Fast Action Battles - 1. The Bulge (V1.

1)

Red Sections denote rules specific to The Bulge

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- Reinforcement Phase -
Both Players

- Admin Phase -
Both Players

- Operational Movement Phase -

Player 1 (Phasing Player)

- Strategic Movement Phase -

Player 1 (Phasing Player)

- Combat Phase -
Player 1 (Phasing Player)

- Reaction Phase -
Player 2 (Non-Phasing Player)

- Breakthrough Phase -
Player 1 (Phasing Player)

- Supply Phase -
Both Players

- Player 2 Turn -
Back to Admin Phase and repeat sequence with Player 2 the new Phasing Player

Victory Check Phase

- Advance Game Turn -

then Back to Reinforcement Phase
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Notes: (1)
Generally, success on dice roll = 5
A dice roll of 10 is always a failure
A dice roll of 1 is always a success

(2)
Reusable Special Action can be used to affect any Higher Echelon
Single Use Action chit only affects units of matching Higher
Echelon

(3)
The orange German Strategic Reserve Units can use Assets/Events
of the Army whose zone they currently occupy (even if stacked with
Unit from different Higher Echelon (15.1))
The light blue US Strategic Reserve Units/Assets/Events can be
used with/receive support from other Higher Echelons without
penalty (15.2)

(4)
The German Player is the 1st Player in The Bulge

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Reinforcement Phase - Both Players

If Reusable Special Action was not used in previous turn

o move one Asset from Used to Available box (4.1a)

If Reusable Special Action was used in previous turn

o move Reusable Special Action from Used to Available box (4.1a)

Germans
o move one regular artillery Asset from Used to Eliminated box (16.12)

Move all remaining Assets from Used to Selection Cup (4.1b)

Add new resources for current turn

o Units placed in entry areas (4.1c & 8.27).
not into enemy-controlled area (unless empty)
delayed 1 turn if all entry areas blocked, or
may reroute via Special Action
no overstacking

Germans Turn 4: Units may overstack in Zone Z

German Strategic Reserve enter at Zone Y or Z
Allied Task Forces placed in friendly, uncontested, supplied area(s)
(16.22)

o Events placed into Selection Cup (4.1d)

o Assets placed into Selection Cup (4.1d)

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Admin Phase - Both Players

Randomly draw Assets/Events from Selection Cup (4.2a)

o # drawn depends on 1st or 2nd Player Turn (see turn track)
o if drawn, place von der Heydte chit on map if possible (16.11)

First Phasing Player then non-Phasing Player may use Available chits to perform:

o Engineering Functions (4.3 & 14.5) (move chit to Used box)

blow 2 bridges
repair one bridge
build Field Works
build Roadblock
create Defended Roadblock

(in all cases, the associated space must be supplied and friendly-controlled.
For bridge repair, at least one space adjacent to river must be friendly-
controlled and the other must be contested or controlled)

o Events (see 17.0 for details) (move chit to Eliminated box)

may use an Event chit to move 2 Assets from Eliminated box to
Selection Cup instead of carrying out the actual event

o Staff Functions (8.3) (move Command Staff chit to Used box)

no Higher Echelon restrictions
Replacement Found: add 1 step to a supplied, non-Elite, infantry-
class unit
Intelligence Gathering: look at 1 supplied enemy unit during Admin
Phase
Reserves Made Available: Mark an eligible unit (supplied, in an
appropriate and uncontested zone, in good order (14.7)) with a
reserve marker

o Special Actions (8.25 & 8.26) (move Reusable Block to Used box / move
Single-Use chits to Eliminated box)
Rally the Troops: choose 1 supplied area. All friendly
disordered/recovering units within this area and all adjacent areas
recover fully.
Acquire Quality Replacements: add 1 step to a supplied
Infantry/Armour unit (even Elite)

Germans can only play Events/Assets in the corresponding Army Zone(14.31)

Orange Strategic Reserve Events can be played anywhere

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3
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Operational Movement Phase - Phasing Player (5.3)
Stacking rules - 2 units of each side per area. No voluntary overstacking.
o Unlimited Assets per area.
o Enforced at the end of each Phase
Options for each unit:
o Place unit in reserve.
place available reserve marker on eligible, supplied, non-disordered
unit. Remove if area becomes contested or after enemy players next
Supply Phase this unit can :
move normally during this movement phase;
Strat-move later in this turn;
Reaction-move later during opponents turn; or Breakthrough-
move later in this turn.
o Move unit
3MP allowance for Infantry, 6MP allowance for Armour
movement cost via road connection = 1MP
movement cost via field connection = 2MPs
movement cost across Blown Bridge = full MP allowance
+1MP if entering an area containing any other unit
+1MP if leaving a contested area
Germans:
+2MP if unit leaves its associated Army Zone (only during
Operational Movement)
Fuel Asset required to move a unit > 3MPs or to Strat Move a
unit. Not needed for a 1 area move. (NB. Additional Fuel Assets
are obtained via draw during Admin Phase or when Germans
first capture a Yellow Star Objective)
British:
Can only operate NW of Meuse River
Schnee Eiffel:
Infantry may cross during Operational Movement only (costs full
MP allowance). No armour unit may cross. No Strat Move may
cross.
units can always move 1 area regardless of MPs required
unsupplied and/or disordered/recovering units can only move to
adjacent area
reveal units if entering area containing other face-up units
must stop if entering enemy-occupied area or roadblock
if exiting contested area, first area entered must be friendly-controlled
and uncontested. Cannot enter contested or enemy-occupied area
later
only 1 unit can cross each river boundary into a contested or enemy
occupied area (regardless of Bridge condition) per Movement Phase
if a unit attempts to cross a river into a contested area, defender can
try to Blow Bridge. Optional. Succeeds on roll of 1-5. If unit started its
move from adjacent area, then may choose to complete move or lose
1MP and move elsewhere.
place River Assault marker in newly contested area if all units
crossed rivers and at least 1 unit crossed Blown Bridge.
o Build Field Works
supplied unit in good order in uncontested area uses all MPs
all friendly Units in the area benefit from the Field Works
removed after taking first hit in combat or if left behind when
all friendly Units leave the area
o Hold position
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Strategic Movement Phase - Phasing Player (5.4)

Supplied units marked with reserve markers only
o move to any other friendly-controlled, supplied area
o must move along continuous path of connected areas
cannot cross a Blown Bridge
cannot move through or enter enemy-controlled or contested areas
Germans: may only Strat-Move 1 unit per turn.
o requires a Fuel Asset
o no boundary costs. (14.81)
Americans: only limited by # available reserve markers (14.82)
British: must stay within operating area (NW of Meuse River, 14.83)
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5
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Combat Phase - Phasing Player (6.0)

Phasing Player (Attacker) chooses any/all contested areas for a round of battle
o mandatory for newly contested areas
o disordered/recovering units may not attack or have losses assigned to them
o disordered/recovering units participate normally for Defender
Follow combat sequence strictly - combat is not simultaneous
o Defender decides whether to use Special Action chit to reinforce or retreat
from battle. Combat round ends if Defender retreats.
reinforcement
1 Unit in good order can be moved from adjacent area.
no overstacking
cannot reinforce area containing Assets only
cannot be declared as Point Unit until previous Point Unit is
eliminated.
retreat
Units do not become disordered
if Defender retreats, then Exploitation Opportunity arises as follows
(NB not if attack is River Assault):
- all attacking Armour Units make Morale roll (NB modifiers may
apply and hidden Units must be revealed if they participate)
- successful Units have an Exploitation marker placed on them
- this allows the Unit to carry out possible Breakthrough
Movement later

o Attacker may assign chits from Available Box to combat zone

Units must be in Supply and able to trace a valid supply path
unlimited # of battle Assets (i.e. non-Artillery) can be played if all Units
come from same Higher Echelon and Asset is of the same Higher
Echelon as the units
if all attacking Units are from same Higher Echelon, then up to 2 artillery
Assets and 1 Event of same Echelon can also be played
if Units are from different Higher Echelons, then only 1 artillery Asset per
Echelon can be played (no Events, no other Assets)
Germans: if 2 Artillery could be used as per above, these must be 1
Regular and 1 Rocket (16.12)
Americans: if 2 Artillery could be used as per above, Americans may use
3 Artillery assets to reflect historical artillery supremacy (16.23)

o Defender may assign chits from Available Box to combat zone

Units must be able to trace a valid supply path
unlimited # of battle Assets (i.e. non-Artillery) can be played if all Units
come from same Higher Echelon and Asset is of the same Higher
Echelon as the units
if all defending Units are from same Higher Echelon, then 1 artillery Asset
and 1 Event of same Echelon can also be played
if Units are from different Higher Echelons or only Assets are defending,
then only 1 artillery Asset in total can be played (no Events, no other
Assets)
Americans: may use 2 Artillery assets as Defender

o Designate Point Units and Reveal Battling Units

Defender designates first followed by Attacker
Asset can only be designated if no Unit present
Reveal Units if new battle

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 o Attacking Artillery Fires
1 die (with modifiers) per attacking Artillery Asset
Defender designates new Point Unit if previous one eliminated
Exploitation Opportunity and end of combat round if all non-Artillery
Defenders eliminated

o Defending Artillery Fires

1 die (with modifiers) per defending Artillery Asset
Attacker designates new Point Unit if previous one eliminated
battle round over if Attacker aborts

o Defensive Ground Fire

fire remaining Units and battle Assets (with modifiers)
battle round over if Attacker aborts

o Offensive Ground Fire

fire remaining Units and battle Assets (with modifiers)
Engineers can eliminate enemy Field Works instead of firing
the Field Works is removed before other attacking units fire
Exploitation Opportunity if all defending Units and Assets are eliminated
and hits are left over

o End of Combat Round

all Assets moved to Used Box (except Garrisons/Task Forces, which
are eliminated if hit or left behind after a friendly retreat)
stand up Units if area now uncontested
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- Hit Allocation -

After applying Success Number Modifiers (Terrain, Unit Type, Troop Quality, Unit
Status, Field Works, River Assault, Supply Status - see Combat Tables)

Point Unit must be the first Unit to take a hit (although battle Assets may take hits before
this)
Each Unit and battle Asset (not Artillery) must take a single hit before additional hits can
be assigned to surviving Units (in any combination). In effect, all battle assets must be
nd
eliminated before any Unit takes a 2 hit.
Garrisons and Task Forces act as defended roadblocks if alone in an area (eliminate if
hit) or as a battle Asset if in an area with Units. A garrison or Task Force is eliminated if
hit, left behind after all friendly Units have retreated, or fails an unsupplied Morale roll.
Hits Against Attacker - apply in the following order
o Mandatory step loss from Point Unit or battle Asset (i.e. not Artillery)
o then Apply further step losses to battle Assets/Units or Abort
o if attack Aborted:
all further hits ignored
all Units become disordered in place
River-Assaulting Units become disordered and must also retreat to
original area
all associated Assets to Used Box

Hits Against Defender - apply in the following order

o any Field Works present always absorbs first hit (whether from Artillery fire or
Ground fire) (remove marker)
o next hit from Artillery fire may be absorbed by disordering all Units (option not
available if all Units are already disordered or only Assets remain)
o 1 hit from Ground fire may then be absorbed by retreating all defending units
option not available if only Assets remain in battle
Assets do not retreat: they are moved to Used box after battle but may be
destroyed before that if additional hits remain to be assigned
o then Apply further step losses to battle Assets/Units
remember, Exploitation Opportunity if all defending Units and Assets are
eliminated and any hits are left over

Retreats (6.6)
o each retreating Unit becomes disordered and must go to uncontested, friendly-
controlled area(s)
may cross Blown Bridge
if retreat leads to overstacking, retreat another space (etc)
Units unable to retreat must take losses
surviving Assets do not retreat: move to Used box

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Reaction Phase - Non-Phasing Player (7.2)

Units marked with a reserve marker may move to enemy-free areas or existing battles (no
new battles can be created and no combat). Full MP allowance is available to each
participating unit.
Any participating Unit may build Field Works instead of moving
Remove reserve marker from any Unit that moves or builds
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Breakthrough Phase - Phasing Player (7.3 & 7.4)

Units marked with a reserve marker may move normally

Units marked with an Exploitation marker may move to adjacent area only
o not across a Blown Bridge

Attacker can use Special Action chit to move 1 supplied Armour Unit 1 area
o not across a Blown Bridge, even if just blown in response to this move, in which
case Unit cannot move at all

Any participating Unit may build Field Works instead of moving

Newly contested areas can be created during any Breakthrough move
o enemy can attempt to blow bridges in this case

New battles must conduct one round of Combat

Attacker can use Special Action chits to conduct one round of Combat in existing
battles (one chit per area). Follow standard Combat procedure.
Remove marker (reserve/Exploitation) from any Unit that moves or builds
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Supply Phase - Both Players
Verify control of areas (last sole occupant)
Determine Supply Status
o Status remains valid until next Supply Phase
o Trace supply path to Supply Source for each Unit, Asset and friendly-controlled
area
German Sources: any friendly-controlled entry area (X-Z). Supply path
may cross Army boundaries (14.91).
Allies: any friendly-controlled entry area (A-Q) (14.92).
path is traced through friendly-controlled areas
can only trace across a Blown Bridge if Unit/area tracing supply is
adjacent to the associated river boundary
path can be traced out of (but not through or into) enemy-controlled area
path cannot pass through an empty area that is adjacent to an enemy-
controlled area containing uncontested enemy Unit(s).
path can always be traced through friendly-controlled areas regardless of
occupying Unit composition (enemy, friendly, or both)
o Place Unsupplied marker on unsupplied Units and areas. Remove Unsupplied
markers from Units/areas that have regained supply.
unsupplied Units and areas cannot be affected by friendly events,
Special Actions, Staff Functions, or Engineering Functions

Disordered Units in supply now become Recovering Units

Recovering Units in supply now become Good Order Units
Phasing Player only checks Morale of all his Unsupplied Units
(two sequential checks in Turns 6-9)
o -1 modifier due to lack of supply
o Good or Recovering Units that fail Morale Check become Disordered
o Disordered Units that fail Morale Check lose a step.
if Unit was Veteran and rolls 10, it surrenders and is eliminated
if Unit was Green and rolls 8-10, it surrenders and is eliminated

Both players remove Field Works from contested areas, all roadblocks, all defended
roadblocks, all River Assault markers, all Exploitation markers, and all non-phasing
players reserve markers
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Victory Check Phase - secure Objective Areas and eliminate large Units (19.0)
Objective Areas (must be friendly-controlled and supplied)
o German Areas - each symbol is a VP for the Allies
o Map-Edge Areas - each white star is a VP for the Germans
o Battlefield Areas - each yellow star is a VP for controlling player

Eliminated Large Units - Units with 3 or more steps

o Place on Eliminated Large Units Track
each Unit on track is worth 1VP
NB: American 1st and 4th Infantry Divisions may be removed later if
corresponding reinforcement event is played

Difference between Allied and German VP totals is marked on VP Track

Turn Track shows VP difference required for Sudden Death Victory.

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