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Div Tac: Playing Rules
Div Tac: Playing Rules
Div Tac
World War II Divisional Level North West Europe 1944 to 1945.
By Ian Shaw.
This article is intended to provide a simple set of rules to cover combat at divisional level in Europe in
1944 and 1945. The restriction in time is only intended to reduce the amount of data needed, and the
systems should be adaptable to earlier and later periods, from 1936 to 1958. They represent an attempt to
give quick and simple set of rules for all World War II combat, covering all aspects of combat, including
airstrikes, naval gunfire support, airborne and amphibious landings. There is also a logistic system. I will
try and explain my logic behind the rules as I go. This version is published with permission of The Society
of 20th Century Wargamers
Playing Rules.
A) Scales
1 Model is one company normally , and should have a 1 centimetre frontage. (The ground scale means
that 1 model occupies the frontage of a company)
The ground scale gives a very large playing area, a 6' by 4' table is just over 90 by 60 km, enough to cover
the entire Normandy battlefield.
b) Terminology.
As always, there is a problem with what armies call their units. The following list starts at the lowest level
and moves up the levels. It is based on 1990's western practice, since it is somewhat clearer. The levels are
:
Platoon - used for Recce and certain specialist A/T units, as well as Battalion HQ's.
Company - one combat element, with no administrative functions. Armies may call this level Squadron,
Battery, and Troop.
Battalion - An HQ, with up to 5 combat companies, a combat support company, and an HQ Platoon.
Armies may call this level Regiment or Squadron.
Brigade - An HQ company plus 2 to 4 Combat Battalions, plus a Logistics Company, and Combat support
elements. It may have artillery units under command. Armies may call this level Regiment, or Combat
Command.
Division - An HQ Battalion and an HQ Company (Div Tac and Div Main), with 1 to 4 Brigades, plus
Combat and Combat Support Battalions, with a large logistical unit attached. It may also have Corp or
even Army resources attached. Some armies call these Corps.
Corp - A grouping of 1 or more divisions, plus attached artillery, engineers and other supporting troops.
Having defined what a unit name means, what factors does each unit have associated with it and what
does it mean. There are three factors associated with each company, and two modifiers. These are : -
1.Combat Factor. This represents the firepower and defence of a combat unit. The ranges at which units
can fire is covered later. However an HQ unit may not act offensively. This factor is modified by a size
modifier.
2.Training Factor. This represents the morale and tactical ability of the unit. I have assumed that troops
are capable of operating their equipment, so training represents their cohesion, and tactics.
3.Mobility Factor. This defines how far a unit can move. This covers the basic move type, and can be
modified by a speed factor or the notation towed. Speed does not affect the ability of units to move in
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combat, except in certain modes. See the next section for more detail.
4.Size. This defines the strength of the unit. It reflects the number of vehicles, or towed weapons, or
strength and weaponry of infantry.
c) Modes.
The next section is perhaps the most important in the rules. It defines the MODE a given HQ is operating
in. This the equivalent of orders, and is intended to define what a given unit is trying to do. There are eight
of these.
1.Move. This is a non-combat mode, and should couched in terms of from a to b. Units in this mode may
use speed modifiers. It will make units more vulnerable.
2.Pursuit. This is a combat mode, which allows the use of speed modifiers. It will make units more
vulnerable, but they may still fight.
3.Attack. This is an order to attack a given terrain feature, and hold it once it has been cleared of the
enemy.
4.Probe. A more cautious attack aimed at finding enemy positions. Any advance will normally halt when
contact is made.
5.Hold. An instruction to hold a given area, normally a terrain feature, but not always. This will give some
advantage, which increases as a unit occupies the position for an increasing length of time. There are three
basic levels of Hold, Hasty defence, which represents an initial occupation of a position, Formal Defence,
with extensive earthworks, mines and wire, and Permanent Defence, which represents things like the
Atlantic Wall, or similar fortifications.
6.Delay. A slow withdrawal from the enemy they are facing. There is some terrain advantage, but speed
modifiers may not be used.
7.Withdraw. An attempt to break contact, by rapid movement away from the enemy. There are no terrain
advantages, and speed modifiers may be used.
8.Reserve. A stationary mode, in which an element is refitting or waiting to be committed. There are no
terrain advantages, and no movement is allowed.
Modes may be mixed within a unit, down to battalion level, but all companies in a battalion must have the
same mode. There are limitations however, except if the mode is changed by a combat result.
Modes are changed at the start of a move, or by combat results. The number of units whose mode can be
changed is determined by the command roll. It needs one Command Point to change the mode of one unit.
These must come from the directly controlling HQ.
D) Command Roll.
This is designed to reflect the command ability of HQ's. Roll a D10 and cross reference it with the training
level on the table below. It is rolled for each Brigade HQ and higher.
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7 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6
8 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6
9 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7
10 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 7 7
Each point available to an HQ may be used to either change the mode of a subordinate HQ, or move
supply units forward. Players may find it best to mark each HQ's command points with a six sided dice,
turning it down as they are used up.
E) Ground Movement.
Movement is decided by both speed and mode. The maximum possible rates may only be used by units in
Pursuit, Move, or Withdraw mode. Other units will not move at the maximum possible rate, since tactical
considerations prevent it. Artillery firing indirect may not move. Units on Hold may only move as the
result of combat, and units on Delay may only move away from enemy units. At this level speed is only
differentiated at higher levels, as it will make only minor differences when moving tactically. Even so I
have reduced the maximum speeds because it is difficult maintain formations even in a road convoy with
vehicles of the same type.
Vehicle units are noted for their speed in the data tables. Wheeled AFV's includes Half- Tracks, and light
4wd lorries, up to 15cwt capacity.
Horse is divided into horse drawn heavy artillery, which is slow, other horse drawn guns and vehicles, and
cavalry.
Foot only has one classification, normal, and represents units which walk. They may have some light
motor or horse transport for their heavier weapons.
*Terrain must be defined by players. It is difficult to give general definitions, since different types of
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terrain affect different types of troops in different ways. I suggest that this be ignored, and generalised
patches of poor and bad going be used. Troops in Move, Pursuit, and Withdraw modes may only use full
speed if these areas are crossed by tracks or roads.
Artillery may not move and fire indirect, this reflects the time needed to survey the gun positions.
There is no reduction to mount or dismount from vehicles or horses given the time scale. Similarly there is
no reduction for unlimbering.
All movement may affected by the weather, this will be covered later.
F) Air Movement
Given the time scale even the slowest aircraft can cover the entire area of the table in a move. Also most
tactical aircraft can only remain airborne for an hour or maybe two. At this level the endurance of an
aircraft is more important than their exact speed. Fortunately for all except the Mustang and JU 87,
fighters and strike aircraft are all of very much the same endurance, whilst all except the JU 87 are similar
in speed, which allows generalisations to be made. I will ignore the extra range of the Mustang since it was
not used in a tactical area, and omit the JU 87 since they were primarily used at night by 1944 in the West.
Similarly Light and Medium bombers are of very similar performance, with the exception of the Mosquito,
although the bomb load does vary. Again heavy bombers are all similar in performance, and vary very
little in bomb load. A model aircraft represents a squadron, and it must be based either on or off table.
Only strike and fighter aircraft are normally on table, using dirt strips. Heavy bombers must be off table,
and Light and Medium ones should normally be off table. Transport aircraft are normally based off table,
but can land on if carrying supplies. All aircraft must operate from designated airstrips. The endurance of
aircraft is reflected in the frequency of attacks they are allowed to make.
The restrictions are designed to reflect the tactical usage of air power, on table representing cab ranks of
attack aircraft, or patrols of fighters, whilst those off table are similar, the extra time is transit time. The
larger aircraft required more planing and the delays are designed to reflect this.
The other major form of air operation is air landing or paradropping. Like strategic bombers these required
much more planing than tactical air support. They must be planed before a game, and can be spread over
a period of days. In terms of a game the major constraint is areas to land. There are two types of landing :
Para dropping - which requires at least poor terrain, and may not be carried out in built areas. Each
battalion needs an area of 1 square cm to land in. Each model aircraft lifts one model of troops. Only
Infantry may be airdropped until 1945, when light artillery can be airdropped by the British.
Glider landings can only be carried out in clear terrain, and needs 2 cm by 1 cm of clear terrain.
However, for special operations this can be relaxed, but only for one company, on a specified objective.
Gliders may deliver artillery up to 105 mm, and heavy gliders such as the Hamilcar can deliver light
armour, and A/T artillery up to the size of the 17pdr.
All units which are delivered by air must remain stationary for the move after which they arrive, to reflect
the time needed to gather and organise units. The only exception is coup de main parties who must attack
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the position they land on immediately. All air landing units are vulnerable on landing, and must take a
combat roll on landing.
One lorry or wagon model represents one supply point. It may be refilled at a supply dump, and points
may be dumped forward as required. All supply models, including dumps, are always in Move mode, and
if they are destroyed by combat are placed back at their controlling HQ.
One supply point allows one Infantry Brigade of a maximum of 3 Battalions, or one Armoured Battalion,
or one Artillery Company to make an attack. Defending units, on hold orders, do not need to expend this
point, and artillery requirements are reduced if firing some missions, this is covered later.
Either side may add up to 4 further points to any individual combat, to modify the die roll. These points
must be allocated before the combat roll is made.
H) Visibility.
This section gives the ranges at which targets can be seen, no random factors, of location tests have been
included, both to keep things simple, and because they don't seem appropriate to this set of rules. They
assume that troops will take appropriate concealment measures and use the ground to their advantage.
These distances are obviously affected by the weather, more details on exact weather conditions are given
later, but I have left this as optional. Also to be visible there must be a line of sight to the target. I have not
included any detailed rules for dead ground, if there is no terrain feature which is higher than the observer
it can be seen over. If you want to use a more detailed version use the tables given in "Leopard", "Tiger",
any edition of "Challenger" or "Firefly". These are accurate, but will add complication.
These distances apply to vehicles in Attack, Pursuit, and Reserve modes. Foot troops and deployed
artillery halve them. Troops in Hold or Delay modes halve them as well, this applies twice if appropriate,
unless they are firing., in which case only one reduction applies. Therefore infantry who are on Hold and
silent can be seen at 2.5 cm in good visibility, and at 5 cm if they open fire. Troops using Move or
Withdraw add 50% to these distances.
Terrain reduces visibility as well. Troops deployed with woods or towns count as having no visibility, those
on the edge count the conditions that apply, but are located as if in poor visibility. Troops deployed on the
tops of hills add 50 % if the hill is at least 5 contours high.
J) Combat.
Combat is of two types, Direct Fire and Indirect Fire. These are further subdivided to reflect the
capabilities and uses of the various arms. Combat is resolved by rolling a D10, adding the Combat
Factor, and adjusting for any Modifiers which apply. The factors for the various units are covered in the
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accompanying tables. The modifiers are given below, after the definitions of combat types.
Direct Fire Combat . This is of two types, Ranged Combat, which takes place at up to 6 cm, and Close
Assault, which implies that the units are in contact. The following restrictions apply :
Infantry may only engage Armour with close assault. They may only fire at up to 2 cm on soft targets.
Armour may not fire at infantry at over 2 cm (1000 m).
No moving unit may fire at over 2 cm (1000 m) .
All visible hostile targets must be engaged, or fire must be withheld.
All targets which are fired at must fire back.
Only one target may be fired at, and only one attack may be made on any one target, additional units
firing act as support.
Modifiers .
Indirect Fire. This is somewhat more complex than Direct Fire as it involves army doctrine. I have
simplified it somewhat by assuming that the British and Americans both use the same method. There are
minor differences, but at this level they can be ignored. The differences between Allied and German
doctrines cannot however. I have accounted for these by restrictions on the amount of artillery which can
be requested to support any unit, and the command points it costs to assign batteries, since this is the best
way to reflect the differing tactical uses. Indirect fire is restricted Mortar Platoons, Machine Gun
Platoons, Artillery Batteries, and Tank, Tank Destroyer, AA units or other weapons assigned to fire in this
way. Units so assigned may not be used in any other way, for the day unless they change mode. Artillery
has four basic uses :
Supporting Fire : This is covered in the Direct Fire modifiers. It does not take account of the
weapon's calibre. This represents the fire support used to cover an assault or as a defensive shoot. It
must be observed.
Bombardment : This covers an artillery bombardment not combined with a ground assault. It does
take account of the weapon calibre. It may be observed or blind.
Harassment :This represents the lobbing of nuisance shells onto enemy units or supply routes, to
annoy or interdict supply. and movement. It is normally unobserved.
Counter Battery : A specialist mission to surprises hostile artillery. It is normally restricted to
medium and heavy artillery. The target has to be detected before it can be engaged, this is reflected
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by the reduction in the initial factors. It will also normally be unobserved., and also fired at long
range.
Artillery can be used at no cost in command points if it assigned to the HQ., so battalion mortars, machine
guns and any directly attached units may fire without cost in command points, in support of it's own unit.
Similarly units normally assigned at Brigade level may be fired by the brigade without using command
points. British and American units pay one command point per level above the requesting HQ . This will
allow the firing of every battery held at that level, at no extra cost. The Germans must pay one point for
each battery so requested.
Artillery may be assigned down one level on a permanent basis for the game, or one day. However no
formation may have more artillery HQ's assigned to it than it has other combat units.
Air Attacks. Attacks by tactical aircraft are considered to be direct fire, and attacks by medium and
heavy bombers are indirect fire.
Combat Results. Although all units must roll when attacked, only those with the ability to injure their
attackers have any effect. So artillery firing indirect may only be hit if it is visible, or it is being attacked
by counter battery fire. Similarly Armour will only be affected Infantry who close assaulted it. The results
are compared to the training value of the target, not it's combat value.
If the result of the die roll and modifiers is less than training value of the target unit there is no effect.
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If the result is more than 50% and up to 100 % of the Training value :
If the result is more than 100% of the Target's training value it is eliminated.
One third of eliminated units may be resurrected in reserve mode at the senior HQ on table. However unit
types may not be combined, so tanks must be of the same type etc.
K) Data
This is the final section of the rules, and covers the data for major combat units for the three armies in
Normandy. Some types have will have been omitted. Remember that French units follow American ones,
whilst Belgium, Canadian, Dutch and Polish units follow British.
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When stetting up a game roll a D10 for each unit to assign the training value.
These rules may be freely distributed provided Wrexham & District Wargamers are credited.
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