How To Play Combat HQ - Wargames Design
How To Play Combat HQ - Wargames Design
How To Play Combat HQ - Wargames Design
How to Play
Jim Bambra
Wargames Design
I
Combat HQ
How to Play Combat HQ
Blow-by-blow account
using 20mm figures
US Battle Group
Wargames Design
II
How to Play Combat HQ
A detailed playthrough of Mission 1 from the Combat
HQ Second Edition rulebook.
Game Design
Jim Bambra
Editing
Catherine Bambra
Version 1.2
Jim Bambra has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and
Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this book.
www.wargamesdesign.com
I
INTRODUCTION
This is a run-through of how to play Combat HQ using Mission 1 from the rulebook. Written as an After-Action Report
between the US and Germany, it also includes commentary on the rules and why certain decisions were made.
The map is for a 6’x4’ table and shows the layout of the terrain for the battle. Don’t worry about re-producing it
exactly – near enough is good enough. The important thing is that the woods and hills break up line of sight and that
the objectives are placed towards the centre of the table. If you are playing with a larger or smaller table add or remove
some terrain.
1
Woods: The woods are Broken Ground (half speed) and Deployment Zones: The German Deployment Zone is
provide light cover (+1D). at the bottom of the map and the Allied one at the top.
Units are deployed in their respective Deployment
Hedges: Hedges cost a Fixed Move to cross and provide
Zones.
light cover (+1D).
2
US BRIEFING
Divisional Command has identified two objectives: Initial Forces
one located on the central hill and the other in the All your units are present on the table.
field to the east. German infantry are in front of your
position. You are to seize the two objectives and then Deployment
drive the enemy from the table. The German player deploys one of his Command
An objective is controlled when you move a unit onto Groups first. You then deploy one Command Group.
it and there are no enemy units within 4” of it. You Continue to alternate Command Groups until all have
continue to hold an objective until the enemy moves been deployed. Units are deployed anywhere in your
onto it and there are no friendly units within 4” of it. Deployment Zone.
Control then passes to the enemy.
First Command Pulse
At the end of each turn that you control an objective The first Command Pulse goes to the player who rolls
and you do not have Zero Morale, you receive one the most 6s, etc.
Morale (two Morale for both). If you have Zero
Morale, you suffer a Morale Collapse and the game Victory or Defeat
ends. You win by causing an enemy Morale Collapse.
US Statistics
You are in command of a weapons company and three rifle companies.
3
MISSION 1 - GERMAN BRIEFING
Divisional Command has identified two objectives: Initial Forces
one located on the central hill and the other in the All your units are present on the table.
field to the east. Allied infantry are in front of your
position. You are to seize the two objectives and then Deployment
drive the enemy from the table. You deploy one of your Command Groups units first.
An objective is controlled when you move a unit onto Your opponent then deploys one Command Group.
it and there are no enemy units within 4” of it. You Continue to alternate Command Groups all have been
continue to hold an objective until the enemy moves deployed. Units are deployed anywhere in your
onto it and there are no friendly units within 4” of it. Deployment Zone.
Control then passes to the enemy.
First Command Pulse
At the end of each turn that you control an objective The first Command Pulse goes to the player who rolls
and you do not have Zero Morale, you receive one the most 6s, etc.
Morale (two Morale for both). If you have Zero Morale
you suffer a Morale Collapse instead and the game Victory or Defeat
ends. You win by causing an enemy Morale Collapse.
German Statistics
You are in command of three grenadier companies and a weapons company.
4
DEPLOYMENT TURN ONE
The Germans deploy one Command Group, then the
US deploy a Command Group. Deployments then Roll Command Dice
alternate until all Command Groups have been
Max, the German player, rolls 5 Command Dice
deployed.
Gary, the US player, rolls 4 Command Dice
The Americans deploy to take the hill at all cost! 3 = Single Order Chain
5
1st German Command Pulse
1st German Command Order Gary decides to use opportunity fire against the
advancing Germans. His support platoon is in range and
Max wants to seize the Objective. His Command Group
he wants to fire at the Germans as they cross the field.
has to cross a hedge, which will cost them their Fixed
Max declares that Grenadier platoons are in front of the
Move of 3”. He decides to do so with a double move to
support platoon, so Gary can only fire against a
ensure that he can advance his units to the other hedge
Grenadier platoon.
and gain its Cover Dice (+1D). However, he doesn’t have
a Double Order Chain so he needs to use either his
Wild Dice or a Staff Order. He plans to use the Wild
Dice to move a second Command Group, so he spends
a Staff Order.
6
Max rolls and gets three successes, including a 6, but as Max continues his Command Pulse by using his Wild
the US support platoon’s machine gun is a High Dice to order an advance to the hedge.
Suppression weapon, his Grenadier platoon is
The infantry only need to advance 5” to reach the
suppressed.
hedge. If Max rolls 1 will they’ll fail to advance the 5”
The Grenadier platoon didn’t take any Hits and is required, but he decides to risk it rather than spend a
suppressed in place. The other German units continue Staff Order.
to the hedge.
7
Orders). He has a Triple Order Chain and a Single Order
Chain.
8
US 3rd Command Order
Using his last order of his Triple Order Chain, Gary
orders a second rifle company to advance onto the hill.
9
Gary decides to hold his fire to use against the German
company on the right should they advance. He has
completed his Triple Order Chain. The Germans will
have the next Command Pulse.
The mortar has Line of Sight to the US platoons so it End of the first US Command Pulse.
can use opportunity fire.
The Mortar hits and the US platoon takes a Disruption 2nd German Command Pulse
Point and is suppressed. As it received a Disruption
Point, it’s also Forced Back.
10
Max orders an advance along the side of the field. The German platoon is forced back 11”, but halts after
moving into cover behind the hedge.
Max rolls a 4 for his Variable Move giving him a total
move of 7" (3+1D”).
Two platoons lead on the left. One platoon crosses the The next US platoon fires, but is just out of range.
hedge reducing its move to 4”. The support platoon
Gary then fires his support platoon. FP: 6D with a 5+
moves up to the hedge.
TN.
Gary uses opportunity fire against the advancing
Germans. The fire is at long range with a 5+ TN.
11
End of 2nd German Command Pulse. Gary moves his infantry up to the hedge.
12
The remaining German platoon is suppressed and
cannot fire.
13
3rd German Command Pulse
14
End of Turn Fire End of Turn One
Gary fires at the Germans to no effect. The German
platoons have either already fired, are suppressed or
are out of range.
US Morale: 11
TURN TWO
Both players roll their Command Dice.
The next platoon hits its target in the open, but the
Germans easily make their Reaction Roll.
15
1st US Command Pulse 2nd US Command Order
16
German Opportunity Fire
Max spreads his fire against all four US platoons. By
firing at the three lead Rifle platoons, Max can also fire
at the US Support Platoon at the rear.
17
US Infantry Fire 3rd US Command Order
The US use their 3rd Order to Advance.
The Rifle Platoon hits the Germans in the open, but the
Germans make their Reaction Check. The US advance onto the hill and take the objective.
18
US Fire
The US rifle Platoon fires at the suppressed Germans in Max has one Wild Dice and two single Order Chains.
the field. It gets two Disruption Points and forces the He has one Staff Order.
Germans back.
19
2nd German Command Pulse
German Fire
20
German Morale: 13
US Morale: 12
TURN THREE
Command Dice are rolled.
End of Turn
21
2nd German Command Pulse
22
Max rolls 1D3 for the Dispersed unit and loses two The Grenadiers in cover get 4 Rally Dice, plus +1D for
Morale. being in cover. The unit has two Disruption Points so
Gary rolls 2D. Both sides have 4+ TN. The Germans
rally with four successes and their two Disruption
Points are removed.
23
End of Turn Fire
End of Turn
Both sides gain 1 Morale for holding an Objective.
German Morale: 12
US Morale: 12
24
TURN FOUR
Command Dice are rolled.
25
The US platoons are suppressed and cannot fire. The The German Support Platoon Disperses a US platoon.
US mortar doesn’t have LOS to the Germans and so
can’t use opportunity fire, Max decides not to fire as he
would do so at -2D. He’ll wait to use Opportunity Fire
or End of Turn Fire if the US don’t move.
26
Gary uses a Staff Order to remove another suppression. The Germans and US fire on each other as the US
Support platoon moves towards the Germans. The
German lose a platoon and 3 Morale.
27
End of Turn Fire TURN FIVE
Command Dice are rolled.
End of Turn
Gary activates his mortar.
German Morale: 10
The US mortar hits the German Support Platoon and
US Morale: 9 Forces it back to the table edge.
28
1st German Command Pulse
Gary uses his Wild Dice to activate his company on the He removes another suppression from his Support
right. Platoon on the right.
29
2nd German Command Pulse End of Turn
Both players get 1 Morale.
German Morale: 8
US Morale: 8
TURN SIX
Command Dice are rolled.
30
2nd German Command Pulse
31
3rd German Command Pulse
32
4th German Command Pulse End of Turn
German Morale: 2
US Morale: 2
TURN SEVEN
Command Dice are rolled. Everything to play for –
both sides have 2 Morale.
33
Max then activates his 12cm Mortar and Support
Platoon. The Mortar hits the US Support Platoon and
forces it back off the hill. The US use opportunity fire
and suppress the mortar.
Max is in a good position with five Command Dice and
one Staff Order.
34
1st US Command Pulse
35
End of Game
US Morale Collapses!
German Morale: 7
US Morale: 0
Max wins!
Two flank attacks proved too much for the US to hold, but it could have been very
different if Gary had won the final Command Dice roll.
36
US STATISTICS
Rifle Platoon
Type Move RD Weapons Range FP AT Notes
Infantry Slow 4D Rifles & BARs 4/8/16 5D - +1D CA.
Bazookas 1/2/4 - 7D DAT.
Support Platoon
Type Move RD Weapons Range FP AT Notes
Hvy Wpns Slow 4D Machine Guns 6/12/24 6D - HS. SF.
Light Mortars 3-24 3D - HS.
GERMAN STATISTICS
Grenadier Platoon
Type Move RD Weapons Range FP AT Notes
Infantry Slow 4D Rifles & MGs 4/8/16 5D - HS.
Panzerfausts -/1/- - 8D DAT.
Support Platoon
Type Move RD Weapons Range FP AT Notes
Hvy Wpns Slow 4D Machine Guns 6/12/24 6D - HS. SF.
Light Mortars 3-24 3D - HS.
+1D CA: +1D Close Assault DAT: Deployed Anti-Tank Teams SF: Sustained Fire
BO: Break-off HS: High Suppression T: Towed
37
COMBAT HQ
World War Two Wargame Rules
Fun, streamlined rules for large-scale world war two battles featuring rapid movement, decisive
combat, and exciting decision making.
Rapid Command Pulses and opposed dice rolls keep players constantly
involved. Easy-to-play rules emphasise command-and-control decisions
over complex combat resolution mechanics.
In each Command Pulse you decide how to use your limited command
resources: will you use your Command Dice to move up a company of
infantry supported by tanks? Or will you use them to rally an anti-tank gun
battery? Or maybe you should use them to liaise with your staff officers? The
choice is yours.
The 2nd edition includes rules for close support units, a faster close assault
system, extended artillery rules, and more opportunities to wage war on the
battlefield.
Unit Scale: The Platoon is the basic unit in the game and is represented by
a model vehicle, a base with three infantry figures, a heavy weapons team, or
a gun and its crew.
Figure Scale: Plays equally well with 2mm, 6mm, 10mm, 15mm or 20mm
figures.
TOTAL WAR
Advanced Rules and Missions for Combat HQ
• Tactical Doctrines Late War Rosters and Statistics
www.wargamesdesign.com
38