The World War II Skirmish Game The fearsome German Panther

World War II saw the tank come of age. like the American Sherman and the Soviet T-34 were produced in the tens of thousands. Others, like the German Panther, were far fewer, but their sheer muscle often overcame the odds against them. In the Battles of El Alamein, Kursk, Normandy, and the Ardennes, these tanks clashed to determine the fate of the world.

the UBIQUITOUS AmerIcan Sherman Through the pouring rain, you can just What is TANKS? Written by: make out the smoke billowing from your TANKS is an easy-to-learn, quick- Andrew Haught, platoon commander’s tank. You are next play, small-scale game, where you take Chris Townley, in command. command of a tank platoon, seeking Phil Yates As if on cue, the radio buzzes. Corporal to destroy your opponent’s tanks and Editors: Stevens, always the cautious one, wants secure victory. TANKS is a flexible game to retreat and regroup. with lots of ways to create a finely-tuned Peter Simunovich, John-Paul Brisigotti But you know this is your time to strike. army that fits your play style. The enemy thinks they’ve got you on the The game is fast and furious, do-or- Graphic Design: run, got you cornered. It’s time to show die. In half an hour, you can pick your Sean Goodison them what happens when you poke at the tanks and crew, upgrade them to your hornet’s nest. specifications, defeat your enemy (or die Miniatures Design: It’s time to lead your men to victory! trying), and be ready for the rematch! Evan Allen, Tim Adcock, Will Jayne CONTENTS Cover Art: Vincent Wai Tank Heroes of WWII 2 Command Phase 14 Turn Sequence 4 Keyword Reference 14 Miniatures Painting: Components 4 Building your Platoon 15 James Brown, Game Set Up 6 Missions 16 Aaron Mathie Movement 7 Assembly 18 Playtesters: James Brown, Terrain 8 Your first Game 20 Casey Davies, Shooting 9 Quick Reference 22 Kit Goldsbury, Sean Goodison, All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval Patrick Gribble, system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior written permission Sean Ireland, of the publisher, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than Mitch Kemmis, that in which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the Daniel Linder, subsequent purchaser. Damian Reid, Rob Sadler, © Copyright Battlefront Miniatures Ltd. All rights reserved. Wayne Turner, ISBN: 978-1-9408258-7-8 Gavin van Rossum Proof-readers: Gary Martin, Michael McSwiney, Luke Parsonage, Gregg Siter, Stephen Smith

1 TANK HEROES OF WWII Shortly after D-Day, now in command of GERMAN a Tiger tank, he almost single-handedly, The legendary Michael Wittmann is stopped an entire British armoured the most recognised tank ace of World , destroying dozens of tanks in War II. After a short stint in Poland the process. His single-handed attack commanding an armoured car, he saved the elite took command of a Sturmgeschütz from being cut off and wiped out. For assault gun for the Russian Campaign. this feat, he was awarded the Swords for There his talent for knocking out tanks his Knight’s Cross. became obvious.

Panzer IV Panther

minutes with just a handful of shots. BRITISH One of his victims may have been During Operation Totalize, the breakout Germany’s top ace, Michael Wittmann. after D-Day, Joe Ekins fought his first Later that day he added a Panzer IV to and only battle as a Sherman Firefly his tally. For Joe Ekins one day behind gunner. During the battle Ekins knocked a 17 pdr gun was enough to prove his out three Tiger tanks in less than twelve status as an ace gunner.

Sherman Firefly Comet

Sherman (76mm) Sherman (75mm)

2 Sherman (75mm) The first tank they rode into combat was AMERICAN a Sherman tank named ‘In the Mood’. Golden Gloves boxer and tank command­ During Pool’s tour in combat he had er, Lafayette Pool’s combat career was so three tanks of that name shot out from successful that many historians consider under him. him to be not just the greatest tank ace of Staff Sergeant Pool left Europe with the World War II, but the greatest tank ace Distinguished Service Cross, Legion ever—destroying 258 enemy vehicles of Merit, a Silver Star, and a Purple and twelve tanks (most of them dreaded Heart—as well as 17 bits of shrapnel German Panthers). His tank crew called in his neck, and an artificial leg. In him ‘War Daddy’ and he called them 1946 he re-joined the army to train a his ‘Pups’. new generation of tankers.

Sherman (76mm) Pershing

fearless driver, manoeuvring her tank like SOVIET a veteran. In several engagements enemy When the Germans killed her soldier shells damaged the tracks and halted husband, Mariya Oktyabrskaya sold all her T-34. Mariya, often disregarding her possessions to donate a tank to the orders not to, would jump out of the Red Army. She had one condition, that tank while under fire and effect repairs she got to drive it. Stalin quickly agreed to get back into action as fast as possible. to Mariya’s simple demand. In August 1944, after leading the Mariya arrived at her unit in a T-34 way in dozens of battles, Mariya was tank emblazoned with the turret slogan posthumously awarded the Hero of the ‘Fighting Girlfriend’. Mariya quickly Soviet Union—the Red Army’s highest distinguished herself as a skilled and award for military valour.

T-34/85 SU-100

Panzer IV

Panzer IV

StuG G 3 TURN SEQUENCE

During the game players will play 2. Shooting Phase through a number of turns until one This is when your tanks get to shoot. player achieves victory. Each turn Players will shoot with each of their consists of three Phases: tanks in Initiative order starting with the 1. Movement Phase highest Initiative moving on to the lowest Initiative. This is when your tanks move. Players will move each of their tanks in Initiative 3. Command Phase order starting with the lowest Initiative In this phase you will mark destroyed tanks moving on to the highest Initiative. tanks, repair special damage, check for victory conditions, shuffle the Critical card deck, and clear all the Speed tokens. COMPONENTS

Tank Cards Crew and Upgrade Cards Tank cards are easy reference cards that You can use Crew and Upgrade cards you can use to keep track of your tank’s to modify your tank. These are usually stats and the damage they have taken. hidden until used for the first time.

TANK CARDS Country Point Value This identifies the country Tank Name This is how much the card costs to add it to that fielded this tank. This is the name of your army. the tank. Keywords These keywords tell you what rules apply to your Initiative tank. This determines the order in which tanks Damage Capacity move and shoot This shows how much during the turn. damage this tank can sustain. This is shown as a number and with Attack Damage Points that can be marked with a dry- This shows how many erase marker. dice you roll each turn when shooting. Crew Slots You can add one Crew Card to your tank for Defence each Crew Slot. This shows how many defence dice you roll Tank Description when shot at. This text describes the tank.

4 Critical Cards Measuring Arrow These cards are used when a tank scores The Measuring Arrow is used for many a Critical Hit. Tasks in TANKS. Including terrain set up, mission setup, movement and Tokens checking for short range shooting. These tokens are used to mark Objectives and to keep track of each tank’s condition.

CREW AND UPGRADES Point Cost This is how much the card costs to Card Name add it to your army. This is printed This is the name of the on the back of the upgrade card as Upgrade or Crew card. well. Card Effect Country This tells you what the card This identifies which country can does during the game. use this card. Card Type Hero A tank is limited to one Hero cards are marked with a Upgrade or Crew card of medal. You may not have multiple each type. copies of a Hero card in your force. CRITICAL CARDS Card Name This is the name of the Critical card.

Damage Effect Special Effect Some Critical cards do damage. Some Critical cards have additional and lasting effects on the target.

Repairable Some Critical cards with Special effects are Repairable, these are repaired during the Command Phase. TOKENS Speed Damaged or Destroyed Objectives Tank Identification These numbered tokens Place these tokens to indicate These tokens are These paired tokens can indicate how many times which tanks have been damaged used during certain be used in bigger games to a tank moved this turn. or destroyed this game. missions (see page 17). keep track of which card belongs to which tank.

MEASURING ARROW

The tail shows how far The a tank can move. The whole template is used Head for other measurements. The Tail

5 GAME SET UP

Attackers will gain Table Setup Deployment the upper hand when TANKS is played on a 3’x3’ or 90cm x The Defender now chooses a table side their opponent’s army 90cm table. Both players start the game to deploy from. The Attacker will deploy has similar Initiative by rolling a die. The player with the on the opposite table edge. stats, while a Defender can make the most higher roll places the first piece of terrain. The players place their tanks on the of the terrain. Players alternate placing terrain, starting table in Initiative order. The tank with with the two woods and moving on to the lowest initiative is placed first, the four buildings, until all six terrain before moving up through higher pieces have been placed. Terrain pieces initiative values. may not be placed within a Measuring To deploy a tank place the Measuring Arrow of another piece of terrain or any Arrow so that it is touching your edge of table edge. the table. Place the tank square against Attacker or Defender the tail of the Measuring Arrow. After the terrain is set up, each player Initiative Ties rolls another die, and the player with When you have a tie in Initiative the higher result may choose whether between two players’ tanks the Attacker’s to be the Attacker or Defender. The tank always counts as having a higher attacker wins all ties in Initiative while Initiative than the Defender’s. the defender chooses which side of the table they want to deploy on. If you have Initiative ties between tanks in the same army, the owning player chooses the order in which those tanks take their actions.

DEPLOYMENT After the German player has placed their StuG G assault gun (Initiative 3) and Panzer IV tank (Initiative 5), the US player places their Pershing, Sherman (76mm), and Sherman (75mm) tanks (Initiative 6).

Because the German player is Panzer IV the Attacker, they place their StuG G (Initiative 6) after the US player places their Initiative 6 tanks. Jagdpanther

6 MOVEMENT

In the Movement Phase, both players If your tank is moving rapidly, it can Tanks with high move any or all of their tanks. move again in exactly the same way. Initiative move later in the turn, allowing Initiative Place Speed Token them to react to their The Movement Phase starts with the After moving your tank, place a Speed opponent’s every move. tank with the lowest Initiative and token showing how many times it proceeds up through the Initiative order moved. The faster your speed, the harder to the tank with the highest Initiative. you will be to hit, but the harder it will be for you to hit the enemy. Moving a Tank As a tank races across the Staying Stationary battlefield, and dodges To move your tank, place the Measuring enemy shells, its crew find Arrow touching any part of your tank Your tank does not have to move. If it hard to fire accurately. and facing in any direction. Then pick you leave the tank where it is, you do Only when they come to up the tank and place it anywhere along not gain a Speed token. Instead, your a halt can they employ the Arrow squared up against the Tail. shooting becomes more effective. their gun to full effect. MOVEMENT

You cannot move past the Tail of the Measuring Arrow.

Tanks move along the Measuring Arrow, ending their move square Tanks can rotate using the against the tail. Measuring Arrow.

RAPID MOVEMENT

Place a Speed token with your tank after moving.

Tanks can move twice in a turn. Complete the first move before making any subsequent move.

7 TERRAIN

Your battlefield has several different types to tanks partially behind them. Woods of terrain to fight through and around. can give Cover to tanks on their edges. Tanks completely within a Wood, and Buildings anything they shoot at, are in Cover. Buildings block Line of Sight to tanks Woods do not hinder movement. hidden behind them and give Cover to tanks partially behind them. Buildings Destroyed Tanks are Impassable to movement. Destroyed tanks block Line of Sight to tanks hidden behind them and Woods give Cover to tanks partially behind Woods block Line of Sight to tanks them. Destroyed tanks are Impassable hidden behind them and give Cover to movement.

You can use Gale Force 9 Impassable Terrain Card Terrain Battlefield in a Box A tank cannot end its movement in When using the cardboard terrain terrain to replace the Impassable terrain. If the Measuring supplied with the game, treat the whole card terrain for a three- Arrow crosses Impassable terrain, the piece of cardboard as the terrain piece, dimensional battlefield. tank must stop moving when it reaches regardless of where the illustration ends. the Impassable terrain. IMPASSABLE TERRAIN

Tanks may not end their movement in Impassable terrain.

Tanks must stop where the Measuring Arrow crosses Impassable terrain.

8 SHOOTING

In the Shooting Phase, both players Line of Sight shoot with any or all of their tanks. A tank has a Line of Sight to its target Initiative if you can draw a line from the tank’s turret to any part of the target tank The Shooting Phase starts with the tank without passing through any other tank with the highest Initiative and proceeds or any Blocking terrain. down through the Initiative order to the tank with the lowest Initiative. Line of Sight for tanks with the Assault Gun keyword is measured from the Pick Your Target point the gun barrel crosses the front of The first thing to do when shooting with the hull. a tank is pick a target. There are no range limits, so your choice of target is only limited by Line of Sight, and in some cases, the tank’s Firing Arc. LINE OF SIGHT The left-hand tank is in Line of Sight, but it Draw a line from the gun mounting to Blocks Line of Sight to check if you have Line of Sight to a target. the righthand tank.

All Lines of Sight to this tank are Blocked by the Building.

There is an unblocked Line of Sight to this tank, so it is a valid target.

9 FIRING ARC

The StuG assault gun cannot shoot targets unless they are completely in front of it, or …

… any part of the target is directly ahead of it. The assault gun cannot shoot at tanks that are behind it.

Firing Arc Roll Attack Dice Most tanks can shoot in any direction. When shooting, you roll Attack Dice. As an exception, an Assault Gun can The number of dice you roll is your only shoot at a tank if either: tank’s Attack number modified by any • its entire hull (excluding protruding relevant Crew and Upgrade cards. gun barrels) is in front of the Each result of 4 or 5 scores a Hit, and Assault Gun, or each 6 scores a Critical Hit. Example: Pete’s Panther • any part of its hull (again excluding has an Attack value of 5, protruding gun barrels) is directly in Shooting While Stationary so it rolls five Attack dice, front of the Assault Gun. You may re-roll all of the Attack dice for scoring 2,4,5,6, and 6. a tank that remained stationary instead This gives it two Hits of moving. If you do so, you must use (the 4 and 5) and two the new roll, even if it is worse than the Critical Hits (the two 6s). original roll. ATTACK DICE

The has an Attack value of 5, so rolls five dice.

If the Panther had not moved, it could re-roll all of its dice on a poor roll.

10 DEFENCE DICE The Sherman tank has Defence 1 and moved twice. The Panther tank moved once to get to Close Range (within one Measuring Stick of the Sherman).

The Sherman tank starts with four Defence dice: • one for its Defence value of 1, • two for its current Speed of 2, • and one for the shooting tank’s current Speed of 1.

Roll Defence Dice Shooting Tank’s Movement Example (continued): Once the shooting player has made Add one Defence die for each move that Andrew’s Sherman tank their Attack roll (and any re-rolls), the the shooting tank made (as shown by has a Defence value of 1 and moved twice to get target player rolls their Defence dice. the Speed token beside it). itself into the middle of The number of dice you roll is your Target Tank’s Movement a wood. It is being shot tank’s Defence number, modified for at by Pete’s Panther tank, Movement, Cover, Close Range, and Add one Defence die for each move that which moved once. Side Shots, and by any relevant Crew the target tank made (as shown by the Speed token beside it). Andrew starts with and Upgrade cards. A tank can never roll four Defence dice: one more than six Defence dice. for its Defence, two for Each result of 4 or 5 cancels a Hit or its Speed, and one for Critical Hit chosen by the shooting the attacker’s speed. player, and each 6 cancels a Hit or a Critical Hit chosen by the target player.

11 DEFENCE DICE (CONT.) By positioning itself in the wood the Sherman tank gains By firing while in Close Range, the Panther reduces Cover and receives 1 extra the Sherman tank’s Defence dice by 1. Defence die.

Successful Hits: Defence Dice:

Example (continued): Cover Close Range Andrew’s Sherman tank is Add one Defence die if the target tank Subtract one Defence die if the shooting in Cover, but also within is in Cover. tank is within one Measuring Arrow one Measuring Arrow of (including the head) of the target tank. Pete’s Panther. So it gains A target is in Cover if you cannot draw a a die for being in Cover, line from the tank’s turret (or the point Side Shot but loses one for Close the gun crosses the hull of an Assault Subtract one Defence die if any part Range, leaving it with Gun) to at least three corners of the of the shooting tank’s hull (excluding its original four Defence target tank without passing through any protruding gun barrels) is behind the dice. Andrew rolls and other tank or any terrain that Blocks front of the target tank. scores 1,2,4, and 6. Line of Sight or gives Cover. This cancels two Hits or Ignore terrain directly underneath the Critical Hits, one chosen shooting tank (not the whole terrain by Pete (the 4), and one piece) when determining if the target chosen by Andrew (the 6). is in Cover.

COVER This target is in not in Cover as the tank can Targets are in Cover if two or draw lines to three corners more corners are hidden. without passing through the woods.

This target is in Cover since This target is in two corners are in the woods. Cover since the building blocks the line to one corner, and the woods the tank is in block the line to another.

12 SIDE SHOT

The Sherman (75mm) tank moved around the building to shoot at the Panzer IV. It rolls four Attack dice, scoring one Hit.

The Panzer IV has a Defence of 1, is in Cover, and the Sherman moved 1, so normally it would have three Defence dice. However, the hull of the Sherman is partly behind the front of the Panzer IV, so it has a Side Shot. This reduces the Panzer IV tank’s Defence dice by 1, leaving it with two.

Example (continued): Assess Damage shown from the tank’s card with a dry Pete chooses to cancel one Compare the results of the shooting erase marker, or place Damage tokens of the Hits, while Andrew player’s Attack roll and the target player’s on the tank. chooses to cancel one of the Defence roll. Critical Hits, so Andrew’s If the card has a Special Effect, apply that effect immediately. If the card is Sherman tank takes one Hits Hit and one Critical Hit. Repairable (marked with a ), place the Each Hit that is not cancelled after the Critical card on the Tank card to remind Andrew crosses off a Defence roll does one point of Damage the players of its effect, otherwise place Damage Point on the to the target tank. Cross off a Damage the Critical card on the discard pile. Sherman’s card for the Point on the tank’s card with a dry Hit, and draws a Critical erase marker, or place a Damage token Final Fury card. He draws Busted Tracks. The Busted Tracks on the tank. Even if a tank has all of its Damage Points crossed off, and will be destroyed card has a Damage Effect Critical Hits of 1, so Andrew crosses off at the end of the turn, it can still shoot another Damage Point. It The target player draws a Critical card when its turn in the Initiative order also has a Special Effect - for each Critical Hit that is not cancelled comes around (unless prevented from preventing the tank from after the Defence roll. doing so by a Special Effect). moving - so he places the If the card has a Damage Effect, mark Critical card on his tank’s off the number of Damage Points card as a reminder.

13 COMMAND PHASE

The Command Phase has four steps. 3. Repair Damage 1. Destroy Tanks Each tank may attempt to repair the Special Effect of one Critical card with Mark any tank that no longer has any the Repairable keyword ( ). On a roll Damage left by placing a Destroyed of 4, 5, or 6, discard the Critical card. token on the tank and discarding all When you repair a Critical card you Critical cards placed on it. For the rest only remove the card and its Special of the game this tank stays in place as Effect, any Damage taken from that Impassable terrain. hit remains. 2. Check For Victory 4. Reset the field If your opponent no longer has any Remove all Speed tokens and shuffle tanks in play (they are all Destroyed), discarded Critical cards back into the you win the game. Critical deck, ready for the next turn. KEYWORD REFERENCE Assault Gun Fast This tank gun can only shoot targets This tank may make up to three Moves entirely in front of it. Line of Sight for during the Movement Phase. this tank is measured from the point the gun barrel crosses the front of the hull. Gung Ho Treat this tank as making one less Move Blitzkrieg than shown on its Speed token when This tank may make a single Move calculating its target’s Defence dice. instead of making a Repair Damage roll in the Command Phase. Semi-Indirect Fire The player may choose to keep one of Coordinated Fire their die results and re-roll the rest when If the target of this tank’s shooting was shooting while stationary with this tank. shot at earlier in the Shooting Phase by another friendly tank that is within one Measuring Arrow of this one, this tank gains an additional Attack die.

14 BUILDING YOUR PLATOON

Your Platoon will consist of three cards are kept face up so that all players different types of cards: Tank cards, can reference them. Crew cards and Upgrade cards. Upgrade and Crew Cards Point Limit You can only take one of each Type of Before a game, players agree on a set Upgrade or Crew card on a single tank. point limit for their Platoons. Try Each Crew and Upgrade card has a Type playing your first few games at 50 points such as Commander or Ammo . and build up to 100 points. Once you Upgrade and Crew cards start the game get the hang of things you can play face down so your opponent does not bigger or smaller games. know what upgrades your tank has, but Picking Your Country they can see the point cost on the back of the cards. The first time you use a card Each player picks a Country and only you must flip the card face up for the uses tanks and upgrades available to rest of the game. the chosen Country. For example, Jack wants to create a German army. He fields Crew Slots two Panther tanks and a StuG assault The Crew Slots on Tank cards indicate gun. Jack can add the Ernst Barkmann how many Crew they can have, a Crew card to his army since it has the tank with three crew slots can have German symbol . On the other hand, a Commander , Gunner , and Jack cannot add the ‘Jailbird’ Boggs Crew Loader , but would not be able to card because it has the US symbol . add a further Driver since it would Global Cards already have three Crew members. Slip Crew cards underneath the Tank card, Global cards (shown with symbol) taking up one Crew Slot each. can be taken by an army from any country. These represent the more Hero Crew Cards common types of Crew and Upgrades Hero cards are marked with a medal . that every country had access to. These represent real heroes that fought Tank Cards during the war. Players can only field one of each Hero Crew card in Your Platoon may contain any mix of their army. tanks as long as they are from the same Country. When playing a game these

15 MISSIONS

There are a number of ways to play TANKS beyond the basics. This section describes four different Attacker Deploys Here styles of game. PANZER ACE This is the basic game as described in the rules. You win by being the last player with operational tanks on the battlefield. If you run out of time (or play to a set time limit, say 30 minutes or an hour), the player that Destroyed the most points worth of tanks at that time wins the game. Include the points values of any Crew and Upgrade cards that Destroyed tanks started the game with.

Defender Deploys Here

KING OF THE HILL Attacker Deploys Here You win this mission either by destroying all of the enemy tanks, or by holding the centre of the battlefield against all comers. Table Set Up After placing the terrain, place an Objective token in the centre of the board.

Check for Victory Place an Objective here When checking for victory in the Command Phase, you gain one Victory Point if you have a tank within a Measuring Arrow of the centre of the Objective Token and your opponent does not. You cannot claim a Victory Point in the first turn. When you score three Victory Points, you win the game. Defender Deploys Here If you run out of time, the player that has the most Victory Points at that time wins the game. In the case of a tie, the player that Destroyed the most wins.

16 FREE-FOR-ALL Attacker Deploys Here You win this mission by penetrating your opponent’s lines to take your objective, or by just wiping them out. Defender Places an Objective within a Measuring Arrow of Attacker’s Edge Table Set Up After placing the terrain, each player (starting with the Attacker) places an Objective token within a Measuring Arrow of the opponent’s side of the board. Check for Victory When checking for victory in the Command Phase, you gain one Victory Point if you have a tank within a Measuring Arrow of the centre of the Objective Token that you placed and your opponent does not. You Attacker Places an Objective within a cannot claim a Victory Point in the first turn. Measuring Arrow of Defender’s Edge When you score at least two Victory Points and have more Victory Points than your opponent, you Defender Deploys Here win the game. If you run out of time, the player that has the most Victory Points at that time wins the game In the case of a tie, the player that Destroyed the most wins.

NO RETREAT Attacker Deploys Here The attacker wins this mission by defeating the defender on their home ground. Table Set Up After placing the terrain, the Attacker places two Objective tokens within a Measuring Arrow of the Defender’s side of the board. Check for Victory When checking for victory in the Command Phase, the Attacker gains one Victory Point if they have a tank within a Measuring Arrow of the centre of an Objective Token and the Defender does not. Attacker Places Two Objectives within a The game ends after eight turns. If the Attacker scores Measuring Arrow of Defender’s Edge two Victory Points before this point, they win the game. Otherwise, the Defender wins the game. Defender Deploys Here

OBJECTIVES

The Sherman (76mm) tank is within a Measuring Arrow of the Objective.

Since the Panzer IV tank is not within a Measuring Arrow of the Objective, the British player gains one Victory Point.

17 ASSEMBLY Plastic tank kits need some assembly • Dry-fit parts to check how they fit before they hit the battlefield. The next together. Watch out for untrimmed few pages show you how to do this. feed tags that will stop the model • Carefully remove parts from the fitting together properly. frame using a pair of clippers or a • Once you are happy with the fit, hobby knife. Using a sharp blade apply plastic glue (polystyrene is safer, because you will not need cement) to the pieces and hold them to apply as much force, so you are together until the bond is set. The Sherman tank sprue less likely to slip and cut yourself. If there is anything you are unsure of, has enough parts to Remember to always cut away from assemble both the 75mm you can find in-depth assembly guides yourself. and 76mm turrets. With for each model on the TANKS website both options available • Trim off any remaining tags or lumps (TANKS.GF9games.com). you can swap them out from the frame with a hobby knife or between battles. a file. SHERMAN (76MM) SHERMAN (75MM)

1A 1B

2 3

4A - SHERMAN 76MM 4B - SHERMAN 75MM

18 PANTHER

1

2 4

3 5

Then each part of the model is painted in The Panther tank sprue PAINTING an appropriate colour, usually including has additional parts that Like the classic plastic Army Men of days highlighting and shading to enhance the are used to make the Jagdpanther tank hunter. gone by, the plastic models for TANKS detail and realism of the model. So don’t be alarmed if are cast in appropriately coloured plastic, Often water-slide decals are used to add there are some unused so you can start playing with them as army insignias and other markings. pieces left on your sprue. soon as they are assembled. The coloured plastic of TANKS models But unlike those old Army Men, TANKS means you may choose to skip the models are finely detailed miniature kits undercoat step, and just paint the tracks, which look much better when painted. tools and machine-guns. It’s up to you. Painting wargaming models is a fun and Colours Of War is a paint range which is rewarding hobby it its own right. perfect for TANKS models. It has all the Like many other hobbies, painting historical colours you need, and includes miniatures can take years to master. coloured spray cans for undercoating, But the basics are actually quite simple and a selection of special ‘shade’ washes to pick up. to add realistic shading. You can find more about The painting process usually begins painting in Colours with an undercoat – a first layer of paint Of War, a detailed and which sticks to the material of the model comprehensive book with practical information and provides a smooth, even surface for to help you paint your painting over. TANKS models 19 YOUR FIRST GAME For your first game using this starter to playing the missions on page 16 with set we suggest that you try playing the your basic forces. Later, once you get the Barkmann’s Corner scenario. After you hang of the basics, try adding more tanks have had a few games of this, move on and playing larger 100 point games.

July 1944, Near the village of Le Lorey, shots bounce off the thick steel of the in Normandy, Panther, the American guns unable to score Barkmann wipes the back of his hand a kill. Carefully, Barkmann pulls back to across his forehead before lowering his cap the next tree, resuming the fight from there. back on his sweat-soaked hair. He watches Hearing the scream of aircraft engines in a the company supply sergeant run back steep dive, Barkmann drops into the turret, from the corner ahead, as a dust cloud just as the tank is lifted into the air by the creeps closer on the horizon. blast of the first bomb. The Panther is “American tanks on the road at 500 metres,” sprayed with bomb fragments. Moans come Hauptscharführer Heinze pants, looking from his headphones and daylight streams up at Barkmann leaning from the through a crack in the side of the tank. command hatch of their Panther tank. “Heinz,” Barkmann calls to his driver, his “Excellent,” Barkmann replies. “We will voice lost in the ringing of his ears, “Can attack.” He switches his throat mike on. we still move? Can you get us out of here?” “Driver, forward, halt under the next large As the Panther tank’s fire slackens, the tree. That should stop the aircraft from American fire redoubles. A round clangs finding us and give us an excellent place to against the armour. Another smashes the ambush the column from.” track damaged by the bomb, forcing 424 to The wait is not long, as Panther 424 idles in slew violently to the left. The tank lurches position, unnoticed by the slowly advancing again, and then grinds back around the Americans. Barkmann scans a road corner, grunts of pain accompanying every ahead, the thick Bocage creating a narrow movement of the vehicle. lane. “Poggendorf, target Ami Panzer, “Poggendorf, see what you can do for 200 meters. Fire,” he orders. Heinz,” Barkmann orders. “We must get The heavy Panther rocks back with a roar back to the workshop so we can fight again as the 7.5cm round flies towards its target. tomorrow.” A second later the lead tank “Don’t worry, Oscharf,” Heinz breathes explodes in a dazzling display of sparks, through gritted teeth, “I’m not leaving even before the dust from the muzzle blast 424 for the Americans. We’ll make it clears. Time stands still as the loader rams home.” The Panther pulls out for home round after round in the smoking breech, under the fading sun, leaving behind nine each shot rocking their tank as enemy tank smouldering Sherman tanks on the field of after tank explodes just to his front. Return battle: not a bad day’s work! 20 BARKMANN'S CORNER This scenario refights Barkmann’s famous battle, where he almost single- American handedly stopped columns of American Deployment tanks with his Panther, then somehow nursed his stricken vehicle back to the workshop. Forest Barkmann’s Orders Houses The Americans have broken through. You must delay them in order to give OB West, the German High Command, time to prepare a cohesive defensive position from which the Amis can be stopped. American Orders You must attack and destroy all resistance to clear the way for follow on forces. The time is now. Any delay will result in the Forest German units being able to pull back and organise another defensive line. Setting up the scenario Barkmann’s Set up the scenario so that your map Deployment matches the terrain setup in the scenario map. In this scenario the Americans The American Player’s Army Remember to use your are the attacker and Barkmann is • Sherman (75mm) Measuring Arrow when setting up the terrain. the defender. • Sherman (75mm) The German Player’s Army Deployment • Panther with the Ernst Barkmann The German player deploys within a Hero Crew card. Measuring Arrow of their corner then the American player deploys within a Measuring Arrow of their corner.

Ernst Barkmann received the Knight’s Cross and a promotion to Oberscharführer (senior sergeant) for his actions near Saint Lô, France. It was here that the legend of Barkmann’s Corner was born. 21 QUICK REFERENCE

TURN SEQUENCE (pg4) • Create a pool of Defence dice, based on the Defence value of • Movement Phase - Players move the target tank with an additional their tanks, in Initiative order, die for each of the following that starting with the lowest Initiative. apply: • Shooting Phase - Players shoot with their tanks, in Initiative ++Each time the shooting tank order, starting with the highest moved this turn. Initiative. ++Each time the defending tank • Command Phase - Players resolve moved this turn. a number of effects and prepare ++Defending tank is in Cover. for the next turn. Speed Tokens • Reduce the pool of Defence dice once for each of the following that MOVEMENT PHASE (pg7) apply: • Start with the tank with the lowest -- The shooting tank is within Initiative and proceed up through one Measuring Stick of its Destroyed Token the Initiative order to the tank target. with the highest Initiative. -- Any part of the shooting tank’s • To move a tank, place the hull is behind the front of the Measuring Stick touching the target tank. tank and facing in any direction. Then place the tank square against • A tank can never roll more than six Defence dice. Objective Token the stem of the Measuring Stick. • Tanks can move up to two times • Each result of 4 or 5 cancels a each turn. Hit or Critical Hit chosen by the shooting player, and each 6 • Place a Speed token showing how cancels a Hit or a Critical Hit many times your tank moved. chosen by the target player. • If you decide not to move a tank • Each uncancelled Hit deals one it is Stationary. Do not place a point of damage. Speed token for that tank. • For each uncancelled Critical Hit draw a Critical card and apply all SHOOTING PHASE (pg9) effects. This may include damage. • Start with the tank with the highest Initiative and proceed COMMAND PHASE (pg14) down through the Initiative • Mark tanks with no Damage left order to the tank with the lowest as Destroyed. Initiative. • Check for Victory. If all of your • Choose a target and determine opponent’s tanks are Destroyed, Line of Sight. you have won. • Create a pool of Attack dice, • Each tank may attempt to repair based on the Attack value of the the Special Effect of one Critical shooting tank and any relevant card with the Repairable keyword crew or upgrade cards. ( ) and succeeds by rolling a 4, • Each result of 4 or 5 scores a Hit, 5, or 6. and each 6 scores a Critical Hit. • Remove all Speed tokens and • Stationary tanks may re-roll all shuffle discarded Critical cards Measuring Stick their attack dice once. back into the Critical deck. TANKS.GF9games.com TANKS01-R