Here’s an add-on supplement for the NUTS Czechoslovakia 1938 Campaign with focused rules for Supply and Privation tests (including Exhaustion) for high intensisty combat. These are optional rules to add flavor to your campaign where time is not your friend and you will have to make decisions about your squad and platoon to keep them in the fight.
In addition to rules is an historical review of German-Czech supply sustainment for combat. In short – in a defensive the Czechs could outlast the Germans in food and munitions, but have a tougher time with fuel.
PROLOGUE
By the fourth day, the fighting still hadn’t let up. Lieutenant Jan Novák lifted his head from the hatch and saw the same gray smoke, the same torn road, and another order crackling over the radio to move forward. The gun still had shells and the crew still had nerve, but the fuel gauge was slipping toward empty, the needle trembling lower with every kilometer. Somewhere behind them the tankers were late, lost, or already burning — and Novák’s ears strained constantly, listening for the distant grind of German tanks or the rising scream of Stukas diving out of the clouds. He dropped back inside and told the driver to keep it steady, no sudden bursts unless they had to. A tank without fuel was just a steel coffin in the open, and he knew it. As the engine rumbled forward again, he caught himself listening less to the radio and more to the motor — hoping it would keep running long enough to get them through one more fight…
INTRODUCTION This supplement add-on for NUTS Czechoslovakia 1938 provides optional fatigue and supply rules for campaigns set during the Munich Crisis of 1938. Designed for use with NUTS!, it reflects the intense operational tempo and logistical pressures that would have shaped a German–Czechoslovak conflict — where daily combat, strained fuel reserves, and disrupted supply lines could prove as decisive as firepower. These rules integrate with the standard campaign system, introducing high-tempo mission pacing, cumulative exhaustion, and weekly strategic supply checks to create a more demanding and historically grounded campaign experience.
Getting ready to delve into the Barrow of the Frost King Solo adventure for Warrior Heroes (Two Hour Wargames). It’s a combination standard WHAT dungeon crawl with a strong link to the new Luck of the Draw series games in which card draws determine what your next room is, what you encounter and what your loot is.
So being a typical “shiny objects” gamer I have been assembling the terrain and figures needed. On ebay I found some Call to Arms terrain from Skyrim barrows, and then some fantastic Draugr minis from Gripping Beast’s “Ragnarok Line” (sculpted by Colin Patten).
First up are *part* of the Draugr (yes, why buy a few when you can buy an army!). I wanted to give them the feel of being in a dungeon as opposed to basing them on stones and grass like I normally would. Since the figures are all cast on a support base and then glued and primed on MDF bases, I couldn’t place them on a dungeon base. I happened to have some model train stone work contact paper left over from another project, and so experimented with cutting and gluing them to fit.
Contact paper used for base toppers
Defenders of the Frost King’s Barrow!
I’m pretty happy with the bases, could use some touch ups and it saved me from having to clip the figures and then drill & pin them to dungeon bases.
NUTS! Operation Underworld is a campaign system designed for NUTS! 4th Edition, focusing on the hidden war along Allied ports during World War II. It shifts play away from front-line battles and into the shadows—where patrols, investigations, arrests, and raids decide the security of critical harbors.
While built for NUTS 4e, Operation Underworld is fully compatible with NUTS! Weird War, allowing players to layer in occult threats, super-science, or other strange elements without changing the core campaign structure.
Instead of traditional battlefield objectives, the campaign revolves around:
Patrol missions
Investigations and clue gathering
Arrests and escalating pressure
Raids triggered by completed cases
Port Security Levels that evolve over time
Every mission feeds the next. Clues matter. Arrests matter. And when the pressure builds high enough, it all culminates in a Raid.
This post covers one such raid during the April 1942 New York Harbor campaign.
The Campaign & The Characters
The Star
Lt. (JG) Ernest “Egg” Benedict, US Navy
Ernest Benedict is smart, educated, and technically gifted—and absolutely hates his nickname. Unfortunately for him, he’s:
A “good egg”
An egghead college graduate
Named Ernest Benedict
So “Egg” stuck.
Despite the ribbing, Lt. Benedict has proven himself an effective ONI liaison: calm under pressure, methodical, and capable of keeping mixed groups of sailors and investigators focused when situations escalate.
The Seasoned Hand
Chief Petty Officer Bob McGillicuddy
Where Benedict plans, McGillicuddy executes.
A career sailor with deep dockside experience, the Chief knows when to push, when to threaten, and when to let suspects talk themselves into cuffs. He’s not flashy—but he’s relentless, and Shore Patrol listens when he speaks.
Together, the two form a solid command team for Operation Underworld missions.
Campaign Status Before the Raid
Port: New York City
Month: April 1942
Starting Port Security Level: 3
Active Threat: Organized Crime
Prior Missions
Arrest Mission
Result: 1 Clue recovered
Investigation Mission (3 Clues required)
Warehouse documents secured (+1 Clue)
Person of Interest detained at the railyard (+1 Clue)
With the Investigation solved, Naval Intelligence authorized a RAID on the identified warehouse. Lt. Benedict requested additional manpower and received four Shore Patrol sailors, reinforcing his team alongside Chief McGillicuddy.
RAID ON DOCKSIDE WAREHOUSE
Operation Underworld Campaign – April 1942
Location: New York Harbor, Warehouse District Active Threat: Organized Crime Port Security Level: 3 → 4 (Post-Raid) Mission Type: RAID (Triggered by Successful Investigation)
SITUATION
Naval Intelligence confirmed organized crime activity tied to forged manifests, missing cargo, and protected dock access. A prior Arrest Mission produced 1 Clue. A subsequent Investigation Mission resolved all required leads, including:
Warehouse Documents (Clue +1)
Person of Interest at Railyard (Clue +1)
With the Investigation solved, ONI authorized an immediate RAID.
The Star (Lt. JG, USN) requested Shore Patrol support, gaining four Shore Patrol sailors to reinforce the raid, accompanied by a Chief Petty Officer.
PHASE I — APPROACH & LOOKOUT ARRESTS
Approachingwarehouse.jpg
Shore Patrol and ONI team advance on the warehouse under low light. Delivery trucks and stacked crates provide partial concealment.
The raid force approached at dawn under Port Security Level 3. Several criminal lookouts were identified near delivery vehicles and loading bays and were quietly arrested, preventing an alarm and allowing the team to breach on their own terms.
PHASE II — ENTRY & FIRST CONTACT
The team enters the warehouse and immediately encounters armed resistance inside the loading area.
Upon entry, the raiding party encountered a group of armed criminals inside the warehouse proper. Gunfire erupted almost immediately.
Turn 1 Results:
Player Side: Several Duck Backs
Criminal Side:
2 Duck Backs
2 Out of the Fight (OOF)
The exchange was sharp but disorganized on the criminal side.
PHASE III — SUSTAINED GUNFIRE
Fire exchanged around delivery trucks and stacked crates. Both sides attempt to gain firing angles.
Turn 2 Results:
Multiple Duck Backs on both sides
1 criminal Obviously Dead, dropped near the delivery truck
Despite casualties, neither side broke. Criminals attempted to hold ground through volume of fire.
PHASE IV — REINFORCEMENTS & PRESSURE
Criminal reinforcements enter the fight, but remain pinned and unable to maneuver.
Criminal reinforcements arrived from deeper inside the warehouse complex.
Turn 3 Results:
Sustained shooting
No additional fatalities
All criminals forced into Duck Back
Two player figures Duck Back
At this point, criminal morale visibly faltered.
PHASE V — INTIMIDATION & SURRENDER
Shore Patrol and ONI advance under control. Criminals surrender under intimidation.
With all remaining criminals suppressed, the Star ordered an aggressive advance. The Intimidation Test succeeded, forcing the remaining criminals—still in Duck Back—to surrender.
No further shots were fired.
RESULTS
RAID SUCCESSFUL
Warehouse secured
Criminal personnel detained
Documents and shipping records seized
No player fatalities
Organized Crime cell neutralized
Port Security Level increased by +1 → Level 4
CAMPAIGN EFFECT
This raid demonstrated that organized crime activity along the waterfront depended heavily on low visibility and limited patrol presence. With arrests made and Shore Patrol now visibly active, criminal operations in this sector will face increased resistance and faster escalation.
“They weren’t fighters. They were bullies with guns — and they folded the moment we closed.” — Lt. JG, ONI Liaison
Why NUTS! is Different – Mission-Driven Skirmish Gaming
If you’re a WW2 skirmish wargamer, you’ve probably asked yourself: What system should I use? There are many excellent choices, but NUTS! from Two Hour Wargames stands apart with its Mission-Driven design rather than the more common Points-Driven approach.
Mission-Driven vs. Points-Driven Gameplay
Most tabletop wargames, like Bolt Action, use a Points-Driven system. You buy units based on points, balance them against your opponent’s force, and then play a match where victory is often determined by Victory Points. While this works well for competitive play, it can sometimes feel more like a game of list-building rather than simulating real combat.
NUTS! takes a different approach. It’s a Mission-Driven skirmish game designed primarily for solo andco-op play (and of course also plays well in head-to-head games) — with a focus on objectives, story, and campaign continuity rather than just destroying enemy units and earning victory points.
Instead of balancing points, your forces are determined by your mission, the scenario type, and campaign progression. Your squad’s success is not measured by how many enemy soldiers you eliminate but by whether you achieve your mission objective—whether it’s scouting a village, capturing a key target, or holding a defensive position at all costs.
The NUTS! Difference – React, Don’t Just Wait
NUTS! is powered by Two Hour Wargames’ Chain Reaction System, which throws out the traditional “I-Go-You-Go” (IGOUGO) turn structure. In most wargames, you move all your units, take all your actions, and then wait while your opponent does the same.
Not in NUTS!—things happen in real-time. Units react based on the situation. If an enemy moves into your line of sight, your soldiers don’t just stand there—they immediately take an In Sight Test to see if they fire, take cover, or freeze up. If they get shot at, they react dynamically, potentially ducking back, firing back, or even panicking.
This means combat flows in an unpredictable, natural way—just like real firefights, where initiative shifts from moment to moment rather than waiting for a turn to end.
Every Soldier is an Individual
In NUTS!, you don’t just command a squad—you know your soldiers by name. Each character has Reputation (Rep) and experience progression, and can also have Attributes (advantage or flaws), making them more than just generic figures on the table. Your squad members gain (or lose) experience, medals, and promotions throughout a campaign.
Plus, thanks to the Reaction System, they act according to their training and situation—meaning sometimes you don’t have complete control. The enemy might suppress them, they might get pinned, or they might charge unexpectedly. This creates emergent, cinematic storytelling every time you play.
Campaign Play – Your War, Your Story
One of the biggest strengths of NUTS! is its Campaign Mode. The game isn’t just a one-off skirmish—your soldiers grow, change, and live (or die) from mission to mission.
Win a battle? Your squad gets reinforcements, promotions, or even a commendation.
Lose? Your force morale suffers, and replacements might be inexperienced green recruits.
Too many defeats? Higher command might pull the plug on your campaign.
Your soldiers aren’t disposable. Their story is part of your war—and whether they make it to the end is up to your choices, not just a die roll.
The Unpredictable Battlefield
One of the most exciting aspects of NUTS! is the way enemy forces are handled through the PEF (Possible Enemy Force) system. Instead of setting up a pre-determined enemy force, you place PEF markers that may or may not be enemy soldiers. You don’t know what you’re facing until you encounter them. Are those shadows across the field just the wind moving the trees, or is it an enemy machine-gun nest waiting to open fire?
This makes every battle feel unpredictable and tense, ensuring that each playthrough is different—even with the same scenario.
Final Thoughts – Play a War, Not a Game
If you want a cinematic, unpredictable, and deeply immersive WW2 skirmish experience, NUTS! is for you. Whether you’re storming a farmhouse in Normandy, leading a desperate last stand in the Ardennes, or commanding a Soviet patrol in Stalingrad, your missions matter, your squad members matter, and your choices shape the outcome.
No points. No gamey list-building. Just war—your war.
Campaign area: Czechoslovakia, Player Starting Specific Area
Situation: Early morning, October 1 1938. Czechoslovakian border. The sky above glitters with the dawn-lit contrails of German bombers winging their way to targets deeper in Czechoslovakia. German fighters have also occasionally flashed by over head, but have not reacted to you – a single man on horseback. You have reached the border checkpoint between Germany and your beloved Czechoslovakia to find the soldiers in retreat, cowering before an advance column of motorized German troops led by Panzer Is. This is your homeland. Your cause is just. You will not retreat. None shall pass!
Last Knight Character Sheet
The Last Knight is a STAR and is built as a Super Soldier with magic equipment based on the legendary Paladins of Charlemagne. His Attributes include: Magic (Holy Magic), Initiative, Combat Monster, Unstoppable, Endurance, Heightened Awareness and Inspiring Presence. These combine to make The Last Knight an incredibly resilient fighter.
Endurance, for example, adds +50% STAR Dice. STAR Dice are unique to your leading character and for each die you expend you can convert a Wound level down by one, or you can re-roll a die of your choice. So with a REP 5, this adds (rounded up) +3 STAR Dice, for a total of 8! This means the STAR could shrug off up to x8 fatal hits! But wait, there’s more!
Initiative gives a modifier to REP for activation
Combat Monster adds +1d6 to Charge and +1d6 to Melee
Unstoppable converts OOF results to Carry On
Heightened Awareness reduces penalties for Night and obscured LOS (rain, fog, etc.)
Inspiring Presence means all friendly figures within LOS can activate when the STAR does
With the Unstoppable Attribute, the Last Knight can expend one STAR die to turn an Obviously Dead combat result to Out of the Fight…which Unstoppable converts to Carry On!! Now let’s see his equipment.
Froberge – the blade of Paladin Renaud de Montaubon provides Piercing, giving it an Armor Piercing Rating = to the wielder’s REP (5) — so the sword can cut through a tank!. It also does extra damage to Demons.
The Maille of Renaud provides extra protection
The Magic steed Bayard can travel 18″ move over any terrain, and can only be hurt by magic weapons and supernatural creatures.
Turn 1: The Germans have stopped at the border post and two Officers pull their pistols and demand the Czechs step aside. This was an Opposed Challenge and the Czech soldiers were wavering until the Last Knight galloped up and used his leadership skills to shore up their morale. The Last Knight demand the Germans leave, that they have no authority here!
The Last Knight moves up to defend the border post
Turn 2: Roll for Activation. The Germans win activation and the Officer decides to shoot the crazy man causing trouble as the rest of the German soldiers deploy from their trucks. The Officer shoots at the Last Knight and hits, but the OOF wound is nullified and the Last Knight Carries On. Since that was the only figure shot at, other figures don’t react. On the Czech activation the Last Knight charges at the Officers and engages them in Melee, and hacks them down!
Then the Czech soldiers open fire on the Germans, blasting one squad and sending others diving for cover! Some Czech soldiers were hit as well, despite being behind cover.
Turn 3: The Germans activated first, and the infantry and tanks move into action! Two of the Panzer Is move to engage the Last Knight with a hail of machinegun fire, which is shrugged off by his Armor and Unstoppable attribute. The other tank engages infantry on the left flank, fails to hit anyone but causes them to Duck Back behind cover, while the German infantry advances. The Last Knight charges the lead Panzer (handled as a Close Assault with the +1d6 REP for being Combat Monster) and slashes into the tank with Froberge, it’s flickering blue flames carving deeply into the tank, causing the crew to bail out and flee (APR 5 attack vs AR2 frontal armor, roll 2d6 against the difference (5-2 =3) – and got a Pass 1 result, the tank is disabled)! The Czech infantry regroup and recover from Duck Back.
The Last Knight disables a Panzer I
Turn 4: Once again the Germans activate first! Looks like the Last Knight, unused to actual combat, is uncertain about the pace of the battle. The Germans, having passed their Man Down tests, decide to press the Last Knight and burst through the barricade. Once Panzer I charges the Last Kight to run him down, the other charges the Barricade. The tank charging the Last Knight misses and its machinegun fire causes one Obviously Dead result, so the player burns a STAR die (dropping from 8 to 7) to covert that to OOF, which he ignores with Unstoppable. The other Panzer I smashes the flimsy barricade and crushes a soldier, and its machinegun fire is deadly a devastates the Czech defenders who flee from the tank. The other Germans move up to the wire and the gate area and fire a hail of bullets at The Last Knight to no effect. When the Czechs activate, the soldiers fall back while the Last Knight flanks the Panzer I and slashes it with Froberge, slicing through steel and igniting fuel and ammunition – the tank bursts into flames!
The Last Knight slices open a Panzer I
Turn 5 – The Last Knight loses activation again, and with a “3” and a “4” for the Germans means the Germans get reinforcements, and a new infantry squad moves up to replace the fallen squad on the right flank. The Germans move up and pour machinegun fire and even grenades on the Last Knight forcing him to burn more STAR dice and forces him into Duck Back. On his turn he Recovers and rallies a surviving Czech defender.
Turn 6: This game went crazy from here, with a lot of Activation rolls of “3” for the Last Knight and “4” for the German side, resulting in more German Reinforcements. Germany Scores — and since I remembered my NUTS Mission Deck, I pulled a card and the Germans got… Armor! Well, let’s interpret that as a Recon unit of armored cars and motorcycles since I don’t have anymore light tanks painted up. The Recon unit zooms down the road to join the fight! Meanwhile the Germans advance on the Last Knight and pour on the fire, burning another STAR die and once again forcing him back out of sight.
German recon unit zooms on the board
Turn 7 – The Last Knight wins activation and charges the remaining Panzer I, slicing it open with Froberge and setting the tank ablaze! On the German turn they drive the Last Knight back again with heavy gun fire, and the Recon unit moves up to join the action.
Turn 8 – Germans win Activation, 4 to 3! Pulling a card we get Civilians, which we choose to interpret as Partizans — the Sudeten Freikorps, pro-German partizans, show up to help their German allies. The German forces move up as well.
Sudeten Partizans attack!
Turn 9 – The Last Knight wins activation and charges into a group of German infantry that has crossed the border defenses, killing several and driving off the rest with slashes and cuts from Froberge. German return fire, including from the Armored cars, once again drives the Last Knight back. The Sudeten Freikorps engages the remaining Czech soldiers in a firefight.
The Last Knight Charges!
Turn 10: This would be the ‘official’ stopping point, but we kept playing anyway. German activation! The German side wins activation 4, 3 and gets reinforcements again – this time it’s Air Strike! A German fighter dives on the fray and drives the Last Knight back in a hail of machinegun and cannon fire, burning STAR dice and once again driving him back, as the Recon unit moves to flank him. I think the Germans REALLY want to force this border crossing!
The Freikorps and the Czech soldiers continued their skirmish!
Turn 11 – The Last Knight wins activation and attacks! He charges the two armored cars and declares that he will leap the first armored car and his horse Bayern will attack the exposed TC, then he’ll attack the other one with his sword. OK, so let’s have him do a FIT test to make the jump — succeeds, then melee at say, -1REP from the maneuver with the armored car TC – and wins by a pass 2! The TC is killed by a strong hoof blow as Bayern leaps over the vehicle, and then the Knight wins the Close Assault test and attacks the second armored car and slices deep into the turret, igniting ammo stores! The German Recon unit kills the remaining Czechs on the right flank and moves to support the Friekorps.
The Last Knight attacks!
Turn 12 – German win activation 4, 3 again! This time we pull another Infantry unit that moves onto the table, and the recon unit attacks the Last Knight, forcing him to burn another STAR die, and the deploying German infantry add to the mayhem with more flying lead! In response the Last Knight charges the recon unit — it’s horse vs motorcycle!
More Germans! Now we’ve seen about two platoons of infantry and armor on the table.
War Horse vs Motorcycle!
Turn 13 — No way, a German win of 4, 3 Activation again!?! We pull another NUTS Card and we get an infantry unit with an AT gun! The SdKfz 7 with a PAK 38 trundles on the table and sets up to engage the Last Knight! The Last Knight and the Recon unit skirmish inconclusively as more Germans move up. The last surviving Czech soldier finally defeats the last of the Friekorps figures.
German ATG enters the battle
Turn 14 – The Last Knight activates first and continues his fight against the Recon unit send the survivors scurrying for cover, and the the last Czech soldier runs for the edge of the table. Then the ATG sees the Last Knight in its sights and opens fire — a hit, causing an Obviously Dead result! The player burns his last STAR die to reduce the killing shot to OOF, which is converted to Carry On by his Unstoppable Attribute. No more STAR dice, one more kill shot and it’s over!
Yes, that blurry thing across the table is the Last Knight — open fire!
Turn 15 – the Germans win activation again with a 4,3, and get reinforcements. The card pull says Medium Armor, which would mean a platoon of Panzer IIIs will join the battle! Nope, sorry, says The Last Knight player — I’ve done my duty and upheld the honor of Czechoslovakia…besides, I’m out of STAR dice and the way thing are going I’ll be dead! So the player trots over to pick of the Czech survivor and exits the table to fight another day.
This was a fun and frenetic game, the Last Knight was almost unstoppable, the German player kept wearing him down until he was out of STAR dice and got a crazy amount of reinforcements. Basically this was the equivalent of a company-sized attack that came in piece meal as the German commanders got word of hold up at the border, and the constant pressure from German reinforcements eventually forced The Last Knight to retreat. The Germans did win, but at the cost of multiple vehicles and several lost squads of infantry.
A lot of my writing has shifted into high gear with the new Two Hour Wargames Patreon page. We’ve committed to three mini-games and adventures a month drawn mainly from 5150, NUTS! and Warrior Heroes Adventures in Talomir. That’s s lot of writing, but it’s also a lot of fun – most of the time. Yes, there’s grindy-grind writing, but it’s nice to get games and adventures published.
This month on the Patreon – a 32-page WHAT adventure called “The Yulefather Cometh,” and two mini-games you can actually use with any THW rules. Check it out!
This month’s Two Hour Wargames Patreon releases include a complete CR2023 mini-game, and supplements for both NUTS! WW2 and 5150.
1. Turkey Shoot is a complete mini-game using the CR2023 that pits your Star against the wiley American Turkey! Your objective is simple — bag a Turkey for dinner, or tell Ma you’re eating grits for Thanksgiving!
2. NUTS War Tales – Black Devils is sourcebook describing the Soviet Naval Infantry of WW2, also know as the “Black Devils.” The sourcebook includes a history of the units, their Unit Lists in NUTS, how to add them to your campaign, and a mini-campaign called Black Devils at Stalingrad.
3. 5150 Tales from the Fringe – Hard Drop is sourcebook for 5150 and 5150 Star Marine that adds planetary assault rules to your games, the organization and equipment of the Gaea Prime Star Marines, and a multi-scenario Campaign to take back a breakaway planet from Rebels and Hishen forces.
I’ve been a Two Hour Wargames writer and contributing editor for a bunch of years, have helped with and managed Kickstarters (NUTS WW2 was a BIG one!), and now experimenting with running Two Hour Wargames’ Patreon.
Two Hour Wargames and the core rules are the brainchild of Ed Teixeira who created the Chain Reaction system in the early 2000s after getting tired of standard IGOUGO games. The inspiration for the system came from talking with friends who were military veterans, cops and even some who’d been to the other side of the law, and they all said “that’s not how a fight works. You don’t stand there why the other guys move around and shoot at you — as soon as you see them, everything breaks loose, everybody reacts!”
And that’s the core idea of the Chain Reaction system — as soon as your figures see the other side, *both* sides have a chance to react — maybe they shoot, maybe they run. And every game will be different. The concept of the Reaction rules have now been applied to dozens of titles across many genres, from mass battles set in the age of Napoleon, to Pulp Action dinosaur hunts, WW2, Space combat, Fantasy — you name it, there’s a title for it.
Ed has been joined by a roster of regular contributors, like John Cunningham (a NUTS and 5150 nut and manager of this page), Darby Eckles and others. Because of this we’re always creating waaay more than we can publish — and that’s where this Patreon comes in.
With your support we will release games and content to our Patreon supporters across our major titles — some will be unpublished works, or updated gems, and other content will be brand new — from scenarios and missions, to game book supplements for existing titles, complete mini games, and even 3D miniature files.
After a challenging Patrol Mission with several casualties, the Army’s supply system finally caught up with the understrength 1st Squad of 3rd Platoon, adding some new recruits (Rep 3) to bring them back up to full strength. This also meant the men of 1st Squad get their first Mail Call since landing at Utah Beach — and it’s bad news for Sgt Herbet — he’s been “Dear Johnned!”
What we did was make a Campaign Event roll, an optional test you can make between Missions using the NUTS Campaign books. This is described in the Campaign books as part of the “Your War” campaign system. If you roll doubles on your Campaign Morale test, which the US player did, you can roll again on the Campaign Event table. So rolling2d6 we score a 1, 2 = 3, which means “Bad news from home. You fight your next Mission at -1REP.” This means he’ll be preoccupied and fight at a penalty on his next Mission!
The Squad has gotten some replacements — too bad they are fresh out of Basic Training with Rep 3!
1st Squad, Third Mission – the Attack Campain Status:
Campaign Morales • US: 4 • German: 3
Investment Levels • US: 4 • German: 3
Mission 3 – The Attack
Attack Mission
In this Mission you must push forward, engage and defeat the enemy or reach your objective. Be sure to be clear on what that objective is! This will be a full Platoon Attack using all three Squads.
Objective
In this Mission there are two possible objectives.
The first is to destroy as much of the enemy as possible, driving them off the table in the process. The Mission is over when you have chased off or destroyed all enemy forces and PEFs on the table.
The second is to exit the table at the opposite edge from where you entered. The Mission is over when you have exited the table with at least 3/4 of your forces and have inflicted more casualties than you received.
When playing head to head, the player that has the Attack Mission writes down which objective he is trying to achieve and reveals it at the end of the Mission.
The Attack Mission tabletop terrain is generated, and the Squad will enter the tabled in Zones 7, 8, or 9. Since this is a Co-Op game, the Enemy Forces will be generated on the fly using the Potential Enemy Forces system.
Lt. Dan also tried to get extra support for his Mission before the game, using the optional rules in NUTS Platoon Leader.
Let’s see how that worked out for him. Lt Dan has an Attack Mission and wants Support. He goes to his Company Commander to make the request. Lt. Dan has a People Skill of 4, won his last Mission (+1d6) and gives his CO loot item (an enemy Flag) (+1d6). So he tolls 6d6, and scores 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6 for only two Successes (“Successes” are scores of a 1, 2, 3 on a d6 roll). Lt. Dan’s CO has a People Skill of 4, and has no modifiers. So he rolls 4d6 and scores 1, 2, 2, 4 for a total of three Successes. The CO gives him the Cold Shoulder and informs him there’s no Support available for Lt. Dan’s next Mission. Suck it up, Soldier!
The Terrain is placed!
The US team decided to come on in a Platoon Line formation, with the HQ Squad tucked in behind 2nd Squad so Lt. Dan can more easily see and control his Squads, send Runners or the attached Medic.
This Battle was then shot as a series of videos pieced together into a full game report. I hope you enjoy it — it was a brutal game. Not to give too much away, but 3rd Squad ran into a German unit dug into a Hedgerow bunker, and things got pretty nasty after that!
Full game report for D-Day Campaign, Week 4
After the Battle
This was a high casualty Mission. The Americans felt a little smug after 1st and 2nd Squads fixed, flanked and finished the Germans defending the farm in short order — so the fortified hedgerow was a nasty shock! And the Americans learned that Germans can also lob grenades over hedgerows, and even try to fix, flank and finish them!!
1. Recovery and Replacements:
First Squad saw the Squad Leader, SGT Herbet get knocked Out of the Fight and the Squad took one more casualty. Luckily a Medic treated them, and returned one back to action. Sgt Herbet passed two on the After the Battle Recovery and returns to the Squad after being treated for minor injuries at an Aid Station. and co so they have a higher chance of Recovery.
Second Squad took a beating with four casualties including the Squad Leader. They were all treated by the Medic, who returned two figures back to action. After the Battle recovery returns one more, and the Replacement roll adds a new Rep 3 figure to bring the Squad back up to strength
Third Squad also took heavy casualties and did not have a Medic around to help them. After the Battle Recovery results in just one figure rejoining the Squad. The Replacement roll results in two Rep 3 figures – so Third Squad is down one man from its roster.
HQ squad had the Top SGT injured, and he recovers and continues the campaign. If he hadn’t returned, he’d be replaced by the Platoon’s Assistant NCO or the Squad Leader from First Squad.
2. Improving REP: It’s possible for your Star and its squad mates to improve their REP if they did well, and they might lose REP if they had a really bad Mission. Most games will have a core Star and Squad in them you want to track, but the players could check for the whole platoon in this case. After making these rolls, while Sgt Herbet was injured (Decreasing d6 Rep) he doesn’t go down in Rep. One figure increases to Rep 5, and two of the new guys advance to Rep 4.
3. Campaign Morale. Since we completed another Mission we check Campaign Morale. Each side rolls against their current Campaign Morale. The US gets +1d6 for winning the last Mission, and scores Pass 3. The German side only gets Pass 1, so the US side wins by 2+. The US Campaign Morale increases by one, the German Campaign Morale is reduced by one (down to a 2) and the German Enemy Investment Level is also reduced by one.
4. What is the next Mission? Well, since the US player won the Attack Mission, the next Mission will also be an Attack Mission.
We wanted to try out the new Hell Hath no Fury system with a Patrol Mission, which we’ll add to the ongoing NUTS D-Day Campaign alongside the Infantry campaign. We’ll focus this Mission on Platoon Sgt Dave Smith, the second in command of a 5-tank Sherman tank Platoon with the 67th Armored Regiment, 2nd Armored Division. Sgt Smith has been tasked to patrol towards St. Lo as part of the Allied advance from the Normandy beach head.
Campain Status – Week 3, June 1944:
Campaign Morales • US: 4 • German: 3
Investment Levels • US: 4 • German: 3
Platoon Sgt Smith’s tank control sheet – I know, the EasyEight wasn’t available during D-Day, but my son likes it! 🙂
Here’s a video of the game with full description, and the game summary is below:
Patrol Mission
Your objective is to recon the table.
To be successful you or a Junior NCO must spend one turn of activation within 6″ of the edge of the table in sections 1, 2, and 3. Once you have accomplished this you must report back by exiting the table from the edge that you entered.
The Patrol Mission tabletop terrain is generated, and the Platoon will enter the tabled in Zones 7, 8, or 9 and must have the Sgt spend an Activation in each of Zones 1, 2, and 3. The Platoon must then exit off the table top on the edge it entered in order to win the Mission and report what they found.
The PEFs were placed in zones 1,2 and 4.
Sgt Smith decides to advance up the left side of the table towards the farmhouse.
After turn 1 the US tanks were close to the farmhouse, and the German PEFs moved up, one of them right behind the farmhouse bur still out of sight. On the next turn the US player activated, the Germans did not — and the US player pushed up to spot the PEF.
US spots the German PEF
The PEF is spotted and resolved as — the same number of German medium tanks, so the US has run into three Panzer IVs at close range.
Panzer IVS at close range!
This led to a close range gun duel that resulted in one Panzer IV and one Sherman brewed up. Both the remaining Panzer IVs Ducked back into Cover and one Sherman did the same. The remaining Sherman decides to push around the farmhouse and continue the engagement. This forces an In Sight test, and since the German tank is in Duck Back it loses and the US tank fires first. Hit! However, the US tank fails its Reload roll and cannot shoot again.
A second Panzer IV is knocked out.
On the following turn the German player activates first, both unresolved PEFs move up to the stream, while the remaining Panzer IV passed it’s Crisis Test and rolls forward to engage. The US player wins the In Sight test, but must spend its action reloading .German tank fires and misses, the US tank completes its reloading and returns fire, disabling the Panzer. The crew bails out and runs for safety.
While this is happening the German PEFs reach the bridge and are spotted the next turn, resolving as a Pak40 Anti-Tank and hauler with an escort, and an infantry AT hunter-killer team.
The German side srcambles to deploy while the US moves up, and a cheeky aggressive SdKfz 250/9 with a 20mm autocannon charges at the flank of a Sherman to buy time for its team mates.
The charge of the SdKfz 250/9!
The US player wins the In Sight against the halftrack and swats it aside with 75mm gunfire, leaving it shattered on the road. Meanwhile the other Sherman moves up to engage the Pak 40 on the road.
Pak40 and AT teams deploy!
The US player moves up, one Sherman engages the AT gun and the other decides to cross the bridge and “run ’em down” (according to the player!).
US moves to engage deployed infantry units
The US tank wins the In Sight and wipes out the Pak40 with cannon and machinegun fire. However, the second Sherman is not so lucky. The player loses the In Sight test to the German infantry AT HK team and takes a Panzerfaust in the side, knocking it out of action!
Sherman tank is knocked out by a Panzerfaust
The remaining Sherman make a Crisis Test, and since it’s the last tank in its platoon and all alone — it decides to retreat. The US side lost the Patrol mission, ouch!
All alone? I’m outta here!
After the Battle
This was a challenging Mission, Sgt Smiths small tank command was battered by German forces. While the did knock out 3 tanks, a halftrack and a Pak40 — they also lost two of three tanks. They lost their Patrol Mission.
1. Recovery and Replacements: The disabled tank lost two figures, one comes back at full Rep and one at -1Rep. The Platoon also lost two tanks, and since we didn’t win the Mission the disabled tank is lost. So we roll 2d6 vs Rep on the Tank Replacement table and get a “Pass 2” result – so we get both tanks replaced. One will be manned by the surviving crew, the other will be all new.
2. Improving and Losing REP: It’s possible for your Star and its squad mates to improve or lose their REP depending on how well they did during their Mission. Since the Platoon lost the Mission, we roll 1d6 for each crew figure (in the core crew) and the other tank to see what happened. In Sgt Smith’s tank the Radio/Bow gunner loses one Rep, and is not at Rep 3 – the others are OK.
3. Campaign Morale. Let’s see how this would work if e continue with Sgt Davis’ Sherman platoon, Since we completed a Mission we check Campaign Morale. Each side rolls 2d6 vs Rep against their Campaign Morale. The US rolls a Pass 1, and the German side also gets a Pass 1 — no change in Morale.
4. What is the next Mission? Well, since the US player lost the Patrol Mission, the next Mission will be a Defend Mission.
sbminisguy.wordpress.com 