AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET

RULEBOOK

Version 2.0
(2009-04-01)

by Emmanuel Aquin

a variant of Zombie in my Pocket

by Jeremiah Lee
(with some additional ideas by Aaron Tubb)

***

The night before June 6th, 1944, during Operation Neptune, thousands of Allied
troops were parachuted into enemy territory to prepare the Normandy landings. As
paratroopers are fond to say, when Hitler built his famed Atlantic Wall, he forgot to
install a roof…

During that crucial night, amid the flashes of German anti-aircraft fire, many
paratroopers were scattered a long way from their drop zones as their planes were either
destroyed or unable to reach their drop points.

You are among those troopers. But as luck turns out, the winds have blown you
directly where you are needed the most! As you were descending, you discovered a
terrible sight: the Germans have installed two 24.0 cm Schiffskanone L/50 Guns in a
hidden bunker.

Those cannons are set to fire at the beaches of Normandy. You alone can stop
them from killing the Allied troops!

During your jump, you lost your equipment bag which contained all your
necessary gear. The only thing you have left is your trusted Colt Pistol and your
ingenuity. As you fold your parachute, you look at your watch: it’s 0700, the landings are
starting. Will you have time to sabotage the German battery before they decimate your
comrades? All you need is some explosives...

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 *
BASIC RULES

GAME CONTENT

10 Event Cards
16 Location tiles : 8 “inside” and 8 “outside”
1 Token (or more for some optional Scenarios)
Players Aids with markers (optional)

SETUP

1 – Put the Drop Zone tile in front of you (this is your starting location) and put aside
the Entrance tile. Then shuffle all the outside tiles into one facedown pile, and all the
inside tiles in another.

2 – Shuffle all the Event Cards into a deck and discard the top 2 cards, facedown.

3 – Note the starting time (0700, or 7 am), your starting weapon (your Colt. 45 has a
Power of 1) and your starting Health (6, though it can go up to 9 during the game).

4 – Put a marker or a token on the Drop Zone : this will represent you as you move from
location to location.

BASIC OVERVIEW

During a typical game, you will need to find the Ammo Dump (to retrieve some
Explosives) and enter the Bunker (via the Bunker Door). Once inside, your job will be to
find the Gun Control and sabotage it with the Explosives. Then, all you need to do is get
out of the Bunker!
Of course, you will encounter enemy soldiers (who will try to stop you) and pick
up some items on the way (that will help you on your dangerous mission).

OUTSIDE TURN SEQUENCE

You move along the dirt roads that lead to the Bunker.

1 – From where you are standing, choose a road direction (if you are on the Drop Zone,
that means forward, left or right). If, for some reason, you decide not to move, you will
still have to draw an Event Card (see 5).

2 – If the direction you have chosen leads to an unknown location, draw and place an
outside tile. The road segment on the new tile must connect to the road segment you have
chosen in your current location (if you have chosen to go left, that means the new tile

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must connect to the left segment of the road). The connection only needs to be made on
your current location : this means the roads may or may not connect to the other adjacent
locations (although it’s always better if they do).

3 – Move your marker or token to your new location. You can only move 1 tile at a time,
and you must move vertically or horizontally (never diagonally).

4 – Read the special instructions (if any) written on your location. Some of these directly
affect the Event you are about to draw (like the Half-Track or the Barbed Wire) and
others have effects that kick in after the Event (like the Field Hospital, the Panzer, the
Supply Truck or the Armory. For the Command Room, see Locations below).

5 – Draw an Event Card (even if you have already visited this location, or if you have
decided not to move). If there are no Event Cards left, see Time Passes below. Now read
the Outside Event written on the card (this is called Resolving an Event) :

• If the Event says you find/spot an Item, you may (if you want) draw the next
Event Card and look at the bottom right corner of that card to see what Item you have
found. If you choose not to draw a card, you do not get an Item. Don’t forget to note
which Item you have found (you can never carry more than 2, in addition to your Colt
Pistol).

• If the Event says you gain or lose Health, adjust your current Health (you
immediately die if you ever reach 0 and your Health can never go above 9).

• If the Event says you encounter enemies (Infantrymen, SS Soldiers or

Paratroopers), see Combat below. You will notice some enemies (mainly SS Soldiers)
have a special symbol beside them (Gewehr 43 ammo pouches) : it means that if you
combat these enemies, you may search their bodies and retrieve an Item (draw another
Event Card to see what Item you have found). Evading combat (see Combat) does not
entitle you to retrieve an Item this way.

6 – If you need to resolve an additional Event (for obtaining the Explosives from the
Ammo Dump, for example), restart step 5.

7 – The turn sequence has ended. Some location effects (like the Panzer or Infirmary)
take place. You can now Rest if you want (see Resting, below) before starting another
turn.

FINDING A FLARE CARTRIDGE

If there are no more outside tiles to place, you will find, on that last tile, a
forgotten Flare Cartridge, buried in the dirt.
This cartridge is designed to be shot with the Model 42 Flare Gun, but it can be
used on its own by a resourceful soldier. It is so small that it doesn’t count toward your 2-

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Item limit (it is a Free Item). It can also be picked up by Special Operatives (see
Advanced Rules), even the ones who are not allowed to pick up Items.
If you already have the Flare Gun, the Flare Cartridge will give it 1 extra use.
Or you can use it on its own whenever you want : discard an inside tile just drawn
(remove it from the game) and draw another one instead (in effect, this will make you
gain one turn).
Either way, discard the Flare Cartridge after 1 use.
This will compensate for the lost time outside and give you a fighting chance to
win the game.

MOVING INSIDE

The only way to move inside is through the Bunker Door. Once you are on the
Bunker Door location, you can place the Entrance, lining up the arrows on both tiles (the
Entrance is always put aside at the beginning of the game). To go from the Bunker Door
to the Entrance, you move normally, but remember that you are changing from being
outside to being inside (and must therefore read your Event Cards accordingly).

INSIDE TURN SEQUENCE

Turns progress the same way as they do outside, but instead of connecting roads,
you must connect doors. The Prison Cells, for example, have 2 opposing doors, and the
Gun Control has 3 doors.
When you are inside, don’t forget to read Inside Events on the cards you draw.

RED ALERT

Once you have destroyed the Guns in the Gun Control, the Germans sound the
alarm and Red Alert is declared : from now on, you resolve Red Alert Events (whether
you are inside or outside). Red Alert Events are more unforgiving than Outside or Inside
Events, so be careful!

TIME PASSES

The game begins at 0700, as the Allied fleet engages the Germans and the Allied
troops start landing. Every time you need to draw an Event Card and there are none left, 1
hour passes (make a note of it). Reshuffle the cards (including the top 2 discarded cards
during setup), discard the top 2 cards facedown, and continue playing (if the last Event
called for another card to be drawn, do it now). If you ever reach 1000, you have lost the
game. You will therefore shuffle the Event Cards a maximum of 3 times per game.

COMBAT

In Airborne in my Pocket, you will meet 3 types of enemies :

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 • Infantrymen : The regular troops of the German Heer (Infantry). Tough and
reliable, although often ill-equipped. (Although most encounters with Infantrymen are
straight up, they can surprise you with a vicious attack with bayonets, on Inside Event #4)

• SS Soldiers : The Waffen-SS, the fighting wing of the SS, have a solid
reputation but very uneven results in the field. They do, however, have good equipment
and excellent training. (When you defeat SS Soldiers, you always have the possibility of
drawing an Item)

• Paratroopers : The Fallschirmjäger, or Parachute Light Infantry, are part of the

Luftwaffe (Air Force), unlike the US or the UK where paratroopers are part of the Army.
They do not carry a lot of equipment with them. These elite forces, entirely made of
volunteers, are young, highly-trained and very efficient in small tactics. (Paratroopers
will often attack you in hand-to-hand combat, preventing you from Evading combat)

Every weapon in the game has a Power rating (your starting Colt Pistol’s Power
is 1). The relative Power of weapons is based on their stopping power, rate of fire,
accuracy, reload time, noise, recoil, availability of ammo, ease of use and other variables.
As you pick up additional weapons during the game, your current Power score will go up
(depending on the weapons you are carrying).

When an Event card states that you encounter enemy units, you have 2 options :

1 – Fight : To resolve combat, subtract your current Power score from the total
enemy units. You can choose which weapon or combination of weapons gives you the
most Power according to the enemies you are facing. The difference is the Health points
you lose in defeating the enemy. Subtract these points from your total Health (your
starting Health is 6, but the maximum is 9).
When fighting, you can only use 1 weapon at a time (except the Grenade, which
can be combined with any weapon).

(# OF ENEMIES) minus (YOUR CURRENT POWER) = HEALTH LOSS

2 – Evade combat : To avoid fighting, you can run to a previously explored

adjacent tile (using normal moving restrictions). As you Evade combat, the enemy will
have the chance to fire some shots at you : lose -1 Health. Do not draw an Event Card for
the location you run into. Evading combat can be very useful when trying to return to the
Drop Zone on Red Alert.
Remember that some encounters (with Paratroopers) forbid you to Evade combat.
Also, if you resolve an Event while on the Barbed Wire, Evading is not permitted. The
only way to Evade in these cases is by using Smoke Grenades (see Advanced Rules :
Special Operatives).
If you have a weapon that jams (see Weapon Jam in Events or Advanced Rules),
you can look at the Event’s color number before deciding to fight or Evade.

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 Note: If you Evade combat, the enemies you left behind do not stay in place. If
you return later on that location, draw an Event Card as usual (if you draw an encounter,
treat it as if the enemy stayed in position and if you draw something else, the enemy has
left to look for you elsewhere).
Important note : You can never lose more than 4 Health points in 1 combat, nor
can you ever gain Health points as the result of a fight.
The moment your Health reaches 0, you die. So if you are standing in the
Infirmary, and your Health reaches 0 after combat, you will not live long enough to
receive the +1 Health Bonus of the location.

RESTING

Once the turn sequence is finished and before the next turn begins, you are
allowed to rest a little, catch your breath, regain your strength and tend to your wounds
with makeshift bandages. This is called Resting and will restore up to 3 Health points.
But it will make you lose precious time : you must discard 1 Event card (without
resolving it).
You can Rest as often as you want, as long as it is between turns, and you can
discard up to 3 cards at once if you wish (which will put you at maximum Health if you
were at 1). Therefore, you cannot Rest before starting a game (by discarding the first card
drawn), since you need to do it between turns.
You cannot Rest between 2 actions (like moving and resolving an Event, or
resolving a regular Event plus an extra Event), except where noted (in some Scenarios).

LOCATIONS

No two locations can ever occupy the same space. If you enter the Bunker, the
new inside tiles you place must not overlap the outside tiles. This can and often will
result in blocked roads or doors. It could also, theoretically, lead to an impasse when
inside the Bunker (due to outside tiles blocking the way and some very unwise Bunker
Door orientation). If this ever happens, you have entered the wrong Bunker and
automatically lose the game.

Outside Locations :
Drop Zone : Your starting location. This where you have just landed. After you
have folded and hidden your parachute, you start walking down the dirt road, your eyes
peeled and your gun ready…

Ammo Dump (Resolve extra Event to get Explosives) : Once you end your turn
on this tile, resolve an extra Event to steal some Explosives (the Event represents what
happens during your “acquisition”). You need to still be on the Ammo Dump after
resolving this Event to obtain the Explosives (which are necessary to destroy the Guns).
If you Evade combat during this extra Event, you must return to the Ammo Dump and
start this process all over again.

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 Barbed Wire (Can’t evade combat) : If you resolve an Event while standing on
this tile, you must fight. Note that this does not affect adjacent locations : you are still
allowed to evade combat from an adjacent tile into the Barbed Wire.

Bunker Door : This is the only way to enter or leave the Bunker. To enter the
Bunker, place the Entrance tile next to it (align the arrows on both locations). Be careful
how you place that tile : make sure the orientation of the Bunker Door leaves enough
room for the Entrance’s 2 doors. If you don’t, you risk the danger of entering the wrong
Bunker…

Field Hospital (+1 Health if end turn here) : Much like the Infirmary, if you
end your turn here (after resolving an Event or evading combat from an adjacent tile),
you gain +1 Health.

Half-Track (Infantrymen and SS Soldiers are +2 here) : This location includes

a Sonderkraftfahrzeug 251 (SdKfz 251) armored troop transport. When you resolve an
Event on this tile, if the Event mentions Infantrymen or SS Soldiers, add +2 to the number
indicated.

Panzer (-1 Health if end turn here) : This location has a Panzerkampfwagen IV
(Panzer IV) Ausf H in the middle of the road. This tank, with its 75mm gun and two
MG34 machine guns, will shoot at any loiterers.

Supply Truck (May draw extra card for item) : This location has a 1943 Opel
Blitz 3 Truck (the workhorse of the German Wehrmacht). Much like the Storage, if you
end your turn here (after resolving an Event or evading combat from an adjacent tile),
you may (if you want) draw the next Event Card and look at the bottom right corner of
that card to see what Item you have found. If you choose not to draw a card, you do not
get an Item. Don’t forget to note which Item you have found (you can never carry more
than 2, in addition to your Colt Pistol). You can find an Item in the Supply Truck only
once per game.

Inside Locations :
Armory (May resolve extra Event for Panzerfaust) : Unlike the Storage and
the Supply Truck, if you end your turn here (after resolving an Event or Evading combat
from an adjacent tile), you may (if you want) resolve another Event Card to
automatically obtain a Panzerfaust (kills all enemies for 1 combat, 1 use only). You can
find a Panzerfaust in the Armory only once per game.

Command Room (May place 1 adjacent location without moving) : When you
begin your turn on this location, you are allowed to connect 1 inside tile to the Command
Room without having to move on it (draw 1 tile, look at it, and connect it to either one of
the Command Room doors). You then have the choice to either move on this location or
place a new one to move onto (or you can move back to an already explored location, of
course). Remember that you only resolve an Event after moving. Once a tile has been

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placed next to the Command Room, the Command Room loses this special power and
becomes a normal location.

Entrance : This location must be put aside (it is not shuffled with the other inside
tiles). Once the Bunker Door is in play, the only way to move inside from the Bunker
Door is by placing the Entrance next to it (align the arrows on both locations).

Gun Control (Resolve extra Event to sabotage Guns) : Once you end your turn
on this location, resolve an extra Event to place the Explosives (acquired from the Ammo
Dump) and sabotage the Guns. That Event represents what happens while you are placing
the charges on the Guns. You need to still be in the Gun Control after resolving this
Event to fulfill your mission. If you evade combat during this extra Event, you must
return to the Gun Control and start this process all over again.

Infirmary (+1 Health if end turn here) : Much like the Field Hospital, if you
end your turn on this tile (after resolving an Event or Evading combat from an adjacent
tile), you gain +1 Health.

Prison Cells & Radio Room : While there are no special rules for these 2
locations, they are often crucial when using Advanced Rules (see Secondary Objectives)
and Scenarios.

Storage (May draw extra card for item) : Much like the Supply Truck, if you
end your turn here (after resolving an Event or Evading combat from an adjacent tile),
you may (if you want) draw the next Event Card and look at the bottom right corner of
that card to see what Item you have found. If you choose not to draw a card, you do not
get an Item. Don’t forget to note which Item you have found (you can never carry more
than 2, in addition to your Colt Pistol). You can find an Item in the Storage only once per
game.

ITEMS

You start the game with 1 Item, your trusty Colt Pistol, but during the game, you
are allowed to carry 2 additional Items. You can only carry 1 copy of each Item (if you
have a Grenade and find another Grenade, you cannot take that second Grenade, sorry).
In the case of the Flame-Thrower, finding a 2nd Flame-Thrower will give you the option
to keep one of your choice (the used one or the new one). This rule also applies to other
Item with a limited number of uses (like the Panzerschreck, found in the Scenarios, for
example).
If you happen to find a 3rd Item, you must drop 1 to pick it up. As long as you
stay in the same location, your dropped Items are still there, but they will disappear
(picked up by enemy soldiers) if you leave.
If, for example, you are carrying a Flame-Thrower and an MP40 and you find
some Gasoline, you can drop the MP40, take the Gasoline, use the Gasoline on your

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Flame-Thrower (giving it 2 more uses), discard the Gasoline and pick up your MP40
again.
Even if you can only carry 1 item (after being wounded by Infantrymen with
Bayonets – see Events, below), you are allowed to combine 2 Items as long as they are
both in the same room (you can carry a Flame-Thrower, find some Gasoline, use the
Gasoline on the Flame-Thrower and move on).
Some Items are considered Free Items : they do not count toward your 2-Item
limit (in the Basic Game, the Free Items are the Colt Pistol, the Flare Cartridge and the
Explosives). It is also important to note that the Colt Pistol and the Explosives cannot be
lost or dropped. In Advanced Rules and Scenarios, all starting weapons are considered
Free Items.
Items can be used anytime with 2 exceptions : the Bronze Star Medal and the
Medical Kit must be used before drawing an Event Card or after resolving it. This means
you cannot use the Medical Kit in the middle of combat (to prevent you from reaching 0
Health).
And always remember that you can only use 1 weapon at a time when fighting
(except the Grenade and all its variations found in Scenarios, which can be combined
with any other weapon).

Weapons
Colt M1911 .45 Pistol (Power 1) : The standard sidearm for all US Armed Forces
personnel. This is your starting weapon : it is always at your side and does not count
toward your 2-Item limit (it is a Free Item). The only way to lose it is by losing both arms
to Infantrymen with Bayonets (see Events, below).

FmW35 Flame-Thrower (Power 2 outside, 5 inside) : The cumbersome

Flammenwerfer 35 is a one-man flamethrower used to clear trenches and buildings.
While it has limited use when fighting outside, it can be devastating inside a bunker! The
FmW35 has only enough fuel for 2 USES. If you find some Gasoline, it will add another
2 uses to it.
You are allowed to carry an empty Flame-Thrower (in case you find some
Gasoline later). Finding a 2nd Flame-Thrower gives you the option to swap your old
Flame-Thrower for the new one. You cannot use the 2nd one to add 2 uses to the old one
(the only way for a Flame-Thrower to have more than 2 uses is if it is combined with
Gasoline).

Gewehr 43 (G43) Semi-Automatic Rifle with Scope (Power 3 outside, 2

inside) : Also called the Karabiner 43 (K43), this gas-operated weapon was first deployed
in 1943. On outside locations, the mounted Scope (a favorite for snipers) enables you to
target opponents at great distance, an advantage that is completely lost at close range (on
inside locations).

Grenade (Model 24 Stielhandgranate) (Power +3 for 1 combat) : Called the

“Potato masher” by Allied soldiers, this Grenade adds +3 to your current Power for 1
combat (if you use an MP40 with a Power of 3, for example, the Grenade will give you a

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total Power of 6 for 1 combat). If you have no other weapon, the Grenade will give you a
total Power of 3 (0 + 3). Discard after 1 use.

Kar98k (Karabiner 98 Kurz) Rifle (Power 2): The standard rifle of the German
Wehrmacht (Armed Forces), based on the Karabiner 98b Rifle made by Mauser in 1923.
Since this rifle is shorter than the Karabiner 98b (a variant of the Gewehr 98), it was
given the designation Karabiner 98 Kurz (“Carbine 98 Short”). Just like its predecessor,
the rifle is noted for its reliability, good accuracy and an effective range of up to 500
meters with iron sights.

MP34 Submachine Gun (Power 2, Power 3 vs. Paratroopers) : Designed in

1929, and considered the “Rolls Royce of Submachine Guns”, this exceptionally well-
made weapon is manufactured from the very best materials and is particularly efficient at
close range. It was used by the Austrian police during the 1930s.

MP40 Submachine Gun (Power 3) : A replacement for the MP34, the

Maschinenpistole 40 is a fully automatic weapon with a relatively slow fire rate, allowing
for single shot bursts. It is mainly used by paratroopers, platoon leaders and some
Waffen-SS elite troops. It is nicknamed the “Schmeisser” by the Allied troops, who
mistakenly think this weapon was designed by weapon-master Hugo Schmeisser (who
only holds the patent to the MP40’s magazine).

Panzerfaust 30 : This powerful, disposable anti-tank weapon (Panzerfaust =

“Tank Fist”) consists of a simple loaded tube and a high explosive warhead. When fired,
it kills all enemies in 1 combat, whatever their number. Discard after 1 use.

Other Items
Bronze Star Medal : This US Army Medal is awarded for bravery and acts of
merit. When you draw this Item, look at all face-up discarded Event Cards and choose 1
Item shown on any of these cards. You are allowed to keep the Medal for later use (if you
prefer to wait for a better selection of discarded cards, for example). Discard after 1 use.

Explosives : Usually, the Explosives are found in the Ammo Dump (although
they may be found elsewhere in some Scenarios). It is always a Free Item (it doesn’t
count toward your 2-Item limit) and it cannot be lost or dropped, since it is vital to the
success of your mission.
These Explosives are actually TNT charges, used by both sides of the War.
Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is a chemical compound that was first prepared in 1863 by
German chemist Joseph Wilbrand. It was originally used as a yellow dye. Its potential as
an explosive was not appreciated for several years mainly because it was so difficult to
detonate. The German armed forces were the first to adopt TNT as a filling for artillery
shells in 1902, followed by the UK in 1907. While less powerful than other explosives
like dynamite, TNT is very easy and convenient to handle. It neither absorbs nor
dissolves in water, which allows it to be used effectively in wet environments.
Additionally, it is relatively stable when compared to other high explosives.

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 Flare Cartridge : This 26.5 mm Leuchtpatrone (illumination cartridge) is
designed to be shot with the Model 42 Flare Gun, but it can be used on its own by a
resourceful soldier. This Item is so small that it doesn’t count toward your 2-Item limit (it
is a Free Item).
If you already have the Flare Gun, the Flare Cartridge will give it 1 extra use.
If you want to use the Flare Cartridge on its own, discard an inside tile just drawn
(remove it from the game) and draw another one instead. Used this way, the Cartridge
will not work on outside tiles (it needs to be shot in the air by the Flare Gun to work
outside).
Either way, discard the Flare Cartridge after 1 use.

Flare Gun (Model 42) : This German Leuchtpistole 42 (or LP-42, introduced in
1943) is very useful for recon (if you fire it in the air, it temporarily creates enough light
to guide you). Thus, you can use it to discard a tile just drawn (remove it from the game)
and draw another one instead. This will save you time and trouble. Tiles discarded this
way cannot be placed again during this game.
Another use for the Flare Gun is to combine it with the Gasoline, creating an
explosion that will destroy all enemies in 1 combat (as if you had just used a
Panzerfaust).
Either way, discard the Flare Gun after 1 use (except if you have a Flare
Cartridge, which will give the Flare Gun 1 extra use).
Important note : Although it is a “gun”, this Item does not count as a weapon.

Gasoline : This jerry can full of fuel can be used 3 ways :

– It can fill the Flame-Thrower, giving it 2 more uses;
– It can be used to start a fire that will help you evade combat without losing 1
Health;
– It can be combined with the Flare Gun to create an explosion that will destroy
all enemies in 1 combat (as if you had just used a Panzerfaust).
Whatever you do with it, discard the Gasoline after 1 use.

Medical Kit : This Rotes Kreuz (German Red Cross) box contains enough
medicine and bandages to help you regain up to 3 Health. Discard it after 1 use.
Important note : You can only use this Item before resolving an Event or after
resolving it (not in the middle of resolving it). However, you may use the Medical Kit
between 2 Events (if you have to resolve an extra Event).

EVENTS

Event Cards have a lot of information on them.

First, on the top right corner, you will find a number in a colored circle. This is
the Event’s number, which will be used in Advanced Rules to determine certain things
(like Special Operatives). In Advanced Rules, the color can also determine many effects,
from blast injuries to a Weapon Jam to a successful hit with a cannon.
Then, you have the 3 “main” Event sections : each section has a header and some
text. The header is determined by your location (when you are on an outside location, you

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read Outside Events, and when you move inside, you read Inside Events) or the condition
(you must read Red Alert Events once Red Alert is declared, whether you are inside or
outside).
In the bottom right corner, you have the description of an Item. When you are
required to draw an Event card to determine what Item you find, this is where you look.
And finally, at the very bottom, you have the name of a location, which will come
in handy when you are playing Advanced Rules (to determine Secondary Objectives, to
see which locations are shelled by the Allied Fleet, if you step on a mine, etc).
Most Events are self-explanatory. Here are some that need a little explaining :

You find a Kar98k Rifle or a Grenade :

Do not forget that if you do not pick them up, these Items stay in the location
where you found them until you leave for another location. For example, if you find a
Grenade (during Red Alert Event #10) that you can’t pick up because you already have a
Grenade, and you resolve an extra Event on the same location in the same turn, using
your Grenade in the process, you can then, after combat, pick up the Grenade you found
earlier. Clear? :-)

You find/spot an Item :

If you choose not to draw for these Items, you cannot go back on your decision
later.

Event #4 (Inside) :
You are attacked by 3 Infantrymen with Bayonets. If you lose health during this
combat, you lose an arm and can carry 1 less item (permanently) :
If you Evade this combat, you do not lose an arm.
If you lose both arms during the same game, you can’t use any Items (even your
starting weapon) and have Power 0 for the rest of the game. However, you will still be
holding on to the Explosives and whatever special Item is necessary for a Secondary
Objective. Even with both your arms lost, you can still use the Explosives and win the
game, although you won’t do it gracefully.

Event #5 (Inside) :
You trip and make noise as you fall! Resolve another card :
You must resolve another card for your turn to be complete. If this is the last card
of the game, and you can’t resolve another Event, you lose.
The second Event you need to resolve happens immediately (you cannot Rest
between these 2 Events), and does not count as an “extra” Event (it is considered part of
the first Event).
Somehow, this card will often be the last card you draw for the hour, forcing you
to reshuffle the deck to resolve the following Event.

Event #5 (Red Alert) :

Weapon Jam! During your next combat, your most powerful weapon doesn’t work (use
another one). Weapon is fixed after combat :

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 Once a jam has been announced, the next time you encounter enemies, compare
the Power of your weapons for that encounter (for example, an MP34 is Power 3 in a
Paratrooper encounter but Power 2 against other enemies). The Panzerfaust is considered
the most powerful weapon and the Grenade counts as Power 3. If you have more than 1
weapon with the same Power, choose which one is affected.
Evading the next combat does not count – you need to stand and fight to get rid of
the jam. If you Evade a combat, the jam will affect your next combat, and so on. If you
only have 1 weapon on you (your starting Colt Pistol, for example), this means that you
will have Power 0 for the next combat you don’t Evade.
If for some reason you draw another Weapon Jam Event before you have resolved
the first one, ignore the second one.

Event #8 (Red Alert)

While running, you lose an Item (but not your starting weapon) :
Your starting weapon (i.e. Colt Pistol, in the Basic Rules), the Explosives and
some special Items from Secondary Objective can never be lost as a result of this Event
(these include the HDM Silencer Pistol and the StG45 Assault Rifle). However, it is
possible to lose a Flare Cartridge this way. All Items that specifically say “cannot be
lost” are not affected by this Event.

WINNING AND LOSING THE GAME

You lose the game when :

– You lose a combat
– An Event causes your Health to fall to 0
– You reach 1000 (10 am).

You win the game when :

– You manage to stay alive after destroying the Guns and getting out of the
Bunker. You need to end your turn on the Bunker Door (as a result of moving there or
Evading combat there).

NOTES & TIPS

While having many Items may seem tempting, it will usually make it harder to
complete the game (each Item makes you draw 1 card and cards are limited). Try to limit
yourself to 1 or 2 per game.
The Flare Gun can save you up to 2 cards if you draw the Armory or the Supply
Truck. Think about it!
The Panzerfaust can be fun.
Don’t forget to Evade combat. It can be a great way to cover a lot of ground
(potentially moving 4 tiles with only 2 cards when moving on previously explored
locations).
Beware of Nazis bearing gifts.

***

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 13

 This covers the Basic Rules of Airborne in my Pocket. Once you are familiar with
them, we suggest using the Advanced Rules, as they give more depth and variety to the
game. Optional Rules, Scenarios and Campaign Rules will also add many twists and
surprises.

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 14

 **
ADVANCED RULES

All the Basic Rules apply, except 3 things :

1 – When Time Passes : instead of discarding the top 2 cards after you shuffle the
Events, you only discard the top card.
2 – To win the game, you need to end your turn on the Drop Zone (not the Bunker
Door).
3 – In addition to fulfilling your Primary Objective (sabotage the Guns), you must
now fulfill a Secondary Objective (see below).
Red Alert will be declared once you have destroyed the Guns, so it is a good idea
to fulfill your Secondary Objective before blowing up the Guns. When on Red Alert, try
to Evade combat : this will help you cover a lot of distance with relatively few cards
(very useful when you must run back to the Drop Zone).

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES

At the start of the game, the first Event Card you resolve will tell you where your
Secondary Objective is located (make a note of it).
To fulfill a Secondary Objective, you must end your turn on that location and
resolve an extra Event there (to see what happens while you are doing what needs to be
done). If you survive and are still on that location, you are rewarded (see below for
details) :

ARMORY : Steal a prototype assault rifle, the StG45, which has a Power of 4. If
you use this gun in combat, look at the number of the Event: if it is a red number (3, 6 or
9), the StG45 jams and becomes unusable for this combat (use another weapon). The
StG45 is fixed after the combat. This weapon is a Free Item (it does not count toward
your 2-Item limit) and it cannot be dropped it or lost.

BARBED WIRE : Sabotage this defensive position to let the Allies gain easier
access to the area and immediately win a Bronze Star Medal (choose any 1 Item from the
discarded Events).

FIELD HOSPITAL : Steal experimental drugs that permit you to gain an

additional +1 Health when Resting. These drugs are not considered an Item, and their
effect is automatic.

HALF-TRACK : Steal the orders from the driver of the vehicle and gain valuable
information about troop movements: subtract 1 Infantryman or SS Soldier from all your
encounters on outside locations until the end of the game.

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 15

 INFIRMARY : Gain access to top secret medical research : every time an Event
says you lose -1 Health, you actually gain +1 Health.

PANZER : Sabotage the tracks of the Panzer to immobilize it. On the side of the
vehicle, you find a Grenade Box containing 3 Grenades (this counts as only 1 Item
toward you 2-Item limit). These Grenades can be used 1 or 2 at a time (giving a +3
Power bonus each for 1 combat). If an Event tells you to drop an Item, you can drop 1
Grenade (you don’t have to drop all of them, even though they count as 1 Item).
Taking the Grenade Box is optional (some Operatives who cannot take additional
Items will leave it), it is not a Free Item.

PRISON CELLS : Liberate a fellow soldier who is held prisoner. Once free, this
ally will stand by you and permanently boost your Power (+1) for the rest of the game.

RADIO ROOM : Use the frequencies to give false orders to the German troops:
you have the ability to completely ignore 1 Event Card just drawn. Treat that Event Card
as saying “Nothing happens”. You can use this ability any time you want, after reading
an Event Card. This can be done only once, so do it wisely.

STORAGE : Recover a High Standard HDM .22, a silencer pistol the Germans
stole from an OSS agent. Because it is hard to detect the use of this firearm, the HDM has
a Power of 2 against the highly-trained Paratroopers, 3 against the well-trained SS
Soldiers and 4 against regular Infantrymen (who are easier to surprise). This weapon is a
Free Item (it does not count toward your 2-Item limit) and it cannot be dropped or lost.

SUPPLY TRUCK : Find a Heer Officer Uniform with papers and orders. This will
fool the other Infantrymen into thinking you’re one of them : from now on, ignore all
encounters with Infantrymen (read those Events as saying “Nothing happens”, so you
cannot Evade combat from them). This is a Free Item (it does not count toward your 2-
Item limit) and it cannot be lost (although it can be dropped voluntarily).

SPECIAL OPERATIVES

You can be a variety of characters. Each has his merits and flaws. To determine
who you are, cut the deck of Events and look at the number of the card you see. As an
alternate method, if you are using Special Operative Cards, you can simply shuffle them
and draw one.
Some Special Operatives have specific starting weapons. These replace the Colt
Pistol and are considered Free Items that cannot be dropped or lost. If nothing is specified
about a starting weapon, it means the Operative uses a Colt Pistol.

1 – The SCREAMING EAGLE

Cpl. Linwood Taylor, American 101st Airborne, 506th PIR, 2nd Battalion (Easy
Company)
When a resolved combat gives the option to draw for an Item (from a fallen
enemy), Taylor simply takes the Item already printed on the Event card (without drawing

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 16

a new card). This does not work on Events that say “You find/spot an Item” or on
locations like the Supply Truck or the Storage, it only works on enemies with an Item
symbol.
Taylor likes to travel lightly : he never carries more than 1 Item (in addition to his
starting Colt Pistol).
If Taylor needs to retrieve Items as part of his Secondary Objective (like the
Storage or the Armory), he will take them but will never use them. However, he can find
and use the Flare Cartridge.
Historical note : The 101st Airborne Division, formed on August 19th, 1942, has
distinguished itself in many crucial World War II battles, including D-Day (Mission
Albany), Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. In the Vietnam War, the
101st saw 15 campaigns and participated in many historic fights. The 101st was later
deployed in Iraq in 1991, and then in Kosovo, Rwanda, Haiti, Bosnia, Afghanistan and
Iraq again. In the XXIst Century, the Division has been renamed the 101st Airborne (Air
Assault), the US Army’s only Heliborne Division.
The shoulder patch of the 101st shows a bald eagle head with its beak open, hence
the nickname “Screaming Eagles”. But during the Vietnam War, the Vietcong, having
never seen an American bald eagle, called the soldiers of the 101st the “Chicken Men”
(which were to be avoided at all cost).

2 – The GUNNER
Sfc. Floyd Manning, American 82nd Airborne, 505th PIR, 2nd Battalion
(Charlie Company)
Manning’s Colt Pistol got lost on his drop. But once on French soil, he managed
to capture a German MG42 Machine Gun (Power 6 outside, Power 4 inside).
This large weapon makes it impossible for Manning to pick up additional Items
(except the Flare Cartridge and the ones crucial for Secondary Objectives, although
these will not be usable in combat). Also, the MG42 consumes obscene amounts of
ammunition : to fire it, Manning needs to fight enemies with an Item symbol (the Gewehr
43 Ammo Pouches are considered MG42 Ammo). This will give him 1 USE of the MG42.
Every time Manning fights an enemy with MG42 Ammo, he gains 1 additional use.
Enemies with no Item symbol do not give ammo for the MG42. This means that Manning
will sometimes have to fight with Power 0 to gain some MG42 Ammo.
At the start of the game, this weapon is empty.
It is possible to find 1 MG42 Ammo at the Ammo Dump (by resolving an extra
Event there, once per game).
The MG42 is Manning’s starting weapon and cannot be lost or dropped. If he
wins a Bronze Star Medal after fulfilling the Barbed Wire Secondary Objective, Manning
gains 1 MG42 Ammo.
Historical note : This division was first formed in 1917 as the 82nd Infantry
Division, and saw 3 major campaigns during World War I. Since members of this
division came from all 48 states, the unit was given the nickname “All-American” (which
is the basis for its famed “AA” shoulder patch). On August 15th, 1942, the division
became the “82nd Airborne Division”, the first airborne division of the United States. It
saw action in Sicily in 1943 and was deployed on D-Day for Mission Boston (part of

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 17

Operation Neptune). Like its rival the 101st Airborne Division, the 82nd saw
considerable action during Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge.
After World War II, the All-Americans participated in the Vietnam War, the
invasion of Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury), the invasion of Panama (Operation Just
Cause), the First Gulf War (Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm), Haiti (Operation
Restore Democracy), Bosnia (Operation Joint Endeavor), Kosovo (Operation Allied
Force), Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) and Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom).
The 82nd was also deployed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina (2004) before being
returned to Iraq afterward.
Since the 101st Airborne Division relinquished its parachute capability in 1968,
the 82nd remains, in the XXIst Century, the only true US parachute division.

3 – The SPY
2lt. Melvin Gerrold, American OSS Agent (Office of Strategic Services),
Strategic Services Operations, Operational Group Command
Trained for stealth and espionage, Gerrold has a Power bonus of +1 on inside
locations.
A hunter back home in Montana, Gerrold refuses to use the Flame-Thrower or the
Panzerfaust, which he finds too barbaric and non-sportsmanlike.
Historical note: The American OSS, which was disbanded in 1945, was replaced
by a new organization in 1947 : the CIA…

4 – The RED DEVIL

Lt. Trevor McBrady, British 6th Airborne, 5th Para Brigade (D Company)
An expert in outdoors fighting, McBrady has a Power bonus of +1 on outside
locations and he can carry up to 3 Items at once.
McBrady is a cocky man : he suffers an extra -1 Health (to his pride) when he
Evades combat. This means he will lose -2 Health when Evading normally, or -1 Health
when Evading using Gasoline (or even Smoke Grenades or the Flak Vest).
If McBrady loses an arm to Infantrymen with Bayonets (Inside Event #4), he can
still carry 2-Item. If he loses both arms, he can’t carry any Items (except the ones vital to
his objectives).
Historical note : In October 1941, Great Britain’s 1st Airborne Division was
formed. In April of 1943, a second Division was formed : this Division was named the
6th Airborne. The British only had 2 Divisions, the 1st and the 6th. There was no 2nd,
3rd, 4th and 5th divisions. This was a tactical move to fool Germany into thinking that
they had six full airborne divisions. The “Red Devil” moniker, given by the German
soldiers, comes from the maroon beret worn by British paratroopers.

5 – The PATHFINDER
Staff Sergeant (S/Sgt) Henry Stamp, British 6th Airborne Division, 22nd
Independent Parachute Company
For Stamp, an expert mapmaker and scout, all locations can connect any way he
wants (he ignores the need to connect roads or doors). Locations only have to be adjacent
to each other, but he still needs to go through the Bunker Door and Entrance to enter or
leave the Bunker.

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 18

 Because he is such a thorough and perfectionist mapmaker, Stamp needs to put at
least 12 locations in play to be able to win the game. And he will not receive a Flare
Cartridge if he puts all outside tiles in play.
Historical Note : Pathfinders are paratroopers specially trained in navigation.
They are dropped about an hour before anybody else. Their mission is to install beacons
and markers to identify drop zones, thus guiding the planes carrying the main assault
force. The art of pathfinding was perfected by the British, who in turn instructed the
Americans before the Normandy Invasion. About 200 Pathfinders were dropped in
Normandy the night of June 5th, placing Eureka beacons to help the various airborne
operations (Mission Albany, Mission Boston and Operation Tonga).

6 – The COMMANDO
Major Nelson Bowers, British 30 Commando Assault Unit
Bowers carries a Sten Mk II Submachine Gun (Power 3) and 3 No.80 WP Mk I
Smoke Grenades (+2 Power for 1 combat OR Evade 1 combat without damage, even
when Evading is not permitted, 1 use only). He cannot use any more Items except the
Flare Cartridge (he does not carry a Colt. 45). He is allowed to throw more than 1 Smoke
Grenade in 1 combat, if he needs to. When he uses the Sten, look at the number of the
Event: if it is 1, 4 or 7 (blue numbers), the Sten jams and is Power 0 for the combat (but
Bowers can still Evade combat or use Grenades). Once the Event is resolved, the Sten
will function normally again.
Due to an ancient injury, Bowers has a maximum Health of 5.
If, in order to fulfill a Secondary Objective, Bowers has to pick up an Item (like
the HDM Pistol in the Storage or the StG45 in the Armory), he is allowed to take it but
won’t use it in combat. If Bowers ever has to lose an Item, he must lose 1 of his Smoke
Grenades if he has any left (the Sten is considered his starting weapon). If he wins a
Bronze Star Medal after fulfilling the Barbed Wire Secondary Objective, Bowers gains 1
additional Smoke Grenade (which might bring his total to 4).
Historical note: Formed in September 1942, the 30 Commando (originally called
Special Intelligence Unit) was the brainchild of Naval Commander Ian Fleming, who
remained its commander/supervisor for the duration of the war (and later gained
international fame as the creator of James Bond). The 30 Commando is sometimes
referred to as Ian Fleming’s Red Indians.

7 – The ENGINEER
2nd Lt. Donald Leclair, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion (Alpha Company)
Leclair’s unit was ordered to protect the south flank of the British 9th Battalion
Parachute Regiment during their assault on the Merville Battery, but the winds decided to
drop him far from his friends.
As part of an elite battalion trained in engineering, demolition and commando
tactics, Leclair doesn’t need to resolve additional cards at the Ammo Dump, the Gun
Control or any Secondary Objective.
A man of principles, Leclair is very passionate : he hates the SS and will never
Evade combat from them.
Historical note : In 1942, there was the possibility that the Germans would
attempt to land a small force in Canada to reduce Canada’s effort in the War. It was felt

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that a highly mobile unit could quickly react to such an event, if required. This unit would
need to be mobile, versatile, aggressive, and relatively self-sustaining in order to
effectively repel the would-be invaders. It was suggested the use of an airborne force
could meet this requirement. On July 1st, 1942, “One Canadian Parachute Battalion” (1
Can Para) was formed. Its operational role was later changed to allow the unit to serve
overseas : it saw its first action on D-Day, as part of the 3rd Brigade of the British 6th
Airborne Division.

8 – The PILOT
Flight Lieutenant (F/L) Albert Pelletier, Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
No. 438 Squadron
While flying over the beaches on a troop support mission, Pelletier’s Typhoon IB
fighter-bomber had serious mechanical problems. He had to crash-land it near the Bunker
(which was one of his intended targets). Luckily, Pelletier was wearing a Flak Vest,
which helped cushion the impact : this Flak Vest permits him to Evade combat without
damage, and it doesn’t count toward his 2-Item limit (it’s a Free Item).
The weight of Pelletier’s Flak Vest is taxing as he is not in top shape : when he
rests, he gains 1 less Health (so he rests at +2 using the Basic Rules or at +1 using the
Combat Fatigue Optional Rule). But that won’t stop Pelletier : if he couldn’t destroy the
Bunker by air, he will do it on foot!
Historical note : While Canadians served in the RFC (Royal Flying Corps) during
World War I (Canadian Billy Bishop was the British Empire’s leading ace), a proper
Canadian Air Force wasn’t firmly established until 1924, with the birth of the RCAF.
In 1939, the RCAF started the War with only 29 front-line aircrafts. By 1944, it
was the Allies’ 4th largest air force, with over 215,000 personnel organized in 78
squadrons (43 at home, 35 overseas).

9 – The RÉSISTANT
Lieutenant Philippe Chaume, French Interior Forces (FFI : Forces Françaises
de l’Intérieur)
Instead of a Colt Pistol, Chaume starts with his father’s rusty Lebel Model 1886
Rifle (Power 2) that sometimes misfires : if you resolve Event Card #9, the rifle is Power
0 (you can choose to Evade combat or use another weapon if possible). As he carries his
lunch with him, including cheese and wine, Chaume gains an extra +1 Health when
Resting (using Basic Rules, this means he Rests at +4).
This farmer turned Résistant is not well-trained with explosives: instead of
resolving 1 extra Event to destroy the German Guns, he must resolve 2 extra Events in a
row (with no Resting allowed between them).
Historical note : “Forces Françaises de l’Intérieur” is the generic name given by
General Charles de Gaulle to all the French Résistance groups, including the Armée
Secrète (AS), L’Organisation de Résistance de l’Armée (ORA) & les Francs-Tireurs et
Partisans (FTP). To unify and properly organize these groups, command of the FFI was
given to General Pierre Koenig in March 1944. According to General Eisenhower, the
FFI’s help during D-Day and the subsequent liberation of France was the equivalent of
having about 15 additional divisions on the Allied side.

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 20

 As France was liberated, FFI members willing to continue the fight joined
General de Lattre’s French 1st Army, which later crossed both the Rhine and the Danube
rivers in Germany in 1945.

10 – The MIXED UNIT

8 paratroopers, all separated from their respective units, have banded together.
They are from the US 101st Airborne, the US 82nd Airborne, the British 6th Airborne,
the Canadian 1st Parachute Battalion and Free France’s 4ème Bataillon d’Infanterie de
l’Air (4th SAS).
Between all of them, they can carry as many Items as they want.
The Mixed Unit starts at 6 Health, with a maximum Health of 8 (1 per man).
Every time an Event Card says “Lose -1 Health”, one of the men is killed, and the
maximum Health of the unit is reduced by 1 (in addition to the normal Health loss). If the
Mixed Unit “loses an arm” to the Infantrymen with Bayonets (Inside Event #4), it does
not affect the number of Items it can carry, but it means 1 of the men is killed (maximum
Health is reduced by -1).

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 21

 ***
OPTIONAL RULES

If you find the game too difficult, try these :

BRONZE STAR VARIATIONS

1 – COMPLETE CHOICE
When you win, find or use a Bronze Star Medal (see Items), you are allowed to
choose any Item (from the Basic Rules).
2 – THE ADMIRAL’S CHOICE
When you win, find or use a Bronze Star Medal, you are allowed to choose any
Item in the game (including all the additional Items from Advanced Rules & Scenarios).
3 – COMPLETE SURPRISE
When you use a Bronze Star Medal, you draw an Item at random from any Item in
the game (including all the additional Items from Advanced Rules & Scenarios). To do
this, follow the Random Item Tables (Appendix II of the Campaign Book).

FLASHLIGHT
You can start the game with a Flashlight (when you draw for an Item, draw 2
cards and choose 1, then discard both cards).The Flashlight is a Free Item (it doesn’t
count toward your 2-Item limit).

FULL HEALTH
You start with maximum Health (9 instead of 6).

GIVE ME A MINUTE!
Basic Rules/Scenarios : You gain 1 extra hour per game, but instead of discarding
the top 2 cards at the beginning of every hour, you discard the top 3 cards. This will give
you, all in all, 4 more Event Cards per game.
Advanced Rules : You gain 1 extra hour per game, but instead of discarding the
top card at the beginning of every hour, you discard the top 2 cards. This will give you,
all in all, 5 more Event Cards per game.

Need to add a little more challenge to your games? Here are some suggestions :

ACHTUNG!
If you Evade combat when inside, the alarm is sounded and you must finish your
mission on Red Alert! You can also decide that the alarm is sounded the moment you
Evade combat (outside or inside).

BAD LANDING
You were injured when you landed. Cut the deck of Event Cards (before the
beginning of the game) to see the gravity of your injury :

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 22

 – If you draw a green number, you lose -1 Health;
– If you draw a blue number, you lose -2 Health;
– If you draw a red number, you lose -3 Health;
– If you draw a black number, it’s only a flesh wound (no Health loss).

BARRAGE (SHELLING)
Once you destroy the Guns, the Allied Navy zeroes in on the explosion and starts
shelling the Bunker! On every Event you draw after destroying the Guns, note the
location: that tile is shelled (removed from the game). You need to find a way to continue
your escape! If you are standing on a location that is being shelled, you are a victim of
friendly fire. It is possible the shelling will make your escape impossible: in that case,
you become a casualty of war.

COMBAT FATIGUE
When Resting, you gain +2 Health (instead of +3).

DANGEROUS BLAST
When you destroy the Guns, you must survive the explosion! Look at the extra
Event you have just resolved to sabotage the Guns :
– If it is a green number, you lose -1 Health;
– If it is a blue number, you lose -2 Health;
– If it is a red number, you lose -3 Health;
– If it is a black number, you have found good cover and suffer no Health loss.

LIMITED HEALTH
Your maximum Health is 6 (instead of 9). It is not recommended to use this
Optional Rule with the Mixed Unit Special Operative.

OVERACHIEVER
Add a 3rd Objective to your mission (treat as a 2nd Secondary Objective, decided
on the 2nd Event you resolve).

TIME IS MONEY
Basic Rules/Scenarios : Instead of discarding the top 2 cards at the beginning of
every hour, you discard the top 3 cards. This will take away 3 Event Cards per game.
Advanced Rules : Instead of discarding the top card at the beginning of every
hour, you discard the top 2 cards. This will take away 3 Event Cards per game.

YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE

You cannot Evade combat when on Red Alert.

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 23

 MULTIPLAYER RULES

These rules transform Airborne in my Pocket into a multiplayer game for 2-4
players (although more players could try it).
Multiplayer rules can be applied to any Basic or Advanced Game (but only with
these Special Operatives: 1 – The Screaming Eagle, 3 – The Spy, 4 – The Red Devil, 5 –
The Pathfinder & 7 – The Engineer). It is not recommended to use these rules with
Scenarios, although they work well with “Juno Beach: Panzerschreck” & “Knock
Knock”.

THE PLATOON
After a difficult night of fighting, a ragtag team of lost soldiers from different
outfits has come together to help the impending Allied landings. All have the same rank,
and all have the same cockiness. Since no one can decide who will lead, they have
decided to share the duties…

SETUP
Every player places a token in play, but all tokens must be moved at the same
time: this group of tokens represents the Platoon (the group of players). All the players
have their own Health and inventory, separate from the others.
Players start with a Health of 5 if there are 2 players, or 4 if there are 3-4 players.
As ususual, the maximum Health is 9 for everyone.
Players start with a current Power of 1 (their Colt Pistol). Since they all have their
own inventory, players are allowed to have duplicate Items between them (2 players can
carry the same Item, but of course, no player can carry the same Item twice).

THE COMMANDING OFFICER (CO)

Each turn, one player becomes the Commanding Officier (CO): he is the leader of
the Platoon for the turn. The CO decides all the actions for the Platoon (moving,
resolving Events, Resting). At the end of the turn, the player to the right of the CO
becomes the CO for the next turn, and so on.

MOVING & RESOLVING EVENTS

When an Event is resolved, the CO decides upon the action to be taken and issues
his orders:
• If an Item is found, the CO decides whether to take it or not, and which player
keeps the Item (he can always choose to keep the Item himself).
• If an encounter occurs, the CO decides whether the Platoon will fight or Evade.
The players can then choose to disobey this order (see below). If the Platoon Evades, all
its players lose -1 Health.

COMBAT
All encounters have a bonus equal to the number of players present (in a 3-player
game, for example, you must add +3 to all encounters, in addition to normal modifiers,
like the Half-Track).

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 24

 When entering combat, the players add their current power together: this is the
Platoon’s Power. Players must choose which weapon they use in any given combat.
Combat is resolved normally (# of enemies minus the Platoon’s Power = Health
Loss). Then, divide the damage evenly between fighting players. When the damage
cannot evenly be distributed, the CO will decide which players receive more than the
others.

DISOBEYING ORDERS
During an encounter, after the CO has issued his orders, players can decide to
disobey him:
• If a player fights when the CO wants to Evade, he fights alone (or with the other
disobeying players). Damage is distributed between all fighting players. After the fight,
each fighters automatically gains an Item (it must be decided at the beginning of the
game how the Items are determined: by using the Random Tables in Appendix II or by
using the Items printed on the Event cards just resolved). The Platoon stays in place (it
does not move to an adjacent location).
• If a player Evades when the CO wants to fight, the fight happens normally
(without the Evading player, who suffers no damage at all, not even the regular -1 Health
for Evading, because his colleagues cover his escape). After the fight, disobeying players
receive 2 Court-Martial Tokens.

COURT-MARTIAL TOKENS
Having a Court-Martial Token means you forfeit your right to be CO for one turn.
When this happens, the next player to your right becomes CO in your place, and you
discard 1 Court-Martial Token.

RESTING & DYING

When the CO decides that the Platoon Rests, every player gains 1 Health for each
discarded Event card (the CO decides how many cards are discarded).
If a player dies, the rest of the Platoon continues to play. The dead player decides
to which players all of his Items go (duplicate Items are lost if that player can’t take
them).

NOTES
If multiple games are played successively by the same Platoon, Court-Martial
Tokens are carried over from game to game (regardless if players survived or not the
previous game).
As an optional rule, each player may start the game with a random starting
weapon (use the “Handguns” table in the Random Tables, found in the Campaign Book’s
Appendix II).

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 25

 ****
ADVANCED ITEMS

Here is a list of all the Items introduced in the Advanced Rules.

Weapons
Grenade Box : Contains 3 Model 24 Stielhandgranate Grenades (each is Power
+3 for 1 combat, discard after use). This counts as only 1 Item toward your 2-Item limit.
If an Event forces you to drop 1 Item, you can drop 1 Grenade (not the whole box). If
you draw the Weapon Jam Event, it affects only 1 of your Grenades : if you still have
more than 1, you can use another Grenade. More than 1 Grenade can be used in 1
combat.

High Standard HDM .22 Silencer Pistol (Power 2/3/4) : The HDM comes
equipped with an integral silencer. Nicknamed simply the “OSS Pistol”, this hard-to-
detect and precise firearm has a Power of 2 vs. highly-trained Paratroopers, 3 vs. well-
trained SS Soldiers and 4 vs. Infantrymen (who are easier to surprise).

Lebel Modèle 1886 Rifle (Power 2, jams on Event #9) : The standard rifle of the
French army during the Great War (1914-1918). This rusty weapon misfires (and
becomes Power 0) on Event Card #9, which is an all-encounter Event.

MG42 Machine Gun (Power 6 outside, Power 4 inside) : The Maschinengewehr

42 has a proven record of reliability, durability and simplicity, but is most notable for
being able to produce a stunning volume of suppressive fire (between 900 and 1,500
rounds/minute, depending on the bolts). This lightweight, easily portable and rugged
weapon has only one true drawback : its voracious appetite for ammunition. So distinct
and terrifying is the weapon, that the US Army created training films to aid its soldiers in
dealing with the psychological trauma of facing MG42s in battle.
In the game, to fire the MG42, you need to fight an enemy with an Item symbol
(the Ammo Pouches are considered MG42 Ammo). This will give 1 USE of the MG42.
Every time you fight an enemy who has MG42 Ammo, you gain 1 additional use.
Enemies with no Item symbol do not give ammo for the MG42. This means that you will
sometimes have to fight with Power 0 to gain some MG42 Ammo.
It is also possible to gain 1 MG42 Ammo at the Ammo Dump (by resolving an
extra Event there, once per game).
The MG42 is a large weapon : its user cannot pick up any additional Items during
the game (except the Flare Cartridge and the ones that are vital to Secondary
Objectives).

Smoke Grenade (No. 80 Mk I WP) (Power +2 for 1 combat OR Evade 1

combat without damage, even when Evading is not authorized) : Introduced in 1943, this
British-made grenade containing white phosphorus (WP) will project a smoke screen that
gives good cover either for an attack or for a retreat. It is the only way to Evade combat

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 26

from the Barbed Wire location or from enemies that specifically forbid Evading. Discard
after 1 use.

Sten Mk II Submachine Gun (Power 3, jams on blue-numbered Events) : This

British-made weapon has a spartan design that is very cost-effective for mass-production.
It can be deadly in combat but has a terrible tendency to malfunction.

StG45 (Sturmgewehr 45) Assault Rifle (Power 4, jams on red-numbered

Events) : The Mauser Sturmgewehr 45 is designed to replace the current MP44 (StG44)
model, which is expensive to produce. This weapon is in its experimental phase, and
must be considered a prototype. Since it jams on red-numbered Events, the StG45 will
never work against SS Soldiers (since they all are found on red Events).

Other Items
Flak Vest : The Flyer’s Vest M1 & M2, with Type 4 Protective Armor, made by
the US Army Air Corps, is used primarily by Allied airmen for protection against flak
(German anti-aircraft). This cumbersome vest lets its user Evade combat without any
Health penalty and counts as a Free Item (it doesn’t count toward your 2-Item limit) that
cannot be lost (although it can be dropped voluntarily).

Flashlight : When you choose to draw for an Item (from fallen enemies, or a
location, or an Event), draw 2 cards instead of 1 : choose an Item between the 2 and then
discard both cards. If you are generating Items using the Random Tables (found in the
Campaign Book’s Appendix II), the Flashlight allows you to generate 2 Items (or draw 2
Item Tiles) and keep 1 of your choice. The Flashlight is a Free Item (it doesn’t count
toward your 2-Item limit).
The US Army’s TL-122B Flashlight, with its bakelite casing, was introduced in
1943 to replace the brass-cased TL-122A, due to growing metal shortages. By the time of
the Normandy landings, the TL-122B has become the most common flashlight among US
troops. The TL-122B is noted for its awful smell due to its primitive plastic and the waxy
coating that develops on its surface. The TL-122C will solve these problems with a more
advanced, moisture-proof bakelite body.

Heer Officer Uniform : This German Infantry uniform, complete with valid
papers and orders, will fool the other Infantrymen into thinking you’re one of them : from
now on, ignore all encounters with Infantrymen (read those Events as saying “Nothing
happens”, so you cannot Evade combat from them). The Heer Officer Uniform is a Free
Item (it does not count toward your 2-Item limit) and it cannot be lost (although it can be
dropped voluntarily).

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 27

 Except for Scenarios that take place later in the War, all military units, commanding officers,
dates, events, weapons, equipment and vehicles mentioned in this game are historically accurate for June
6th, 1944, at 7 am, with the exception of the Waffen-SS troops in the Bunker (the SS arrived at the front at
22:00, June 6th). This was a deliberate oversight to improve game mechanics and provide diversity (and
not too much of a stretch, anyway).
Only the following have been completely invented by the author: Brig. Gen. Herbert J. Stewart,
Rear Admiral Luverne Gallant, Col. Jason L. Spears, Brigadier Persival Atherton, PFC Julius P. Skinner,
Major General Harrold McDougall, 1Lt. Chris St-John, Oberleutnant Manfred Doldinger, Captain Leon
Kowalski, Volkssturm Zugführer Erwin Küchler, Colonel Moritz Hennicke, Operation Mayflower and the
names of the Special Operatives.
The author will be grateful to anyone notifying him of any military or historical inaccuracy.
Although the basic game mechanics are from Jeremiah Lee (“Zombie in my Pocket”) and some
additional ideas are from Aaron Tubb and his “Wolfenstein in my Pocket” variant (the grenade, items
gathered from enemies and the layout of the Event Cards being the most obvious), the rest of this game is
©2009 Emmanuel Aquin (including the Campaign Rules and most of the Advanced and Optional Rules).
Permission is freely given to copy and modify this game as long as it is for non-commercial purposes and
proper credit is given if possible.
The general design of the Bunker is taken from various German military constructions, mainly the
Vara Battery (Norway) and the Todt Battery (France).
The art for this game (Event Cards, locations and various player aids) was created by the author
using parts taken from many sources on the web, both public and private, and which are used here without
permission, although in a non-commercial manner. The author will gladly replace any photo or piece of art
if its legal copyright holder objects to its use. Graphics, montages and touch-ups were all done by the
author.
“Airborne in my Pocket” is dedicated to all those who risked their lives fighting to defend their
home and their country, from both sides of the conflict.

AIRBORNE IN MY POCKET – Rule Book 2.0 – Page 28