Panzer8 Expansion Rules - February 2008

The following rules are not required to play the game but can be added after experience has been gained with the basic rules in order to add flavour and posibilities to the game. Unless specified by the scenario, it should be declared before the start of the game which expansion rules are in use.

10. Advanced Elements

Forward Observer elements: A Forward Observer element represents a radio (or telephone) equipped team used to control off-board support assests. This can be a FOO (Forward Observation Officer) who controls indirect mortar, artilley and naval gunfire, or a FAC (Forward Air Controller) who controls air support missions. When dismounted they are represented by one or two men, usually and officer with binoculars and sometimes an additional radioman. These were often mounted; in some cases like the Soviets they must remain truck mounted as they are not man-portable. If a telephone equipped FOO moves, then it may no longer function as an FOO. These are not considered to be combat elements.

Motorcycle elements: Three or four models (two with side-cars) should be grouped on a base to represent a section. Bicycle elements: These are treated exactly as infantry elements except they move at +2 on roads.

Cavalry elements: Three or four models should be grouped on a base to represent a section (contemporary photographs show cavalry operating in tight formations). Crew-served weapons attached to cavalry units were often mounted on horse-drawn wagons which can be represented by transport or portee elements as appropriate. Cavalry move as mechanised elements. Cavalry that initiate close combat against elements in open, fields with high crops or dug-in gain a +2 HE/SA modifier.

10.1 Dismounting

Mounted troops such as Cavalry and Motorcycles are normally represented by models in their mounted state.They may dismount during the movement phase taking the entire phase to do so. Once dismounted the mounted element is replaced by an equivalent infantry section. 

A base of mounts without riders may optionally be provided, and if so it is placed anywhere adjacent to the troops that dismount. This is a non combat element which may not move. A typical such base could consist of a group of horses with horse-holders. If the dismounted unit is contiguous with its base of mounts, then it may remount during the movement phase, taking an entire phase to do so.

Portee elements may dismount as the equivalent Crew Served Weapons. If an empty transport marker is provided, then they may remount.

10.2 Reconnaissance troops

Some elements are classed as Recce. These are often armoured cars but can even be such elements as light tanks, cavalry, motorcycles or infantry scouts. They represent troops specially trained in scouting.

Recce elements gain advantages when locating hidden enemy.

Unless the scenario specifies otherwise, recce units may move once after the game has been setup but before the game starts. If both sides have recce units they alternately move one element each; starting with the defender, randomly if there isn't a defender. Recce elements due to enter the table on the first game turm may use this extra movement to enter the board.

11. Hidden Placement

Unless otherwise specified, in a scenario with an attacker and defender, the defender can use hidden placement for up to half of his elements. Other scenarios may permit hidden placement. To use hidden placement the element must be in cover, and not in permanent fortifications. A hidden element is always revealed when it fires, moves or when an enemy element moves with range 2. Hidden elements may not be fired upon in the normal manner, instead speculative fire with a range of 12 may be directed at the hidden element to make it reveal itself. Roll 1d20 and score of 12+ to succeed (troop quality modifiers apply). If a non-recce element is spotting, a -3 modifier applies. If successful, any hidden elements are placed on the table.

Whether the defending player uses counters or map to record the location of his hidden troops is a matter of taste.

11.1 Hidden Placement - Counters

The player places a counter on the table to represent one or more elements. In addition an equal number of “dummy” counters may be placed. Speculative fire may be directed any counter to which the firer has LOS. When placed on the table, hidden elements can have any desired facing or position provided they touches the hidden marker.

11.2 Hidden Placement - Map

The player draws a map of the battlefield and marks the position of each element. Speculative fire may be directed at any terrain feature. If successful, only elements to which the firer would have a LOS are revealed. When placed on the table, hidden elements can have any desired facing.

12. APDS and HVAP Ammunition

The British and Americans had APDS (Armoured Piercing Discarding Sabot) and HVAP (High Velocity Armoured Piercing) ammunition in late 1944 and 1945. A specific scenario can proscribe its use. Weapons capable of firing this ammunition have two AP values, one for “normal” ammunition and one for “improved” ammunition. The type of ammunition being used must be declared before firing. Note that elements firing APDS or HVAP must use the ammunition supply rule, even if no other elements on the table are using it..

13. Ammunition Supply

Vehicle mounted weapons, crew served weapons and flamethrowers can run out of ammunition. Although this rule is optional, flamethrowers, APDS or HVAP should not be used without it. An unmodified 1 on the AP to-hit or HE/SA table causes the weapon to run out of ammunition. Germans in 1945, Soviets in 1941, flamethrowers and elements firing APDS or HVAP are out of ammunition on rolls of 1 or 20. An Anti-tank gun firing AP (as opposed to APDS, HVAP or HE) never runs out of ammo. 

Ammunition can be replenished by moving off table and remaining there for 1 entire turn, entering again at the place of departure. It can also be replenished at an on-table supply dump and there remaining stationary without being fired upon for 1 entire turn. Guns with limbers can send their limber to resupply without having to limber-up and move out themselves. 

14. Smoke

Unless specified otherwise by the scenario, only a limited number of smoke screens may be placed. A pool of smoke "counters" is kept; one for every AFV or infantry element fielded (whichever is largest). Germans in 1945 and Soviets in 1941 have only half this number. Every time smoke is fired, one  counter it is taken from the pool regardless of the size of the smoke screen. Once the pool is empty, no more smoke may be fired.

Smoke lasts until the start of the player’s next fire phase when it either dissipated or may be renewed (without requiring any die roll).

• Smoke dischargers lay a two base-widths wide screen touching the front of the firer if hull mounted or any face if turret mounted. An AFV may not advance through a smoke screen fired by friendly AFV smoke dischargers.
• Sections with smoke grenades (usually only assault engineers) can lay a two base-widths wide screen touching the unit.
• Sections with light mortars (provided with smoke rounds) may fire a two base-widths wide screen. They must roll a 4 or more on a D20 to succeed (troop quality modifiers apply). It may be laid anywhere within range and LOS of the unit or its spotter.
• Sections with medium or heavy mortars may fire a three base-widths wide screen. They must roll a 4 or more on a D20 to succeed (troop quality modifiers apply). It may be laid anywhere within range and LOS of the unit or its spotter
• Support fire may fire a smoke screen the size of its beaten zone. When support fire is called using smoke, it counts as one support mission in addition to the smoke counter. 

Firing at a unit that is within or beyond smoke gets a -4 modifier for AP to-hit and HE/SA.

15 Support Fire

Support fire may be obtained from off-table batteries of guns, rockets and mortars or even naval vessels. These can be firing to a pre-arranged schedule or be called in by radio, telephone and rocket or flare equipped units on the ground. Support fire targets all units within, even partially, or moving through a given area centred on a specified map location. Players will be allocated a number of fire missions (turns) that each battery can fire. 

Support fire is called in or cancelled during the command phase. A communications test must be made; roll 1d20 and score 6+ to succeed (troop quality modifiers apply). When calling in fire the duration, ammunition type (HE or smoke) and the exact location are marked on a map. Called in fire arrives in a later turn during the fire phase. The number of turns delay depends on the level at which the unit performing the support fire is attached. 

A Forward Observation Officer (FOO) can be used to call in fire on any position in his LOS. The FOO can be telephone equipped in which case he must be stationary and either dug-in or in a building. The FOO can be radio equipped in which can he can be on foot or mounted in a vehicle (lorry, halftrack, tank etc.). French and Soviet FOOs prior to 1944 must be telephone equipped. Soviet FOOs from Guard Tank units may be radio equipped from summer 1944 but then must be in a lorry which they may not leave. Commander elements can perform some of the tasks of a FOO, but not as well and never for the Soviets. 

Pre-Planned Bombardments must be marked on a map together with the turn on which they commence, duration, and ammunition type (HE or smoke). They can be cancelled (but not moved or delayed) by a FOO or Commander element with a LOS to the planned location. 

Final Defensive Fire (FDF) may be used by a side specified by the scenario as defending. Three locations are pre-registered for fire to protect defensive positions. FDF can be called in by a FOO, commander or combat element with a LOS to the location. If an FOO calls in FDF then the delay is reduce by one turn for brigade or higher levels. The duration must also be recorded although this can be changed if called in by a FOO or commander. 

The British may use rolling barrages for support and pre-planned bombardments. The location of this moves a specified direction and distance each turn; both of which must be specified when the barrage is called/planned. 

Fire can be obtained from different levels: 

Support fire is resolved as HE/SA fire. Support fire normally has little or no effect on AFVs and should be resolved as mortar fire. However Corps or Naval level support fire effects all vehicles regardless of armour value.

17. Field Engineering

17.1 Barbed Wire

For games purpuses, barbed wire is deployed in sections with a length four times, and a width one times, the normal infantry element base size. 

Fully tracked AFVs ignore barbed wire, as do infantry moving directly behind them. Others stop on contact. It may then be crossed on a subsequent turn by expending full movement.

Engineers may clear a one element wide path through barbed bire. They must remain stationary one whole turn adjacent to the wire. The their subsequent fire phase, the must role a 12 or more to clear a path.

17.2 Permanent Fortifications - Bunkers & Pill boxes

Unless specified otherwise by the scenario, a pill box can contain one and a bunker two elements. These can be infantry, SFMG or guns. Mortars, anti-aircraft guns and vehicles may not be placed in fortifications although they may be dug in.

Troops in fortifications cannot be affected by small arms fire. Only infantry and engineers may move into close combat with a fortification. 

Troops in fortifications gain the following cover modifiers...