Hammer of Democracy – First Game

[Tim Snoddy]

And what a game it was!  An absolute blast.  Many thanks to Wee The WeeGamers & The Bunker Club for the use of their gorgeous terrain last night for my first game of Hammer of Democracy the World War 2 skin for Squad Hammer. Also thanks to Simon and Chris for playing allowing me to concentrate on keeping the rules straight. I totally winged it with force composition giving the British too many support weapons and not enough infantry but we still had a blast. Basic scenario, British attacking a German held town. Germans had a MMG in the bell tower which was to prove an absolute nightmare for the plucky Brits. As I suspected the rules for support fire (offensive and defensive) worked a treat. Machine guns can always return fire so we quickly learnt not to shoot at them with anything that was liable to take more damage than it would inflict. Units inflict a set amount of damage on infantry with a roll for modest variation. This is by far my favourite damage model yet. Infantry have hit points which represent morale as well as physical injuries. So veterans have more hit points than regulars etc. Once damage equals hit points a unit is eliminated. Infantry can use two different types of orders to regain hit points. A great system.

Suffice to say I think this is the best representation of how support weapons like machine guns actually worked that I have seen in any WWII rule set.  The two Bolt Action players I ran the game for came away thoroughly impressed at how quick and elegant the rules were.

As ever a couple of queries Ivan.

1 The question was asked so I will pass it on.  Does offensive and defensive support fire have to be at the same target the activated unit is attacking or is attacked by.  Eg my infantry squad is fired upon by an enemy squad, I have an anti tank gun eligible to give support fire.  If it support fires must it’s target be the enemy squad that fired or can it fire at a different more attractive target?  I know the 6″ nearest target rule, let’s say that does not apply.

2 Assaulting a half track with infantry without specialist AT weapons.  This seemed to suggest a 10+ was needed, the same as against a proper tank.  I thought a normal vehicle kill check minus armour value was perhaps more appropriate.  What is intended?

3 Do infantry anti tank teams have a range limit of 6″?  Target has to be within assault range?

[Tim Snoddy]

With the Germans holed up in the buildings the British attempted a very early rush across the bridge. I don’t think the British had quite grasped how support weapons (which they had three of) could be used offensively and defensively. Turn limit was a die roll for scenario time with turns taking a die roll of time. The rolls came out very high perhaps best to have just given a time limit and kept the random turn duration.

[Tim Snoddy]

As ever infantry in the open are easy targets.

[Tim Snoddy]

Hiding in the shadows you can see this German MMG team.

[Tim Snoddy]

Germans took a half track with a squad down towards another bridge.

[Tim Snoddy]

Brits try it again, perhaps keeping their heads down more.

[Tim Snoddy]

This area of plant life was more than 3″ thick so blocked line of sight. The Brits moved around the corner to get a LOS on the half track.

[Tim Snoddy]

British machine gun team racks up the hits.

[Tim Snoddy]

Attempting a close range attack with hand grenades the British only managed to get a stun result on the half track which meant it could not operate for a turn.

[Tim Snoddy]

Taking 5 out of their total 7 hits the British squad on the bridge very wisely issued a defend order. Moved back into cover and took off 1 point of damage. The defend order lasts until they are given a different order and means any fire at them is -1 to hit. Alas against super German die rolling it gained them nothing and they were soon shot up.

The German squad exits the half track and hides behind the terrain.

[Tim Snoddy]

British gun in trouble from the MMG in the bell tower.

The German squad rushed for an assault. Infantry versus vehicle assault can be up to 6″ away representing the use of anti tank weapons, grenades etc. Being “dirt simple rules” it is all on one roll. A 10+ needed on 2D6 which they got! At which point the British lost heart and called off the attack. Not sure I got everything right rules wise. Many options to explore and different troop types and grades to investigate. The fact that there are no ranges for weapons speeded things up immensely. Overall being so different and innovative the rules for support fire and return fire can be confusing at first but I was sure I was using a system so elegant it would soon become second nature.

[McKinstry]

That is one great looking game!

The tree of Life is self pruning.

[Ivan Sorensen]

Looks absolutely gorgeous and I am glad you had a great time!

[Tim Snoddy]

Any thoughts on the couple of rule queries?  Now super stoked for Squad Hammer tool kit.  Any update on it?

 

[Ivan Sorensen]

Sorry about the delay!

Still working on the tool kit, but there’s a couple small projects to do first. I didn’t want to “crowd” things too much

1 The question was asked so I will pass it on. Does offensive and defensive support fire have to be at the same target the activated unit is attacking or is attacked by. Eg my infantry squad is fired upon by an enemy squad, I have an anti tank gun eligible to give support fire. If it support fires must it’s target be the enemy squad that fired or can it fire at a different more attractive target? I know the 6″ nearest target rule, let’s say that does not apply.

They do not, though I am told that a lot of people either interpret it that way or opt to enforce that.
The intention is that they can fire at whatever seems most valuable.

2 Assaulting a half track with infantry without specialist AT weapons. This seemed to suggest a 10+ was needed, the same as against a proper tank. I thought a normal vehicle kill check minus armour value was perhaps more appropriate. What is intended?

I’d use a kill check yeah.

3 Do infantry anti tank teams have a range limit of 6″? Target has to be within assault range?

So a lot of people have told me they want infantry AT to be able to shoot normally.
As written right now, they’re strictly assault weapons.

I imagine that will change, once I get the Polish update done.

[Tim Snoddy]

That is a really interesting answer to the support fire question.  I would have bet my mortgage it was the opposite to your answer.  Honestly not sure which I would opt for.  Quite a different game if support weapons are free to choose their target.

[Ivan Sorensen]

Sure, and I could 100% see arguments why it should be the other way.

The rationale I applied is that a combat situation may be pretty chaotic.
So a tank is rolling through and blasting you.

Well, the obvious answer is to have an AT gun knock it out, but firing an MG at the supporting infantry could help clear the area so you can assault it (f.x.)

Ideally, it’d have to be within the same general area, but that’s hard to write a satisfactory rule for.

I hope that makes sense!

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