers in the same Phase. The passenger Unit moves up to 6" from the centre of the vehicle. They may cross Minor or Medium Obstacles and may enter a building through any door within the 6" movement distance. If engaging an enemy Unit in Close Combat, they move directly towards that Unit in a straight line. They may not move around, past or over enemy Units.

The deploying Unit may do the following:

Fire for Effect
Fire Suppressing Fire
Assume a Tactical stance
Go on Overwatch
Fight a Close Combat, counting as having moved with 1D6.

A Support Weapon being towed, such as an Anti-Tank or Infantry Gun, may make an Assault Deployment, moving up to 6" from the centre of the vehicle and deploying ready to fire when next activated. It may not fire or go on Overwatch in this Phase.

In action
The German MG42 Team that fired at the Bazooka Team in the last example, had its Overwatch marker removed as a result. In a subsequent Phase, the US Player rolls their Command Dice and sees an opportunity as they have rolled a double 6, giving them the next Phase. Activating a Section, they move it into the wheat field to attempt to outflank the German MG position. The German Team is no longer on Overwatch, but this movement in their frontal 90 degree Arc of Fire means they can React Fire using three Chain of Command Points. They choose to fire at the moment the US Section begins to move. The US player decides they will respond by Hitting the Dirt, playing three Chain of Command Points and placing a Tactical marker by the Section before the Germans open fire.

In action

The German MG42 Team that fired at the Bazooka Team in the last example, had its Overwatch marker removed as a result. In a subsequent Phase, the US Player rolls their Command Dice and sees an opportunity as they have rolled a double 6, giving them the next Phase.

Activating a Section, they move it into the wheat field to attempt to outflank the German MG position. The German Team is no longer on Overwatch, but this movement in their frontal 90 degree Arc of Fire means they can React Fire using three Chain of Command Points. They choose to fire at the moment the US Section begins to move.

The US player decides they will respond by Hitting the Dirt, playing three Chain of Command Points and placing a Tactical marker by the Section before the Germans open fire.