Campaign Rules
for Battleground

By Terry Callahan


Players

  • One full infantry company per side at complete TO&E.
  • 2 company commanders, one German and one American.
  • 2 to 6 platoon leaders, 3 each German and American.
  • Mortar and heavy weapons platoons may be assigned by section or squad by Co. CO. to any platoon.
  • A Platoon without a player as commander will be given orders by the Co. CO..
  • The platoon will attempt to carry out the orders.
  • The Co. CO may take personal command of no more than one platoon.

Orders

Each turn the players will issue written order to their commands. The Orders may be given to individual figures, squads, sections, platoon, or company and may be to do anything. Any order requiring a gut check or skill check can be made the figure or unit will attempt to complete the order after passing the check. The players may make requests may be made to upper echelons for anything. these must go through the Co. CO..

Objective

The objective will be to locate and destroy or capture opposing company headquarters.
There may be other objectives received from upper echelons.

Game Length and Turns

The game will be 15 days long with two 12 hours turns per day, a day light turn and a night turn.

Deployment and Set Up

The German will deploy first on map. The American will deploy after German. Deployment will be hidden by both sides.

Defenses

At the beginning of the game each side will have 2000 actions to create defensive positions. (see attachment). Players can improve defensive positions each turn their squads do not fire or come under fire. Each man has 10 actions per turn, that he can use for improvement to defenses.

Map Movement

Map movement will be 20 BG actions per game turn.

Communication

The players may communicate by radio, phone, messenger, phone and in person.

  • Radio: There will be four radios issued to each company. All radio communication will go through the GM. The Radios are limited to range and battery life and battery supply.
  • Phone: Phones may be requested from supply by the Co. CO.. It will take 4 actions per 6 inches to lay a phone line and 2 actions to hook up. All phone messages will go through the GM.
  • Runner/messenger: All Runners will move on maps and table without regard to surrounding events. A Runner may be given written or oral messages by any leader. Messages via runner must go through the GM
  • In Person: The CO and PL may personally visit each other to communicate and exchange information, orders, requests. Figures move under map movement rules.

Communication with upper echelons

Only the Company commander may communicate with upper echelons, i.e., battalion, division, etc..

Artillery

  • Only the Co. Commander may communicate and call in Off Board Artillery (OBA).
  • The Co. Commander may set up pre-planned fire missions.
  • The pre-planned missions must use map coordinates only and may not be adjusted during an on table battle.
  • Only the Platoon Leaders and Co. Commander may call in on board artillery, i.e., mortars, etc.
  • Communication for artillery and mortar may be radio, phone, runner, in person.
  • Off board artillery radio contact is 12 or less on a d20 while maintaining radio contact will be a roll of 14 or less on d20.
  • On board artillery and mortar's radio contact is 16 or less on a d20 and maintaining the contact is a roll of 18 or less on a d20.
  • Mortars may direct fire at targets as long as they have LOS and good fire orders.

Fire Orders

All figures and units must be given fire orders by the leader, PL or CO. The default fire order is No Fire. Types and conditions:
  • Hold Fire - May not fire unless unit receives a target from its commander. Mortars are always on Hold Fire.
  • No Fire - No firing except at point blank (PB) range. All targets outside PB will be ignored.
  • Reaction Fire - No firing except when fired on directly. Must do a sighting check on firer, then may fire.
  • Sighting Fire - May fire on any figure or vehicle sighted.
  • Any Fire - May fire on or at any figure or vehicle seen or heard to the full range of the weapon.
  • Firing rules apply to rifles, SMG, machine guns, pistols, grenades.
The above fire orders do not apply to OBA that must be called in by the Company commander.

Supply

The CO must put in writing all requests' supplies. All supplies are delivered by jeep, truck or half track.
  • Food
    • Each Company has 4 days K/C Rations or food.
    • The CO must request Company cooks to bring up hot meals each day for the next days' meals.
    • Meals are delivered by jeep, truck or half track.
    • Platoons must get at least one hot meal in every 5 day period or all private's morale will drop one point.
    • Platoons that do not receive a hot meal in every 10 day period will have all private's morale drop another point and all noncoms morale will drop one point.
    • A hot meal will return all morale back to the Base Morale Point (BMP).

  • Ammunition
    • Mortar Ammunition: The initial ammo supply for one mortar will be 12 rounds HE and 4 rounds Smoke per tube. Ammo may be redistributed between sections. Re-supply maybe by jeep, truck, or half track or by men carrying ammo from the company CP. A man can carry 6 - 50mm rounds or 3 - 81mm rounds.
    • Machine Guns: All machine guns must re-supply after every two engagements. If not re-supplied machine guns will fire at half rate until re-supplied. Re-supply maybe by jeep, truck, or half track or by men carrying ammo boxes from the company CP. A man can carry 2 ammo boxes.
    • Grenades: All are supplied with three grenades at the beginning of the game. Grenades may be redistributed by players and one man can carry one box of grenades.

Personnel

  • Replacements: Replacements may or may not be made. The CO must make requests for replacements.
  • Wounded: The retrieval of wounded from battle will increase the survivability of the wounded. The earlier retrieval will increase chances of surviving a wound and remaining in the game. Wounded not retrieved may be captured at the end of an on table battle by the winner.

Construction Time Chart

Obstacle
ActionsMax. # MenModifiers for Normal Troops
2 man Foxhole 16 4 -
3 man Foxhole 20 4 --
4 man Foxhole 32 4 --
2" trench 24 4--
Mortar Sec. Gun Pit 36 6 --
Covered FH 24 4 --
3 Man MG empl. 32 4 --
4 man MG empl. 40 4--
Small Road Block 72 6x2
Lg. road block 288 12 x4
6" wire 12 4
Conceal -- -- x2
Improved conceal -- -- x4
Hasty Mine field 32 4 Eng. only
Improved MF 64 4 Eng. only
Booby trap 8 1 Eng. only
Tank Emplace. 80 10 Eng. only
Log Pillbox 60 10 --

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