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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to James Clay, Simon Evans, David Manley and Nigel Phillips for playtesting. Tony
Francis for support and models, Jon Tuffley and Martin Goddard for additional support.
Special thanks to Karen for all her patience. These rules are dedicated to my stepson
Nigel...
CONTENTS
Introduction
Background
Power blocs
Major conflicts
Second Secessionist War 2047AD
First Antarctic War 2065AD
Mon Olympus War 2069AD
Indo-Khallistani War 2078AD
Sri Lankan War 2078AD
Second Antarctic War 2082AD
Second Russian Civil War 2088AD
Gulf War 2095AD
Papua New Guinea War 2099AD
Arabian War 2100AD
The European War 2101AD
Playing the game
Scale
Organisation
Unit integrity
Electronic warfare
Orders
Jamming
Initiative
The move
Firing
Statistical tables
Artillery
Terrain
Visibility
Morale
Aersopace craft
Ambushes
National characteristics
AmRep marine armored regiment
AmRep air cavalry regiment
CDSU peoples naval infantry regiment
CDSU peoples guards shock regiment
EuroFed colonial legion regiment
Van Kliestmann mercenary regiment
Scenarios
Model availability
Designers notes
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2
++ Major Henri Marchelle lowered the vis-aid from his eyes and smiled despite the
bitter wind that chapped his face. Standing tall in the turret of his Monsabert grav
tank he could see ahead the road was clear and his objective undefended. For once
fortune had favoured the forces of the European Federation and the damn
Northerners had been caught cold. Ahead lay the only remaining bridge across the
River Moder that could carry the substantial weight of the Aoun class cybertanks
that EuroFed command believed could finally turn this war their way.
Marchelle took a deep breath and issued the order, Advance! Glancing around he
could see his platoons tanks begin to edge forward, their camouflaged hulls
battered and worn from months of campaigning; at last he thought
With a deafening crash the ground erupted in a geyser of dirt and vegetation.
Incoming!! Marchelle dropped hurriedly into his tank and snapped the hatch
closed over his head. Report! he barked.
ONESS artillery sir. Estimate one battery
Marchelle slammed his fist against his viewfinder. The enemy had not been caught
cold at all. Merde! ++
INTRODUCTION
Iron Cow 2130AD is a simple set of wargames rules designed to allow you to play science
fiction wargames with 6mm (also called 1/300th or Epic) scale miniatures. Designed as an
ideal starting point for newcomers to the hobby before moving on to more complex and
detailed sets of rules, we hope that the simple mechanisms of the rules will appeal and
prove flexible enough that more experienced gamers will enjoy playing the odd game or
two with them.
Iron Cow 2103AD is set in a futuristic hypothetical background which is inspired from
current political developments and no doubt will seem familiar to many players. However
should you wish to use a totally different background, whether it be based on a favourite
film or book, some other game system, or one of your own invention, feel free. The hobby
of fantasy and science fiction wargaming is one that allows for individual gamers to do
what they wish and feel that players should make use of their own imaginations and not be
restricted to what the rulebook says. You do not have to rigidly stick to a particular
manufacturers figures and vehicles for their game look around, you will find better
models from many manufacturers (and theyll probably be cheaper to boot).
++ JUST IN! FIREFIGHT BETWEEN AMREP FORCES AND SAC PEACEKEEPERS IN WEST AFRICA.
EXCLUSIVE WARZONE FOOTAGE IN 30! ++
BACKGROUND
In the mid-twenty-second century the Solar System has been carved up between various
power blocs who by various means, both diplomatic and military, attempt to gain the upper
hand.
Earth itself has been ravaged by the effects of nuclear war in Central Asia, the Middle East
and Siberia as well as ecological disasters across much of the globe. In certain parts of
central and north Africa, Asia and Latin America, civilisation has regressed and indeed in
3
some cases collapsed altogether, with the remaining inhabitants living in tribal or feudal
environments. Cannibalism is widespread in many regions. The major power blocs have
effectively abandoned these regions as they have no material or political worth.
Colonies have been founded on a number of planets and moons of the Solar System, and
whilst extra-terrestrial colonisation is still in its early stages it has not prevented mans
greed following him from Earth and already battles and wars have polluted these new
worlds.
What follows is a brief description of the main power blocs and major wars in the last fifty
years up to 2103AD.
++ NEWS FROM MARS. POLISH ONESS TANK TROOPS CAPTURE EUROFED SUPPLY BASE NEAR
OLYMPUS MONS. MORE LATER IN THIS BULLETIN ++
POWER BLOCS
AMERICAN REPUBLIC
The American Republic (AmRep) is a military dictatorship that arose out of the Second
Secessionist War of 2047 and controls most of the Eastern seaboard of North America.
The military controls every aspect of day-to-day life, and citizenship and its accordant
benefits can only be gained by serving a five-year period in the armed forces with a
minimum two-year requirement of frontline service.
Access to resources are limited, especially food following the ecological disaster which
turned the central plains of the continent into a huge dustbowl. Consequently there are
strict controls on population which does limit available manpower for the AmRep military.
This has led to a great emphasis being placed on technological development and robotics
with the AmRep military being the first power to deploy robotic infantry (A.Is) onto the
22nd century battlefield. The AmRep military further supplements its military strength by
employing the private armies of hired Private Military Contractors when necessary.
++ COMING NEXT, AMAZING VID OF AMREP ROBOT INFANTRY IN ACTION NEAR DANILOVA
CRATER ON VENUS ++
military matters. This policy has led to China successfully incorporating new territories into
the Union (such as Vietnam) without the need to overtly conquer and occupy them.
++ CHINESE FORCES LAUNCH PUNITIVE RAID AGAINST PMCS GUARDING URANIUM MINES IN
ALASKA PRESS RED IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ++
EUROPEAN FEDERATION
The remnants of the old European Union which fell apart following French led actions in
Brazil and Mongolia officially became the European Federation (EuroFed) in 2046.
EuroFed members maintain a faade of national independence but effectively the political
entity is a French dominated power bloc with limited democratic rights for citizens to elect
senators to the EuroFed parliament in Paris. The Parliament is a bureaucratic nightmare
but in reality exercises limited powers, real control being in the hands of the President and
the Council of Ministers.
Militarily EuroFed forces are fully intergrated under French command but do include a
number of specific elite national units such as the Italian Ariete Armoured Regiment and
the Spanish Legion as well as trans-national European units of mixed nationality.
++ EUROFED LEGION FORCES AMBUSHED BY SANGALAN LIBERATION ARMY FORCES IN
CENTRAL AFRICA. SHOCKING REPORT FROM OUR EMBED CREW ON THE HOUR ++
INDONESIAN REPUBLIC
The rise of Indonesia as a major player on the world scene, notably in South East Asia,
took many by surprise in the mid 21st century, but a return to military rule and a pressing
need to capture as much of the regions dwindling resources led to wars with India, the
CDSU and the Pacific Federation in a period of fifty years.
++ INDONESIAN ARMOUR SMASHED IN MAJOR BATTLE AT MOUTHS OF FLY RIVER BY PAC FED
FORCES. OUR TALKING HEADS ASK IF THIS IS THE END OF INDONESIAN EXPANSIONISM IN
DEBATE ON CHANNEL 667 ++
KHALLISTANI LEAGUE
The Khallistani League (or Harakat-iInquilabi-i-Islami to give it is correct name), is a league
of fundamentalist Islamic nations in the Middle East and Central Asia that arose out of the
nuclear ruins of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan in the early 2050s. Whilst their
military is two or three generations behind that of the major political players in the world
stage, the League has managed to expand its territory by subterfuge and lightning military
attacks on its neighbours, capturing Pakistan in 2088 whilst India was distracted by
Indonesian aggression in the Andaman Islands. Only a pre-emptive nuclear strike on
Khallistani troops massing in Kashmir averted the prospect of the League invading the
sub-continent. The League has now turned its sights to the Saudi Empire and freeing
Mecca from the imperialist unbelievers.
++ INTERWEB FOOTAGE SHOWING KHALLISTANI GUERILLAS IN ACTION AGAINST NEO-SOVS IN
UKRAINE RAD ZONE MOST POPULAR VID ON U-TOOB ++
NEO-SOVIET REPUBLIC
The civil war which ripped the Russian Federation apart after its victory against EuroFed
forces in the Mongolian War should not have come as unexpected given much of the
country suffered in the aftermath of the war due to the damage to Russias infrastructure
and the biological annihilation of its agricultural regions. The eventual victory and
consolidation of power under Warmaster Kutuzov led to a military dictatorship displaying
the trappings of the old-Soviet Union, regarded by much of the population as Russias
finest hour, and the creation of the Neo-Soviet Republic in 2079.
++ NEO-SOV MERCS RESIST SAC FORCES IN BITTER FIREFIGHT NORTH OF MOSI-OA-TUNYA.
KREMLIN RELEASES GRAPHIC VID. WE SHOW IT ON THE HOUR ++
PACIFIC FEDERATION
Arising out of overt Indonesian aggression in the mid 22nd century, the Pacific Federation
(PacFed) stretches from Australia and New Zealand across the Pacific Territories to
Hawaii. The PacFed military is very high tech making great use of new anti-grav
technologies that allow its army to fight over land and water with ease. Major wars have
been fought recently against Argentina in the Antarctic and the Indonesian Republic in
Papua New Guinea.
++ GDAY BRUCE! PACFED GRAV TANKS SWEEP ACROSS ADILLE LAND CAPTURING SEVERAL
KEY EUROFED ANATARCTIC INSTALLATIONS. WE SPEAK TO OUR EMBED CREW WITH THE
PENGUIN KILLERS IN FIVE DONT MISS IT ++
MAJOR CONFLICTS
SECOND SECESSIONIST WAR 2047AD
Economic recession, ecological disaster destroying the central farmlands and the increase
in influence of the military-industrial complex in Washington D.C. eventually led to a
number of western states seceding from the union, inevitably leading to war. Despite two
years on intense conflict, Union forces were unable to bring the western secessionists to
heel resulting in the military seizing power in the east and creating the American Republic.
++ HONOURING THE HEROES! AM REP MILITARY PARADE ON 54TH ANNIVERSARY OF FOUNDING
OF THE REPUBLIC. YOU TOO CAN HAIL THE GENERAL-CHIEF BY PRESSING RED NOW! ++
in 2071AD (although this is eventually sold to AmRep by the Brazilians). ONESS, the
American Republic and the European Federation established military bases on Mars and
begin to colonise the planet.
++ RED BLOOD ON THE RED PLANET! SEE HOW THE MILITARY HAS DEVELOPED WEAPONS AND
TACTICS TO FIGHT OUR BATTLES ON MARS IN OUR SPECIAL REPORT ON THE HOUR DONT MISS
IT! ++
available from any good games shop) and ideally one four sided dice, though a six sided
one will do. Then all you need is a clear area to play a game on and some items of
scenery.
++ NEO-SOVIET FORCES LAUNCH COUNTER-OFFENSIVE IN EAST EURO RAD-ZONE! MORE AS WE
GET IT! ++
SCALE
We recommend that you use 6mm scale models and figures (6mm is also called 1:285th in
the US, 1/300th in the UK and Epic in Nottingham; whatever its all pretty much one and
the same). Various manufacturers produce miniatures in this scale, but for this particular
background we would suggest you try the likes of Brigade Models (who produce the
official Iron Cow range), Ground Zero Games or Irregular Miniatures (to name but three).
++ WIPEOUT IN A WHITEOUT! MORE HISTORIC VID FOOTAGE OF ENGLISH VICTORY IN
ANTARCTIC AGAINST THE ARGIES ON THE HOUR! ++
ORGANISATION
For the purposes of our game you should organize your figures into military units. The size
of your force will depend on your resources and games of Iron Cow 2103AD can be fought
quite successfully between forces comprised of a small number of sections or one or two
platoons (in fact we would recommend that you start by playing a few games with smaller
forces before moving on to larger actions). We suggest you build your force up collecting
platoons one at a time, which over a period will grow into the basic Regiment formation,
which is probably the largest you will be able to field effectively on a large sized table. The
composition and invariably the name of a Regiment unit will differ (sometimes quite
drastically) from army to army, but for the purposes of the basic game we shall use a
standard composition as follows (some players prefer to replace HQ APCs in Tank
Squadrons with HQ Tanks which is fine):
10
A base (fireteam) of Infantry (or Militia see National Characteristics below) should
consist of two to four individual figures mounted on a small base. Two bases make a
section (or squad). You can replace one infantry base base per section with an AT (antitank) base if you wish.
To start with we suggest that you use the standard Regiment and Platoon compositions for
your first few games, however should you wish to build up your forces along more
nationalistic lines then please refer to the section on National Characteristics below.
For the purposes of our game sections can operate independently from its parent platoon,
however it must have a Command APC with it if it is to receive fresh orders during the
game (see Orders below). The APC has to be within 5cm of one element of the unit to
count as attached to any unit. A HQ APC can be detached from the Brigade HQ unit for
this purpose but if this happens it can no longer act as a HQ APC and loses its ability to
issue orders and jam enemy ones (see Orders below).
++ THE ART OF WAR! OUR TALKING HEADS ON C&C ON THE OFF WORLD BATTLEFIELD ON
CHANNEL 635 ++
UNIT INTEGRITY
In war, individual tanks and soldiers do not wander around the battlefield, but stick with
their units. To simulate this in Iron Cow 2103AD, Sections and Troops must maintain what
is known as Unit Integrity.
For a Section or Troop to maintain Unit Integrity each vehicle (or squad base) must be
within 5cm of at least one other.
Unit Integrity is important as should it be broken, the effectiveness of the vehicles in the
unit is reduced.
Should Unit Integrity be broken (sat one vehicle is destroyed and a gap over 5cm appears
between the remaining models), then all movement and firing is subject to a minus 25%
modifier.
However, once Section or Troop regains Unit Integrity, ie. all vehicles or squads move so
the gaps is closed and they are all within 5cm of one other model, then they are no longer
regarded as broken and the modifier no longer applies.
++ DEATH AND GLORY LIFE OF A c22ND CAVALRY OFFICER! EXCLUSIVE OFFER ON MEMOIRS
OF COLONEL MAD MATT HARTLEY! GET YOUR VID-SLATE BY PRESSING RED NOW ++
ELECTRONIC WARFARE
As you will see below, the issuing of Orders to your units is a vital part of Iron Cow
2103AD, and your ability to issue the correct orders when they are needed will determine
whether you win or lose! All orders are transmitted electronically by radio and unfortunately
are susceptible to enemy use of Electronic Warfare (EW) Jammers, which can prevent
your side getting sit orders through, or even result in false orders being given!
11
To determine how many EW Jammers each side has, both players must roll a D4 and
whatever the score, that is the number of EW Jammers they have at their disposal
throughout the game (if you do not have a D4, roll a normal D6 and ignore any score of 5
or 6, rolling again of that occurs.
Your EW Jammers are represented on the table by the HQ APCs in your HQ Unit. So, if
you roll 2 on a D4 and have two EW Jammers, two of your four HQ APCs can also act as
EW Jammers. The jammer capability must be allocated to a particular vehicle prior to
starting the game and if the vehicle is destroyed then the EW Jammer capability is lost
with that vehicle.
++ EMBED WITH E-WAR EXLCUSIVE REPORT FROM THE ZEELAND FRONT ON HOW SUPERIOR
ELECTRONIC WARFARE CAPABILITY IS TURNING THE TIDE FOR ONESS. LEARN MORE PRESS
RED NOW ++
ORDERS
Soldiers do not by nature just do their own thing in a battle. Sure they dont need much
inclination to fire, but move towards the enemy when its safer to remain in their nice little
foxhole? You must be joking However they will if you order them to do so, and this is
your role as commander.
At the start of each turn you must issue your squadrons/platoons/batteries (or detached
troops/sections) with an order. These are represented by small counters marked with
either Advance, Cautious Advance, Static, Regroup or Aircraft. If you do not issue a unit
with an order then they will follow the order from the previous turn (or if they have not
received an order in the game they will remain Static). The issuing of the correct orders at
the right time is vital for your success and is an art that you will gain after many a battle
You can only issue orders from your HQ APCs and they can only issue one order per turn.
For units to receive an order they must have a Command Vehicle with them (or a HQ APC
detached from the HQ Unit for the purpose of acting as a Command Vehicle).
Detached HQ APCs cannot issue orders or jam them. They can only receive them for the
unit to which they are attached.
Advance: this order means that your unit will move up to 100% (but not less than 60%) of
its movement allowance in any direction you wish (see Statistical Tables for details of
movement allowances). Vehicles and troops advancing are regarded to be moving as fast
as they can from A to B and as such are unable to fire with any degree of accuracy and
present easy targets for your opponent (the exact modifications are note in the Firing
section of the rules).
Cautious Advance: this order means that troops can advance up to 50% of their
movement allowance, but not less than 10% in any direction you wish. Vehicles and troops
cautiously advancing are deemed to be making short rushes of movement before taking
cover. Whilst this means they cannot cover as much ground as a normal Advance order,
they are no so easy to hit and can fire more accurately.
Static: this order means your unit cannot move. Static units and troops are regarded as
taking advantage of any cover that can be found. As they are not moving, Static units are
12
very hard to hit and very accurate when firing. Infantry stands can only get in or out of
vehicles that are Static.
Regroup: this order only applies if you are using the optional Morale rules and is
explained in the Morale section.
Airstrike: this order only applies if you are using the optional Aerospace rules and is
explained in the Aerospace section.
You will need to make yourself a selection of counters from card marked with the above (or
recognisable abbreviations such as Adv, Ct. Adv, St, Rgp and Air) and we suggest you
make one complete set of five for each HQ APC under your control. Ensure that you only
write on one side and leave the other blank.
To issue a unit with an order, you select one of the five order counters above and place the
counter face down (blank side up) next to the unit. An order cannot be changed once it has
been placed on the table. When both players have placed their orders next to their units,
then they should all be revealed. These orders dictate the actions of the units for the
forthcoming move.
++ OUTNUMBERED INDIAN FORCES LAUNCH DESPARATE COUNTER-ATTACK AGAINST
INDONESIAN BRIDGEHEAD SOUTH OF CHENNAI. FOLLOW LIVE SATELLITE FEED EXCLUSIVELY
RIGHT NOW BY PRESSING BLUE ++
JAMMING
Once the orders have been revealed, the players may attempt to jam the enemys orders
by using his Electronic Warfare Jammers, the number of which was decided by a dice roll
earlier. Each player can only attempt to jam the orders to the same number of units as he
has Electronic Warfare Jammers (if you only have two Jammers, you can only attempt to
jam two of the orders the enemy has issued).
To see if the attempted jam is successful both players roll a D10 (remember ona D10 0 =
10 not zero). Should the defender score equal or higher than the player attempting to jam,
then the attempt has failed. If however the defenders score is lower, then the jam has
succeeded.
If the jam is successful, you then need to throw another D10 and apply the result as
follows:
1, 2 or 3
4 to 10
The jammer can remove the enemy order and replace it with one of
their own choosing (eg. replace a Static order with an Advance one).
The unit will ignore the new order and follow the one last received.
A jammed Airstrike order merely results in an airstrike not arriving (see Aerospace
section below).
++ BLUE ON BLUE VID AS AMREP EAGLE AEROSPACE FIGHTERS TARGET MARINE ARMOUR.
MISTAKE OR E-HACK BY ZEIRACORP PMC MERCS? OUR TALKING HEADS ARE DEBATING ON
CHANNEL 649 RIGHT NOW ++
13
INITIATIVE
To decide which player moves and fires first you need to find out who has the Initiative. To
calculate the Initiative both players roll a D10 and add the following modifiers dependent
on the army they are playing with.
American Republic
Chinese Democratic Socialist Union
European Federation
Indonesian Republic
Khallistani League
ONESS
South African Commonwealth
+5
+4
+5
+3
+3
+4
+5
The player with the highest modified score gains the Initiative for that turn (ties should be
re-rolled).
Regiments within an army can exhibit different characteristics than the rest of the force
(eg. elite regiments) and different initiative modifiers to the basic ones above for some
units can be found in the National Characteristics section below.
Gaining the Initiative can be very important in a battle as it allows the player with it to move
and fire first if they choose or wait to see what his opponent does first.
++ SAC HUMANITARIAN CONVOY AMBUSHED BY SLAVERS IN BUNYORO. A WASTED EFFORT?
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY BY GOING INTERACTIVE RIGHT
NOW ++
THE MOVE
Who does what and when during a move is dictated by the player who wins the Initiative.
This player decides whether he wishes to be Player A or Player for this turn. He can make
this choice each turn (alternating between being Player A and B each turn if he wishes) as
long as he retains the Initiative.
1
2
3
4
5
++ ANARCHY IN PORT MOESBY AS INDONESIAN FORCES MOVE OUT! REPORTS FROM THE
BURNING CITY WITHIN THE HOUR ++
FIRING
Firing is done on a simple percentage chance to hit basis by rolling a D100. A D100 is just
two D10s rolled together with one dice representing tens, the other units (it is a good idea
if you have different coloured dice, say red for tens and black for units). By reading the
14
scores of both you will get a score between 1% and 100% eg, if you roll a 4 on the tens
dice and a 6 on the units dice you have scored 46%.
Whereas on a D10 the roll of 0 = 10, when using two D10 at a D100, a score of 0 = zero
eg. if you roll 5 on the tens dice and 0 on the units dice you have scored 50%. If you roll 0
on the tens dice and 6 on the units you have rolled 6%. The only exception is if you roll 0
on both dice at the same time, this signifies a score of 100%.
When using a percentage based system such as used in Iron Cow 2103ADs firing charts,
you have to throw a score of less than or equal to the percentage chance to succeed. eg.
if the chance of hitting something is given as 45% you need to roll equal to or lower than
45% to hit the target. A score higher is regarded as a miss.
When firing in Iron Cow 2103AD, you need to measure the distance between the figure
firing and the target at which the figure is aiming. When you have this figure, look up the
weapon details for the firer using the Statistical Tables. Read across until you come to
the range band your distance measurement falls within. There you will find a figure similar
to the following: 65/4.
The first figure (in this example 65) is the basic percentage chance you have of your figure
successfully hitting the target at the distance you have measured. Here you will need to
roll 65 or less on a D100 to hit the target.
The second figure is the penetration or kill factor. This represents the actual power of the
shot being fired by the weapon at a give range. Here it is 4. This figure has to be equal to
or higher than the targets defence factor (given below) for you to be able to kill it. If the
target had a defence factor of 5, whilst you would be able to hit it, you wouldnt be able to
kill it. However if it is 4 or less, then a successful hit will kill the target.
A target that is successfully hit and killed is removed from the table or a suitable destroyed
marker placed on or next to the model.
Percentage chances, penetration factors and defence factors can be found in the
Statistical Tables.
The percentage chance of hitting a target can also be subject to modifiers and the
following should be added to and/or subtracted from the basic percentage figure. Exactly
what applies depends on the firers orders for that move and the targets. Remember all
factors that are applicable to a situation should be added to and subtracted from the basic
percentage figure.
Order
Advance
Cautious Advance
Static
Regroup
Firer
-30%
-15%
0%
n/a
Target
+15%
0%
-15%
+25%
Note: if you have a basic hit chance of 65% and a modifier of -30% the new hit chance is
35% (65 30) not 45.5% (65 30%)
15
When targeting an enemy unit you must fire at the nearest elements first (no targeting your
opponents Command units unless he is stupid enough to stick them at the front!)
++ AMREP MARINES CLASH WITH EUROFED LEGION AT HELLAS PLANITIA VID-FEED FROM
MARS COURTESY OF OUR AMPREP AFFILIATE STATION SOX NEWS SPONSORED BY NANTUCKET
FRIED CHIKUN, ITS FRICKKIN LICKIN GOOD! ++
STATISTICAL TABLES
Vehicle stats are provided for the four major power blocs in the Iron Cow 2103AD
universe. Those for the Khallistanis, PacFed, Indonesians and South Africans (as well as
some of the other smaller armies fighting on Earth and the off-planet colonies on the
Moon, Mars and Venus) will be released in a series of planned supplements.
Players are encouraged to design their own vehicles and armies, using those provided in
the rules as a guide. There is no points based construction system mainly because it
would unnecessarily complicate a simple game like Iron Cow 2103AD and the fact that
AFV designers in the real world dont use them! Constructing new vehicles for the game is
just a matter of common sense and most gamers have enough of that.
++ BOYDS ON MARS ROLLING HOT WITH THE 2ND ARMOR IN THE PHILIPS CRATER. DOWNLOAD
THIS AMAZING VID-BUSTA STARRING LEGENDARY AMREP VET TURNED VID-STAR DAVE DRAKE
++
American Republic
Type
Speed
(mm)
Ranges (mm)
50
M82
Boyd MBT
M90
Curtis MBT
M41
Baumann
APC
M88
Doherty SPG
AH604
Martindale
VTOL
Am Rep
Infantry
Squad
Am Rep
AT Squad
150
%/Penetration
300
450
600
750
Defence
Factor
F
S R
15/8
5/6
AA
Factor
260
12
10
180
14
10
300
80/10
220
10
500
20/8
120
70/8
10/2
120
65/8
45/6
45/6
25/4
30/4
10/2
16
European Federation
Type
Speed
(mm)
Ranges (mm)
50
Monsabert
MBT
Garabaldi
MBT
Tassigny
APC
Glorie
SPG
Caribou
VTOL
EuroFed
Infantry
Squad
EuroFed
AT Squad
150
%/Penetration
300
450
Defence
AA
Factor
Factor
F
S R
600
750
10/8
10
20/8
14
12
12
280
150
260
80/12 60/10
150
15/4
475
20/8
100
70/8
10/2
100
45/6
40/8
20/6
30/4
17
Defence
Factor
F
S
R
AA
Factor
12
10
18
14
10
12
10
18
ARTILLERY
Artillery fire is dealt with differently from normal weapons fire. Instead of firing directly at
the enemy, artillery fires indirectly, literally lobbing the shell at the enemy. This method of
fire means that artillery can fire over obstacles that block direct fire (see Visibility rules
below). Artillery is very powerful and you use a circular template with a 3cm radius to show
the area on the tabletop which an artillery pieces shells are covering in a move. You will
need to make your own out of card or some similar strong material (eg. clear perspex).
When an artillery piece fires the template is placed over its point of aim and any model (or
part thereof) within the template is attacked that move. The basic percentage To Hit
chance is contained within the Statistical Tables (above) and is adjusted as follows:
Order
Advance
Cautious Advance
Static
Regroup
Firer
-20%
-10%
0%
n/a
Target
-10%
0%
+15%
+20%
BATTERY FIRE
An artillery battery can, by option, target all three of its guns at one target point and this is
known as battery fire. By doing this the effectiveness of the attack is increased. The area
under battery fire is twice that covered by a normal artillery attack (ie. you use a 6cm
radius circle) and the To Hit percentage is increased by an additional 10%. If you are using
a National Characteristics unit organisation and it has more than three guns then increase
the additional percentage by 5% per gun. Units with two or less guns cannot use battery
fire.
COUNTER BATTERY FIRE
All this makes artillery a very powerful weapon, but its effectiveness is somewhat negated
by its susceptibility to what is known as counter battery fire. Basically, by use of radar, it is
possible to plot the trajectory of shells being fired back to their point of origin and through
quick thinking, fire your artillery at the enemy.
To simulate this in the game, following an artillery attack, any unfired artillery (regardless of
initiative or firing phase within a move) can initiate counter battery fire against the enemy
unit which has just fired. Only individual pieces can fire (not as a battery) and the attack is
subject to an automatic -15% modifiers (all other modifiers apply as normal).
Artillery cannot attack VTOLs (see Aerospace craft rules below).
++ BLACKTHORNE PMC FORCES SHELL EUROFED MINING STATION ON APHRODITE TERRA,
VENUS! MANY CASUALTIES! GO INTERACTIVE NOW TO SEE THE WHOLE GORE FEST IN 3D! ++
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TERRAIN
By and large the landscape, over which your troops will fight, will have little bearing on
your games, until you start to introduce items such as woods, buildings, rivers etc.
These will effect both movement and firing, and the following factors apply to troops
moving through these terrain types or firing at targets within them:
Terrain Type
Woods
Jungle
Urban areas
Swamp
Fordable river
Movement
-25%
-50%
-25%
-50%
-25%
Firing Into
-15%
-25%
-20%
0%
0%
VISIBILITY
If you can draw a straight line between your model and that of the enemy, then your model
can see him. Given the developments in night vision equipment etc, night and smoke have
no effect on reducing visibility. Should you wish to play a game whereby visibility is
reduced somehow (say in a Martian dust storm) then we suggest you enforce a minus
modifier to the firers To Hit percentage base chance. Again effects should apply equally to
both sides and both players agree to their use.
++ DISASTER ON MARS? AMREP ARMOURED REGIMENT REPORTED LOST FOLLOWING DUST
STORM IN HYPERBOREAE UNDAE DUNE FIELDS. WE JOIN S&R VTOLS AFTER THE SPORT ++
MORALE (Optional)
This is an optional rule and we suggest you only use it once youve played a few basic
games without it.
Morale provides a realistic mechanism that ensures your troops are not made up of
Sylvester Stallone type characters who blindly follow your every order (no matter how
stupid), regardless of their own personal safety, whilst their white metal comrades die in
droves around them. Soldiers are not robots and despite their job, hope to be alive at the
end of it. Sometimes the desire to remain alive overrides the training to follow orders and
they will break and run.
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However, as Iron Cow 2103AD is a science fiction set of rules you could say all your
troops on the table have been pumped full of artificial chemicals that suppress their natural
emotions and result in them fighting to the last man. If you want to say this then fine just
ignore the rules for Morale. If, on the other hand, youd like to see if you can command a
force that is subject to its own natural emotions and desires, then please use the following
rules.
You will note that we have not attempted to apply any form of morale check on your overall
force (ie. would fresh units blindly charge into battle when they can see the burning
vehicles of the other 75% of the Regiment?). This factor will often be down to the reasons
for the battle itself and it seemed rather incongruous to force units to retire from the battle
when (say) two-thirds of the Regiment has been destroyed, when the Regiment had just
completed their objectives or they were engaged in a bitter last stand. Consequently we
suggest that if you are using the Morale rules, then you exercise a degree of common
sense and prior to the game declare an acceptable percentage of casualties that a
particular Regiment is allowed to suffer to meet its objectives.
Morale is worked out upon, and applied to individual units. You will need to test for Morale
whenever the following circumstances occur:
First time fired at
Unit ambushed (see Ambush rules).
First casualty suffered by unit.
Unit strength falls below 50%
To test for Morale you roll one D10 for the unit and modify the score as follows:
American Republic
Chinese Democratic Socialist Union
European Federation
Indonesian Republic
Khallistani League
ONESS
Pacific Federation
South African Commonwealth
Unit ambushed
Unit shot at for first time
First casualty suffered by unit
Unit strength falls below 50%
For each previous casualty suffered
Static following morale test
Vehicles attacked by infantry in urban, woods or jungle
Infantry attacked by tanks in open
Attacked by aerospace craft
+4
+5
+3
+4
+6
+5
+5
+4
-4
-2
-2
-4
-1
-2
-3
-3
-2
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You should apply all appropriate scores eg. A CDSU tank troop is ambushed by Khallistani
forces and suffers its first casualty so it needs to test for Morale. The CDSU player rolls a
D10 and scores a 3. He adds 5 to this because his troops are CDSU, but then has to
deduct 4 because the troop has been ambushed and then a further 2 because it has
suffered its first casualty. The modified score is 3 +5 4 2 = 2.
If the modified dice roll is 4 or higher then the unit has passed the Morale test and
continues in the game as normal. If however it scores between 0 and 3 (as in our example
CDSU troop has) then it must come to an immediate stop and will not advance or fire
again until it is successfully rallied. If the unit scores less than 0 then it must immediately
make a full Advance move towards its own table edge and cannot fire. They will continue
to do this every move unless the player attempts to rally his unit by issuing a Regroup
order in the Orders phase.
REGROUPING
To successfully rally the unit, the player must issue the unit with a Regroup order in the
Orders phase and roll a modified score of 6 or higher on a D10. If he scores less then the
attempt to regroup has failed and the unit and either remains static or retreating as it was
previously doing.
A successfully rallied unit will remain Static for the remainder of the move whilst it
reorganises itself. During this move it received the benefits of being regarded as Static
target for the move, but cannot fire any weapons during a regroup move. Next move it can
be ordered around as normal.
If during a regroup move the enemy inflicts further casualties on the unit, then it
automatically routs (regardless of whether it was retreating or static after failing its Morale
test), and makes a full Advance move towards its own table edge and will continue to do
so until the unit leaves the table or it is successfully regrouped.
++ RELIGIOUS FANATASISM OR SPACED OUT ON WAKKI-BAKKI? OUR TALKING HEADS LOOK AT
KHALLISTANI SUCCESSES AGAINST SUPERIOR HI-TECH FORCES ON CHANNEL 647 ++
fashion as any other vehicles. The only restriction is that if VTOLs fly off the table, they
cannot return. VTOLs can be targeted by units using their standard armament.
FIXED WING CRAFT
Fixed wing craft do not remain in the table for the games and their presence has to be
requested by putting in an Airstrike order issued by one of your HQ APCs. The counter is
placed next to the HQ APC that issued it and revealed when all other orders are turned.
The player that issued the order then secretly rolls a D4 and notes the score. This number
represents the turn on which the aerospace craft will arrive. They arrive in a flight of three.
When the aerospace craft arrive the controlling player must nominate the target point that
they wish to attack and the speed they will be attacking it at (individual aerospace craft
may attack separate targets and at differing speeds if the player so wishes). These speeds
are Slow, Medium or Fast. The slower you fly the easier it is to hit the target, but the easier
it is to be hit as well.
As you will have seen on the Statistical Charts, most vehicles have some form of antiaircraft capability which they use against fixed wing craft (not VTOLs). Prior to an
aerospace craft attacking a unit, the unit can try and shoot it down. To do this each vehicle
in the target template (see below) must roll equal to or less than its AA figure on a D10.
The die roll is modified according to the speed of the aerospace craft:
Slow speed
Normal speed
Fast speed
+2
0
-2
If the roll is successful the aerospace craft is destroyed and cannot attack its target.
If the craft is not destroyed then it can pursue its attack. The aerospace craft can attack
the target from any direction it wishes and uses the artillery barrage template to see how
many individual models fall into range of its munitions. This template represents the area
that the aerospace crafts payload covers when dropped.
The attacking player then places the template over the target and rolls his percentage dice
for each individual model (or part of) within the template. The basic To Hit percentage for a
fixed wing craft attack is 60% and is modified as follows:
Slow speed
Normal speed
Fast speed
+15%
0%
-15%
If the target model is hit following the rolling of the percentage dice then it is automatically
destroyed regardless of its Defence Factor. Aerospace payloads are very powerful
The number of airstrikes that a player has at his disposal eachis decided upon as part of
the scenario or on a random roll of a D4 by both players if they so wish.
VTOLs cannot be the target of an airstrike.
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AMBUSHES (Optional)
This is another optional rules and one best used only when you have a referee to oversee
the game (unless you have a very sporting opponent!).
Ambushes occur when units conceal themselves from the enemy and open fire at close
range, totally surprising the enemy. Whether an ambush could occur will depend on the
type of game you are playing and will normally only occur when one side is defending and
the other attacking.
If you wish to conceal units you must do this prior to the start of the game. With the
referees supervision, draw a quick sketch map of the battlefield and accurately mark
where your concealed unit(s) is based. A concealed unit need not be placed in woods or
buildings, though it is more beneficial to do so. The actual models representing the
concealed unit are not placed on the battlefield yet.
An enemy unit can only be ambushed if it is shot at under 150mm. An attack from any
further range is not counted as an ambush and the player firing does not gain any of the
benefits ambushing gives. An attack from outside 150mm is treated as a normal attack and
once a concealed unit fires it no longer counts as concealed and must be placed on the
board as normal.
An ambush occurs during the normal firing period of a move and the player making the
ambush must declare they are doing so by putting his concealed unit on the tabletop and
pointing out the unit they are ambushing.
Prior to working out casualties on the enemy unit, the enemy player has the opportunity to
see if he spotted the concealed unit before the ambush occurred and that his troops where
not totally surprised.
To do this they should roll a D10 and adjust the score with the following modifiers:
American Republic
Chinese Democratic Socialist Union
European Federation
Indonesian Republic
Khallistani League
ONESS
Pacific Federation
South African Commonwealth
Concealed unit not hidden in building, woods or jungle
+2
+1
+2
+2
0
+1
+1
+2
-2
To successfully spot the ambush before it occurs the ambushed player must roll a modified
score of 8 or more on a D10. If they succeed then the ambusher gains none of the benefits
24
of the ambush and calculates their fire as they would for a normal Static attack (which in
itself can be pretty devastating!). A spotted ambush attempt also means that the attacked
player can, if he has the opportunity left to him that move, return fire (he cannot do this if
he has already fired).
Should the ambushed player not spot the ambush, then the ambusher can add a further
%5 to his basic To Hit chance and the enemy unit will have to undertake a Morale check
on any surviving unit members. Further, an ambushed unit cannot return fire that move,
even if it successfully survives a Morale check.
++ DEATH IN THE GREEN ZONE! PACFED ARMOURED UNITS SUFFER INCREASING CASUALTIES
IN BATTLES AGAINST INDONESIAN GUERILLAS IN PNG JUNGLE. PRESS RED FOR MORE ++
NATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
A mentioned in Organisation above, unit composition can vary from nation to nation. This
is because different armies have different ideas on how battles should be fought or they
may be constrained by the amount of tanks, APCs or infantry available to them. To inject
this into the game we have included some optional Regiment organisations for you to
consider using. None of these are super units (even the ones with lots of tanks!) and their
success will dependent on a number of factors, not least the terrain. Unless stated
otherwise below, the composition of a squadron, platoon etc is the same as the generic
unit organisation as described under Organisation above eg. the Mechanised Infantry
Platoon in the AmRep Air Cavalry Regiment has one Command APC and three sections of
two APCs and two infantry bases each.
Further, because some units within an army are better (or worse) than others, we have
included different morale figures for certain units where applicable:
++ ONESS ENGLISH 1ST AIRBORNE GRAV-CHUTE INTO EUROFED R&R BASE NEAR BRADBURY
SPACEPORT. NEW FOOTAGE FROM MARS AFTER THESE WORDS FROM OUR SPONSORS ++
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SCENARIOS
When it comes to playing your games of Iron Cow 2103AD we think youll find them all the
more enjoyable if you develop a little bit of background to the battle and a reason for it to
be fought. Battles are rarely fought because two opposing forces just happened to turn up
at the same place at the same time. Doing this is known as creating a scenario and what
follows are some ideas for you to try out. Youll find more ideas just from watching films on
TV, reading books on real battles from history or those that appear in games magazines
and journals.
THE LAST STAND
EuroFed forces are in headlong retreat on the Belgian border following defeat in a major
engagement by ONESS forces. A HQ unit attempts to rally individual troops and sections
from a EuroFed Regiment as it retreats across the board. Two fresh ONESS Tank
Squadrons enter the field of play D6 moves later.
++ AMAZING VID FROM EMBED WITH ONESS 7TH ARMOUR AS THEY THROUGH SMASH EUROFED
DEFENCES AT STRASBOURG COMING UP WITHIN THE HOUR AFTER THIS LATEST CELEBRITY
NEWZ ++
TAKING GROUND
Using the Ambush rules in a largely urbanised table, a force of AmRep troops comprising
of a HQ unit, tank squadron and mechanised infantry platoon attempt to hold off a CDSU
Tank Regiment in Manchuria.
++ FUBAR IN FIBUA! CHINESE FORCES GRIND TO A HALT IN PRIMORSKY KRAI. AMREP HELMCAM FOOTAGE OF BATTLES NOW ON INTERWEB ++
MEETING ENGAGEMENT
Historically a very unusual type of battle as two forces literally bump into each other, but a
very common type of wargame. Spice it up a bit by having each side rolls a D6 to see on
which move their individual squadrons and platoons arrive and designate an objective (say
a small village) that has to be captured and held by both sides. An interesting game, with
diverse styles of forces such as EuroFed and ONESS.
++ EUROFED AND ONESS ARMOUR CLASHES IN SPONTANEOUS BATTLE NEAR RIVER ILL IN
VOSGES MOUNTAINS. CASUALTIES HIGH. PRESS INTERACTIVE FOR LIVE FEED FROM THE
FRONTLINE NOW ++
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MODEL AVAILABILITY
There are a large number of manufacturers that produce miniatures that can be used in
Iron Cow 2103AD. What follows are some of the URLs of a few (if someone is not on this
list, it doesnt mean they are not worth checking out!)
www.brigademodels.co.uk
www.darkrealminiatures.com
www.groundzerogames.net
www.irregularminiatures.co.uk
www.scotiagrendel.com
++ AMREP COMMAND ON VENUS CALLS FOR URGENT REINFORCEMENTS TO TACKLE GROWING
EUROFED FORCE. OUR TALKING HEADS DEBATE THE NEED ON CHANNEL 650 RIGHT NOW ++
DESIGNERS NOTES
This edition of Iron Cow is not the long anticipated second edition but a small run reprint of
the highly popular first edition first printed in 1995 (albeit now with some minor
modifications). Iron Cow has been out of print for a couple of years now, not due to any
lack of popularity (indeed we are regularly asked when will the second edition be available
by existing players and those that want to try it out for the first time), but due to pressure of
work on the author and the sad fact I get distracted by playing games with orcs dressed up
in a variety of historical costumes.
The main reason Iron Cow has not just been reprinted was that the original edition was
geared towards a specific range of miniatures that are largely unavailable today and that
they were originally set in the same background the author and Jon Tuffley developed for
Ground Zero Games wargames series starting with the excellent Full Thrust. With GZG
issuing a second edition of their own excellent 6mm SF armour rules, Dirtside, using the
same background, I decided to write a second edition taking on board some of the
feedback Id received from Iron Cow players and setting it in a new background.
Then the orcs took over
Since then I have been somewhat distracted by Panzerfuste and our highly popular VSF
flter rules Aeronef. I also decided that the new background I wrote was in some respects
too similar to that Id helped Jon develop and with the genesis if a more radical one in mind
I scrapped it.
However as another year went by with Iron Cow out of print and work on the second
edition (to be called Iron Cow 2136AD) not started, I made the decision to make the
original edition available again, but with background elements taken from the one I initially
designed and had previewed to some extent in a scenario I wrote for the SFSFW journal
Ragnarok back in late 1996.
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So here is Iron Cow 2103AD, not so much a second edition, but version 1.1 I hope new
gamers like it and have as much fun as existing players do and the existing gamers find
the new vehicles, background and odd new rules worth the purchasE price.
Finally, there was one more motivation in getting Iron Cow back in print the death of my
stepson Nigel Phillips at Christmas 2001. Nige and I enjoyed many games of Iron Cow
when he visited us and Iron Cow 2103AD is dedicated to him and the fun we had playing
the original game
DESIGNERS NOTES (part two)
So here we are once more Its over seven years since I wrote the above and fourteen
since we first released Iron Cow and who knows when well get around to that longpromised 2nd edition! (You can blame the success of the VSF games this time)
In all seriousness it may be some time and there is not great imperative as the core Iron
Cow system works fine and the game still does what it says on the tin it allows you to put
a lot of tanks on the table and blow them up in an evening and still have time for a pint
afterwards (age and local licensing laws permitting).
There are some changes to this PDF version (1.2?) to the paper rulebook (version 1.1) but
nothing major. They mainly relate to the background section. I realised we were only a
year away from some of the events in the timeline so took the decision not to include it in
the same format but instead provided some detail on the major powers and brief overviews
of the major wars of the last fifty years of Iron Cow history (so if Saudi and Egyptian forces
dont invade Sudan and Ethiopia in 2011 it doesnt really matter!).
The second decision was one planned for a while and was to restrict the background to
the Solar System! Whilst there may be some cries of indignation from some SF gamers
there struck me as little point in having games set on Epsilon Indi IV if most gamers tables
still looked like Surrey! Anyway the Solar System is a big place and if you want alien
environments to fight on then the Moon, Mars and Venus will give you more than enough
problems
There are some odd little tweaks to the rules to clarify things but no major changes from
what was or was supposed to be and games between owners of the paper and PDF
editions should not cause any problems (if there is a dispute the PDF version tops the
paper one).
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy playing Iron Cow we do have some plans to better support the
game going forward thanks to the possibilities offered by the PDF market so please come
and join the WGSF Yahoo Group to keep up to date with developments for Iron Cow and
its sister games
Steve Blease
++ AND FINALLY AMREP COMMAND DENIES GREENPEACE REPORTS THAT ITS UNITS
OBLITERATED ARCHEALOGICAL EVIDENCE OF EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL LIFE AT SYRTIS MAJOR
WHEN IT FIRED A TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPON AT EUROFED FORCES. WELL BOB, IF THERE
WERE LITTLE GREEN MEN ON MARS, THEYLL CERTAINLY BE GLOWING GREEN TONIGHT ++
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